Trojan Horses

35 snips

Feb 6, 2026

A myth about Trojan Horses frames hidden distractions that quietly derail attention. The host contrasts short, regulated game breaks with ones that balloon into full derailments. He flags optimization procrastination and sunk-cost traps when choosing tasks. The episode calls out productivity theater and offers kinder, ADHD-aware ways to steer time toward real results.

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ANECDOTE

Gaming Break That Expands

William Curb planned to play one 15-minute Stardew Valley day before work and knew it would expand into hours.
That tiny break often consumed his entire morning due to time blindness and dopamine-seeking.

INSIGHT

Small Tasks Can Sabotage Days

Trojan horse tasks look innocuous but derail your day when self-regulation is low.
If you're unregulated, a harmless break becomes a substitution for addressing underlying feelings.

ADVICE

Address Regulation Before Breaks

If you're seeking regulation, do something that calms your nervous system like walking, snacking, or talking with a friend.
Use accountability if you truly need a short dopamine break to ensure it stays brief.

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Hey Team!

So it's been a bit since I've done a monologue episode - for those of you new to the podcast that are more used to the interview format, that's not how the show began. It started with me doing episodes like these, where I'm dissecting an idea about how we can really work with our ADHD brains. The plan right now is that I'm going to be sprinkling in a few more of these episodes throughout the year, looking to add them every other Friday opposite the Research Recaps. So let's get into this first episode back.

In the mythology of the Trojan War, after a 10-year stalemate, the Greeks built a massive, wooden horse and seemingly left it behind as a gift for the Trojans. Hidden inside the horse were Greek soldiers, waiting for the dead of night to creep out, kill the sentries, and open the city gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had quietly sailed back under the cover of darkness.

It's a story of letting the enemy in the gates. It's about perceiving a threat as something safe and then paying the price.

And I've been thinking about how this same story can play out in how we choose to spend our time during the day. What are the things that seem innocuous that are going to throw us off. Sure, checking social media seems like it's going to be a nice little break, and it certainly isn't going to let in a horde of Greeks that will slaughter all of our defenders, but perhaps there are some downsides that we're not thinking about.

And so that's the idea that we're going to be exploring in this episode. What are the pitfalls that are not just going to throw us off, but set us off in the wrong direction entirely?

If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/270

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD

This Episode's Top Tips

1. A Trojan Horse task is a task where you are sabotaging yourself without realizing it. They are things that on the outside appear to be innocuous but instead being a 15 minute break they end up as something that derails your entire day.
2. Watch out for optimization procrastination, where you are trying to get things "just right" before starting. If the preparation takes longer than the task itself, recognize that it could be procrastination in disguise. At that point, it's okay to give yourself permission to settle for "mediocre" or "good enough" so that you can just get started.
3. Your ADHD is not the enemy here, even though it may feel like it's always the one letting the Greeks in the gate when a shiny new Trojan Horse shows up. Remember, we want to work with our ADHD, not against it. Help yourself out by identifying those Trojan Horses and figuring out ways to avoid them.