Why “Just Start” Doesn’t Work for ADHD Brains
We don’t need hype. We need traction — and AI can help us get that first foothold.
“Just start” is one of those phrases that sounds helpful… until you’re staring at your to-do list, fully paralyzed, wondering how to even begin being a person again.
It’s not that we don’t want to do the thing.
We do want to do the thing.
We just… can’t get ourselves to start it.
This is a flavor of executive dysfunction that ADHD brains know way too well: the activation problem. It’s not about laziness or lack of motivation. It’s about missing that invisible bridge between thinking and doing.
🧠 Enter: AI as Activation Assistant
One of the most useful ways I’ve used ChatGPT lately isn’t for big, complex planning — it’s to help me get unstuck at the very beginning.
Here’s a go-to activation prompt I’ve saved:
“I’m struggling to start this task: [insert task]. Can you break it down into the tiniest steps possible — so small that I could do one even if I’m tired, distracted, or unmotivated?”
📋 Example:
Task: “Clean the kitchen”
AI Response:
Walk into the kitchen
Put one dish in the sink
Wipe one small section of the counter
Breathe. That counts.
It feels silly — until you realize: That’s progress.
When you’re overwhelmed, microscopic motion is still motion.
⚙️ Bonus Prompt: Momentum Boost
Once you’ve started, you can ask AI to keep helping:
“Okay, I did the first step. Can you give me the next one — still small, but a little more challenging?”
This creates a feedback loop of progress. It’s like gamifying your own attention span — without needing willpower to fuel it.
🧩 Why This Works for ADHD
ADHD brains love novelty and dopamine. But they also thrive with clear structure — especially when we’re tired or dysregulated.
By letting AI be the structure, we remove the guesswork.
You don’t have to decide how to start.
You just show up, paste a prompt, and let AI give you the foothold.
And once you’re moving? That’s when your brain starts to engage again.
💬 Try it today — pick something you’ve been avoiding and ask AI for a 3-step absurdly tiny task breakdown. Then come back and tell me if it helped.
– Jody