45 minutes · 6 steps

The ADHD Study Routine (that beats the doom-page-loop)

ADHD reading fails because the brain isn't producing enough dopamine to encode. Active recall + short sprints fix retention without more time.

The routine

1
0-2 minSet the exact question
Not 'study chapter 4'. 'What are the 3 causes of X?'
2
2-4 minSkim the section
Headings, bold text, first sentences. Prime the brain.
3
4-24 min20-minute sprint
Read + write bullets in your own words. Timer visible.
4
24-29 minBreak — walk, no phone
5 minutes. Water. Sunlight if possible.
5
29-44 minActive recall test
Close the book. Write everything you remember. Then check.
6
44-45 minLog what you missed
Tomorrow's first move: re-drill those exact gaps.

Highlighting

Writing 3 questions the paragraph answers

Re-reading

Closing the book and reciting from memory

3-hour marathons

3 x 45-minute sprints with real breaks

Run this in Spark

Spark opens each step at the right time, on your phone, with a visible timer. No planning, no willpower.

Why does 20 minutes beat 3 hours?

Encoding drops off a cliff for ADHD brains after ~25 minutes. Short sprints keep dopamine in the productive range.

Music or silence?

Lyric-free instrumentals or brown noise. Lyrics compete with reading for the same brain circuits.

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