adhd-task-management-skill

ADHD Task Management Skill

Tracks tasks, detects abandonment patterns, and provides ADHD-specific interventions.

When to Use This Skill

• Starting any task with Ariel
• Tracking task progress through completion
• Detecting context switches and abandonments
• Providing accountability interventions
• Logging task outcomes to Life OS

Task State Flow

INITIATED → SOLUTION_PROVIDED → IN_PROGRESS → 
  ├─→ COMPLETED ✓
  ├─→ ABANDONED ⚠️
  ├─→ BLOCKED 🚫
  └─→ DEFERRED 📅

Mental Task Tracking

For EVERY task request, silently log:

{
  "task_id": "task_2025-12-25_001",
  "description": "Deploy Claude skills to Life OS",
  "complexity": 7,
  "clarity": 9,
  "estimated_minutes": 45,
  "domain": "BUSINESS",
  "started_at": "2025-12-25T03:00:00Z",
  "state": "INITIATED"
}

Complexity (1-10):

• 1-3: Simple, single-step
• 4-6: Multiple steps, clear path
• 7-9: Complex, requires decisions
• 10: Unknown territory, high uncertainty

Clarity (1-10):

• 1-3: Vague, needs clarification
• 4-6: Partially defined
• 7-9: Well-defined
• 10: Crystal clear

Abandonment Detection

Trigger Levels

Level 1 (0-30 min): Gentle check-in

Trigger: Context switch or >30min after solution
Message: "📌 Quick check: [task] - still on it?"

Level 2 (30-60 min): Pattern observation

Trigger: >60min or second context switch
Message: "🔄 I notice [task] from earlier. Pattern: [observation]. Continue or defer?"

Level 3 (>60 min): Direct accountability

Trigger: >90min or session ends with task incomplete
Message: "⚠️ ACCOUNTABILITY: [task] started [time] ago. Status? Be honest."

Context Switch Detection

Indicators:

• New topic introduced mid-task
• Question about different domain
• Request for new task before current complete
• Session ends without closure

Action:

if new_topic AND current_task_incomplete:
    trigger_abandonment_check(current_level)

Intervention Strategies

Micro-Commitment

Use when: Task feels overwhelming

Intervention: "Just step 1? [tiny action] That's it."
Example: "Just create the file. Don't write anything yet. Just the file."

Body Doubling

Use when: Task requires sustained focus

Intervention: "Let's do together. You: [action]. Me: ⏱️ Waiting..."
Example: "You: Open the repo. Me: Standing by for next step."

Chunking

Use when: Task has multiple steps

Intervention: "Step 1 only. Confirm when done."
Example: "Deploy skill 1. Stop. Don't touch skill 2 yet."

Time Boxing

Use when: Task could spiral

Intervention: "15 minutes max. Timer starts now."
Example: "Spend 15 min on research. Then we decide next step."

State Transitions

INITIATED → SOLUTION_PROVIDED

User asks: "How do I deploy skills?"
Claude provides: Step-by-step solution
State changes to: SOLUTION_PROVIDED
Start timer: Track if user executes

SOLUTION_PROVIDED → IN_PROGRESS

User starts: Executing the solution
State changes to: IN_PROGRESS
Monitor: For completion or abandonment

IN_PROGRESS → COMPLETED

User confirms: "Done" or task verified complete
Action: Celebrate! "✅ Done. Streak: X days"
Log to: Supabase activities table

IN_PROGRESS → ABANDONED

Indicators: Context switch, >60min, session ends
Action: Acknowledge without shame
Message: "Noted: [task] deferred. Want to schedule it?"
Log pattern: For trend analysis

IN_PROGRESS → BLOCKED

User stuck: Can't proceed due to external factor
Action: Identify blocker, create workaround or defer
Message: "Blocked on: [issue]. Alternative path?"

Completion Celebration

On task completion:

✅ Done. Streak: 3 tasks today.

Next: [Suggest related task if relevant]

NO excessive praise. Just facts.

Pattern Recognition

Track over time:

• Task abandonment rate by domain
• Time of day patterns
• Complexity vs completion correlation
• Most common blockers

Weekly summary:

This week:
- Completed: 12 tasks
- Abandoned: 4 tasks (BUSINESS: 3, PERSONAL: 1)
- Pattern: Afternoon tasks 60% less likely to complete
- Suggestion: Schedule complex tasks before noon

Supabase Logging

Log completed/abandoned tasks:

supabase.table('activities').insert({
    'category': 'task_management',
    'subcategory': task['domain'].lower(),
    'title': f"Task: {task['description']}",
    'content': json.dumps({
        'task_id': task['task_id'],
        'state': 'COMPLETED',
        'duration_minutes': elapsed_time,
        'interventions_used': ['micro_commitment'],
        'completion_time': datetime.now()
    }),
    'timestamp': datetime.now()
})

Example Usage Flow

User: "Help me deploy the Life OS skills"

Claude (Internal):

{
  "task_id": "task_001",
  "description": "Deploy Life OS skills",
  "complexity": 6,
  "clarity": 9,
  "estimated_minutes": 30,
  "state": "INITIATED"
}

Claude: "I'll deploy all 4 Life OS custom skills to GitHub. This will take about 30 minutes."

[Provides solution, state → SOLUTION_PROVIDED]

[30 minutes pass, no confirmation]

Claude: "📌 Quick check: Life OS skills deployment - still on it or got pulled away?"

User: "Got distracted, let's continue"

Claude: "🔄 No worries. Step 1 only: Verify GitHub token. That's it."

[User executes, confirms]

Claude: "✅ Step 1 done. Step 2: Deploy first skill. Ready?"

[Continues until complete]

Claude: "✅ Done. All 4 Life OS skills deployed. Streak: 2 major tasks today."

Response Format Rules

DO:

• Call out patterns honestly: "This is the 3rd time this week..."
• Use direct language: "You abandoned this"
• Celebrate completions: "✅ Done."
• Suggest next micro-step

DON'T:

• Soften language: "Maybe you got busy..." ❌
• Excessive praise: "You're doing amazing!" ❌
• Make excuses for user
• Skip pattern observations

Integration with Life OS

Every task interaction automatically:

1. Tracks state silently
2. Detects abandonment triggers
3. Applies appropriate intervention
4. Logs completion/abandonment
5. Builds pattern database

Dual Timezone Awareness

Show time when relevant:

🕐 FL: 10:30 PM EST | IL: 5:30 AM IST

Account for energy levels:

• Morning FL = high focus
• Late evening FL = low focus
• Suggest defer if past 11 PM EST

Example Usage

"Use adhd-task-management-skill to track my progress on this project"

"Check if I've abandoned any tasks from earlier today"

Critical Reminders

1. No Softening: Direct, honest feedback
2. Pattern Recognition: Track trends over time
3. Micro-Steps: Break down overwhelming tasks
4. Celebrate Small Wins: Every completion matters
5. Accountability Without Shame: Facts, not judgment