Working From Home with ADHD: How To Focus

Working from home with ADHD means your brain is constantly pulling you in ten directions at once. That’s not a flaw — it’s how ADHD brains work. The challenge isn’t fixing your attention. It’s setting up your environment so your natural way of thinking works for you instead of against you.

Here are ten tips that actually respect how ADHD brains operate.

ADHD brains often thrive with structure — not rigid schedules, but a loose framework that gives your day shape. Time-block your day and try to batch similar tasks together, like clearing an afternoon for calls or setting aside an hour for emails. The key is a predictable rhythm that your brain can lean on, while leaving room for the novelty it craves.

At the start of each day, take a few moments to clarify your goals for the day to keep your focus on what matters. Close your eyes and think through your day and what you want to achieve. You can also do this at night and think through the following day, as you get ready for bed.

It might sound a bit more ‘out there’ than some of our other tips but visualising and being intentional can be super useful for people with focus issues.

It’s an oldie but a good one! The Pomodoro Technique is popular for a reason. Grab your favourite tomato timer (your mobile will do too!) and get working to the clock. You can gameify your activities by seeing how much work you can complete in 25 minutes. Take a couple minutes’ break after each session.

Experiment to see what time length works best for you. Some people find 40 minute chunks works better than 25, for example.

ADHD brains respond to context. If the same device is for work, social media, and entertainment, your brain can't tell which mode it should be in. Try creating distinct spaces for different activities — a specific browser for research, a different one for casual browsing, even a different physical spot in your home. One of our users, Beth McClelland, uses Horse Browser as her "quiet internet" for research and a different browser for everything else. The separation itself signals your brain to shift gears.

This is a big one. A cluttered online environment can contribute to mental clutter and distract you from focusing on your work and life admin. ADHDers often leave tabs open as visual reminders and then get lost in a sea of Chrome tabs later in the day.

That’s why we recommend switching to Horse Browser, which replaces tabs with a feature called Trails. Every time you click on a link, a new nested page opens on the Trail, merging tabs, bookmarks and history into one minimalist, easy-to-read vertical layout. You’ll never get lost in tab clutter again. Context switching becomes so much easier and you’ll always understand exactly how you got to a particular website. Horse Browser is available here.

Living with ADHD often means you’re stuck in a state of either underwhelm or overwhelm. When you’re trying to focus, try different tactics to find the right level of sensory input. Try noise cancelling headphones, like Loop Earplugs, or listening to brown noise. If you need some more stimulation, choose extra energetic music.

Wear clothes that are comfortable and de-clutter your work space environment. Try to make your surroundings as focus-friendly as possible.

We’re used to setting alarms for events and tasks but we’re going to recommend a lesser known trick. Try setting check-in alarms throughout the day. These alarms remind you to check that you are focusing on the right task at the right time. Getting sidetracked is a huge issue with ADHD and these alarms can give you vital nudges to stay on track.

Allow yourself to take regular breaks to prevent mental fatigue and maintain overall focus. Get away from your desk and get outside (bonus points, for getting in some exercise at the same time). Use these moments to clear your mind and rejuvenate, so you can return to your tasks with renewed energy and concentration.

If you find yourself getting distracted WFH, also consider working from a new environment. Check out that a coffee shop, co-work or go to your local library. Libraries are great choices if you struggle with sensory overwhelm. Or you could even just re-arrange your space to create a new vibe!

Body-doubling can be super helpful when you’re struggling with focus issues. By pairing up with someone, who’s also working on specific tasks or sorting admin at the same time, you can keep each other accountable and feel the motivation of seeing someone else tackling their tasks.

Try body-doubling in person or virtually over a video call with a friend or colleague. There are also some great body-doubling apps out there, such as Dubbii, Flown, and Deepwrk.

Time to get your beauty sleep! Don’t work late into the evenings. You need your rest. Set multiple timers. One that starts a wind down, an hour before you’re scheduled to stop work. Another to tell you to stop working and a third for bed time. Multiple alarms can really help transition between tasks.

We also recommend that you use some sort of ‘pivot’ moment to help you transition towards rest and relaxation. Go for a walk or change into relaxing clothes at the end of the work day to signal to your brain that you’ll be transitioning towards leisure time and sleep.

None of these tips are about forcing your brain to behave. They’re about setting up your environment so your brain can do what it does best. Experiment with them and keep what works for you.