There’s an ADHD App for that: A Therapist’s Recommendation for ADHD Friendly Apps
Written by: Jane Lim, LICSW, LCSW
To all my ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) friends, this blog is especially dedicated to you! I know it can be confusing and difficult to navigate the challenges that come with executive functioning. It can be overwhelming and frustrating to adapt to strategies curated and/or created by those with neurotypical brains. I like to empower my clients to reframe their challenges with ADHD as an opportunity to become a team with this part of themselves and find techniques that work with their neurodivergent brains instead of fitting into a “mold.” Since many people have their phones with them the majority of the day, utilizing apps has increased access to tools. Apps have been a helpful tool for many people struggling with memory and productivity. So, I’ve come up with a list of ADHD-friendly apps to help support you with improving executive functioning skills.
What is Executive Functioning?
Executive functioning is a set of cognitive skills that help you manage and run your day-to-day tasks. The set of skills consists of impulse control, working memory, emotion regulation, planning and prioritizing, task initiation, organization, flexible thinking, and more! ADHD and executive functioning are often linked to one another. People with ADHD have a harder time utilizing executive functioning skills than those who don’t. It can be frustrating and more difficult to accomplish tasks and daily activities when you struggle with executive dysfunction.
With all that said, it’s not an end all be all! It’s just about learning how your ADHD brain works and finding strategies that serve you. There are so many resources and apps out there specifically designed to help work with your neurodivergent brain. Here are some ADHD-friendly apps that I love recommending to my clients!
ADHD Friendly Apps
Inflow
It’s a one-stop shop for ADHD. Inflow was designed by people with ADHD. The app is so helpful to start understanding how your brain works and teaches you specific strategies to manage your challenges with executive functioning. It helps you learn ways to accomplish your goals, plan and organize tasks, task avoidance, and join a community that understands what you struggle with.
Todoist
Todoist is THE app to help you plan and organize your daily to-do tasks. It can be a lot to keep track of all of life’s tasks and this app helps you organize and plan out your tasks to help accomplish them. It has categories to help organize the different parts of your life like work, personal, social, etc with options to set the priority status.
Focus Keeper
Focus Keeper is an app designed to aid in productivity while limiting distractions and burnout. It uses the Pomodoro method of setting aside timers that go off in intervals to help manage time for tasks and breaks. This helps tackle the time management and organizing skills of executive functioning. They have additional features like goal setting, tracking your progress, and reminders.
Alarmy
Alarmy is the app for you if you struggle with getting up in the morning or procrastinating going to bed. This alarm app supports you in overcoming avoidance and snoozing your alarm. The app is designed to support you with having a healthier sleep routine. The app has various different tasks that you are required to complete before being able to shut off the alarm. For example, the math mission feature requires you to solve a math problem before being able to turn off the alarm. It supports you in starting and ending your day intentionally.
How We Feel
Emotion regulation is a skill set within your executive functioning. How We Feel is an app created to support individuals in understanding their emotions and navigating them in a healthy and effective way. It has features to aid with emotion identification, processing, and regulation. It also has a feature where you can track your emotions, sleep, and exercise to have insight into your patterns over time.
Finding Other ADHD Friendly Apps
The list goes on! There are so many creative apps out there dedicated to supporting individuals who struggle with executive functioning. You are not alone! I almost want to encourage you to look on the App Store and search “ADHD friendly” to view the thousands of apps that are dedicated to help. It can be validating and empowering to explore and try different apps. Everybody’s needs are unique and so, it is important that you explore and find tools that fit your needs. I hope this blog helps with getting a jump start and I hope it encourages you to explore apps personalized to help mitigate your specific challenges.
Get More Support with ADHD Therapy in Washington, DC
When you need more than the support of an app to help with managing your ADHD, TSG therapists are here to help. Our ADHD-informed clinicians specialize in the unique challenges of the ADHD brain, and building and expanding upon executive functioning skills to navigate the many challenges that ADHD folks can have navigating young adulthood in a world systematized for the neurotypical brain.
In order to start therapy for your ADHD follow these steps:
Contact us today by filling out our contact form
Schedule an appointment at our Washington, DC-based therapy office
Start putting the fun in executive functioning
Other Therapy Services Offered in Washington, DC & Virginia
The caring therapists at The Sterling Group know that you may not only be juggling ADHD or difficulties with executive functioning. So we offer a variety of counseling in order to meet your mental health needs. This includes counseling for life transitions, depression counseling, and anxiety treatment. We also provide trauma therapy and therapy for self-discovery. For those in relationships, we offer guided therapy for dating and relationships and couples counseling to improve your partnership. Some of the techniques we use include EMDR therapy and IFS therapy. Start your therapy journey today!
