# 10 Response-Style Rules Enforced by the 'i-have-adhd' Skill

> Discover the 10 response-style rules of the i-have-adhd skill. Learn how this AI makes responses concise action-oriented and ADHD-friendly for better task management.

- Repository: [Ayoub Ghriss/i-have-adhd](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd)
- Tags: best-practices
- Published: 2026-09-02

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**The 'i-have-adhd' skill enforces 10 rules that make AI responses concise, action-oriented, and ADHD-friendly: lead with immediate actions, number multi-step tasks, end with one concrete next step, suppress tangents, restate state every turn, give specific time estimates, make completed work visible, use matter-of-fact error tones, cap lists at five items, and eliminate preambles or closing pleasantries.**

The `i-have-adhd` repository by Ayoub Ghriss (ayghri) provides a **Cursor skill** designed to reformat AI assistant responses for readers with ADHD. According to the source code in [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md), the skill intercepts all output and applies ten strict formatting rules that reduce cognitive load and keep users focused on executable next steps.

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## What Is the 'i-have-adhd' Skill?

The skill is a behavioral modifier that runs inside Cursor IDE environments. When active, it transforms every assistant response to match a **concise, action-oriented output style** defined in the canonical skill file. The repository maintains two synchronized copies of the definition: the canonical [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) and a runtime mirror at [`.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md).

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## All 10 Response-Style Rules Explained

Each rule below is extracted directly from the source file with line references preserved.

### Rule 1: Lead with the Next Action

The first line of every response must be a **concrete step the reader can execute immediately** ([SKILL.md#L33-L41](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L33-L41)).

No context-setting, no greetings—just the action. This prevents the reader from scanning through filler text to find what matters.

### Rule 2: Number Multi-Step Tasks

When a solution requires more than one step, present a **numbered list where each item is a single bounded action** ([SKILL.md#L42-L55](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L42-L55)).

Each number creates a clear stopping point and sense of progress.

### Rule 3: End with One Concrete Next Action

After any explanation, close with **exactly one short action the reader can do in under two minutes** ([SKILL.md#L57-L63](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L57-L63)).

This prevents decision paralysis by narrowing infinite possibilities to one.

### Rule 4: Suppress Tangents

Finish the current issue **before introducing a new one**; offer the second issue as a separate question ([SKILL.md#L64-L70](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L64-L70)).

The skill explicitly blocks "by the way" diversions that fragment attention.

### Rule 5: Restate State Every Turn

**Remind the reader of the current step number and what has been completed** ([SKILL.md#L73-L80](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L73-L80)).

Working memory support: each response re-anchors the user in context.

### Rule 6: Give Specific Time Estimates

Use **concrete units (e.g., "≈ 15 minutes")** instead of vague phrases ([SKILL.md#L82-L88](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L82-L88)).

Time-blindness accommodation: specific numbers enable realistic planning.

### Rule 7: Make Completed Work Visible

**Explicitly show what now works**, using concrete commands or URLs ([SKILL.md#L89-L95](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L89-L95)).

Immediate positive reinforcement prevents the "wait, did that work?" uncertainty loop.

### Rule 8: Matter-of-Fact Tone for Errors

**State the cause and fix without informal lamentations** ([SKILL.md#L96-L101](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L96-L101)).

No "Oops!" or "Sorry about that!"—just the facts and the solution path.

### Rule 9: Cap Lists at Five Items

If a list exceeds five items, **split it into "do now" vs. "later" or "must" vs. "nice-to-have"** ([SKILL.md#L103-L106](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L103-L106)).

The five-item limit matches typical working memory capacity; forced prioritization reduces overwhelm.

### Rule 10: No Preamble, Recap, or Closing Pleasantries

**Begin with the answer and finish when the answer is complete**; avoid filler phrases ([SKILL.md#L107-L114](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L107-L114)).

Every word must earn its place. No "In summary," no "I hope this helps," no "Best regards."

---

## Example Response in 'i-have-adhd' Style

This snippet from the source analysis demonstrates all rules in practice:

```text
1. Open `src/auth.ts`
2. Replace `verifyToken` (lines 42-58) with the snippet below
3. Run `npm test -- auth.spec.ts`

# Output after the fix

Login now works with magic links. Try: `npm run dev`, then open `/login`.

Next: run `npm test` and paste the first failing line. (≈ 2 minutes)

```

- **Rule 1**: Immediate action ("Open [`src/auth.ts`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/src/auth.ts)")
- **Rule 2**: Numbered, bounded steps
- **Rule 5**: Implicit state through sequential order
- **Rule 7**: Visible result ("Login now works...")
- **Rule 3**: Single next action with **Rule 6** time estimate
- **Rule 10**: No preamble or sign-off

---

## Key Source Files in the Repository

| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) | Canonical definition of all 10 rules ([source](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md)) |
| [`.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) | Runtime mirror for Cursor IDE ([source](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md)) |
| [`README.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md) | Repository overview and installation |
| [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) | Runtime entry points and skill loading logic |

The two [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/SKILL.md) files must stay synchronized; the Cursor runtime loads from `.cursor/` while the canonical definition lives in `skills/`.

---

## Summary

- The **'i-have-adhd' skill** enforces 10 strict response-style rules designed for ADHD cognition
- Every rule targets a specific friction point: working memory limits, time blindness, decision paralysis, or distraction susceptibility
- Source authority: [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) lines 33-114 contain the complete rule definitions
- Implementation: Cursor IDE loads the skill from [`.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) at runtime
- Result: AI responses become scannable, actionable, and cognitively affordable

---

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I enable the 'i-have-adhd' skill in Cursor?

Copy the skill files to your Cursor configuration directory as specified in [`README.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/README.md). The skill activates automatically for all assistant responses once the [`.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/.cursor/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) file is present and referenced in your agent configuration.

### Can I modify the 10 rules for my own needs?

Yes—edit [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) directly. The repository treats this file as the source of truth; maintainers recommend syncing changes to the `.cursor/` mirror manually until automated synchronization is implemented.

### Why cap lists at exactly five items?

The five-item limit corresponds to **Miller's Law** regarding working memory capacity. According to the source code at [SKILL.md#L103-L106](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md#L103-L106), exceeding this threshold without explicit prioritization increases cognitive load and reduces completion rates.

### Does the skill work with other AI assistants besides Cursor?

The repository is currently configured for Cursor IDE. The [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) file maps runtime entry points specific to Cursor's agent system; porting to other platforms would require adapter logic to intercept and reformat responses according to the same ten rules.