7 Productivity Tips for Neurodivergent Students—Guide by the UK’s Leading Essay Help Online Services

With around 30-40% of the population being Neurodiverse, it’s sad to see there are not enough resources yet for such students to cope with their workloads. When students search for coursework help online, they’re often directed to the usual generic advice handed down by adults. However, while these productivity tips may work for Neurotypicals (“Make a list!”, “Just sit and study!”), they can be boring, useless, or outright triggering for the rest.

The experts in our essay help online agencies include Neurodivergent professionals, who despise the generic advice people hand out. So, they have compiled another list specifically for students with the same traits. If you, too, don’t abide by the Neurotypical laws, the following tips may help you out during your academic journey:

Set Wrong Deadlines

If you have ADHD, you may struggle with hard deadlines. A strict routine would be tough to follow, and eventual distractions will lead you astray. This, in turn, will lead you down the trippy lane of procrastination and mismanagement.

In this case, one of the biggest help with dealing with your hyperactive brain would be to give it enough breaks and “fun” times to keep it on track. So, if you have a deadline you need to meet, the only way to make sure you’ll meet it is to create an earlier deadline. This way, no matter what long and winding route you take, you will meet your real deadline with no losses or consequences.

False deadlines will give you the safety net you need to work productively in a Neurotypical environment. And this is not limited to your academic life. You can use it for other personal or work commitments later in your career.

Set a Loose Plan with Major Tasks Mapped Out Visually

Working at a fixed period may work wonders for some people. But for others—especially Neurodivergent students—it’s too constricting. A good way is to set a few hard deadlines loosely planned throughout the day. For example, if you have an exam coming up on a certain topic, you could decide you will study three topics in the day. Plan other chores or small activities to avoid getting stressed about the main tasks.

Using this method will take away the pressure of a deadline and allow you to work more productively. You can even be motivated to do more. If that happens, go ahead and study more!

Another tip is to keep a visual calendar or schedule. It’s easy to forget things when you don’t see them or get reminded of them, so make sure you have your tasks written where you can see them. Make it your phone wallpaper, stick a sheet on your wall with the list of tasks, or get a whiteboard. Choose whatever works for you—just make sure you have something in plain view. This way, you won’t forget.

Limit Your Phone Use

Smartphones are great for many things, except when Neurodivergent pupils decide to study. The exciting distractions can keep you busy for hours, and if you’re not careful—an entire day. You may have already noticed this theme. One moment, it’s a nice weekend morning, and you think you’ll scroll through your phone before getting on with the boring chores. The next minute, it’s midnight, your chores aren’t done, you’re exhausted, and you feel terrible about the pile of homework you couldn’t get to during the day.

To avoid this from happening to you, limit your phone use when you’re sitting down to work. Either keep it on silent and drop it in your desk drawer or turn it off. And if you keep getting that itch of “I should just look at it ONE time”, tell yourself you get to use your phone as a reward after you’re done with the task at hand.

Get a Friendly Jailer

Okay, first off, no, we’re not suggesting any wrongdoing here. It’s just a coping technique. Now, getting distracted or overwhelmed is one of the biggest challenges any Neurodivergent student will face. And for someone living on their own, it becomes tough to manage things without breaking down! So, to avoid sweating this stuff, get someone who can hold you accountable for your tasks in a kind, friendly manner. This could be a peer, a friend, a family member, or even someone from your study group.

Let’s say you want to study a topic and want to get it done by 10 pm on a Friday. You can ask a friend to study with you or keep tabs on you. This way, you will avoid getting distracted and wasting time. Your “jailer” will be there to catch you and put you back to your task if your attention seems to be diverting. You can do this for other tasks, as well.

For instance, how about FaceTiming, your mom when you’re cleaning your room or cooking something? It will accomplish two things for you:

• You will get your task done and
• Have a great conversation with your mother!

That sounds like a win-win to us.

Make it Fun

For many Neurodivergent people, getting boring tasks mean they will rarely be completed on time (don’t wince; you know it’s true). Now, the best way to overcome this block is to make such tasks fun. Need to make notes? Go crazy with your highlighters and colored pens. Want to make notes to remember things? Use pretty post-it notes and splatter your room with them. These are small ways you can create an interest in a structured task, which will otherwise be too boring to attempt. They will help you look forward to it and avoid the stress associated with tasks left incomplete.

Another would be to mix up the surroundings. For example, you’re bound to get a little cranky if you have been working at a desk in your dorm for too long. Try switching your environment to get a fresh perspective. Almost all universities in the UK offer private rooms or spaces in the library, so you can book them beforehand. You can also try finding a nice spot in any one of the gardens at your institute. It will help get you in the mindset to work efficiently.

Get the Ball Rolling

Many Neurodivergent students struggle with starting something. It’s tough for them to muster the effort for the first push to get the ball rolling for the day. Now, there are many ways to deal with this.

One method is to begin your day without falling into your phone trap. Yes, it’s tempting to check all the notifications first, but believe it or not, that takes up a massive chunk of your time away. Moreover, it can also set the tone for the day. Social media is a dangerous rabbit hole; if anything triggers you (people living a seemingly better life), your mood will be terrible throughout the day.

So, the first thing is to avoid your phone for at least an hour. Then, go through a routine—brush your teeth, drink water, update your daily to-do list on the visual board in your room, etc. Work over the small things that help you get ready for the day. You can check your notifications after.

Once you get on with your day, you may need some help starting your projects. And a great way is, to begin with, something you have a 100% chance of completing. If you start with the easiest task, for instance, you will get it done quickly and get the motivational boost you need to work on the rest of them. This can be the difference between getting your projects done and dusted on time and staring at your laptop screen for hours.

Use as Many Tools and External Resources You Need

This is important. Many Neurodivergent students assume people will think less of them if they use unique methods or extra tools to go through the day. Remember, your needs are different, so your coping strategies will be different, too. So you shouldn’t be ashamed if you decide to get some essay help online.

You can use whatever devices, tools, and apps you think will make your life easier. For example:

• Get some nice noise-canceling headphones if you have sensory issues
• If you have trouble following your schedule due to distractions, get an app with reminders
• A browser extension to limit any excessive browsing might help you out immensely

Use whatever you think can help you complete your tasks quicker. We hope this list will allow you to handle your academic responsibilities better. If you ever need external assistance from experts, you can count on reliable professionals who will be happy to extend it to you.