Getting started can be the hardest part… especially when your brain feels resistance to a task. Upbeat, energizing music can help by increasing dopamine and activating your brain’s reward system. Translation: less friction, more momentum.
Create (or refresh) a playlist and give it a fun, motivating name. Choose upbeat or familiar songs that make your body want to move or lift your mood automatically. Familiar music works especially well because it’s predictable and rewarding, which is perfect for ADHD brains.
To get started, try creating different playlists for different energy needs:
- Fast tempo is great for getting started or powering through boring tasks
- Steady tempo is ideal for focused work without distraction
Music also helps regulate emotions, which lowers resistance and makes task initiation feel more doable.
Need inspiration? Here are some ideas:
- Happy by Pharrell Williams
- Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen
- Roar by Katy Perry
My energizing playlist is created with one rule in mind- I must start moving on my own when the song is playing. Any songs I notice my self bounding around to are a good fit for my energizing playlist. Then I know I can press play and let the music do some of the heavy lifting.
