Getting Organized with ADHD
4 steps to organization from a Maryland ADHD Therapist
Everyone we know wants to get organized, be organized, or stay organized. It’s always a goal. No one walks around saying “I’m so organized.” So why is it so tough to get there? And even tougher to stay there? For some of us, it’s because of our neurodivergence.
Why organizing is harder for adults with ADHD
First, there are the reasons we already know. When you have ADHD it’s hard to get started. Hard to keep track of time. Hard to find a system that works for you. And hard to get motivated for a boring task.
Your ADHD superpowers can also get in the way. Your ADHD brain is more likely to notice how the papers you’re filing or the tasks you’re doing connect to other things you want or need to do.
For example, that medical bill in the pile of mail reminds you that you need to pay some bills. Or that you wanted to search for a new doctor. Or that your prescription is ready at the pharmacy. Those are important tasks. You might jump up to go get them done. And leave the pile of papers you were organizing behind.
Thoughts that pop into your head while you’re working can also lead you off track. If those thoughts include some negative self talk, try our strategies for conquering your 3 mental enemies.
Strategies to help you get organized with ADHD
When you have ADHD, getting organized requires strategies to help with time management, prioritizing, focus, and maintenance. And it’s easier if they’re fun.
Time management for the neurodivergent brain
We all need a schedule of some kind. Seeing your time mapped out in print (especially color coded or with pictures) makes it clear when you have free time, and when you don’t. The key is keeping it simple.
Get visual! Blocks of time should be sized according to how long they are. Your phone or computer calendar does this part for you.
Color code or use symbols, if your brain likes that. But limit yourself to no more than 3. Your brain will tempt you to create a complex system that isn’t sustainable.
Keep it simple. Don’t schedule out every task. Just identify some “to-do time” in between meetings and other commitments.
Set a time every day for “to-do” tasks. Some days you’ll only have a few minutes.
BONUS: Setting your to-do time for the same time every day builds a habit.
Now, next, and probably never: Prioritizing with an ADHD brain.
You probably already know that the ADHD brain sorts tasks into “now” and “not now.” This means that what is on your mind in the moment seems important. And everything else is forgotten (at least for now). When looking at many tasks all at once (putting everything in the “now”), ADHD brains tend to see them all as equally important. This makes it pretty hard to decide what to do first.
To stay organized with an ADHD brain, you’ll need a place to put all of your “not now” tasks. Try keeping ONE master list of tasks you plan to do. This could be a notebook that you carry with you. An app on your phone. Or something else that’s easy to keep at hand.
Many ADHDers naturally keep ideas on post-its. Or start different lists on different days. But doing that creates more opportunities for things to get lost. You may need to sort the lists before getting started. Or find the stray post it that has gotten stuck to something else. One list is the way to go.
Sorting and prioritizing your master to-do list, when you’re neurodivergent
If you still have more than one list, go back! Merge your lists into one before you sort. Once you’ve done that, there are a few ways to prioritize the list.
Option 1: Sort by time required. Add a column for “how long it takes” or color code by length of time. You should have 5 minute tasks, 15 minute tasks, and long tasks. If most of your tasks are in the long tasks category, break them into 5 minute or 15 minute steps.
Option 2: Sort by deadline. Have a section or a color for tasks that must be done today, this week, and later. Your “later” tasks will either move into the “this week” tasks at some point, or stay in “later” forever. Your long term “later” tasks are really “never” tasks. Keep them on the list for as long as you’d like.
Focus strategies for neurodiverse brains
If you skipped the previous steps, go back. You need blocks of to-do time and a master to-do list in order to do this step. Once you have those, keep reading.
Now you’re ready to make your “now” list. This can be on a post-it, or whatever format you’d like. It’s going away at the end of the day. If you’ve sorted by deadline, put ONLY the “today” items on the list. If you don’t have any today items, add 1 or 2 “this week” items.
If you’ve sorted your master list by time required, check your schedule to see how much to-do time you have today. Add enough items to your “now” list to fill HALF the time. You can always add more later if you run out of things to do.
If you’re keeping your list electronically, copy items to the “now” list. Don’t cut and paste. You’ll be deleting your “now” list when your to-do time is up.
Now do them! If you’re planning at breakfast (recommended) and your to-do time is later in the day, set your phone alarm to go off at your to-do time. When the alarm goes off, set a timer and get to work.
When the timer goes off, cross anything you finished off of the master list. At the end of the day, toss your “now” list into the recycle bin. You’ll make a new one tomorrow.
Keeping it going (when your ADHD wants you to stop)
Create your “now” list at the start of every day. Set reminders on your phone until it becomes a habit.
When you think of a new item for your to-do list, add it to the master list immediately. (This is why it needs to be kept handy at all times). Never add anything straight to the now list.
Notice whether anything about the process is becoming unmanageable, and troubleshoot. Too many items on the “now” list? Not enough to-do time to get important tasks done? An overly ambitious master list? Make simple adjustments until you find what works.
Losing motivation? Gamify it. Set a goal (and a reward for reaching it, if you like).
Resist the temptation to start a new system. ADHD brains like novelty. You may be tempted to drop this system and try the next idea you read about. If this system is working for you even a little bit, stick with it. Getting good at it takes longer than you think.
