ADHD HACK #13
put your meds where your brain can’t ignore them!
i stopped trying to “remember better” and just started putting my meds in the kitchen because apparently being near water is the only way my brain accepts responsibility ☕️
for the longest time i thought forgetting my meds meant i needed more discipline
turns out the problem wasn’t discipline
it was friction
so here’s how i reduced it:
i moved my meds somewhere i already end up every morning
close to water
easy to see
hard to accidentally ignore
friction immediately dropped
because ADHD friendly systems usually aren’t about forcing yourself to try harder
they’re about making follow through feel almost automatic
sometimes the best hack is just asking
“how do i make this stupidly easy for future me?”
mine was the kitchen because if i have to go looking for water first, there is approximately a 72% chance i’ll get distracted and suddenly be reorganizing a random cabinet instead
stop relying on memory. build better visual cues
what’s one tiny system you’ve built that makes life easier?
#adhd #adhdtips #executivefunction #adhdhacks #neurodivergent
As someone managing ADHD, one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is consistently remembering to take my medication each day. Like many, I initially believed that forgetting was a matter of willpower or discipline. However, after experimenting with different strategies, I realized that the true barrier was friction—the small inconveniences that make following through mentally taxing and easy to postpone. The ADHD hack of placing medication where the brain cannot ignore it, especially somewhere associated with a daily routine like the kitchen near water, really resonated with me. Water-related routines—making coffee, brushing teeth, or preparing breakfast—are strong visual and contextual cues. By linking medication with these activities, I turned what felt like an extra task into a near-automatic habit. In practice, I moved my pills to a clearly visible spot on my kitchen counter near the coffee maker. This location reduced the chances of forgetting because it aligned with an existing behavior pattern rather than creating a separate reminder to recall. I no longer had to rely on my often unreliable memory or force myself to remember; the visual presence acted as a persistent cue. This approach highlights an important principle for ADHD-friendly strategies: reducing friction isn’t about exerting more effort but redesigning your environment so that the action requires minimal conscious thought. Using visual cues near daily water activities works because it simplifies decision-making and follow-through. If you struggle with medication adherence or any routine task, consider asking yourself, "How can I make this ridiculously easy for my future self?" Small environmental adjustments, like moving items to frequently visited locations or pairing tasks with strong contextual cues, can make a big difference. Additionally, building systems around common ADHD tendencies—such as distraction or forgetfulness—rather than trying to fight them, opens the door to more sustainable habits. For example, I’ve also found that using pill organizers with bright colors placed next to essentials like toothbrushes or coffee mugs serve as effective reminders. Beyond medication, this friction-reduction method can apply to other daily habits: setting out gym clothes near the door, placing your phone’s charging station in an obvious spot, or pre-packing your work bag in view. The key takeaway is to design your space and routines to support automatic follow-through and reduce reliance on memory or self-discipline alone. Have you found a tiny system or hack that has made your life significantly easier when managing ADHD? Sharing tips within communities helps inspire others to create their own low-friction, ADHD-friendly habits.
For my meds, I put them into the weekly pill box with the days of the weeks on it. And it sits right on my nightstand next to my bed with a bottle of water. It’s the BEST system I ever had for meds