Tools that survive real constraints.
I only list tools I’ve used or would use under a crowded week. Nothing here diagnoses, treats, or cures ADHD. Prefer systems over supplements.
STACK
Body doubling, tasks, reading loop, environment. Updated when the stack changes.
Focusmate
Scheduled 50-minute sessions with a real human on the other side of the camera. When ignition is the problem, accountability beats another to-do list.
I use it for deep work blocks that otherwise slide.
Todoist
Fast capture, natural language dates, and projects that don’t require a weekend to reorganize. Good enough structure without becoming a second job.
Pairs well with an external-brain inbox.
Readwise
Highlights from books and articles resurface on a schedule so insights don’t die in a archive you’ll never reopen.
The Reader + review loop is the product.
Amazon desk kit
Visible cues beat willpower: a notebook within reach, noise control, a timer you can see, and a desk that doesn’t fight you. Exact SKUs change — buy for friction reduction, not aesthetics.
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Full affiliate policy: /affiliates. Questions: john@optimizedbrain.org
Lab: FIND WORDS stays fully playable. Brain Games live in the footer so the main nav stays systems-first.