#11 Getting sh*t done

#11 Getting sh*t done

4 tricks that help me (actually) finish things

1 August 2025

It doesn’t matter how smart you are, how many ideas you’ve got, or how great your intentions might be… if you can’t get sh*t done, none of it counts. Execution is everything.

I’ve never been officially diagnosed, but I’m pretty confident I have ADHD. And even if I don’t, I definitely share the brain chemistry of someone who finds it absurdly hard to get started on things, stay focused, and finish what I set out to do. Not because I don’t care, but because my brain doesn’t always care about the things I’m supposed to care about.

At school, most of us learned to meet deadlines because of fear: fear of detention, fear of teachers shouting at us, or fear of disappointing our parents. But the thing about ADHD brains is that fear doesn’t motivate us the same way. You’ll still find something else to do, right up until the absolute last second. And by then, you’re in cortisol-soaked panic mode.

So, rather than fighting against that, I've found it’s more effective to recondition my brain. Instead of fearing negative consequences, I trick myself into actively wanting to do the task. Over the years, I've discovered ways to make the boring stuff fun, to simplify tasks until they're manageable, and to eliminate distractions so the only path forward is to get on with it.

Here are four of my favourite ADHD-friendly hacks for outsmarting my brain and getting sh*t done. (They work even if you don’t have ADHD, too.)

1- Simplifier vs. Complicator

(It doesn't need to be that complicated.)

Ever find yourself turning a straightforward task into a multi-hour research project? Or insist that you can’t start until you’ve come up with the perfect plan of action, named your project, and watched three hours of YouTube tutorials?

That’s your inner complicator talking.

This quote sums it up perfectly:

“When you ask the time, some people will tell you how to build a watch. Others will tell you how to build a Swiss village.”

When we complicate things, the scope explodes. Tasks that should take 10 minutes now take hours. Suddenly everything feels overwhelming. And ironically, complexity feels safer, because it's easier to hide behind planning and research than risk taking imperfect action.

Here's what simplifiers do instead:

They answer questions clearly, name the real problem directly, and get stuck in without delay. They understand something critical: tasks are only as complicated as we choose to make them.

So the next time you’re stuck, ask: What am I making harder than it needs to be?

Then make it smaller and clearer. And just do that.

If you’ve got a task, goal, or problem that feels like it’s spiralling into needless complexity, I’ve got something that might help. I put together a prompt that cuts straight to the heart of what’s actually going on, and guides you, step by step, through the process of stripping away the clutter and getting closer to done. Click here to get started (and don’t forget to hit Submit).

2- Eliminate the distractions

(Cut the noise, then replace it.)

The modern world is built to hijack your attention. You’re not necessarily off-target because you lack discipline. You’re just surrounded by tools engineered to pull you off-task 24/7.

The solution isn’t more willpower. It's redesigning your environment.

Start by eliminating your distractions:

  • Delete distracting apps from your phone.
  • Turn off all your notifications (yep, all of them!)
  • Keep your phone out of arm's reach, or ban it from certain rooms entirely (like your bedroom or workspace).
  • Set strict times when you check emails, socials, and messages (e.g., noon and 6pm only).

This might feel extreme at first, but it’s really just about using your device deliberately. Once you’ve cleared the distractions, you’ll have a strange, quiet vacuum.

Then, you can replace the distractions with real-world inputs:

  • Swap apps for real objects: notebook > notes app, book > Twitter
  • Get outside, move your body, work with your hands
  • Make space in your day for stillness, reflection, or absolutely nothing

Once you experience this level of clarity, you realise how much of your attention was being stolen without your permission. Then you get to decide what to give it to next…

3- Make something crap, then criticise it until it’s good

(We're all critics, so lean into that.)

If perfectionism paralyses you at the start of a task, here's a great trick: deliberately produce something terrible.

I always bring this trick up, because I’ve found it so effective!

For example, if you're stuck on an outline for a document, ask yourself, “What would my boss absolutely hate me turning in, but that still technically ticks the box?” Make it lazy, incomplete, basic, and objectively bad.

Because here's the trick: A bad first draft can be improved. A blank page can't.

Criticism comes easy to most of us. It’s a superpower, and we should use it! Once your terrible version exists, your critical eye will start seeing connections on how to make it better. Suddenly, you’re no longer procrastinating – you're editing, refining, and improving something that already exists in the real world.

4- Make it fun!

(Because boring never works.)

If you're avoiding a task, it's probably because you think it'll be boring, uncomfortable, or scary. But what if it was actually enjoyable?

Instead of trying to summon superhuman discipline, focus on making the task more playful. Don’t try to force yourself through the pain. Instead reframe the task entirely. How can you turn it into a game, a challenge, or even something hilariously silly?

Ask yourself questions like:

  • What would this task look like if it was actually fun?
  • How could I do this in the most hilariously entertaining way possible?
  • What ice cream can I eat first? (In other words, what's the best part you can start with?)
  • Focus not on getting it finished, but on what will exist at the end:

    • – What will I get to do today?

    – What will exist by tonight that didn’t this morning?

    – What might I learn?

Fun is underrated as a productivity strategy. It creates momentum and makes you actually want to keep turning up.

These four tricks are how I manage to sneak past my own resistance and make progress without needing a perfect plan or superhuman focus.

What helps you get sh*t done? I’d love to feature your tips in a future issue.