I Suck at Dissertation Writing: 3 Apps to Help Autistics & ADHDers Focus on Writing and College Work

I actually don't suck at dissertation   writing. In fact, I'm very good at it, and I   kinda love it...well, sometimes. But the way I work best differs from the ways   neurotypicals do, which can seem backward, nonsensical, or even lazy to those who are less cognizant and accepting of differences, especially regarding working styles. My awareness of these differences inspired my dissertation, which looks at how autistic   leaders in higher education deal with thobstacles unique to their neurodivergent status and what strengths they bring to their roles. It also inspired me to start this blog at the end of 2022, which I intended to publish regularly in 2023. I was excited to explore and write further about my then newish autistic identity, chronicle my dissertation progress, and flesh out what I call Hero Psychology, an identity transition model combining psychology and the myths/stories societies have used for millennia to help people navigate life transitions.

So why the delay? What happened? A lot, actually.

Photo by Romain Vignes on Unsplash (Overlay text by Jason Stalides.)

But needless to say, focus and sustained attention can be a significant challenge for autistics. Most people don't realize that autism comes with a lot of the same executive functioning challenges as ADHD. Which reminds me: I also now have a formal ADHD diagnosis (and am now a part of the growing AuDHD community—so much to learn and incorporate into my dissertation!). My point: with my job, parenting, and school work, the blog kept getting pushed off for another day, then another...and now it's two years later. Talk about time blindness.

But I did make some pretty remarkable progress in my studies. I finished all my coursework, passed my comprehensive exam (on the first try...ahem), and co-presented my dissertation topic and research findings (up to that point) at 2023 NASPA Annual Conference in Boston. It was very well received. I had never experienced anything like it. And afterward, I was swarmed by people who wanted to learn more. My co-presenters and I were even invited to turn our presentation into a paid, on-demand webinar.

Also since 2023, I've continued to learn a lot about what helps autistics and ADHDers (and, of course, myself) keep focused on writing projects after a long day of work and parenting. I usually don't even get to my schoolwork until after I make dinner for my sons and me. By that point, my energy is low, I'm tired, my brain is fried, and the last thing I want to do is sit down to work on a writing project that requires deep work. The tiredness and resistance is honestly a bit intense at times, and without systems and tools in place, I would get little to nothing done. So to hunker down and keep motivated when I really, REALLY don't feel like it, I rely on systems that help me begin (often the hardest part), stay on task, and reduce distractions.

The tools in my system aren't mind-blowing, although each app below is excellent. The power comes from combining them in a pre-established way, so I don't have to think about how I will work, which frees up the cognitive RAM needed to get over the hump and do some work.

1. Todoist: This task manager is my main go-to and helps me organize, well, everything. One of my favorite things about it is the ability to quickly capture to-dos, ideas, random thoughts, etc. I can organize them later. It also has excellent calendar syncing capabilities. I can break projects down into actionable steps, see everything I need to do in a single, trusted place, organize them in a way that works for me, and then prioritize tasks to determine what to focus on next. Fair warning: don't start by trying to develop elaborate productivity systems, which can be a way to procrastinate in itself (believe me). Keep it simple, and tweak it as you go

2. Focus To-Do: With my next task cued up, I can begin. But, of course, there are a million things that pull me away, especially when I’m working from home. Enter Pomodoro. I’m a big fan. Small, achievable chunks of time are less intimidating. Pomodoro focus sessions typically last 25 minutes. But I tend to use 15-minute sessions—approximately three per hour. Sometimes I blow past the time and get lost in the work; other times, a few minutes can feel neverending, and I want to do…anything else. But the big red timer reminds me that I made that 15-minute commitment, and since the remaining time is pretty short, I think, “Ok, I can do this,” and get back to it. Rinse repeat as needed. Another excellent feature of Focus To-Do is the ability to lock your phone or block specific apps, so when the timer starts, you can’t use your phone for anything else until time runs out. Pro-tip: things that add resistance to screen distractions can really add up. Find little ways to make distractions less convenient. 

3. Brain.fm: My kids are loud. But even when I'm alone, too quiet is also "loud" in a different way. Brain.fm's soft beats and melodies are engineered to work with your brain and promote sustained attention. It does exactly that for me. There is a lot of song variety, and it’s easy to use, so you can quickly and easily find the music that works best for you. The goal is to get to work, not spend time finding the perfect work song. My favorite is Electronic Music Focus. It keeps the world out and boxes me in.

There is more to my focus system, and I continually tweak and refine it. For example, I recently started time tracking with Toggl Track to get more control of my time. Maybe I’ll expand on my full system in another post. But the three apps above are the keystones that keep it all together. This is a process that has developed over time by trial and LOTS of error. So be patient with yourself, don't implement too many new habits at once, and come at it with an experimental mindset (instead of beating yourself up if something isn't working how you hoped). I promise I continue to slip and even fall, but I keep getting back up. I keep starting over. I keep making progress. Even if it’s only a little. Take the wins. Learn from the stumbles.

I hope you found that helpful and that something there works for you. Let me know in the comments. It’d be great to hear from you. What resonated? What didn’t? What's your developing system like? It would be even greater if you subscribed. Most of my posts will likely be about my dissertation and all the things I learn along the way, but I am open to tangents. What would you like to see more of? I’m committed to publishing a new post each week, so I should have at least 52 posts by the end of 2025. I wonder what Hero Psychology will look like then? Help me to shape it into something that helps us all. ✌️