Have any tips on powering through schoolwork?

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Does anyone have any techniques on getting schoolwork done for someone with ASD and severe ADHD? I have certain foods I avoid when I need to work (like stuff with red 40) and I know about the Pomodoro technique, but 20 or 30 minutes of solid work is a lot for me and 5 minutes of break isn't enough to balance it. I also have trouble with rewards because my brain basically says there's no point if I could just have the reward without doing any work. I'm medicated, but it's still getting harder to get anything done on time and it's crushing my grades.

I'm honestly at my wit's end here. Any tips?

When I have work to do I put on headphones and listen to one of those youtube adhd focus music videos. Works for me. Sometimes.

Hope it helps.

Put the information you need on cards and hard memorize it.

Example: My son needed to know how to recognize a prime number. Here are the cards I made him.

*Card One
front side (term): Natural Number
back side (definition): 1) no zeros, 2) not negative, 3) no decimals or fractions

*Card Two
front side (term): Prime Number
back side (definition): 1) natural number, 2) divisible only by itself and one

You make the cards in that format, then go through them until you know all definitions without looking at the terms and all terms without looking at the definitions.

Another tip: If you are required to read a book, get your own copy and highlight SHORT notable things with different colored highlights. When it comes time to write the paper, read your colored highlights only. The colors should correspond with some kind of meaning to you. Such as red for action or blue for things that involve a particular character. It makes it easy to find things later.

See if there are any quizlets for your class—they tend to be pretty helpful. You could also try making a custom Anki deck for your subject—basically digital flashcards. The underlying notion is something about "spaced repetition" being useful for memorization. If the subject is something less memorization-oriented, I always find that asking AI helps with understanding tricky concepts. Maybe ask it to paraphrase a tricky passage in a different style. The term "prompt engineering" comes to mind.

If the problem is less about logistics and more about motivation, I'm honestly not sure. I have problems with motivation too, even without ADHD.

For someone with ASD and ADHD, breaking tasks into even smaller chunks than the Pomodoro technique allows can help. For example, try working for just 10-15 minutes and then taking a longer break, like 10 minutes, to recharge. Also, consider using tools like digital flashcards (Anki is great for spaced repetition). There are a lot of resources online, which can also be really useful when you're working on tasks. If you're working on STEM subjects and need support with specific concepts, resources like this one https://edubirdie.com/docs/virtual-high-school/stem-chemistry/42151-chicken-genetics-gizmo-answer-key can offer guidance. I found it some time ago when I was stuck on my task, and it helped me out. Combining these techniques with music designed for focus might make tasks feel less overwhelming.