Get Stuff Done: The Vital Strategy for Therapists with ADHD

As a coach who has spent almost a decade working closely with therapists, many of whom are neurodivergent, I’ve witnessed the unique challenges that come with managing ADHD in private practice. Today, I’d love to share insight on what I’ve seen work for therapists with ADHD trying to get stuff done so they can sustain and even grow their private practice.

Therapists With ADHD Will Relate To These Challenges

ADHD brings creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, but it may also present hurdles when it comes to staying organized and on track. From battling distractions to grappling with time management, the daily grind can feel like an overwhelming uphill climb.

• Procrastination on Key Tasks: You know you need to finalize your website, but you spend hours tweaking the color scheme instead of writing the much-needed “About Me” section.
• Difficulty Prioritizing: You spend excessive time researching office furniture while important tasks like completing intake forms or researching networking opportunities are left unfinished.
• Overwhelm Leading to Inaction: You feel paralyzed by the sheer number of tasks required to launch, resulting in nothing getting done.
• Time Blindness: You sit down to quickly check emails and realize hours later that no other tasks were completed that day.
• Hyperfocus on Unimportant Details: You perfect a logo design for weeks, even though a basic text-based logo would have sufficed for a launch.
• Inconsistent Follow-Through: You schedule a networking event but fail to send follow-up emails to new connections, missing out on potential referrals.
• Decision Paralysis: You spend days researching the best EHR system without making a choice, leading to missed opportunities to streamline practice management.
• Avoiding Tasks That Feel Boring: You ignore essential administrative tasks like bookkeeping because they seem tedious, resulting in a chaotic financial situation or maybe you don’t regularly update your website or social media because it’s feels routine.
• Difficulty Saying No: You take on too many clients or projects at once, leading to overcommitment and burnout due to a desire to please others or fear of missing out.
• Constantly Chasing New Ideas: You jump from one business idea to the next without fully implementing or evaluating the success of the current strategy.

What I’ve Seen Work: External Accountability

Amidst these challenges, one strategy that can really help is external accountability. By harnessing the power of external structures and support systems, therapists with ADHD can significantly boost their focus and actually get stuff done. Or as a therapist with ADHD recently shared with me, it helps them “pick a lane, stick with it, and finish it!”

• Provides Structure and Consistency External accountability introduces regular check-ins and deadlines, helping to create a structured routine. This consistency can counteract the tendency to procrastinate or become overwhelmed by providing clear, actionable steps and frequent reminders to stay on track.
• Enhances Motivation and Focus Knowing that someone else is monitoring your progress can boost motivation and maintain focus. External accountability can provide encouragement, celebrate successes, and help you navigate challenges, making it easier to stay committed to your goals.
• Offers Objective Feedback and Support Accountability provides an outside perspective, offering valuable feedback. Getting this outside perspective can help you spot what you might be missing, tweak your approach, and make sure you’re moving forward.

Five Tactics for External Accountability

Here are five effective tactics for implementing external accountability in your life:

1. Accountability Partner
   Cost: Free
   Pairing up with a trusted peer can be a game-changer. An accountability partner provides support, encouragement, and a gentle nudge when needed. Together, you can set goals, check in regularly, and celebrate victories along the way.
2. Mastermind Group
   Cost: Free and Premium Options
   Forming or joining a mastermind group offers the benefits of collective wisdom and shared accountability. Whether it’s a free circle of peers or a paid program, these groups provide a supportive environment for setting and achieving goals, exchanging insights, and holding each other accountable over time.
3. Body Doubling/Coworking Sessions
   Cost: Free
   Leverage the power of shared focus through body doubling or participating in coworking sessions. Online platforms offer virtual coworking spaces where individuals come together to work on their tasks simultaneously. The presence of others can help boost motivation and productivity.
4. Hire Help
   Cost: 50+/hr
   This is probably not a typical recommendation you’d see given for strategies for external accountability but stay with me: hiring someone to do stuff for you is a great way to stay accountable. Whether it’s hiring an assistant generally or someone for specific tasks (like creating social media content, running ads, or creating a website). Whoever you hire to do stuff for you will keep you accountable to what they need in order to deliver on their service. Additionally, it cuts way down on learning stuff on your own since they are fulfilling their service. So it’s external accountability plus a shortcut? That sounds like winning.
5. Business Coach
   Cost: $200+/hr
   Working with a business coach can be a game-changer for your practice. A coach offers personalized guidance and accountability, helping you stay on track and focused on what truly matters. With regular sessions, your coach will not only help you create a clear, actionable plan but also ensure you follow through on it. Imagine having the confidence that you’re on the right path from the start and the ongoing support to keep you moving forward, even when challenges arise.

External Accountability Is A Gift For Busy Brains

External accountability is a gift for neurodivergent therapists, offering structure and support while building out a private practice. Whether through an accountability partner, a mastermind group, coworking sessions, hiring help, or the guidance of a coach, there are abundant resources available to help therapists with ADHD grow their practices and the life they desire.

To all therapists out there with ADHD, I hope it’s aligned to embrace the support around you and keep moving forward – the world needs your gifts.