Reminders for ADHD: why one alert isn't enough
Short answer: with ADHD, a single reminder is easy to dismiss "for a second" and lose for good. Reminders that repeat until you confirm, written as clear actions, work far better.
The problem: dismiss and forget
Time blindness means "I'll do it in a minute" quietly becomes an hour. The notification is gone, and so is the task.
What helps
- Repeat until done. Let the reminder come back every 5 minutes until you tap Done.
- Action-first titles. "Take pills with breakfast", not "pills".
- Fewer, louder nags. Use "until done" only for essentials; give everything else 3–5 repeats.
- Quick capture. If adding a reminder takes more than a few seconds, you won't do it. Type it in plain words.
- A done list. Seeing what you finished today is motivating.
A tool built for this
Naglet keeps nudging until you tap Done, adds reminders in three seconds and keeps a Done history. Many users with ADHD rely on exactly this kind of persistent reminder.
FAQ
Is a repeating reminder better than a to-do list?
They do different jobs. A to-do list holds tasks; a repeating reminder makes sure the time-critical ones actually happen.
How many repeating reminders should I have?
Keep "until done" for a handful of daily essentials like medication. Too many nags turn into noise.
What if I keep snoozing?
Snoozing is fine — it means you decided when. If something is snoozed every day, move it to a better time.