When you have ADHD, writing can result in a lot of stress. You may love ‘being’ a writer, brainstorming ideas, even editing, but getting words on the page, staying focused, or organizing your thoughts may be a struggle. And then there is all the productivity advice you’re told should work if you show up consistently and set measurable goals.  Write for two hours every morning. Be consistent. Track your output.

While these strategies can help some people, many of us with ADHD experience them as a cycle of pressure, resistance, and eventually failure.

I know that cycle well. For years, I set measurable targets for myself. Write 1,000 words a day, write for one hour daily. I bought into the idea that they would keep me motivated. And while I did manage to maintain the momentum briefly, I eventually got bored with the routine. I would churn out words for the sake of meeting my goals. My focus shifted from communicating something meaningful to simply hitting the numbers. The work felt mechanical, and, well, hard.

Interest is a major driver of motivation for ADHD brains. When the topic or task loses its sparkle, staying committed can feel almost impossible, even when the deadline is real.

After training as an ADHD coach and integrating that training with my decade of experience as an editor and writing coach, working with writers of all skill levels, I’ve realized that many of my clients were struggling with processes and tools that weren’t designed for how their brains work. Many traditional productivity tools are designed for neurotypical brains. They assume that attention is within the control of the writer, that energy can easily be harnessed, and that there is a consistent relationship between time spent and output produced. ADHD disrupts those assumptions.

My own experience led me to move away from rigid goal-driven writing toward something far more sustainable and enjoyable: intention-based writing.

Goals and intentions may sound similar, but they operate very differently. Goals emphasize outcomes: finish the article by Tuesday, draft 2,000 words in the next 3 hours, and submit by Friday. They provide clarity but can feel very inflexible to an ADHD brain that thrives on novelty, engagement, and intuition. If you struggle with time blindness, difficulty initiating tasks, or fluctuating energy — all common with ADHD — missing a goal can feel like personal failure rather than a mismatch between method and brain.

Intentions focus on process and engagement. They describe how you want to approach the work, not just what you want to produce.

For professional writers, an intention might look like this:

• Clarify the core message for the audience
• Explore a topic with curiosity
• Write a messy first draft
• Translate complex information into plain language
• Simply begin and see what insights emerge

The outcome is allowed to evolve.

This distinction matters because ADHD is fundamentally an executive function condition. Executive functions help us start tasks, plan, organize, regulate attention, and manage time. When those systems are struggling, rigid targets can lead to frustration and self-judgement.

Consider what happens when you sit down to write with a specific quota in mind. If getting started feels difficult, the target already feels out of reach. If your attention is hijacked, the clock becomes stressful instead of motivating. If time passes unnoticed, or painfully slowly, the schedule stops reflecting reality. None of this indicates laziness or lack of professionalism. It reflects how the ADHD brain processes effort and reward.

Measurable, like timers and word counts, assume a consistent link between time, effort, and results. ADHD breaks that link. Some days, you may struggle to produce a paragraph despite trying hard. On other days, you may slip into hyperfocus and complete an entire report in one sitting. Intention makes room for this variability rather than penalising it.

There is also an emotional difference. Goals invite evaluation: Did I succeed or fail? Intentions invite reflection: Did I engage with the work in a useful way? That shift alone can reduce self-criticism and make it easier to return to the task tomorrow.

When writers adopt intention-setting, several changes often follow:

• The work feels less overwhelming
• Sessions adapt more easily to fluctuating focus and energy
• Engagement improves because curiosity replaces pressure
• Self-compassion increases, supporting long-term consistency

Setting intentions doesn’t mean abandoning structure or deadlines. As a professional writer, you still need to deliver. It simply means choosing a day-to-day approach that feels more in line with how you thrive.

A helpful starting question is not “What do I need to produce?” but “How do I want to show up for this work today?” or How can I contribute to this project today?”

The answer might be focused, exploratory, analytical, patient, decisive, or open-minded. From there, translate that quality into a small, concrete action. Instead of aiming for a word count, you might:

• Outline key points
• Refine the headline or positioning
• Research audience pain points
• Draft messy ideas without editing
• Dictate notes while walking
• Rework a single section for clarity

Expand your definition of progress. Acknowledge to yourself that progress doesn’t need to be measured; it can be seen and felt.

My own shift came when I accepted that word counts, and timed writing sessions felt void of meaning to me. I needed writing to feel playful. It took me a while to feel confident enough to reject the idea of setting goals. I questioned whether I would feel overwhelmed without measurable goals. But I reminded myself that without intrinsic motivation to work, I wouldn’t be able to produce anything. So, I took the risk.

The change was gradual. But without performance pressure, curiosity returned. I reorganized ideas, wrote fragments, deleted sections, and followed new angles. Now, when I sit down to write, I feel energized instead of depleted.

If you want to experiment with this approach, try beginning each session by completing the sentence:

Today I intend to…

If you feel like you need a bigger picture of your project, start with an umbrella intention. Pull back, or zoom in as much as you need.

My intention for this project is to be curious, to explore, to produce interesting research, and to write with an authentic voice.

My intention is to allow myself to produce a messy first draft, no judgement when I write.

My intention is to engage with this project in a sensory way this week.

Keep the focus on experience and engagement rather than output. When you have completed your project, or even at the end of a writing session, or the end of each week, briefly reflect on whether the intentions helped. There’s no scorecard — just information you can use to adjust.

For writers with ADHD, productivity is not simply about effort. It’s about alignment between your brain, your motivation, and your environment. Intentions help create that alignment.

If goal-setting has left you feeling like you aren’t being the best writer you can be, the solution may not be trying harder — but trying differently. Start small. Choose one writing session to approach with an intention instead of a target and take notice of small shifts.

Professional writing is demanding enough without turning it into a daily judgment of your output. When you move from a productivity mindset to cultivating engagement, you give yourself a better chance of sustaining both the work and your love of writing.

Feel free to reach out to me for a free Discovery call if you want to continue this conversation!

 

Kirsten Donaghey is the author of A Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD Writers. She is a certified ADHD coach and longtime editor and writing coach. A Canadian living in Vienna, she was the founder of a nonprofit writing hub where she organized writing workshops and networking events for local writers. She now works with clients worldwide as a coach and editor, thriving on collaboration and creative solutions. Her own inspiration comes from reading, traveling, hiking, meaningful exchanges, and creating. She specializes in helping writers, creatives, academics, and ADHDers with their projects and daily life.