Monday Reset: When your brain won't let you start anything

This week's focus: Overcome the "I can't make myself start" wall

Your Brain This Week

Task initiation, the ability to start something, requires significantly more prefrontal cortex activation (part of the brain responsible for “doing” things) in ADHD brains. That’s why “just start” doesn’t work. You’re not lazy. Your brain just works differently and needs a gentler way in.

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This week’s strategy: The Starter Task

Don’t try to start the real task. Start the task BEFORE the task.

How it works:

1. Identify the task you’re avoiding (ex: “Write report”)

2. Find the tiniest task that leads to it (ex: “Open blank document”)

3. Set a 2-minute timer

4. Do ONLY the starter task (open document, nothing else)

5. When timer ends, you choose: keep going or stop guilt-free

Why this works for ADHD: Your brain resists big tasks but doesn’t resist tiny ones. Once you’re in motion: document open, materials out, laptop awake, the hard part is done. You’ve already started. Now the “real” task is just continuing, which your brain finds much easier than starting.

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The 2-Minute Worksheet

The task I’m avoiding this week: _______________________

My starter task (the thing BEFORE the thing): _______________________
Examples: 
• Report → Open blank document
• Laundry → Walk to laundry room
• Email → Open inbox (don’t read, just open)
• Exercise → Put on workout clothes

I’ll do my starter task on [day] at [time]: _______________________

If I don’t keep going after 2 minutes, that’s okay because: _______________________
(Fill in: “I broke the freeze” / “Tomorrow I’ll try again” / “Starting is enough”)

Grab a piece of paper or open a note on your phone and fill in the blanks above. It takes 2 minutes. You can even comment it below, others will see it and cheer you on :)

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