Why ADHD brains avoid the simplest tasks
It’s not laziness… so why does sending one email feel impossible?
Helloooo ADHD brains
How is it that we can plan out an entire business, map out our future. Set goals, routines, systems…
but then avoid sending one simple email?
Or replying to a message.
Or booking an appointment.
Or doing that one small thing that would take what… 2 minutes?
It doesn’t make sense.
You know it’s easy.
You know deep down in your heart, it won’t take long.
And yet…
you don’t do it.
I don’t do it.
So instead, you sit there thinking about it.
For hours, sometimes days, and sometimes even weeks.
So if this hits you harder than most things, let’s talk about why this actually happens and what we can do to work with our brains?
What’s actually happening
It’s not the task, It’s the entry cost.
ADHD brains don’t look at something and think
“that’ll take 2 minutes.”
We go further than that.
We start thinking about:
• how much energy it’ll take
• how it’s going to feel
• whether we’ll do it properly
• what comes after it
And before we’ve even started…
we already feel drained.
So the brain goes:
“Not now.”
Why simple tasks feel harder than big ones
This is the weird part.
Big things?
We’re all in. LETS GO BABY - making 5 year life plans at 3am is our bread and butter.
Ideas.
Plans.
Big goals.
You name it!
That gives us energy, But small tasks?
They’re just… flat and well frankly put boring. I mean no one, I mean no one enjoys sending emails.
BUT RUNNING A MARATHON, NOW WE ARE TALKING!!! (I had to mention it somewhere)
No excitement.
No urgency.
No real reward.
Just friction.
So we end up doing something that makes no sense:
We’ll spend hours planning something big…
but avoid a 2-minute task all day. (or even for months - like booking a dentist appointment)
Why “just start” doesn’t work
You’ve probably heard it before:
“Just start.”
But that doesn’t really land for ADHD brains.
Because starting isn’t the issue.
It’s everything that happens before starting.
There’s this invisible gap between:
knowing what to do
and actually doing it
And that gap is where we get stuck.
Not because we’re lazy.
But because the starting point feels heavier than it should.
Another shift that’s helped me (even though it’s hard)
This one sounds simple…
but it’s something I’m still learning.
Stop thinking so far ahead.
I’ve noticed my brain doesn’t just look at a task…
it runs the whole experience.
I’ll think about how long it’ll take,
how boring it’ll feel,
how much effort it’ll cost…
and by the time I’ve finished thinking about it,
I don’t even want to start anymore.
It already feels like a net negative.
So now I try to catch that.
Instead of asking:
“Do I feel like doing this?”
I ask:
“What’s the next step?”
Not the whole task.
Not the outcome.
Just the next step.
Open the email.
Click the document.
Stand up.
Put your shoes on.
That’s it.
I won’t lie, it doesn’t come naturally.
My brain still wants to overthink everything.
But I’m realising something:
Most of the time,
the thinking is what drains you.
Not the task.
The ADHD 5-Minute Entry System
The premium post drops right after this.
(Free readers, upgrade to access it.)
Understanding why you avoid simple tasks is helpful.
But having a way to actually start them changes everything.
Inside the premium version, I break down the exact system I use to reduce the “entry cost” of any task.
This isn’t about discipline.
It’s about making starting possible.
Inside premium you’ll get:
✅ The ADHD 5-Minute Entry System
✅ How to lower the mental resistance before you even begin
✅ A simple structure to start tasks without overthinking
✅ How to remove perfection from the starting phase
✅ How to build momentum without forcing it
Bonus!
📥 A one-page Entry Map worksheet
🎧 A guided voice note to walk you through it step-by-step
If the free post helped you understand why you’re stuck…
the premium post shows you how to actually move.
Imagine being able to start things
without that heavy resistance every time.
That’s what we’re building here.
→ That’s all inside the Premium version of this post
Unlock it now by clicking subscribe below. 👇
[Upgrade to a paid subscription to get this system + all past and future premium posts + access to the ADHD Insights community.]
Final Thoughts
You’re not avoiding things because you’re lazy.
You’re avoiding them because your brain is trying to protect you from something that feels heavier than it actually is.
Even when it’s small.
The goal isn’t to force yourself into action. It’s to make starting feel lighter.
Because you don’t need more motivation.
You need a lower entry point and once you learn how to enter things properly…
everything starts to shift, you somewhat see the light at the end of the tunnel.
💌 So If you found value in todays newsletter and want more ADHD tips and motivation straight to your inbox? Hit subscribe ITS FREE! to stay in the loop with strategies designed for ADHD minds.
Faith Anchor
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
You don’t need to feel ready to begin.
God meets you in the small starts.
Question for You
What’s one small thing you’ve been putting off lately?
And what would the smallest possible version of starting it look like?
I will answer first! for me its been this bloody newsletter. I have been doing so much of my work into the work with it system. (ADHD friendly tool COMING SOOON I PROMISE!) I just generally feel drained.
We don’t need to do it all in one hyperfocus 6 hour session. So I took the first possible step and opened up substack and just typed for 5 mins and kept doing that for a whole hour - 5 minutes of work, break for 5 mins. IT works! So that’s why I preach we need to learn to work with our brains!
Drop it in the comments below!'
You might realize it’s not as big as your brain made it feel.
Thanks for all the support and patience, I know there has been a lack of content recently. But i am building the work with it system, and I just can’t wait for you guys to see it. I just want to provide as much value as possible.
Kind Regards
Luke
ADHD Insights
P.S. Every time you share these posts, you help another ADHDer feel less alone. So if you thought of someone while reading this, go ahead and pass it on.
This is the piece I wish I'd had when I was first trying to understand why I could hyperfocus on complex problems but couldn't send a follow-up text for three days.
The entry cost concept reframes the whole conversation — it's not about being lazy or lacking motivation, it's about your brain calculating the experience of a task before you even start it, and that prediction feeling heavier than the reality. That's mechanics, not character.
The shift you describe — from "do I feel like doing this?" to "what's the next step?" — is something I keep returning to in my own framework work. It sidesteps the willpower conversation entirely and just lets you move. Really practical thinking that actually changes how people relate to these moment!