Understanding Time Blindness in ADHD

Our Editorial Standards

Reviewed for Accuracy

Up-to-date Research

Credible References

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Read Time: 5 Minutes

Written by:Elizabeth Keohan, LCSW-C, MSW

Published On: December 28, 2023

Medically reviewed by: Bisma Anwar, MA, MSc, LMHC

Reviewed On: December 28, 2023

Updated On: December 28, 2023

Our Editorial Process

Our Review Board

Overview

For people living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an altered sense of time can make minutes feel like hours and vice versa. Some people compare the feeling to being stuck in a thick fog, unable to see what’s in front of or behind them.

Research shows a definitive link between ADHD and time perception dysfunction — an ADHD symptom more commonly known as time blindness. Recognizing time blindness is the first step in learning to overcome it. Not being aware of time can cause people with ADHD to struggle with everyday things like underestimating tasks, missing deadlines, and feeling overwhelmed by the clock.

Read on to explore the concept of ADHD and time blindness, signs to be aware of, and how to manage this ADHD symptom.

What is Time Blindness?

Time blindness is the term used to explain when someone with ADHD struggles to understand and effectively manage the passing of time. The brain has an internal clock, but for individuals with ADHD, research identified a link between the condition and problems with time perception that lead to time blindness.

Where many people can gauge how long 15 minutes is — often without even having to look at a clock — people with ADHD might not have this innate ability. A time-blind person’s mental timer can run faster or slower than actual time. The result of time blindness can have a dire impact on your life, from impulse buying that leads to debt and poor credit to struggling to complete work tasks or get to important meetings or jobs on time.

The Relationship Between ADHD and Time

ADHD and time blindness are not uncommon. This symptom of ADHD causes a struggle in gauging the passing of time accurately, resulting in things like always running late or rushing to complete tasks at an unreasonable pace because you feel a job is urgent, even if it’s not. The science behind this phenomenon lies within the brain chemistry associated with ADHD.

Signs and manifestations of time blindness in ADHD

Signs and symptoms of ADHD can vary from person to person — but time blindness involves an inability to judge the time it’ll take to complete projects correctly.

Time blindness in ADHD can manifest as:

Underestimating tasks: For adults, this might mean thinking a work project will take only 30 minutes, but it really takes 2 hours. The same can be said for children about homework assignments or school projects.
Overestimating tasks: This can look like putting off starting a project or job — like prepping for a work meeting or conference — because you’re convinced it will take an entire day when it can be done in a couple of hours. Children might put off studying for a test because they feel overwhelmed, only to find that they’re familiar with the material and only need a little review once they sit down to study.
Losing track of time: Sometimes, adults with ADHD lose themselves in tasks like cleaning out a closet or organizing the garage, suddenly realizing several hours have passed. Teens might miss curfew or be home much later than they told their parents they would be — not out of defiance or disrespect, but due to losing track of time.
Finding scheduling challenging: The thought of schedules can feel more intimidating than helpful for some adults and children with ADHD. For this reason, it’s common for some people to avoid making and following through with schedules consistently without feeling overwhelmed.

Expert Insight
“Some clients have shared their struggle with time blindness by sharing about their inherent or internal sense of time. An activity or task that causes hyperfocus often blocks that intuitive sense of time moving forward. An oversimplified example might be losing track of time while indulging in a DIY project that takes up multiple hours in the day, while also forgetting to pick up kids in the afternoon or to attend an important meeting.”

Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical, (LCSW-C), LICSW, MSW Elizabeth Keohan

The Impact of Time Blindness on Daily Life

Time blindness can border on becoming debilitating. It can turn everyday life tasks, responsibilities, and challenges into a chaotic whirlwind that feels insurmountable. There can be personal, professional, emotional, and social responses to time blindness.

Personal implications

Some personal implications of dealing with time blindness in daily life include missing out on important family events or struggling to keep up with household chores.

Because tasks can take so much longer than expected for people with time blindness, it can feel near-impossible to live up to expectations (even if you create those expectations).

Professional impact

On the professional front, people living with ADHD who experience time blindness might miss deadlines to the point it affects their future or career security. Poor productivity due to difficulty estimating how long projects will take or a tendency to procrastinate on starting projects is another result of time blindness.

Emotional repercussions

The emotional fallout of time blindness can be devastating. It can lead to rising anxiety and stress levels and cause depression. The constant feeling of inadequacy or being unaccomplished can weigh heavily on anyone struggling with time perception issues.

Social repercussions

From a social standpoint, time blindness can be extremely difficult. It often means running late for appointments or meeting with friends, or forgetting engagements and social events entirely.

How to Manage Time Blindness from ADHD

anaging time blindness on your own can be taxing and stressful. Fortunately, there are practical strategies to overcome the difficulties related to ADHD time blindness.

Set timers and alarms

A timer or alarm can be the friendly nudge you need when it’s time to switch tasks. If you find it challenging to stop or change gears, try setting multiple alarms throughout your day for added insurance so that you remember to stop one thing and start another.

Use app blockers and calendars

ADHD-friendly apps, including app locks, can help you keep distractions at bay. Digital calendars remind you about important dates and commitments you might otherwise forget.

Learn time management techniques

Several time management techniques — like the Pomodoro Technique — can improve focus and help you become more productive.

The Pomodoro Technique involves working for a set amount of time — usually 25 minutes, but this can be adapted to what works best for you — followed by taking a short break. It’s an excellent way to manage ADHD-related time blindness.

Another ADHD life hack is breaking large tasks or goals into simple, small steps to make them more manageable and accessible.

Track your time with music and use visual timers

Music is an excellent way to maintain focus, helping you be more productive and feel less stressed.

Visual timers can also prevent you from staying stuck on a task for too long. Interval timing — for example, setting a timer for 30 minutes — can ensure you move along tasks appropriately. It might even motivate you to stay hyper-focused with the awareness that you’ll be transitioning soon.

Try dopamine regulation

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that impacts attention and focus. Regulating levels may be a crucial component in managing ADHD symptoms like time blindness.

Simple lifestyle changes — like getting more vitamin B, eating a diet with lean meats, or spending time outside getting some natural vitamin D — can naturally boost dopamine levels and are great natural remedies for ADHD.

Use a time buffer

Time buffers work by allotting extra minutes between tasks. Then, if something takes longer than expected, it doesn’t throw off your entire schedule. Buffers allow you to take the necessary time on one task without feeling rushed or stressed about getting to the next thing since you’ve built some padding into your day or schedule.

Seek professional help

Seeking professional help can be vital in managing ADHD time blindness. Mental health professionals can offer countless resources — from providing therapy for ADHD to prescribing ADHD medication. Adding this additional layer of support can be exactly what you need to complete your treatment plan.

Expert Insight
“Tips must be simple since the struggle with time blindness typically presents executive functioning and/or organizational skills issues. Clocks, watches, alarms, lists, and calendars, both digital and written, can be a huge help, though important to not be cumbersome. A few reminders go a long way to keep you on task.”

Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical, (LCSW-C), LICSW, MSW Elizabeth Keohan

Coping with ADHD Symptoms with Talkspace

There’s no denying that dealing with ADHD and time perception can be challenging — not to mention incredibly frustrating. While it can be tricky, remember that you’re not alone in this journey. Online therapy platforms like Talkspace can provide you with invaluable support.

Talkspace connects you with licensed, experienced, ADHD-trained expert therapists who understand what you’re going through and can provide online treatment for ADHD. You can work with a Talkspace therapist to learn proven techniques and coping tools that help reduce ADHD symptoms, like time blindness, so that you can improve your daily quality of life.

Reach out today to learn more about how Talkspace can help you overcome time blindness in ADHD.

See References

Clinical implications of the perception of time in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A Review
Ptacek R, Weissenberger S, Braaten E, et al. Medical Science Monitor. 2019;25:3918-3924. doi:10.12659/msm.914225. Accessed November 16, 2023.
High‐dose vitamin B6 supplementation reduces anxiety and strengthens visual surround suppression
Field DT, Cracknell RO, Eastwood JR, et al. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental. 2022;37(6). doi:10.1002/hup.2852. Accessed November 16, 2023.
Food for thought: Association between dietary tyrosine and cognitive performance in younger and older adults
Kühn S, Düzel S, Colzato L, et al. Psychological Research. 2017;83(6):1097-1106. doi:10.1007/s00426-017-0957-4. Accessed November 16, 2023.
The effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on serum BDNF, dopamine, and serotonin in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Seyedi M, Gholami F, Samadi M, et al. CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets. 2019;18(6):496-501. Accessed November 16, 2023. doi:10.2174/1871527318666190703103709.

Elizabeth Keohan

Licensed Talkspace Therapist, Elizabeth Keohan has enjoyed working with clients in communities from Washington DC through rural Maine over the course of her career. While she has worked extensively with those experiencing anxiety and depression, she embodies a unique comfort working with the bereaved. Elizabeth combines a compassionate, holistic approach with Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT), to help clients counter their somatic response to stress, anxiety, mood, grief and loss.