Gamification involves adding game elements to non-game tasks. It can help you complete unappealing tasks through motivation and rewards.

Gamification is the process of incorporating game elements into non-game tasks. This can include things like:

  • quests
  • points
  • rewards

If you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you may have difficulty with intrinsic motivation when it comes to tasks perceived as unenjoyable or non-rewarding on their own.

Gamification can be a form of extrinsic motivation, which can help make completing these tasks more enjoyable.

Gamification connects a reward to the task that needs to be completed to attain that reward.

A 2020 study found that gamified interventions may improve engagement and motivation in individuals with ADHD. It may also help strengthen the skills that the gamification involves.

While gamification is not a replacement for treatments that your doctor has already prescribed, such as medication and therapy, it may have a positive effect on ADHD symptoms.

There are a few key elements to gamification. These include:

  • Goals. Having goals helps you complete your tasks. It is also a way to keep score and decide who wins.
  • Rules. Rules determine what is allowed and what is not. It keeps performance predictable and consistent.
  • Risk. Risk means you have to develop a strategy for playing and keeps you focused.
  • Feedback. Feedback provides encouragement and lets the player assess their progress and strategy.
  • Challenge. The level of challenge must keep you interested by not being too easy, but it also cannot be so hard that it overwhelms you.
  • Rewards. Rewards should be frequent and provide immediate gratification to keep you motivated to continue.
  • Fun. Fun is an intrinsic reward as it keeps you involved in playing the game.

This may seem like a lot at first. But when you add gamification to your day-to-day, you can personalize it to your needs, and it may start to feel more natural.

To start, you could create a point system. On one side, you can list tasks that need to be completed and determine how many points each completed task is worth. Larger tasks or tasks you find more difficult can be worth more. On the other side, you can list rewards. Rewards with a greater monetary value can cost more points.

Here is an example point system:

TasksRewards
Load and unload dishwasher (2 points)Go out for a dessert (25 points)
Clean and fold laundry (3 points)Go to a theater performance (75 points)
Clean car, inside and outside (4 points)Go shopping for new clothes (100 points)
Completing a difficult project at work (5 points)Full spa day (200 points)

You may wish to display your task list, rewards list, and current points somewhere visible, such as on your refrigerator. This way, you can easily see your progress and keep yourself motivated.

To implement risk, you can subtract the same amount of points if the task does not get completed in a certain timeline. For example, if your laundry does not get done for a full week, you can deduct three points.

Other gamification strategies

  • Add a player. If there are multiple people in your household, you can add them to your game. If they get chores done, they can earn points for themselves. This could motivate you to do chores sooner to earn the points for yourself.
  • Race against time. Individuals with ADHD may experience time blindness. As a result, you may find that you run late. You could challenge yourself to get to appointments early or on time, like a race.

Several apps and websites can help you gamify your tasks, often with more complex rules and graphics compared to making and keeping a point system by yourself. These can help track your progress and hold you accountable.

  • Habitica. In this role-playing game (RPG), your character levels up when you complete tasks and loses health if you do not. If you miss too many tasks, your stats will be impacted. You can also play as a group.
  • Habit Hunter. Also an RPG, your character will level up and progress through the world as you complete tasks. The app will remind you when due dates are near, and you can break down large tasks into smaller subtasks.
  • To-Do Adventure. Build cozy, themed islands as you complete tasks. The more you complete, the bigger your island gets.

If you have ADHD, gamification can make completing unappealing tasks more enjoyable and rewarding. There are many ways you can gamify tasks, such as creating a task scoreboard yourself or utilizing an app.

Everyone is different, and what works for you may not work for someone else. It may take you some time to figure out a system that works for you, and that is perfectly OK.