Task switching and ADHD: examples, how it feels, and what to do

What is task switching?

Task switching is a very important component of executive functioning. A function of cognitive flexibility, task switching is the ability to shift focus, attention, and effort from one thing, to another. In other words, your brain, almost like a switch, has to turn off what you were doing or thinking about and immediately get into a whole different action or train of thought. Transitioning from one task to the next. Task switching is self-explanatory, right? Brains do this all the time…. right?

For neurodivergent people, this is not as easy as it sounds. Autistics and ADHDers often have an extremely tough time with task switching. 

Examples of task switching 

You’re working on a project and the phone rings. 

You were in the middle of writing an email, but someone starts talking to you.

You were cleaning the house, but a relative asks for your help.

You’re helping a coworker with something, but your boss asks you to do something else.

You’re deeply lost in thought about something, but someone starts talking about a different topic.

You’re relaxing, but the doorbell rings. 

You are actually finished with a project, but it’s time to put it down. You cant stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.

Life is full of these moments that require flexibility, adaptation, and going with the flow. 

Task switching is a constant occurrence 

Life does not happen in a linear fashion. It’s not always one thing at a time. Many demands often hit all at once and are constantly changing unexpectedly. There’s really no way around it. There are countless demands that compete for your time and attention at any given moment, that’s just the experience of every sentient being. 

Most neurotypical humans may get annoyed by these competing demands, but they can navigate each transition with relative ease when they need to. Their brains are wired to address the task(s) at hand. They need to prioritize, plan, execute, adapt, and do what they have to do. Evolutionarily speaking, our ancestors had to act quickly to avoid predators, get food, survive, etc. 

For neurodivergent people, our brains seem to have a different feature. This feature seems to react very intensely when there is a change that requires our immediate attention. It can be extremely hard to stop what we are doing, and “switch gears” to redirect our brain’s energy to a completely different task that may require a whole new set of information and skills to utilize. Task switching is a daily battle. Transitioning and adapting flexibly is a real challenge that is hard for us to catch up to. 

Task switching and ADHD 

With ADHD, here’s how task switching difficulties can often show up. If an ADHDer is in a period of hyperfocus, their brain is very busy focusing on that topic/activity. They can become so engrossed in it that they may not even notice or pay attention to anything else. For example, an ADHDer who is in the middle of hyperfocusing on a project may not even realize they have had to use the bathroom for the past hour. First of all, it’s hard to put the task down. Second of all, getting up and completing a new task may throw us completely out of our flow state. Not to mention the possibility of getting distracted by even more things along the way. 

Returning to that former flow state is not as easy as flipping a switch back into exactly the same conditions as before. That state got interrupted. Now we have to adapt to a new one. 

Another prominent example of task switching differences with ADHD is that a person may be so focused on something, that if life calls them to switch in that moment, they may fear that they may “lose” the thought, inspiration, execution, or commitment to what they were doing. They may genuinely forget because it didn’t get a chance to get “stored” properly into one’s memory. The process of retaining information to recall later, was interrupted.

ADHD and task switching difficulties may be influenced by differences in our working memory. We can get so focused on a topic or task, that we’re highly efficient and productive in that moment—giving that task our all. We’re remembering all the facts, contributing all our brain power, learning and applying high level information, getting great ideas, feeling motivated, holding all the space for that current object of our attention, that we feel unstoppable. 

That is, until we ARE stopped. Interrupted. It’s like those cognitive processes come to a screeching halt and now suddenly we are called to make room for a new task, aka a whole new set of information. Possibly needing to tap into a whole different type of skillset to complete. It’s very hard to multitask efficiently, and hold adequate space for one task while also making room for another. Those creative, productive, innovative, momentous ideas and plans we had before? It’s hard to remember what they even were, let alone return to them. The amount of ideas and plans that were lost in the shuffle of task switching, I could write a whole book with them. EXCEPT I CANNOT REMEMBER THEM. They floated away into the cloud of all the other half-baked ideas that never got a chance to get carried through until the end. It feels like having a dream, waking up, and trying to fall back asleep into that same dream except you can’t quite get back into it because you can’t remember or recreate the exact conditions.

How task switching feels 

Task switching for autistic people and people with ADHD feels incredibly dysregulating. It’s frustrating and can make us feel angry. We might start to resent the fact that this fast-paced society doesn’t allow us the time and space we need to transition, complete, and adapt to constant demands. We can feel totally anxious when we’re put on the spot and expected to produce quality responses when we weren’t mentally prepared to do so. Then we feel guilty about not producing our best work. It can make us feel out of control and helpless. It can be literally distressing －it can cause the brain significant stress. When you multiply that stress by all the times task switching needs to happen in a day, it really adds up. It’s exhausting. It’s definitely annoying, but more than that it can also feel quite disabling. When there multiple items on the to-do list, each with their own microcosm of multi-steps within each item, thinking about how many moves need to be made, prioritizing, planning, making decisions about each one, and often thinking several steps ahead, this is exactly what leads to task paralysis/decision paralysis. Then the procrastination and avoidance kicks in, and none of those things even get started for an indefinite period of time. Being subjected to more task-switching than the brain has the resources to navigate also can lead to burnout, where even the most important of tasks (like taking care of oneself) can feel like an insurmountable mission. It can also contribute to meltdowns when the emotions build up so much that we explode. 

How to improve task-switching and ADHD 

Awareness- Knowing about how your brain works and what it needs can be incredibly helpful in navigating task switching. Learn about the types of executive functioning supports, scaffolds, or tools that that are beneficial to you. 

Timing- Be generous in estimating how much time is required for a task, and be generous with yourself in scheduling extra time to transition between tasks. This includes scheduling breaks at work, and setting timers to remind yourself when to stop, take a breather, and start the next task. Time blocking is also beneficial －dividing your day or week into sections by grouping similar tasks that make sense for you i.e. On Sundays reserve for laundry, on Mondays reserve for cleaning the kitchen, etc. Time blocking your day can look like reserving the first quarter of the day for admin work, the second quarter of the day for working on projects, the third quarter of the day for transition and finishing, and the fourth quarter of the day for restorative/leisure time. You can use these specific, themed time blocks to complete a variety of tasks within the same category. It really depends on the person to structure what works for them. 

Transition Plans/Routines- Perhaps there is a transition routine or activity that you can think about that would help you switch tasks. Maybe taking a walk to find closure or reset your brain could help you “mark” that transition. Another example could be that when someone is done working, it helps to close their laptop, clear their desk, and physically move to another location.

Medication- A lot of ADHDers have shared about experiencing a revelation of sorts when taking meds for the first time— they finally understand what it’s like to be able to task switch. They gracefully dart from subject to subject for the first time in their life, in a way that is actually helpful and productive. This can be an emotional realization.