Introduction

If you live with ADHD, you probably know the feeling:
You want to get something done, you intend to get it done… and yet you can’t seem to start. Not because you’re lazy—far from it—but because ADHD makes task initiation feel like trying to lift a thousand-pound weight.

This is where one of my favorite behavioral activation techniques comes in:
✨ The “Bait and Switch” Method ✨
A simple, compassionate, and surprisingly effective way to move yourself from stuck to in motion.

The task you need to do—whether it's laundry, a work report, or going to an appointment—can feel like a mountain shrouded in fog. The mere act of starting requires a great deal of effort for your brain. Here's where the bait and switch method can help.

What Is the “Bait and Switch”?

At its core, this is a behavioral activation strategy.

Behavioral activation is a therapeutic approach used to treat depression and executive dysfunction by focusing on action before motivation. In short, you don’t wait to feel like it. You engage in small, structured actions that can pull your mood and momentum along with it.

The “Bait and Switch” takes this one step further by decoupling the pressure of the Big Task from the act of initiation. You don’t try to climb the mountain. You walk up a nearby, smaller hill first.

The Formula: Bait → (Maybe) Switch

You start with a low-effort, low-resistance “bait” task, and allow it to gently lead into your real goal—only if it feels right. There is no pressure to complete the switch.

✅ The “Bait” Task Must:

1. Be genuinely easy to start
   (Example: “I’ll just put on my shoes.”)

2. Have a logical or physical connection to the bigger task
   (Example: “Walking the dogs ends near my car.”)

3. Include an escape clause: "I am only committing to this one thing."

You are not tricking yourself—you are supporting yourself. The “bait” is enough. The switch is a bonus.

Why This Works with ADHD Brains

🧠 1. It Bypasses Executive Panic

The prefrontal cortex, where executive functioning lives, can overreact to Big Tasks with a shutdown response. The bait task is so non-threatening that it doesn’t activate this threat system.

🔄 2. It Leverages Momentum

ADHD brains have trouble starting, but once in motion, they often stay in motion. That’s why many of us can hyperfocus for hours but can’t start a 2-minute task.

🧩 3. It Simplifies Decision Fatigue

Instead of fighting yourself with "Should I start? How do I start? When should I start?", the bait gives your brain one clear, easy thing to do.

💛 4. It Builds Self-Trust

When you commit only to the bait and actually follow through, you show your brain: “I can do what I say I will.” That’s how we chip away at the shame spiral that so often accompanies ADHD.

From My Chair to Your Life: A Real-World Example

Let me share a true story (used with permission).

A client—let’s call her Maya—had been avoiding a simple errand: going to Barnes & Noble to pick up a book she needed for a class. On paper? Easy. In practice? Impossible.

We created her “Bait and Switch” plan together:

• Bait: Walk her dogs around the block (something she already did most days).

• Link: The walk ends near her car. The leashes are in the car. Her dogs love car rides.

• Switch (optional): “Maybe I’ll just drive past Barnes & Noble. No pressure to go in.”

What happened?

She walked the dogs.
She put them in the car.
She drove past.
She parked.
She went in.
She got the book.

Not by brute-forcing the task—but by entering through the side door.

How to Craft Your Own “Bait and Switch”

Try this simple 4-step guide to make your own version:

Step 1: Identify the “Stuck” Task

• Something you’ve been avoiding.

  • 📂 Filing paperwork

  • 🏃‍♀️ Going to the gym

  • 🧼 Cleaning the kitchen

Step 2: Design the Bait

• Small. Easy. Low resistance.

• Tangentially or physically related.

Examples:

• “I will simply sit in my car with my gym bag for 2 minutes.”

• “I will move the dishes to the sink. That’s it.”

• “I’ll open a blank doc and title it.”

Step 3: Say the Full Plan (With Your Escape Clause)

“I am ONLY committing to [bait task]. I am free to stop after that.”

Let your nervous system feel the freedom. This reduces pressure and often activates curiosity or momentum naturally.

Step 4: Celebrate the Bait—No Matter What

If you only do the bait? That’s still a huge win. You broke the stillness. You moved through the resistance. You kept your promise to yourself. That builds trust.

Why This Strategy Is Kind, Not Manipulative

The “Bait and Switch” is ADHD-friendly because it respects that your brain isn’t unmotivated—it’s overwhelmed.

By lowering the bar in a thoughtful, permission-giving way, you work with your neurology, not against it.

It’s not about productivity. It’s about giving yourself the tools to shift into action without shame. You’re not forcing yourself to climb the mountain. You’re letting yourself take the first step toward the trailhead, and maybe seeing what happens next.

Try This: Your “Bait and Switch” Challenge

This week, choose one stuck task in your life. Create a tiny, merciful bait task linked to it. Do the bait. Let go of the outcome.

Then come back and tell me:
Did you switch? Or did you stop at the bait and feel proud anyway?
Both are valid. Both are healing.

Final Thoughts from Your Therapist

You don’t need to “fix” yourself to start doing what matters. You just need better tools that respect the way your brain actually works.

The “Bait and Switch” is one of those tools.

It’s gentle. It’s powerful. And it might just be the side door to the life you're trying to live.

Be kind to yourself. Start small. Trust the spark.

In solidarity,
Your Therapist

P.S. What’s a bait task that’s worked for you recently?
Share your wins (big or small) in the comments—I’d love to feature real examples in a future post!

Let me know if you want:

• A graphic for Instagram or Pinterest

• A client worksheet to go along with this

• A therapist-facing tip sheet

• A TikTok script using this same message

Happy to help you expand this across platforms!