Got Distracted? Ask AI to Help You Restart
Use this prompt to recover your focus and pick up where you left off.
Dex was mid-sentence. Then a notification pinged. Then he remembered the laundry. Then he grabbed a snack.
Now, 40 minutes later, he’s back at his desk.
He stares at the screen like he’s been dropped into someone else’s project. “Where was I?” he mumbles. Then comes the guilt. Then the scrolling.
What’s Actually Happening
ADHDers don’t just struggle to stay focused — they struggle to return.
This is called attention recovery latency — the time it takes to resume your original task after an interruption. Neurotypicals can often re-engage within seconds. ADHD brains? It might take minutes, hours… or not happen at all.
The problem isn’t the distraction. It’s the friction in re-entry. And the guilt only makes it worse.
The Reframe
You’re not broken. You just need a softer on-ramp.
Instead of forcing your way back in, try using AI to meet you at the point of distraction. Let it help reconstruct where you were and suggest a next step — without shame.
New Vignette with AI Support
Dex types:
“I just lost 40 minutes and I can’t remember what I was working on. Can you help me get back into it?”
AI replies:
“Let’s take a breath. Based on your notes, it looks like you were drafting ideas for that proposal. Want to start by skimming what you wrote last? I can help you summarize where you left off and suggest your next move.”
Dex skims. He remembers. He resumes.
Why It Worked
AI acted as an external memory — without judgment. It didn’t scold him for being distracted. It simply lowered the cognitive barrier to restarting.
That’s the real secret: momentum doesn’t come from grit. It comes from re-entry points.
Suggested Prompt:
“I got distracted and now I’m not sure what I was doing. Can you help me figure out where I left off and what to do next?”
When to Use This Prompt:
You’ve been derailed by an interruption or distraction
You feel foggy and can’t recall your original task
You want to resume but don’t know how
Tips to Improve This Prompt:
Add context: “I was writing something,” or “This was for my client project”
Ask for a summary of what you were doing before
Request a nudge: “What’s a tiny next step I can take to re-enter?”
Use tone cues: “Be kind. I’m frustrated but trying.”
Level Up:
“Can you help me create a habit for re-entry after distractions — like a 3-step checklist I can reuse?”
When This Prompt Doesn’t Work:
If you never actually started the task — use a clarity or initiation prompt instead
If emotional dysregulation is high — begin with a nervous system or self-compassion check-in
Copyable Prompt:
“I got distracted and I’m not sure what I was doing. Can you help me retrace my steps and suggest a small way to restart?”