ADHD and the “One More Thing” Spiral: Why You’re Always Late and How to Stop
You’re finally getting ready to leave the house.
You’re dressed, bags packed, and right on time. But then…
“Let me just throw this in the laundry.”
“Oh wait, I forgot to reply to that message.”
“I have two minutes—plenty of time to unload the dishwasher!”
Suddenly, you're ten minutes late. Again.
If you’ve ever spiraled into a tornado of last-minute tasks, welcome to the ADHD classic: the “One More Thing” spiral. It’s not that you don’t care about being on time. It’s that your brain literally hijacks your exit plan with distractions disguised as efficiency.
I used to beat myself up over this constantly. But once I understood what was really going on, I found a way out—and it didn’t involve becoming a hyper-punctual robot. Just some ADHD-friendly strategies that helped me escape the spiral (most days).
Here’s what’s really behind it—and what actually helped me stop being late all the time.
What Is the “One More Thing” Spiral?
It’s when you’re about to leave or move on to the next thing, but your brain keeps finding just one more thing to squeeze in.
And then another.
And another.
It feels like you're being productive. But in reality, you're underestimating how long each task takes, overestimating how much time you have, and accidentally derailing your whole plan.
You rush, forget things, or show up flustered—while your inner critic piles on the guilt.
Why It Happens in the ADHD Brain
1. Time Blindness
You don’t feel time passing. So a 10-minute buffer turns into “I’ve got forever” and then “how is it already 3:10?!”
ADHD brains process time differently. We live in “now” or “not now”—which means you may not sense how close the deadline really is.
2. Dopamine Seeking
Repetitive or boring tasks (like leaving on time) don’t offer much stimulation. But squeezing in one more mini-task? That gives your brain a hit of novelty and urgency.
You trick yourself into feeling accomplished by checking one more thing off—even though it makes you late.
3. Transition Trouble
Moving from one task or context to another (like from home to out-the-door) is hard for ADHD. So your brain stalls with random tasks as a weird form of avoidance.
4. Perfectionism in Disguise
Sometimes the urge to do “just one more thing” is your brain trying to leave things perfect before you go. You’re not allowed to relax until the dishwasher is empty or that email is answered.
But the price of that perfection? You’re late, stressed, and never feel truly done.
What Didn’t Work for Me
❌ Telling myself to “just leave earlier”
❌ Relying on willpower or alarms alone
❌ Trying to become a highly scheduled person overnight
❌ Berating myself when I ran late (again)
❌ Overloading my brain with too many tasks at once
What finally worked wasn’t changing my whole personality—it was learning to work with my brain instead of against it.
What Finally Helped Me Break the Spiral
Here’s what I use now—tools and mindset shifts that actually helped me stop sabotaging my exits.
1. I Built in a “Leave Buffer”—and Protected It Like a Meeting
I used to plan to leave at 9:00 AM. Now I pretend I’m leaving at 8:40 AM.
That 20-minute window is sacred. No dishes. No laundry. No calls. It’s just for:
- Grabbing my stuff
- Doing a quick mirror check
- Sitting in the car for a minute if I’m early
This is my ADHD-proof insurance policy. When I respect the buffer, I actually leave on time.
2. I Use a “No More Tasks” Alarm
I have two alarms:
- One tells me to start getting ready
- The second says: “No more tasks!”
That second one is key. It’s my signal that we are now in departure mode. No extra detours. No one last chore.
I even renamed it on my phone: “🛑 STOP. Walk out the door.”
It sounds silly, but the visual cue helps interrupt the spiral.
3. I Set a Countdown Timer—That I Can See
I use a Time Timer (or the visual timer on my phone) to track how long I have until I need to leave.
Why? Because ADHD brains don’t feel time passing. But watching the time run out helps me stay grounded in reality.
It’s not about stress. It’s about awareness.
4. I Create a “Last 5-Minutes” Ritual
Instead of wandering into random tasks, I created a short, finishable routine for the final five minutes before I leave.
Mine looks like:
- Grab bag + check for essentials
- Lock doors
- Sip water
- Open calming playlist or podcast
- Breathe
That’s it. No email. No dishes. No detours.
This helps my brain switch from “do more” to “prepare to move.”
5. I Keep an “Exit Box” Near the Door
I used to lose time looking for my keys, charger, or lip balm every time I left the house.
Now I have a small basket by the door with:
- Keys
- Phone charger
- Wallet
- A snack
- My “leaving the house” checklist (on a sticky note)
This reduces last-minute chaos and saves me from the scramble.
6. I Started Tracking What Actually Makes Me Late
Every time I ran late, I’d write down what happened.
Patterns I found:
- Got distracted cleaning the kitchen
- Thought I had “just enough” time to check emails
- Changed my outfit three times
- Spent 12 minutes looking for my earbuds
Once I saw the patterns, I could solve them. I now have go-to outfits, I don’t check email before leaving, and I pack my bag the night before if possible.
What I Do Now (On a Good Day)
30 minutes before I leave:
- Start my “get ready” playlist
- Dress + grab bag
20 minutes before I leave:
- Alarm goes off: “NO MORE TASKS”
- Start timer
- Do 5-minute exit ritual
5 minutes before I leave:
- Bathroom, double-check items
- Deep breath
- Out the door (or in the car early and proud)
If something throws it off, I adjust—but this routine helps me avoid most spirals.
ADHD-Friendly Tools That Help Me Be On Time
✅ Time Timer or visual countdown clock
✅ “No More Tasks” alarms on my phone
✅ Sticky note reminders on the door: “Keys? Water? No extras.”
✅ Dedicated exit box by the door
✅ Bag checklist taped inside my backpack
✅ Body doubling when I need to stay on track (sometimes I call a friend while getting ready)
These aren’t perfect. But they help interrupt the spiral before it starts.
What I Tell Myself Now
- “You don’t need to do everything—you just need to leave.”
- “Early is peaceful. Late is stressful.”
- “You can do that task later—it’ll still be there.”
- “Getting out the door is the win today.”
- “Protect the buffer. Guard the transition.”
Conclusion: You Can Escape the “One More Thing” Spiral With ADHD
If you’re always rushing out the door, flustered, forgetting things, or showing up late because of just one more task—you’re not alone.
You’re not selfish. You’re not inconsiderate. Your brain is wired to chase stimulation, resist transitions, and underestimate time. That doesn’t make you broken.
But you can build in support.
You can interrupt the spiral.
You can practice leaving on your terms.
Start with a buffer. Add a ritual. Make your own “no more tasks” rule.
Because showing up on time isn’t about discipline—it’s about designing a system your brain can actually follow.
And with a few tweaks, your next exit can feel less like a race… and more like a win.
