Urge Surfing
Practice Sheet
ADHD EXECUTIVE FUNCTION TOOLS
A real-time practice form for working through an urge as it happens —
with a guided example to show the process in action.
Where This Tool Helps
The urge surfing worksheet is for reflection after the fact. This practice sheet is for the moment itself — when the urge is present, when the pull toward distraction or action is active, and when the gap between trigger and response is where the work actually happens.
Most people with ADHD report that the hardest part is doing anything useful in the seconds between the trigger arriving and the habitual response taking over. Working through even the first field buys enough time for the urge to begin its natural decline. The guided example below uses a common trigger as a reference.
Trigger:
Working on a task requiring focus; phone buzzes with a notification. Anticipation of not knowing what it contains creates an immediate urge to check.
Body reactions:
Tension and restlessness; intrusive thoughts about the notification; frustration when trying to resist checking.
Managing the trigger:
Adjust notification settings before focused work begins. Use Do Not Disturb or turn off non-essential alerts during deep work blocks.
If you don’t act:
Stress and anxiety increase temporarily. The longer the urge goes unaddressed behaviorally, the more it compounds — which is why preparation matters more than willpower.
Remind yourself:
An urge is a feeling, not a requirement. You can have this feeling and choose not to act. Discomfort is temporary and will pass on its own.
Take your mind off it:
Any brief action that shifts attention: a short walk, a few minutes of music, returning to the first line of the task you were on. Every minute of delay increases the chance the urge fades.
How to Use This Practice Sheet
- Use it in the moment when possible. Even filling in the trigger field interrupts the automatic response. You do not need to complete every section to get value.
- If you missed the moment, use it as a debrief. Fill it out as soon after the urge as you can. Patterns across multiple sheets are as useful as any single session.
- Pay particular attention to the body reactions section. Physical sensations arrive before you consciously register the urge. Naming them builds the awareness that creates lead time.
- The “take my mind off” section is your exit ramp. Prepare at least one response you can do from wherever you are. Having it pre-decided removes one more choice from a taxed moment.
Urge Surfing — Practice
Acknowledge: I am having an urge.
Urge Surfing — Practice (continued)
Before Your Next Session
Which section was hardest to fill in during the moment itself? That is usually where the most useful work is.
If you completed this as a debrief rather than in real time, what would you need to have in place to use it the next time the same trigger appears?
Tandem Coaching Partners
Credentialed coaches with real-world leadership experience,
partnering with executives and organizations
to unlock sustainable growth.
Challenge your thinking.
Discover your capabilities.
Act on them.
Dallas, TX | Houston, TX | Worldwide Virtual
