ADHD Founders 72: The Automation Paradox - Building Systems We Immediately Bypass
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Nov 18, 2025 Three founders tinker with iPhone automations, grayscale bedtime modes, and tiny friction hacks to tame distraction. They debate building apps versus using Zapier-style tools and why referral programs rarely convert. Conversation jumps from rotation locks to retention-first product metrics and the quirks of ADHD-driven problem-solving.
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Automate Small Phone Frictions
- Use simple automations to remove tiny daily frictions like unwanted screen rotation.
- Marie set a Shortcuts rule: enable rotation when YouTube opens and disable it when YouTube closes to match reading-in-bed habits.
Micro Automations Beat Complex Scripts
- Powerful tools like Shortcuts have steep learning curves but shine with small, tested automations.
- Sharon and Marie emphasize stacking tiny automations (timers, grayscale on bedtime) for micro-friction and dopamine management.
Grayscale Bedtime Automation That Gets Toggled Off
- Marie turned bedtime Focus mode into a grayscale trigger to reduce phone dopamine at night.
- She admits the ADHD urge often wins and she toggles grayscale back on minutes later, illustrating setup enjoyment vs sustained use.