Digital Decision Making for ADHD
Breaking Free from Decision Paralysis with Smart Tools and Strategies
Decision paralysis is a very real and debilitating symptom of ADHD. Often, getting started is the hardest part—but even before that, we need to prioritize what to start, or which task to tackle first. Sometimes, we just wish someone else would make that decision for us. Terrified of making the wrong choice, we end up overthinking and delaying action, hoping for a nudge in the right direction—or we don’t want to worsen RSD by bothering someone else.
While digital tools can’t always weigh the emotional or real-world consequences of a decision, they can be valuable assets in breaking through decision paralysis. Sometimes, just having a structured way to evaluate options or seeing a suggested solution can help us recognize what we truly want to do. Here are a few digital tools and decision-making strategies designed to aid neurodivergent minds:
Decision-Assisted Digital Tools
Digital tools can act as a second brain, helping to process and structure thoughts or even revealing what outcome you subconsciously lean toward.
Goblin Tools
A suite of AI-powered tools designed to assist neurodivergent minds, Goblin Tools offers various features to simplify decisions and tasks. The ‘Judge’ tool, for instance, allows you to input choices and receive a weighted suggestion based on your preferences. It can be particularly helpful when you need external guidance to make a choice without relying on another person.
The most effective features for decision-making within Goblin Tools include:
Magic ToDo – Breaks tasks down into manageable steps, reducing the overwhelm of large projects.
Try Magic ToDoCompiler – Converts a braindump of thoughts into a structured list of tasks, helping organize scattered ideas.
Try CompilerEstimator – Provides an estimated time for completing a task, helping with realistic planning and time management.
Try Estimator
These features make Goblin Tools a powerful and succinct suite of tools to assist with navigating processes that can be difficult for neurodivergent brains. Available on the App Store or via browser: Goblin Tools.
GPT Prompts
Utilizing AI as a sounding board is another effective method for externalizing decision fatigue. By prompting your chosen GPT, it can offer a solution based on the context you provide.
Some helpful decision-based GPT prompts include:
“I have these two options: [Option A] and [Option B]. Which one makes more sense for someone with ADHD?”
“Help me break down this task into smaller steps so I can get started.”
“Give me a pros and cons list for [decision].”
Remember: AI isn’t a human, but it can help structure your thoughts in a way that makes decision-making easier.
Priority Matrix
A priority matrix helps you determine which tasks or decisions should take precedence based on urgency and importance. The Eisenhower Matrix, for example, categorizes tasks into four quadrants: Urgent & Important, Important but Not Urgent, Urgent but Not Important, and Neither Urgent nor Important. This method can help ADHD brains visually sort through tasks and focus on what truly needs attention first.
By scoring your choices on different variables, you can make a more structured, logical decision rather than relying on impulse or emotional bias. The following article expands on the Eisenhower Matrix:
Learn More About the Eisenhower Matrix
Decision Wheels
Sometimes, when all else fails, the best way to beat paralysis is to let chance decide. Decision wheel apps allow you to input options and spin a wheel to land on a randomized choice. This can be a great low-stakes way to get unstuck when every option seems equally viable (or equally overwhelming). Often, if you feel disappointed with the decision, that means you understand the outcome you truly wanted!
Tools for Decision Wheels:
Picker Wheel: pickerwheel.com
Tiny Decisions: iOS App
Tiny Decisions expands upon the spinner wheel concept to include additional digital decision-making methods such as flipping a coin.
Decision-Making Processes
While digital tools are great assets for problem-solving, finding internal motivation is also key to getting started. The following are a few decision-making processes to help activate that motivation.
Pros and Cons Lists
A simple yet effective decision-making strategy, pros and cons lists help you visually break down your options. Writing down the potential benefits and drawbacks of a decision can help clarify the best course of action—ultimately, the side with the stronger arguments tends to be the right choice.
The Consultant feature within Goblin Tools provides a digital version of this: Try The Consultant
For a static digital method, you can utilize this Miro template: Pros & Cons List.
The 5-Second Rule
Developed by Mel Robbins, this technique is a simple but effective method to overcome hesitation and get started. When you need to make a decision, count down 5-4-3-2-1 and then take action. This helps you get moving before your brain has time to overthink.
The Two-Minute Rule
If a decision or task will take less than two minutes, do it immediately. This helps remind yourself of the priorities and reinforces that the task at hand isn’t too demanding if it’s only two minutes.
The Magic ToDo within Goblin Tools can help break down longer tasks into small, two-minute steps:
Try Magic ToDo
Intuitive Decision-Making
Sometimes, ADHD brains struggle with logic-based decisions because they can become too analytical. Instead, try body-based decision-making:
Imagine you’ve already made the decision. Does your body feel lighter and relieved or tense and uneasy?
Use color-coded sticky notes or digital whiteboarding tools like Miro to categorize choices based on emotional reactions rather than just logic.
Final Thoughts
These are just a few of the digital methods and processes available, and by using these tools and techniques, you can take some of the pressure off decision-making and reduce the cognitive load that comes with having ADHD. While they won’t make the choices for you, they can provide clarity and structure, allowing you to move forward with confidence rather than being stuck in analysis paralysis.
As always, it’s important to explore and find a system that works for you!
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