ADHD Life – Measure Once, Cut Twice

Summer is finally here, and with it comes the promise of longer days and endless possibilities. Your mind fills with project ideas: refinishing that dining table, building raised garden beds, organizing the garage, painting the guest room. But if you have ADHD, that initial burst of enthusiasm can often scatter into a dozen half-started projects and regret lingering in the air like the scent of abandoned paint cans.

The good news? Summer projects and ADHD brains can work together. It just takes a different approach than the traditional “make a list and power through” mentality.

Why Summer Projects Hit Different with ADHD

ADHD brains thrive on novelty and interest, which makes the start of summer project season feel electric. Everything seems possible when you’re riding that wave of a new idea. But we also struggle with executive function, time blindness, and maintaining motivation through the boring middle parts of projects.

Summer makes these challenges worse. Without the structure of school or work schedules, time feels elastic and unmanageable. Heat affects our already-challenged emotional regulation. And the social pressure to “make the most” of summer can trigger shame spirals when projects stall.

The ADHD-Friendly Project Approach

Forget the advice to “just stick with one project.” Instead, work with your brain’s natural patterns:

Start with the dopamine hit. Choose projects that actually excite you, not ones you think you “should” do. Your brain needs that initial interest to fuel the harder parts.

Batch similar tasks across projects. If you’re painting one room, prep the painting supplies for three rooms. Planning multiple garden beds? Do all the measuring and supply shopping in one trip. This takes advantage of hyperfocus and reduces the mental load of constantly switching between different types of thinking.

Build in variety and flexibility. Have 2-3 projects running simultaneously so you can switch when one loses momentum. Some days you’ll want to get your hands dirty building; other days you’ll want the satisfaction of detailed planning or shopping for supplies.

Create visible progress markers. ADHD brains need to see progress to maintain motivation. Take before photos, create a simple checklist you can physically check off, or document your work on social media. The external validation and visual proof of progress fuel continued effort.

Practical Strategies That Actually Work

The “good enough” mindset is your friend. Perfectionism is the enemy of completion. Decide upfront what “done” looks like for each project, and resist the urge to keep tweaking. That dining table doesn’t need a museum-quality finish; it needs to be functional and make you happy when you see it.

Time block with buffers. If you think a task will take two hours, block four. ADHD time estimation is notoriously optimistic, and having buffer time prevents the shame spiral when things take longer than expected.

Use body doubling. Invite friends over for project work sessions, join online co-working sessions, or even just FaceTime someone while you work. The accountability and social element can provide the external structure your brain craves.

Prep for the enthusiasm crash. It will happen. Plan for it by breaking large projects into smaller, manageable chunks, preparing all materials in advance, and creating systems that make it easy to restart when motivation returns.

Managing the Messy Middle

The hardest part of any project isn’t the exciting beginning or satisfying end—it’s the tedious middle where motivation wanes and the novelty wears off. For ADHD brains, this is where projects typically die.

Combat this by pairing boring tasks with stimulation: listen to podcasts during repetitive work, reward yourself with small treats after completing chunks, or work in timed sprints with breaks. Sometimes the difference between a finished project and an abandoned one is simply making the boring parts less boring.

Remember that taking breaks doesn’t mean giving up. Sometimes you need to step away from a project for days or weeks while your brain recharges. Trust that the motivation will return, and resist the urge to fill that time with guilt.

Celebrating ADHD Project Wins

When you do finish a summer project, celebrate it fully. ADHD brains are wired to move quickly to the next thing, but taking time to appreciate your accomplishment reinforces the positive experience and makes you more likely to tackle future projects.

Take after photos, invite people over to see your work, or simply spend time enjoying the finished result. You’ve not only completed a project—you’ve worked with your brain instead of against it, and that’s worth celebrating.

The goal isn’t to become a different person who naturally sticks with boring tasks. The goal is to design a project approach that works with your ADHD brain, not despite it. Your scattered attention isn’t a bug—it’s a feature that allows you to see possibilities others miss and find creative solutions to problems.

So go ahead, start that summer project list. Just remember: if you happen to measure once and cut twice, trust that your ADHD brain will find a way to make it work.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 stands as a landmark piece of civil rights legislation that continues to transform the lives of millions of Americans. While many may be familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 laid the groundwork for disability rights and remains a crucial protection for both children and adults.

Understanding Section 504

At its core, Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in any program or activity that receives federal funding. This includes schools, colleges, hospitals, and various other institutions. The law defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment.

Impact on Education

In the educational setting, Section 504 has revolutionized how schools accommodate students with disabilities. Unlike the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which specifically focuses on special education, Section 504 casts a wider net by ensuring that students with disabilities have equal access to education through reasonable accommodations.

Some common accommodations under Section 504 include:

Extended time for tests and assignments
Modified homework assignments
Preferential seating in classrooms
Assistive technology for learning
Behavioral intervention plans
Healthcare services during school hours

These accommodations help level the playing field, allowing students to demonstrate their true potential without being hindered by their disabilities.

Benefits for Adults in the Workplace

The impact of Section 504 extends well beyond the classroom. In the workplace, it ensures that qualified individuals with disabilities have equal access to employment opportunities in organizations receiving federal funds. This protection includes:

Fair hiring practices
Reasonable workplace accommodations
Equal access to training and advancement opportunities
Protection from discrimination in all employment practices

Healthcare and Public Services

Section 504’s reach also encompasses healthcare settings and public services. Healthcare providers receiving federal funding must ensure:

Physical accessibility of facilities
Effective communication with patients who have disabilities
Equal access to medical care and services
Reasonable modifications to policies and procedures when necessary

Long-lasting Impact on Society

The implementation of Section 504 has helped reshape societal attitudes toward disability rights. Its influence can be seen in:

Increased awareness of disability rights
Greater inclusion in educational and professional settings
Improved accessibility in public spaces
Enhanced understanding of reasonable accommodations
Development of subsequent disability rights legislation

The Critical Nature of Preserving Section 504

The potential removal or weakening of Section 504 protections would have far-reaching and devastating consequences across society:

Educational Impact:

Students with disabilities could lose their right to accommodations, potentially leading to academic struggles, increased dropout rates, and diminished future opportunities
Schools might no longer be required to provide essential services like healthcare support during school hours
The burden of educational support would fall entirely on families, creating significant financial and logistical challenges

Workplace Consequences:

Qualified individuals with disabilities could face increased discrimination in hiring and promotion
Employers might no longer be required to provide reasonable accommodations
Talented professionals might be forced to leave their careers due to lack of support
Economic independence for many individuals with disabilities could be severely compromised

Healthcare Ramifications:

Medical facilities might become less accessible
Communication accommodations for patients with disabilities could be eliminated
Essential medical equipment and services might not be adapted for all users
Healthcare disparities would likely increase significantly

Broader Societal Effects:

Decades of progress in disability rights could be reversed
The message sent to society would devalue the contributions and rights of individuals with disabilities
The cost to society in terms of lost productivity and increased dependency would be substantial
The burden on families and support systems would increase dramatically

These potential consequences underscore why protecting and strengthening Section 504 is crucial for maintaining an equitable and just society.

In Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Section 504

Section 504 is more than just a law—it’s a promise of equality and dignity for all Americans. For nearly five decades, it has served as a critical safeguard ensuring that disability does not determine one’s access to education, employment, or public services.

The true measure of a society lies in how it treats its most vulnerable members. Through Section 504, we affirm our commitment to creating a world where disability is recognized not as a barrier to participation, but as an aspect of human diversity that enriches our collective experience.

As we look to the future, we must not only protect these vital civil rights but strengthen them. The accommodations provided under Section 504 don’t represent special treatment—they represent the removal of obstacles that would otherwise prevent talented, capable individuals from reaching their full potential and making their unique contributions to society.

The fight for disability rights is a fight for human dignity. By upholding and advocating for Section 504 protections, we create a more just, accessible, and inclusive world—not just for those with disabilities, but for all of us who believe in the fundamental principle that every person deserves an equal opportunity to thrive.

Category: ADHD Life

Summer Projects with ADHD: From Scattered Ideas to Finished Dreams