Video Summary - 50 Accommodations I Use As An ADHD Adult

Key wellness, self-care, and productivity strategies (ADHD accommodations Sasha uses)

Stop treating accommodations like paperwork you must “apply” for.
Reframe accommodations as building support for a brain that works differently.
Give yourself permission to reduce judgment and chase “normal.”

Digital clocks everywhere (prefer digital; visual time cues prevent getting lost in the moment).
Visual timers to make time progress concrete (e.g., 15-minute focused bursts).
Phone alarms for everything (including “rude” wake-up reminders).
Laundry cycle alarms (e.g., washer/dryer app or phone alarm so you don’t miss completion).
Apple Watch/smartwatch used mainly to ping the phone (because the phone goes missing constantly).
Notes app as brain offloading (“nothing lives in my head anymore”).
Brain dump on paper by the bed to prevent phone doom-scrolling and to transition into the next day.
Plan tomorrow the night before to reduce morning chaos.
Timing tasks instead of guessing (e.g., “laundry is 27 minutes” rather than “5 minutes”).
Use real deadlines via accountability partners (hand off a deadline to someone who will check you).
One to-do list in one location (avoid scattered scraps that you can’t find).
Match tasks to the brain you have today:
- Start with a small “chewable” task to build momentum.
- Don’t bully yourself into paralysis.

Check-in text from a partner (external motivation; prevents time blindness).
Body doubling (having someone nearby increases accountability; learned this via med-student laundry habits).
Never do taxes alone (team up + accountant to reduce overwhelm and fear).
Delegate a chunk of the load to a trusted person (e.g., husband as an “external brain,” especially with kids).
Pay-for-it accountability:
- Choose exercise options with cancellation fees or already-paid commitment.
- Use trainers/text check-ins when available.

Break the first step into something tiny (e.g., “find a notebook” instead of “write a book”).
Focus Genie’s ADHD-built system (task breakdown + starting support + visual patterning).
Phone in grayscale at times of high distraction to reduce visual/impulsive pull.
Do Not Disturb (used most of the day; even added layers aren’t enough sometimes).
Limit screen time ~90 minutes before bed to protect sleep (interest/rabbit holes can sabotage rest).

Same breakfast nearly every day (stable reliable win; reduces morning decision fatigue).
Assemble meals instead of cooking (snack plates; use pre-cooked components like rotisserie chicken).
Food visibility rule: keep food/snacks visible (otherwise veggies “die in drawers”).
Grocery delivery on low-energy or high-crowd days (no guilt—energy budgeting).
Prioritize protein (carbs burn fast; carb-heavy days can lead to feeling tired).
Drink a full glass of water on waking and before bed (plus vitamins/meds support).
Permission to not drink alcohol (protects brain + reduces social friction/embarrassment).

Cyclic sighing breathing technique (sharp inhale at the top; long exhale to calm overactivation).
10 minutes of nothing when returning home (nervous system “re-entry” buffer).
Lean into purposeful boredom (lets default-mode network support creativity/brain restoration).
Write instead of talking when upset:
- Draft responses to reduce emotional overwhelm and repeated history spirals.
- Enables clearer, calmer communication.
Give space for different processing styles (step out while partner reads/responds).
15-minute delay alarm before responding to difficult emails/texts (reduces impulsive emotional replies).
Mantra: “This is feedback, not failure.”
Recognize rejection/criticism in the body (notice where it shows up physically; slow down instead of rushing to fix).
Take notes instead of interrupting in meetings (prevents urgency spikes and missing moments of thought).
Disclose ADHD early (or explain delayed replies as ADHD-related; “ping me again”).
Name emotions with kids (e.g., “This is hard for mom”) to normalize feelings and encourage problem-solving.
Nightly evidence library:
- Focus on what you’re proud of (enjoyment, calm moments, resilience) beyond productivity.

Wear the same outfit if it reduces executive load (especially during travel/press).
Egg cooker as an “accommodation” for easy protein + low effort + predictable prep.
Stop chasing “normal” (reduce “adult cosplaying”; nonjudgmental partnership with the brain improves outcomes).
Don’t buy diet plans (reject rigidity; sometimes the goal is simply eating).

Sasha Hamani (presenter; psychiatrist specializing in ADHD; has ADHD herself)
Focus Genie (app referenced; co-created with her sister)
Too Sensitive (book referenced)
TED Talk (mentioned; her TED talk on boredom)
Dash (egg cooker brand referenced)