6 Ways to make Social Media and your ADHD work together, not against each other

Let's talk about having ADHD first

If you have ADHD, it can be difficult to manage your time and workload. It’s also hard to stay focused on a task when there are so many distractions in the world around you. When it comes to social media, that difficulty can translate into an inability to post regularly or even at all (hello, ADHD paralysis!), but there’s a way to make sure these apps don’t become another overwhelming distraction in your life! Here are 6 Ways that I have found helpful when managing my ADHD while also trying to show up and create content on social media.

1: Know what you're struggling with

The first step to solving a problem is understanding the problem. The same goes for social media and ADHD. If you don’t know what’s going on, it’s hard to fix it or change things to make them work better.

The good news is that identifying your struggles with creating content on social media can help you figure out how to overcome them. But before we jump into that, let’s talk about some common issues people run into when using social media for work while also having ADHD:

• Rejection Sensitivity can kick your butt all around town, first of all. The feeling that your content isn't good enough or that people will stop following you just because you post gets 10 billion times worse when you also have RSD.

• Struggling to post consistently and always getting wrapped up in the "new thing" can make keeping up with social media super hard. Why would you post every day at 8 am when you could change your entire branding at 3 am the night before? Nope. That's not going to work.

2: Find the right tools to help you create and organize your content

One huge step in the right direction is to find and use tools that help you to create and organize your content for social. Here are some tools that I’ve found work really well for people with ADHD:

• Trello is a great way to manage projects and tasks. It has boards, lists, and cards that allow you to set up a system for yourself. One of our favorite features is the ability to share boards with other people so that everyone involved in a project can collaborate on it simultaneously. You can sign up here for it.

• Metricool allows you to schedule content easily and across platforms. Now you’re not scrambling to get content posted every day, and you’re sitting at home with your newest hyperfocus project while your content auto-posts to social media! Hit me up for more tips here! If you want to try out Metricool, sign up here!

These are just two of my favorites without overwhelming you!

3: Set a timer on your phone

Ever heard of the Pomodoro technique? It’s a whole productivity system. Even if you’re not using it, setting a timer on your phone can really help you to stay productive. It sets an expectation for how long you’re going to work and work hard.

For example, if you want to spend 30 minutes creating graphics for social posts, set your timer for 30 minutes and stick with it until the time is up. This will help you spend less time doomscrolling social media and getting distracted by other things and instead focusing solely on completing the task at hand. You can also use this skill when trying to complete admin tasks or other dopamine-sucking activities.

Give each of your tasks its own set “time limit,” and then move on to something else!

4: Use social media to connect to others in your niche

Social media can be a great way to connect with others in your niche, whether or not you have ADHD. If you’re an artist and want to learn tips from other artists, follow various artist accounts on Instagram and see what they’re doing with their content. It may inspire you and give you new ideas for your own photos. You also have the ability to help each other out by sharing advice with your new community! If someone DMs you to ask how they can improve their graphic creation, you can now situation yourself as the expert. You can also now tag each other in various comments about topics that are relevant for both of you (for example, “how do I take a picture like this?” on a certain post).

Building community with those in your niche can also be especially helpful if the algorithm is struggling to figure out where to place your account. Interacting with content that relates to yours will help it send followers your way who are more in line with your ideal clients.

5: Expand your support network

If you have ADHD, it’s highly likely that you also have other conditions and struggles (I certainly do. RSD, anyone?). If so, I recommend reaching out and building up a community of supportive people who understand and maybe even ADHD too. They can help support you in areas where you may be struggling or need more support. This could be in the form of finding an online community for those with ADHD or seeking out a coach who specializes in coaching adults with ADHD.

And if you’re a business owner or entrepreneur, I highly recommend finding a business coach who gets ADHD in creatives! << nudge, nudge, come work with me?

6: Follow people who inspire you and post content that is informational and motivational

If you’re looking for inspiration, there are a lot of accounts to follow.

Follow people who post about things you like.

Follow people who make you stop doomscrolling to watch their reels and learn something new about something cool to you.

You can find content creators who post about topics that are important to you. If you love games and want to share your latest gamer finds with the world, look up “ADHD gammers” on Twitch and start following some of the most popular neurodivergent gaming accounts out there. You could also find those same gamers on TikTok or maybe Youtube. The options are endless! But starting somewhere is step 1.

I personally recommend following people who aren’t afraid to be themselves online; this includes everyone from self-love advocates, ADHD entrepreneurs who are vocal about mental health, and even therapists or psychiatrists who are woke.

Find people who are talking about what you need support around, and follow them!

The best way to manage how you use Instagram is to manage your ADHD first.

I cannot stress this enough!

>>> You cannot do your best work or be your best self if you don't know how to work with your ADHD. You just can't.

One interesting this is that you can actually use social media sometimes as a tool to improve yourself. Surprising, right? But by connecting with others who share similar interests, help validate your struggles, and hold you accountable in work or your personal life you make huge strides in the right direction.

• You can find pictures that spark creativity, such as quotes from inspirational artists or creators. (And then turn around and post your own too!)

• Post pictures that teach others what you're in the process of learning yourself. Someone else can definitely benefit from what you now know.

• Share motivational quotes, reels, or posts that inspire determination and perseverance.

Conclusion

I really hope that armed with this article and these tips, you will feel more at ease and be able to show up for yourself on social media both as a business and personally.

Remember: The best way to manage how you use Instagram is to manage your ADHD first.

Once you’re on the path to being able to do that, then definitely revisit some of these other tips so that social media can become an asset for your business or personal life.

🧠 Want more tips on ADHD, Biz, and Social Media?

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