Many adults with ADHD describe the same frustrating experience: they know exactly what they need to do, but still struggle to get started.
In her book How to ADHD, Jessica McCabe—creator of the widely followed How to ADHD YouTube channel—focuses on practical strategies that help bridge the gap between intention and action. One of the strengths of her work is the way she connects with people who live with ADHD every day. She has a talent for humanizing the challenges of ADHD, helping readers feel understood rather than judged.
Much of the book focuses on adding practical “scaffolding” that makes it easier to move from intention to action, rather than relying on willpower alone. Here’s a sample of some of the strategies she discusses:
1. Create Urgency (Before the Deadline Panic)
Many people with ADHD notice they suddenly become productive when a deadline is imminent. The ADHD brain tends to respond strongly to urgency and immediacy, which is why last-minute productivity bursts are so common.McCabe suggests intentionally creating smaller forms of urgency earlier in the process.
Examples include:
Scheduling a “get stuff done” session with a coworker
Inviting someone over if you want motivation to clean
Turning a large project into short work “sprints” with mini-deadlines
This is closely related to what many ADHD coaches call body doubling—working alongside another person to create accountability and momentum. Instead of waiting for crisis-level pressure, these approaches create manageable urgency earlier in the task cycle.
2. Make “Later” Concrete (Addressing Time Blindness)
Another common ADHD challenge is time blindness, a term often used to describe how the future can feel vague or distant.One simple strategy McCabe recommends is turning vague intentions into specific commitments. nstead of saying, “I’ll do it later”, decide exactly when “later” is. For example:
Saturday at 10 a.m.
Tomorrow after dinner
Putting tasks on the calendar helps make the future visible and actionable, which reduces the chance that tasks simply disappear from awareness.
3. Adjust the Level of Challenge
ADHD brains often disengage when tasks are either too boring or too overwhelming. McCabe suggests deliberately adjusting the level of challenge depending on the situation.
If something feels overwhelming:
Lower the bar
Break the task into smaller pieces
If something feels boring:
Add novelty or challenge
Introduce an element of personal interest
Finding the right balance between challenge and engagement can make it much easier to stay focused.
My Take
From a clinical perspective, many of these strategies align with what we understand about the neuropsychology of ADHD. The condition is not just about attention; it also involves differences in motivation, executive functioning, and how the brain responds to urgency, reward, and time. For many adults with ADHD, these kinds of behavioral strategies can be helpful complements to evidence-based treatments such as medication, therapy, or coaching.
McCabe, J. (2024). How to ADHD: An insider’s guide to working with your brain (not against it). Profile Books.
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