Why do I keep losing track of time even when I’m trying to pay attention to it?

This is often referred to as time blindness, and it’s a core ADHD feature. The brain struggles to accurately sense the passage of time, especially when tasks are engaging or emotionally neutral. Knowing time exists isn’t the same as feeling it move. Even with effort, estimating how long things will take can remain unreliable. This isn’t a character flaw. External tools like timers, visual clocks, or calendar buffers work because they replace an internal function that’s inconsistent. Learning to plan with extra time isn’t pessimism, it’s accommodation.