How Voice Dictation Can Help ADHD Brains Break Through Email Paralysis
| with guest Garrett Hammonds |
For Garrett, email wasn’t just a task, it was a trap. Running a successful marketing agency while managing his adult ADHD diagnosis, Garrett found that some tasks, especially emotionally sensitive or high-pressure communication, triggered a kind of perfectionism paralysis. The words just wouldn’t come. Or they would, but only after exhausting amounts of time and energy.
That changed when he started using voice dictation.
“It takes the pressure off of some of those more intimidating writing scenarios… I hit a button, it listens to me talk, and it writes out what I’m saying, but with better grammar and structure.”
— Garrett Hammonds, ADHDifference
His go-to tool is Willow Voice AI, but the principle applies to any dictation method: speak first, structure later. It’s fast, it’s friction-free, and for ADHD brains, it’s a game changer.
Why This Strategy Works
For many ADHDers, the hardest part of writing isn’t the content. It’s the starting.
You might be:
- Overthinking the tone
- Getting stuck in decision loops
- Trying to hold too many thoughts in your head at once
- Feeling shame about how long it’s taking
Voice dictation bypasses that block. It lets your ideas flow more naturally, the way they would in conversation, before your inner critic can interfere. Dictation also removes the pressure of perfection in real time. You can always revise later, but first, you start.
When to Use This Strategy
Garrett’s tip works beautifully across a range of work and life scenarios. Try voice dictation when:
- You’re stuck on an email that feels too important to mess up
- You keep editing the same sentence over and over
- You’re low on energy but still need to communicate
- You’re navigating time pressure or decision fatigue
- You have a strong verbal processing style and need to talk it out first
Bonus: it also works well for drafting blogs, processing ideas, or brain-dumping when your mind is moving faster than your fingers.
How to Practice It Daily
There’s no need for fancy setups, just a tool that listens and transcribes. Start simple:
- Use any voice-to-text app on your phone, computer, or browser
- Don’t worry about perfect speech. Just talk like you would to a friend
- Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes to get started, low pressure and low stakes
- Review and tidy up later, once the ideas are captured
- Try it for more than email, such as journaling, planning, or even texting
Garrett uses Willow Voice AI, which adds formatting and grammar polish automatically. But even the basic dictation tool in your phone’s Notes app can be enough to break the block.
The Science Behind It
ADHD is often linked to challenges with executive function, including task initiation, working memory, and self-monitoring. Writing demands all of these at once, making it one of the most mentally taxing tasks for many neurodivergent people.
Here’s how voice dictation helps:
- Bypasses working memory strain
Speaking lets you express your thoughts without needing to hold them all in your head. - Activates verbal fluency pathways
Many ADHDers are stronger verbal processors. Dictation engages the brain’s expressive language systems, helping ideas flow more naturally. - Reduces perfectionism and avoidance
Dictation creates momentum. Once the words are out, you’re less likely to ruminate, rewrite endlessly, or procrastinate. - Supports dopamine regulation
Immediate progress, like “I said it, it’s there,” gives a small hit of accomplishment, keeping motivation alive.
In short, voice dictation takes a task that feels heavy and makes it light.
💬 Final Thought
Garrett’s approach isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing things differently, with compassion and creativity, and with systems that actually support the way ADHD brains work.
“Sometimes I’ll just push those [emails] off and not do them… but now, I can speak it out, let the tool do the rest, and just get it done.”
Whether you’re running a business, managing a team, or just trying to hit “send” on that one overdue reply, this strategy offers a gentle nudge:
Say it out loud. Let the words come first, then refine.