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With ADHD, dropping tasks from a long to-do list is a win

Dropping a task that no longer matters is a win. Clearing the list is how you make room for what actually matters.

disclaimer: these posts are not medical advice and provided as information only, with no guarantees

3 min readBy Leonid Chindelevitch
A clock crumbling at the edges, with a sticky note that says Out at 5:40

This one's a bit different, because it's about something a lot of people would call the opposite of productivity: dropping a task.

Here's the thing, though: dropping tasks is exactly what lets you focus on what actually matters.

It's tempting to imagine that one day, time will somehow stop for everyone else so you can finally catch up on your whole list. It won't. Even if it did, you'd probably find better things to do with the extra time anyway.

The short version

  • Not the opposite of productivity

    Dropping a task is something a lot of people would call the opposite of productivity. It isn't.

  • It makes room

    Dropping tasks is exactly what lets you focus on what actually matters.

  • The list is capture, not a vow

    The point of the list is to get everything out of your head. The triage is a separate step.

  • Moot is a win

    Some tasks don't need doing anymore. That's a good thing. That's a win, and it's worth treating like one.

The point of the list is to get everything out of your head and into somewhere external, so you're not carrying it all around. The triage (deciding what actually still needs doing) is a separate step, and it can happen on its own schedule.

So when you go through a list that's genuinely complete, because you've been capturing everything, you'll find some tasks that don't need doing anymore. Maybe they're moot now. Maybe you waited long enough that they solved themselves, or just stopped mattering.

That's a good thing. That's a win, and it's worth treating like one, because it's only by clearing out what isn't adding value that you get to focus on what is.

📸 Screenshot/clip placeholder — dropping a task in the app goes here.

So: the drop button is your friend. Go through your list today, and see how many things on it don't actually need to be done anymore. Might as well let them go.

The first version is Telegram for the waitlist. There isn't a store download yet. Join the waitlist if you want a launch email.

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Herding Chickens is a productivity app in development, not medical advice, therapy, or an ADHD diagnosis. If you are struggling, talk to a qualified clinician. In the UK, start with the NHS ADHD in adults page.

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