The ADHD Time Warp: Navigating the Maze of Time Blindness

If there’s one thing my ADHD brain excels at, it’s completely losing track of time. I swear I blink and suddenly it's three hours later, I haven't done the thing I told myself I was going to do, and now I’m running late for something I forgot I had. Sound familiar? Welcome to the wonderful world of time blindness, where deadlines sneak up like jump scares in a horror movie, and “I’ll do that in five minutes” is a bold-faced lie we tell ourselves on the daily.

But here’s the thing – this isn’t just about being “bad at time management” or “lazy” (side note: I loathe this word but that’s a whole other blog about living as a neurodiverse human in the neurotypically-designed world we live in that I don’t have time to cover today). Time blindness is actually a neurological thing. Our brains don’t track time the way neurotypical brains do, and science backs this up. So if you’ve ever wondered why you struggle to judge how long something will take, constantly underestimate time, or only seem to function when a deadline is screaming in your face – this blog is for you.

Let’s break down what’s actually happening in the ADHD brain, why time feels like an abstract concept, and (most importantly) what we can do to outsmart it. Because I don’t know about you, but I’d like to stop being personally victimized by the passage of time.

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For All My Fellow Science Nerds, This One’s For You

So what even is time blindness? Time blindness refers to having difficulty perceiving and managing the passage of time, which can lead to challenges in punctuality and planning. Research indicates that this phenomenon has neurological foundations particularly in individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Studies have shown that individuals with ADHD often exhibit impairments in time perception, which can be linked to neurological abnormalities in the mesolimbic and dopaminergic systems (a.k.a. the systems in your brain that are involved with dopamine). It is notable that when individuals with ADHD receive medical treatment, their perception of time tends to normalize, suggesting a neurological basis for these time perception challenges.

Further research indicates that time perception is dispersed throughout the central nervous system and is intrinsically associated with brain connectivity and communication. Time perception has been attributed to brain activity in the basal ganglia and motor centers, while time estimation is more closely associated with the prefrontal cortex and is dependent on dopaminergic pathways (we just can’t get away from craving that dopamine). Time distortions have been reported in disorders known to involve dopaminergic signaling, including ADHD. 

tldr; Time blindness is rooted in neurological differences, particularly in brain regions and pathways associated with time perception and executive functioning and understanding these neurological underpinnings can inform more effective interventions and support strategies for individuals experiencing time blindness.

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Common Challenges

If you’ve made it this far, I’m guessing you don’t need me to spell out the daily chaos that is living with time blindness. You already know the struggle. But I also know how validating it is to feel truly seen in these struggles. Hence partly why I became a therapist… So here are the top 4 common things ADHDers experience thanks to time blindness:

• Procrastination and last-minute scrambling
• Difficulty estimating time needed for tasks
• Frequently running late to and/or missing appointments/events
• Struggles with long-term planning and deadlines

Now here’s the thing, and this touches on that (hopeful) future article about living in a neurotypically-designed world: these challenges we face because of time blindness impact EVERYTHING. From our careers, to our relationships, to our bodies constantly living under stress. So what do we do?

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Well, we have seemingly two options:

Option 1

We can use time blindness, the neurological differences being researched, and the ADHD as an excuse, period. 

• I’m late to my doctor’s appointment? We’ll just start 20 minutes late, it’s fine.
• I missed my niece’s first dance recital? Excuse me while I spiral into guilt and overcompensate with an absurdly expensive gift.

But the thing with each of those examples? They have consequences that we need to accept if that’s the option we want to roll with.

• I’m late? That appointment I really needed? Cancelled. Full fee charged. And now I’m stressed and broke.‍
• I missed my niece’s first dance recital? Ruptures in important relationships, because, yeah, she might have more, but that doesn’t undo the hurt. People notice when we don’t show up, and relationships can take a hit. And also, that guilt you’re feeling will take a toll on you and your body.

Option 2

Acknowledging and affirming that time blindness is very real, not a defect or personal failure but a neurological difference, while working on time management skills to improve our time blindness. 

Practical Strategies

6 Immediate Tools to Try (because what ADHDer has any patience left to give?)

1. Make Time Visible

ADHD brains often struggle with the abstract concept of time, so externalizing it and making it tangible can help. 

• Use a large analog clock so you can actually see the time passing.
• Set audible alarms or chimes at regular intervals to stay aware of time.
• Utilize visual timers, like a running timer or hourglass to see time counting down.
• Keep a whiteboard schedule or sticky notes in view with reminders of time estimates for tasks.

2. Break Time

Since ADHD brains have difficulty estimating how long tasks will take, time blocking and chunking can help create structure.

• Utilize the Pomodoro Technique where you break your time into 25-minute periods of tasks, followed by 5-minute breaks.
• Break down larger tasks into smaller, defined steps that you can assign time blocks for.
• Schedule transition time between tasks to account for mental shifting.
• Overestimate time needed for tasks to build in buffer time for unexpected delays.

3. Overcoming Time Paralysis

ADHD can often make our brains categorize time into two different categories: “now” and “not now.” Especially if a task is something that we perceive as difficult, uninteresting, or exists very far in the future, we risk the task feeling out of reach until it becomes more urgent. Instead, we can:

• Convert future tasks into “now” actions by breaking them into immediate steps.
• Then we can take the “not now” tasks and use calendar reminders to help us remain aware of when we would need to complete them.
• Another thing we can do is to set pre-deadlines for projects so they feel urgent before the real deadline hits - though this one can be ineffective and actually encourage maladaptive habits if we ignore the pre-deadline, so check yourself!

4. Focus by Proxy

ADHD thrives on external structure and routine, and having another person present can boost focus and motivation to get stuff done. 

• Try body doubling, where a friend, co-worker, or virtual accountability partner sits with you while you work.
• Join focus groups or co-working sessions (either in-person or virtually).
• Verbally commit to tasks to someone else – even texting a friend what your plan is increases the likelihood of following through.

5. Shifting Gears

Hyperfocusing is an ADHDers bestie, and it can lead to struggling to shift between tasks and leading to more lost time.

• Use auditory cues, like alarms or music, to signal when it’s time to switch.
• Create a “wind-down” ritual to ease out of deep focus mode – think changing into comfy clothes, lighting a candle, and/or putting on a specific playlist.
• Use a checklist of next steps to guide transitions instead of relying on memory. For this one, I always encourage folks (and myself) to brain dump my thoughts down on paper/your notes app to get thoughts out to organize them.
• Set specific cues to create smoother transitions (i.e., after lunch (cue) → check email (transition back into work)).

6. Time Cushions

Time blindness is all about being blind to time and underestimating how long things take, which often ends up in chronic lateness or rushed work. 

• Add buffer time before appointments. Appointment at 4pm? Nope, it’s now actually at 3:40pm. And if you get there at 3:40pm, amazing, you get some time back to yourself to chill.
• Set multiple reminders leading up to deadlines.
• Factor in setup and cleanup times. Meeting at 10am? Awesome, get there by 9:50am for set up.
• Use reverse planning: start with the deadline and work backwards to map out what steps are needed and when to begin each step.

3 Ideas for Playing The Long-Game (so sorry but everything worth it does in fact take time…)

1. Developing routines and habits that support time awareness.

See the above list? Create daily habits with those things in mind, allowing yourself to tweak them where needed to personalize the plan. Developing a daily routine and habit structure takes time. When (not if) we slip up, use that moment as an opportunity to be curious (with some self-compassion, please) and reflect on the situation.

2. Using technology to aid time management.

There are a variety of apps out there that can help with this (Structured, Focused Work, Forest). You could also use Siri, Alexa, or any of the other “smart assistants” to help with reminders, scheduling, automating routines, and limiting distractions. And of course, good ole alarms on your personal devices would be another example that can aid in time management. 

3. Lastly, practicing self-compassion.

ADHD time struggles aren’t personal failings. It is literally a neurological difference of how time is perceived. You are not a failure because you struggle with managing time. It is a very difficult thing to learn how to do for anyone, and especially when the brain is wired differently than the world around it is set up for. 

Conclusion

• Literally a neurological difference, not a character flaw
• Experiment, experiment, experiment! Finding the right stuff takes time
• Twist on how ADHD brains offer a creative way to look at the world, are often resilient, and adaptable

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Time Blindness Is Real – And So Is Accountability

Look, if managing time was as easy as “just try harder,” we wouldn’t be here. Time blindness is a very real, very frustrating neurological challenge, and if you struggle with it, you’re not alone (seriously, welcome to the club – we meet at whatever time we accidentally show up). AND while understanding why our brains work this way is important, it doesn’t mean we get to shrug off the consequences.

Being late, missing deadlines, or forgetting important moments doesn’t just impact us – it affects the people who count on us. And while we can’t magically rewire our brains to perceive time like everyone else, we can build systems, strategies, and habits that help bridge the gap. Smart assistants, body doubling, external timers, structured routines – these tools exist for a reason, and they’re worth using.

When it comes to finding what works for managing time blindness, it’s all about trial and error. You’re not going to find the perfect solution overnight, and that’s okay! Our ADHD brains are naturally wired to think outside the box, which means we have a unique ability to approach challenges in creative and unexpected ways. Sure, it may take a little experimenting to land on the right strategies and tools, but don’t be afraid to try different things. The process itself can teach us a lot about what works – and, just as importantly, what doesn’t.

The beauty of ADHD is that we’ve had so many opportunities to become resilient and adaptable. What might feel like a struggle at first can often lead to discovering smarter, more efficient ways of doing things. So embrace the trial and error process, because who knows? You might actually stumble upon a strategy that works even better than the above I suggested. And in that stumble, you get to continue to build on your creative strength. Time blindness may be real, but we can be even better at finding ways to work around it.

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More ADHD-Focused Resources

• ADDitude - owned by WebMD and provides resources and insights into ADHD
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) - an organization that provides evidence-based information and support to folks with ADHD and their families, while advocating for recognition, incorporation, and celebration of ADHD‍
• Scattered Minds - a book all about ADHD, written by a physician with ADHD himself, Gabor Maté