Managing Tasks and Time with ADHD
Making Time Make Sense (Sort Of): A Gentler Way to Get Things Done with ADHD
If you have ADHD, you already know that organisation is both the holy grail and the ultimate betrayal. You spend hours building a system—then ghost it the moment your brain decides it’s ugly, boring, or (worst of all) one more thing to manage.
Time management can feel elusive when you live with ADHD. Whether it’s forgetting what you were doing, bouncing between tasks, or hyperfocusing on the wrong thing, staying organised often requires systems that are visual, flexible, and forgiving.
Time Management Challenges
People with ADHD often experience a range of time management issues due to differences in executive function. Here are some of the most common:
1. Time Blindness
Struggling to sense how much time has passed or estimate how long things take. Everything feels like it takes either 5 minutes—or 5 years.
2. Procrastination + Urgency Dependency
Delaying tasks until the last minute, often needing a deadline to get started.
3. Poor Task Initiation
Even simple tasks can feel impossible to start when there’s no momentum. Sometimes called “executive dysfunction freeze.”
4. Difficulty Prioritising
Everything can feel equally urgent—or not urgent at all. Choosing what to focus on becomes paralysing.
5. Inconsistent Focus (Hyperfocus vs. Distraction)
Either zoning in so deeply you forget to eat, or jumping between five tabs and three half-finished projects.
6. Lack of Internal Deadlines
Without someone holding you accountable, it’s hard to stay on track or stick to timelines.
7. Poor Routine Memory
Even when routines are helpful, remembering to do them (like taking meds or checking emails) is another story.
Practical Strategies That Help
Below are some digital strategies designed to support each of the challenges above. These tools focus on visual clarity, reduced friction, and gentle accountability—for brains that crave both flexibility and structure.
🕒 1. Time Blindness → Use Visual Timers & Schedule Views
When it's hard to sense the passage of time or estimate how long tasks will take, visualising time can help anchor your day.
Try:
Using countdown or visual timers that show time passing in a tangible way
Displaying your daily schedule in blocks to understand how much space tasks really occupy
Keeping a visible clock or widget in your workspace to stay grounded in the present
These tools support time awareness and reduce the risk of time “slipping away.”
🔥 2. Procrastination + Urgency Dependency → Use Timed Work Sprints & Smart Scheduling Tools
If motivation only hits under pressure, try creating low-stakes urgency through structure.
Try:
Breaking tasks into timed focus sprints with breaks in between
Letting smart scheduling tools plan your day around existing meetings or routines
Reflecting on your productivity patterns to learn when you're most likely to follow through
These strategies help ease you into action without waiting for panic to set in.
🚦 3. Poor Task Initiation → Use Microtasking & Visual Workflows
When getting started feels overwhelming, simplify the entry point.
Try:
Breaking tasks into tiny, concrete actions you can begin without thinking too hard
Using visual boards to map out steps and make progress feel visible
Labelling tasks by effort level or time needed to reduce decision fatigue
Making tasks feel smaller reduces resistance and helps build momentum.
🧭 4. Difficulty Prioritising → Use Flexible Task Views & Contextual Filters
If everything feels equally important, externalise and categorise.
Try:
Organising tasks by time sensitivity, energy level, or importance
Using categories like Today / Soon / Later or Now / Next / Done
Applying colours, icons, or tags to group tasks by mental load or context
Prioritisation becomes clearer when you can see your tasks, not just feel them.
🎯 5. Inconsistent Focus → Use Distraction Blockers & Attention Anchors
When your attention swings wildly, set your environment up to support focus.
Try:
Playing background sound or music that helps sustain focus
Blocking or limiting digital distractions during work sessions
Setting timers or alerts to signal transitions or prevent overfocusing
These tools gently nudge your attention back on track—without judgment.
📅 6. Lack of Internal Deadlines → Use External Reminders & Gentle Accountability
If self-imposed timelines don’t work, build outer scaffolding.
Try:
Setting recurring reminders or events for regular tasks
Creating a visible deadline list to track what’s coming up
Using accountability systems like check-ins with others or self-reward mechanisms
Externalising structure makes it easier to stay on track.
🔁 7. Poor Routine Memory → Use Habit Prompts & Linked Triggers
Even when routines are helpful, it’s easy to forget them without cues.
Try:
Using habit trackers to log daily routines and build consistency
Setting up automated reminders tied to time, place, or actions (e.g. “When I brush my teeth, I take my meds”)
Keeping task checklists or templates that you can reuse daily
These systems reduce the mental load of remembering what needs to happen—and when.
✨ Daily Task Organizer and Life Tracker
To bring together the most effective ADHD-friendly tools and strategies in one place, we created the Daily Task Organizer and Life Tracker—a digital template designed to support daily planning, habit building, and self-care without the pressure of perfection.
Built in Glide and accessible on both desktop and mobile, this all-in-one system uses a kanban-style layout to help you focus on specific areas of your life—whether it’s tasks, health, budgeting, or emotional well-being.
When everything feels equally urgent or overwhelming, this template helps you sort through the noise and see clearly which "lane" of your life needs attention right now.
Explore the Daily Task Organizer and Life Tracker template
🧠 What’s Included:
A daily dashboard to prioritise tasks and brain-dump distractions
Trackers for habits, mood, sleep, budget, and medication
A layout optimised for mobile and desktop use
Pre-filled fictional sample data to guide setup
Exportable trackers so you can download your data as spreadsheets—for personal use or to share with a healthcare professional
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all planner—it’s a lightweight, flexible toolkit designed to meet you where you are and support where you want to go. Just click on any sample entry to customise it—no overthinking required.
You can explore or purchase the template here.
🚀 P.S. Version 2.0 is Here Too
For those who want additional structure and expanded features, Version 2.0 is now available. A full post breaking down what’s new is coming soon—stay tuned!
This is just the beginning of a growing library of templates, guides, and tools built with neurodivergent needs in mind.
Looking for More ADHD Tools, Tricks and Tips?
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📱 Simplify your life: Try the Daily Task Organizer on Glide
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