How I Use AI to Keep My ADHD Business Running (The Real, Non-Hyped Version)
I am not going to tell you AI changed everything and now my business runs itself.
It did not. It does not. And I don’t think it ever will because being a human is at the centre of my business and I don’t ever want that to change. I am also very intentional with how I use it because I am very aware of the environmental impact it has. It’s a constant challenge to find what I feel is balance with using it in the areas it helps most, without having it be something I use just because it’s there.
I am also not going to pretend it has not made a meaningful difference, because it has, specifically in the places where ADHD makes running a business and being a (semi) functional adult the hardest. And since a lot of the AI content out there is either breathless enthusiasm telling you to use it for everything except brushing your teeth, or cynical dismissal telling you you’re a horrible person for using it, I wanted to share what it actually looks like in practice for me. And how it can help you if you’re also an ADHD entrepreneur looking to use AI tools intentionally.
This is what I use, how I use it, and why it works for my brain specifically.
Why AI Fits the ADHD Brain in a Way a Lot of Tools Do Not
Before I get into specifics, it helps to understand why AI is useful for ADHD in a way that is different from, say, a new to-do app (that I also have many of on my phone).
The biggest executive function challenges for ADHD are task initiation, working memory, and sustaining attention through completion, sound about right?
Task Initiation: AI tools reduce friction at the initiation stage. You describe what you need to get a first draft or a little direction instead of building it from scratch.
Working Memory: Using AI can mean that things you ‘need to remember’ don’t all have to live in your head.
Task Completion: AI can make this easier because the momentum is already going, and it can help you through any of the more challenging bits of a task. It can also help with review to make sure you haven’t missed anything or created a piece of content filled with spelling errors.
It is not replacing the amazing creativity and thinking that our ADHD brains can be great at. It’s reducing the activation energy required to start and supporting you when you need it. For ADHD brains, that gap between knowing what to do and actually starting it is genuinely significant, and anything that makes it smaller is worth taking seriously.
What I Actually Use AI For
Content creation and the pipeline that runs off it
The biggest time and energy saver in my business is the content pipeline I have built around AI. When I write a blog post, that single piece of content becomes 20 Pinterest pins, and sometimes a social media caption or the foundation for an email. I do not rewrite all of that from scratch. I work with AI to repurpose what already exists.
This matters enormously for entrepreneurs with ADHD, because content creation is one of those tasks that has a lot of steps, often requires sustained attention, and is easy to abandon halfway through. Breaking it into smaller pieces and finding ways to repurpose out without starting at zero for each task with AI support means I actually finish things that I previously left half-done.
Weekly planning
I use AI to help me organize my week, review what is outstanding, and prioritize what matters. This is not glamorous, but it is incredibly useful. Sitting down to plan a week when you have ADHD and 107 things in your head is hard. Having a structured space where I can dump everything out and then get help sorting it is a very different experience.
I do this by linking to Notion, which holds all of my action list items, including recurring and one-off items. So it’s all in one place, and Claude helps me understand where I need to focus my attention each day.
Managing the "I will remember this" problem
ADHD working memory means I forget things (a lot-but don’t tell my husband I admitted that here). Not because I do not care, but because working memory genuinely does not hold information the way it needs to. I have built a knowledge base in my business tools where I can drop things I ‘need to remember’ like:
Things I need to do today or in the future
Client work
Personal tasks
Daily/weekly goals
And so much more…
Tracking client wins, business ideas, and other future things
Instagram really thinks I need to spend money on the ‘Pocket’ device that is essentially another thing I’d have to carry around, and pay a monthly subscription for, to help keep me off my phone and still be able to ‘take notes’ on the go. It allows you to record voice notes and have them redirected based on its AI system. The selling point do all of the above without having to pick up your phone. The downfall: another device to carry around or it’s not useful at all!
Instead, Claude helped me find a workaround that cost $0
It does involve me picking up my phone, but by adding a widget to my lock screen, it helps me reduce the chance of getting sucked in. Here’s exactly how it is set up:
Notion widget in my lock screen
Notion page for ‘voice notes’ which I sometimes type in if I get a thought in a place it would be weird to be talking to myself in
There is also a page in Notion that maps out where the random musings should go so it’s clear what to do with the information I add.
Every night, an automation that is set up in Claude Code runs and puts the information where it needs to go (think social media ideas, business/money tools to check out, business ideas, client wins, and things that need to go on my action list this week)
After the automation runs, I get a notification which also tells me if there’s anything there it didn’t know what to do with
I still see ads for the ‘Pocket’ device, but I don’t feel tempted at all and believe that my set up works way better for me because I can easily make adjustments if something isn’t working.
What AI Cannot Do (Even If People Say It Can)
It cannot replace judgment or your creativity. The ideas, the strategy, the read on a client situation, the decision about what direction to take the business: those are mine. AI may help me think them through, but it does not know my business or me enough to be making the decisions around here!
And it cannot initiate on my behalf, or make me do the things. I still have to show up, start the conversation, and direct the work. For all the friction it removes, it does not remove the requirement to continue to show up for my business and my clients!
Is It Worth It?
For an ADHD entrepreneur specifically, my vote is yes. Not because it is perfect, but because the specific places it reduces friction are exactly the places ADHD creates friction. So if you’re curious about how to use AI in your business in a way that actually fits how your brain works, I encourage you to give it a try. There are free versions you can use to dip your toe in to see what you think.
Can It Help You With Your Money?
And if you’ve been down the AI rabbit hole with uploading bank and credit card statements, looking for guidance with your money and still feel lost, know that I hear this all the time. This is the difference between AI and real human connection and accountability. Can AI help you with your money? Yes, to a point it can. It can be great at reviewing your spending but not so great at helping you make sustainable changes or figure out how to pivot when something isn’t working. And while it may offer ADHD specific guidance, it doesn’t hear your tone of voice or see how you react when you’re sharing details of where you are right now.
But I can. And while I may be a little biased, I believe there is nothing like the one-on-one support of a financial coach who is also navigating business and life with ADHD. If you’re done banging your head against the wall when it comes to your money and ready for change that sticks, I’d love to chat with you to see if we are a good fit. Or check out this podcast episode to learn more about pivots you can make with your money today.
About the Author
Sherry is a financial coach and entrepreneur whose areas of expertise is helping entrepreneurs and individuals with ADHD to go from stressed to confident with their money. She creates safe, shame-free spaces for you to get the support you need. She also has a brain that can come up with creative solutions that can help with your specific money challenges. She has ADHD herself and built her business and money systems specifically around reducing executive function demands without sacrificing in areas that are important to her. If you want to talk about any of it, she would love to hear from you.
