One of the most frustrating things for people with ADHD is task paralysis. People with the disorder know they should get up off the couch and do the dishes, but they can’t seem to get started. Instead, they freeze up: their body won’t move, and their brain can’t function. It’s not laziness; it’s executive dysfunction, which makes simple tasks feel impossible.
Psychologists say that one of the most effective ways for people with ADHD, and those who find it hard to get motivated to do household chores, is to put on a pair of shoes in their home. When it’s time for you to take on a series of tasks, lace up a cheap pair of running shoes and your brain is more likely to kick into motivation mode.
What is the Home Shoes hack for task paralysis?
The Home Shoes hack works because of context-dependent memory, which means environmental cues (such as wearing shoes) can trigger your brain to be productive because it connects lacing up shoes with getting things done.
“The shoes may be triggering people’s brains for productivity because traditionally, they wear shoes when being active and productive,” Marcy Caldwell, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and ADHD specialist, writes on her website. Wearing running shoes in the house also makes you one step closer to taking on a task. “So if your shoes are on and you get moving on one task, it will be easier to do another. This is why it can be helpful to keep your shoes on when you get home—it keeps you in productive energy rather than switching into relaxation mode,” Caldwell continues.
Mind-body connection makes it work
On a deeper level, it’s about tapping into the deep mind-body connection. “Our body is connected to our mind … there’s certain physical cues that change the state that we’re in, and I could absolutely see when you take your shoes off, you go into rest mode,” Brighid Gannon, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and co-founder of Lavender, told The Huffington Post. “There are neurons on the bottom of your feet that talk to your brain, so I could absolutely see if you get to your house and you simply switch into your house shoes, your brain is staying in active mode, and it’s signaling to keep your motivation up so that you can finish your tasks.”
The Home Shoe hack also highlights a habit that could be making us unproductive. If putting on running shoes inspires you to start doing chores, wearing slippers, flip-flops, or comfy house shoes will kill your productivity, because they’re associated with relaxation.
The Home Shoes hack is popular on Reddit’s ADHD forum. “I do this, and it really helps. Not only does it help put me in a mindset to work on tasks and get things done, but it’s also great for the initial action that gets you started,” a Redditor wrote. Another noted that she gets the same motivation when she puts her hair up, another example of context-dependent memory.
“I realized a few months ago that I have to have my hair tied back in a ponytail or bun to get any chores ticked off at home,” she wrote. “Even if I just keep my hair in a braid, I can’t find any focus. Looking back, I think I’ve been doing this for years without realizing it (for reference: late 30s, female, with long hair). Definitely trying this one!”
Sometimes, getting unstuck doesn’t require a complicated regimen, just the correct cue. For some, that could be as simple as lacing up a pair of shoes to tell your brain that it’s time to get moving. Even if that means just walking from the couch to the kitchen to wash some dishes.
