Environment Design: The External Brain
If You Can't See It, It Doesn't Exist
🧠 The Problem: "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
ADHD brains struggle with working memory. We can't hold 5 things in our head at once.
- If your desk is messy, your brain is processing every single item as a "task."
- If your tools are hidden in a drawer, you will forget to use them.
We need an environment that reduces friction for good habits and increases friction for bad ones.
🔬 The Science: Context-Dependent Memory
Your brain associates locations with actions.
- Bed = Sleep
- Couch = Netflix
- Desk = Work
If you work from your bed, you weaken the "sleep" association AND the "work" association. You get insomnia and procrastination.
🛠️ The Protocol: The "Mise-en-place"
Chefs prepare their station before they cook. You must prepare your desk before you work.
- Clear the Decks: Remove EVERYTHING not related to the current task.
- Visual Cues: Put the thing you need to do right in the center of the desk.
- Phone Jail: Put your phone in another room. "Do Not Disturb" is not enough. If you can see it, it drains cognitive load.
⚡ Pro Tips
- The "Reset" Ritual: When you finish a session, clear your desk for "Future You." Walking into a clean desk tomorrow is a dopamine gift.
- Lighting: Use cool/white light for focus (morning/day) and warm/orange light for relaxation (evening). It signals your circadian rhythm.
- Dual Monitors?: Be careful. More screens = more potential for distraction. Sometimes a single laptop screen forces better focus.