While there’s no research to prove its effectiveness, ADHD body doubling is helping many people get things done – starting with my client, David.

When I first met David, he was a retired vice president of a major corporation. In his “retirement,” he ran three businesses out of his home office, two of them overseas.

Observing David in his workspace, I found him to be quite organized. He wasn’t sitting eyeball-high in papers. In fact, he hardly had any papers around him at all.

He had working systems in place, but felt terribly disorganized and distracted.

David contacted me because I specialize in coaching adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). During my twenty-three years of coaching, I have gathered many tools and strategies for helping clients accomplish desired change and create order out of chaos.

The tool I want to share with you today is one born of the unique mix of client and coach inventing together. I call it the body double.

Originally published in 1996, this article was republished on February 20th, 2025.

What Is ADHD Body Doubling?

The methodology of ADHD body doubling is a productivity strategy used by individuals with ADHD to finish possibly annoying jobs while having another person beside them. This person is the body double. The body double’s duty is to keep the individual with ADHD focused on the task at hand to reduce potential distractions and increase motivation.

David had been surprised by a recent diagnosis of ADD, which explained his lifelong difficulty accomplishing mundane tasks that others seemed to handle with ease.

As a VP in the corporate world, he had always had an executive assistant to connect the dots and pull loose ends together. Now, however, he had the time to do these tasks. He even had the will to do them. He just couldn’t stay on track.

David’s wife also ran a business out of their home and had her own well-organized office. She offered to advise him, but they both quickly agreed this just didn’t work.

That’s when they asked for help.

First, I helped David modify his storage systems. Then, together, we honed his time management and prioritization systems.

Nothing, however, seemed to address the problem of his inattention and distraction. There were days, too many days, when he easily got off track or found it hard to transition from one task to another.

Frustrated, puzzled, and somewhat embarrassed, he confessed, “You know, it seems that, sometimes, if I just have my wife sitting in a chair nearby, I can accomplish more than if I’m alone.”

Though reluctantly, David had identified a strategy that really worked for him. I instantly realized that I had seen this same effect before with other clients.

There were times when just having someone in proximity (not advising, sorting, or strategizing) brought clarity and focus. I felt it. I knew my clients felt it, too.

This phenomenon of just being there, which David first described out loud, I named the body double.

How Does Body Doubling Work?

For many people with ADHD, finding the motivation to get the ball rolling can be quite a challenge. This can lead to procrastination. ^[1] They may also find themselves easily distracted by unrelated thoughts or activities^[2]

This is where body doubling comes into play! 

To start body doubling, all you need is a family member, colleague, or peer. It can be done physically or virtually, as long as someone is present while you work. You and your body double will agree on a set time and block the session out on your calendar. 

The aim of a body doubling session is for you and your body double to work alongside each other. You don’t have to do the same thing. What’s most important is that both of you are working on something. That could be doing the laundry, paying bills, exercising, or completing a work project. 

It also helps to share your goals with your body double at the start of the session. This allows them to hold you accountable for what you need or want to achieve. 

Body doubling is effective because it helps create a strong sense of accountability. That extra bit of pressure from being watched can go a long way toward holding you responsible. That way, you’re more likely to follow through on your actions. 

Body doubling can also help to mix things up. It adds freshness to a boring routine. This can be helpful since the ADHD brain craves novelty.^[3]

Why Does Body Doubling Work?

There are a few possible explanations as to why a body double works as a strategy for getting through challenging or boring tasks. In the moment, it can counter ADHD symptoms that sap motivation, focus, and energy.

A Supportive Presence Adds Motivation

The simplest is that the body double serves as a physical anchor for the distracted individual who feels more focused by the presence of another person in their space.

The distracted person feels responsible to and for the body double.

This perception translates as­–I can’t waste this gift of time.

Another explanation might be that the body double serves as a kind of mirror – a calm reflection for the individual with ADHD of how their over-stimulated mind and body would like to be at the moment.

This concept is called ADHD mirroring. It happens when someone with ADHD follows the behaviors of other people, often unconsciously, to fit in. In many cases, ADHD mirroring can be draining, as it takes energy to mask symptoms of ADHD by copying others. 

However, in the case of body doubling, the unconscious act of mirroring can be beneficial. Watching someone else stay focused on a task can naturally encourage the person with ADHD to do the same. 

It Provides a Model of Calm Focus

The body double becomes a model of control and a mirror, confidently reflecting the message: I can concentrate. I am working. I am focused.

This theory might actually carry some weight. In the 1980s, neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti, MD, along with colleagues at the University of Parma, made a serendipitous discovery while researching macaque monkeys. They observed that specific neurons in the macaque’s brain fired when watching another monkey, or a human, reach for a peanut. They named these neurons “mirror neurons.”^[4]

The researchers theorized that mirror neurons also existed in humans and were the likely explanation for our ability to emulate and empathize with others.

As much as this makes sense and sounds like the perfect validation for the body double effect, please note that the scientific community is somewhat divided about whether humans actually have mirror neurons.

So, the mirror neuron theory does not give us a definitive answer.

Adds Positive Energy to the Workspace

I have one more explanation to offer as to why the body double might work.

In Eastern cultures, energy is referred to as chi (or qi). It is viewed as being either in or out of balance in the human body and the surrounding environment.

Acupuncturists move chi, or energy, to recreate balance and promote health. There are many forms of exercise and meditation, tai chi and chi gong, to name a few, which are about the management and flow of energy.

Feng shui (fung shway) is the 5,000-year-old art of balancing positive and negative chi in the space around us, with the goal of optimizing healthy energy in one’s living and working space.

What would chi have to do with a body double? The body double might be a chi balancer or protective barrier helping to contain and calm the energy in and around the person with ADHD. The body double might also be a buffer against distracting energy from the outside, ready to bombard the vulnerable ADHD brain.

Whichever explanation you prefer, there’s no denying the effectiveness of the body double.

Consider this strategy a gift from David and the many other ADHDers who have experienced its magic. If a task requires your attention and seems impossible to complete alone – beg, borrow, or pay for a body double to sit in the chair next to you.

Benefits of Body Doubling

Body doubling can be a powerful tool, especially if you struggle with focus and motivation. 

If you’re not already convinced to give it a try, here are the possible benefits of body doubling: 

• Improved focus: Having a body double helps you stay accountable. This technique creates positive reinforcement by gently nudging you to focus and stay on track. 
• Increased motivation: The presence of someone else can create a sense of accountability and novelty, increasing your motivation to get the ball rolling. 
• Reduced procrastination: By planning and setting aside time to work alongside someone else, you’re more likely to get started when the time comes. This helps you avoid postponing and delaying your tasks. 
• Improved time management: You can dedicate a specific time block in your day to body doubling sessions. This reduces wasted time due to delays and can save time by minimizing distractions. 
• Improved mood: Having someone around you when you work can create a positive atmosphere and reduce stress. Your body double can also serve as a source of support, cheering you on as you reach your session goals. 
• Boosted productivity: When focused and motivated, you’re bound to get more done in less time. 

Of course, if you want to reap these benefits and get the best results, it’s essential to find a suitable body double. The right body double won’t distract you or create too much pressure. Instead, their presence should help you feel encouraged, empowered, and ready to tackle your to-do list! 

What to Look for in a Body Double

Who and what should you look for in a body double?

Find someone who can be quiet and independent. They can sit, read, knit, or work quietly on a laptop. Their job is to not engage with you.

It requires energy to instruct, supervise, or be interrupted by another person, and that expenditure of energy equates to distraction.

This is not to say that you do not need to hire outside help – a professional organizer or office assistant.

You may also consider finding an ADHD coach to help you identify the best strategies for you.

I encouraged David to hire a student, retiree, or fellow church member to sit and keep him company. His wife may not be the best person for the job, but he could use her in a pinch.

Following our discovery, David occasionally hired short-term office support help, who sometimes served as a body double and other times as office assistants. Knowing when to hire someone to help with office work or with just paying the bills is a valuable skill in getting things done.

There are also many different ways to try this technique. Some people prefer body doubling for longer periods, while others find shorter sessions with small breaks in between more effective.

You can also choose between in-person groups, online sessions with your camera and microphone on, or virtual focus groups with a chat-only feature.

Additionally, try to experiment with different times of the day. Some ADHDers find that body doubling boosts their productivity in the morning but doesn’t work as well in the evening, or vice versa.

Ultimately, not all body-doubling techniques work for everyone. To find what works best for you, you can test it with different people, groups, timings, and structures.

Regardless of the approach, body doubling can be an effective accountability tool for hitting your daily goals.

Where to Find a Body Double?

One of the best places to find a suitable body double is in your own community. You can get a friend or family member to work alongside you physically or virtually.

Alternatively, you can consider hiring someone to spend time sitting beside you as you get things done.

Virtual body doubling can also work wonders. You can work with a group or partner from anywhere in the world at any time. For this, you’d typically be matched through an online platform.

Various websites and apps can connect you to a body double from their own community. For instance, FocusMate allows you to connect with a virtual body double from anywhere in the world to co-work and get things done.

Another example is the ADDA Productivity PowerHour+ support group, which combines body doubling with another time management strategy called the Pomodoro technique. You’d participate in these sessions with a group of ADDA members.

Using Body Doubling for ADHD

In lieu of any proven scientific explanation, the body double is a chair holder, space taker-upper, karmic anchor, or a wedge between you and the door.

Hopefully, it might be a helpful tool in your magic bag of tricks to use at just the right time to get a job done and stay on track.

Using External Accountability to Boost Your Productivity

Because of how the ADHD brain is wired, being productive can be easier said than done. The good news is that you don’t have to rely on willpower alone! 

External accountability is one of many practical tools for boosting productivity. Body doubling enables you to find this external accountability in an easy and structured way. 

If you’d like to learn more about adult ADHD, ADDA+ offers 200+ webinars, peer support groups, work groups, and much more.

Linda Anderson, MA, MCC, SCAC, is a master certified coach, a leader in the field of ADHD coaching, and the founder of Getting Clear.

References

[1] Ruth Netzer Turgeman, & Pollak, Y. (2023). Using the temporal motivation theory to explain the relation between ADHD and procrastination. Using the Temporal Motivation Theory to Explain the Relation between ADHD and Procrastination, 58(6), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2023.2218540

‌[2] Osborne, J. B., Zhang, H., Carlson, M., Shah, P., & Jonides, J. (2023). The association between different sources of distraction and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1173989. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1173989

[3] Anne-Laure Le Cunff. (2024). Distractibility and Impulsivity in ADHD as an Evolutionary Mismatch of High Trait Curiosity. Evolutionary Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-024-00400-8

[4] Thomas, B. (November 6, 2012) What’s So Special about Mirror Neurons? Scientific American. Retrieved May 1, 2016, from http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/whats-so-special-about-mirror-neurons/

The post The ADHD Body Double: A Unique Tool for Getting Things Done appeared first on ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association.

This disorder can make it challenging to remember important details without clear reminders, resulting in missed deadlines and appointments or forgotten chores.

That said, having ADHD does not mean you’re a “lazy” or an “irresponsible” person.

These ADHD memory problems happen because the brain processes and encodes information differently.^[1]

The key to tackling this is to find a system that lights up and engages the brain. And that’s where the right ADHD organizational planner can help.

These tools function like a “second brain,” allowing you to track and manage your daily activities.

Find out how you can fully leverage the power of an organizational tool to get your life back on course!

What Are the Benefits of an ADHD Planner?

Are you wondering if ADHD planners actually work? And by planner, we don’t mean a regular agenda. We mean a planner specifically designed with ADHD in mind.

Planners can work wonders for many adult ADHDers, but they don’t work for everyone. After all, it takes some effort to remember to use and refer back to your planner.

Of course, if you make it a daily habit, an ADHD journal planner can help you organize your everyday life in many ways.

These planners help you keep track of everything going on in your life, leading to the following benefits:

• Timely reminders: Writing out deadlines, appointment dates, and pending tasks ensures you get to all of them.
• Better time management: With your tasks and deadlines laid out, it can be easier to prioritize them based on complexity and urgency. An ADHD planner can also help you time-block your week or day. This involves breaking down your days or weeks into smaller blocks of time, each with its own purpose (e.g., replying to emails, meal prepping, breaks, etc.).
• Clearer goals: A planner lets you write down your goals and break them into smaller steps. You can also set a mini-deadline for each subgoal to ensure you can achieve the desired result by the actual due date.
• Increased motivation: Planning out and breaking down your goals gives you a clearer sense of direction and makes big projects seem more doable. This can help boost your motivation and get you out of ADHD paralysis. Some journal planners also have a section for you to write inspirational quotes to keep you motivated.
• Reduced stress: Having your to-do list, schedule, event dates, and deadlines in a planner can help keep you organized and reduce the stress of forgetting important things.

The benefits of these planners are similar to those of regular planners. However, you may find that ADHD planners provide more structure and guidelines than standard planners.

These special planners may also include specific features helpful for the ADHD brain. Examples include a brain dump section or a spot to write down the reward for ticking off the daily to-do list.

Physical vs. Digital: Choosing the Right ADHD Planner for You

There’s no one-size-fits-all planner for adults with ADHD. But to help narrow your options, let’s weigh the pros and cons of physical and digital ADHD planners.

Physical planners, like the Planner Pad, which we review here, tend to be more expensive and may get misplaced or clutter up your work desk. However, many people find that putting pen to paper makes the planner feel more real and tangible.

On the other hand, digital planner apps, even ADHD-specific ones, are more affordable and convenient to use. You can easily rearrange, delete, and add sections or pages. While they provide more versatility, you’ll need an electronic device to use these planners.

You might need to get a feel for both types of planners before finding the one that works best for you.

Some of the best physical organizers for ADHD include the Happy Planner, the Planner Pad, and Rocketbook. And if you’re looking for free digital ADHD planners, Clickup and Notion are apps you can try.

Crafting Your Perfect ADHD Planner

There are many different ways to build your own ADHD planner. It all boils down to what you need. Is your goal to tackle to struggles of ADHD and money management, be more organized at work, or reduce the effects of stress and ADHD?

You can create a daily ADHD planner or a weekly or monthly one. Alternatively, you can make more specific planners to help with a particular area of life, like self-care, health, meal prep, or money management.

To craft your ADHD planner, consider what elements to start with to avoid getting overwhelmed. Here are some examples to get you started:

• A calendar: A calendar allows you to list deadlines, appointments, and events under specific dates, which can help you remember them.
• Timeline: You can draw out a 24-hour daily timeline. This lets you break your day down into time blocks of focused work for different tasks.
• Your goals: Write your daily or monthly goals in your planner. Keep these goals specific, realistic, and achievable.
• A to-do list: A to-do list can help you keep track of your daily tasks. Plus, crossing these tasks off can give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation. You can also gamify your list by adding different daily rewards for ticking it off.
• Brain dump: A brain dump is a section for you to write down unrelated thoughts. This allows you to acknowledge the thought and return to it later so you don’t get distracted from what you’re doing.
• A “Don’t Forget This” section: You can reserve this section for urgent tasks with nearing deadlines.
• Mood tracker: A mood tracker is a section to record your mood, thoughts, focus, and energy levels at different intervals. You can see how these change throughout the day and spot recurring triggers that affect them.
• Habit tracker: If you’re trying to pick up a new work habit, like exercising, drinking more water, or taking a new medication, you can use a habit tracker to keep tabs on your progress.

Ultimately, the best type of ADHD planner is the one you’d use. A simple agenda book or a to-do app works best for some, while others prefer the more colorful and complex options. So, take some time to experiment with different styles.

Beyond the Planner: ADHD-Friendly Organizing Tips

Apart from using a planner, you can lean into your ADHD strengths and how your brain works. These tips help get stuff out of your brain where you can see it and be reminded of it at the right time in place to improve your organization and time management.

The following tips may help:

• Use sticky notes. You can place sticky notes with written reminders on your fridge, mirror, or other places you often look.
• Use a bulletin board or whiteboard. Have a board in your living room or bedroom to write your to-do list or reminders. This may be a better option than a planner because you’re more likely to see and use it. Plus, there’s no risk of misplacing the board!
• Set reminders on your phone. Add important dates, appointments, and deadlines to your phone’s calendar. Then, set reminders to go off when you need to start preparing for those events.
• Try the Pomodoro technique. This time management technique involves splitting your day into blocks of focused work and breaks.

Adding ADHD Planners to Your Organizational Toolkit

A self-curated ADHD planner can be a great tool to keep track of your daily activities. Alternatively, you can purchase a ready-made planner.

A planner is one of many tools to improve time management and organization. To explore more strategies and techniques, check out ADDA+, a resource library curated by experts to help adult ADHDers live their best lives.

References

[1] Kim, S., Liu, Z., Glizer, D., Tannock, R., & Woltering, S. (2014). Adult ADHD and working memory: neural evidence of impaired encoding. Clinical Neurophysiology: Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology, 125(8), 1596–1603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2013.12.094

The post ADHD Planners & Tools For Organization & Productivity appeared first on ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association.

If you suffer from ADHD, you might have used a trampoline as a form of therapy as a child, but did you know that it can be just as effective a management tool when you reach adulthood?

Through a mixture of coping strategies and trying to fit into social expectations, most children learn to manage their ADHD by adulthood. However, that isn’t always the case, making life very difficult for those who still struggle.

The best ADHD management tools are those which can fit seamlessly into everyday life. Many households already have a trampoline to keep families entertained, so take advantage of this already-existing feature to help you have fun and manage your ADHD at the same time.

Originally published on November 3rd, 2017, this article was updated and republished on September 15th, 2022.

1. Get fit

 It’s no secret that trampolining will improve your overall fitness. From toning muscles to boosting your cardiovascular system, spending an afternoon rebounding or jumping on a trampoline is an excellent way to boost your health.

However, the physical benefits that come from jumping on a trampoline can do more for you than just make you look and feel good.

If you suffer from ADHD as an adult, you will know that thinking clearly can be a struggle. That’s because your brain has less dopamine, which is exactly what is necessary for clear thinking.

Regular exercise – such as jumping on a trampoline – encourages your brain to produce more dopamine, improving brain function. Add in the facts that exercise can ease stress, improve memory and release mood-boosting hormones, and it becomes clear that using a trampoline can have a positive impact on many areas of ADHD life.

2. Beat mental health problems

While you’re dealing with your ADHD, don’t forget that around half of all adults who suffer from ADHD also have an anxiety disorder, which can be debilitating.

Dealing with just one of these conditions is a challenge, but with two together it can seem like a never-ending circle. Key to managing your ADHD is to tackle anxiety and any other mental health problems first.

It’s well known that exercise is one of the best treatments for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. This is because exercise reduces the body’s levels of cortisol – the main culprit when it comes to anxiety. Increased activity levels and extra endorphins are just some of the other results of jumping on a trampoline which can prove useful in battling mental ill health.

While some of these features might help you to manage your ADHD in themselves, getting on top of your anxiety will clear your brain of some of the confusion, letting you think more clearly, concentrate harder and regulate your mood more effectively.

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3. Boost your confidence

Many children who suffer from ADHD encounter feelings of inferiority when compared to their classmates. So much focus is placed on quick thinking and mental agility in schools that often, children with ADHD are left feeling like they’re doomed to fail.

Sadly, this is a feeling that can continue long into adulthood.

Bouncing on a trampoline can act as a highly effective tool for boosting confidence and feelings of self-worth.

It has been shown that exercise can reduce learned helplessness – in other words, something that you feel helpless about even if it’s actually a strength.

As such, the more exercise you get from jumping on a trampoline, the more you’ll realize that you can do it, so the more confident you’ll feel in your ability.

Once you start to feel confident in yourself and realize your own strengths, this will overflow into other areas of life. Improving your outlook on life is one of the hardest aspects of ADHD to overcome, but once you’ve mastered a high jump or a complicated trick, you’ll feel more confident and able to nurture your skills at work, in social situations and in other areas of life, too.

4. Enjoy the social interaction

 Often, adults with ADHD struggle with social interaction because it’s difficult to concentrate during in-depth conversations.

A trampoline is a fun way to improve your social skills without any pressure to behave in a certain way.

Get the whole family involved. Invite the kids to jump with you (as long as your trampoline is strong enough to take the weight) and just let loose.

Feelings of isolation are common among adults with ADD and ADHD, so spending an afternoon on the trampoline is a great way to combat this. It doesn’t require any serious communication: it’s just a way to be yourself and spend time in the company of the ones you love.

Choosing an enjoyable activity that you can return to year after year is the best way to manage your ADHD in the long-term. Kids never really grow out of the excitement that they get from jumping on a trampoline, so make the most of this by joining them right throughout their childhoods as they grow up. Even if you don’t have kids, get in some beer, put some meat on the grill, and invite a few friends round… then encourage them to revisit their inner kids by having a turn on the trampoline.

Manage your ADHD by using trampolining to remind yourself that you are not alone, and that you can have a great time interacting with others of all ages.

If you’d like to understand more about adult ADHD, ADDA+ offers 200+ webinars, peer support groups, work groups, and much more.

Adam Eyal is a content crafter at fringepursuits.com, where he covers extreme sports from paddle boarding to mountain climbing.

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.”

Find Adam on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Find FringePursuits on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Use Your Trampoline as the Ultimate ADHD Management Tool appeared first on ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association.

Since planning and time management are common concerns for adults with ADHD, here at ADDA, we are always looking for helpful tools to make life for our members a bit easier.

Luckily, a unique opportunity recently came our way. The folks at Planner Pad offered us the opportunity to take their Planner Pad system for a spin AND to give it an honest, transparent review with the time management needs of ADHDers in mind.

We wanted to see if Planner Pad products really live up to their promise to be more effective than other time management tools. Planner Pad has a paper-based system as well as an app. We evaluated the paper-based system, though in reality, what’s important here, and what we really wanted to evaluate, is if the Planner Pad approach to planning and time management are ADHD-friendly.

A Word on Aesthetics:

Since we did evaluate the paper-based system, first a few words about its aesthetics. Planner Pad’s design, like its time management system, is simple and structured. 

Though some new Planner Pad designs, like a floral seasonal pattern and an attractive shimmering gold-ish cover, have given these planners some glam, time management products aren’t usually purchased because of aesthetics. 

Planners that sell year after year do so because the system works. (Ever buy that beautiful, leather-bound planner that you only use for a week because it won’t stay open on its own and the lines are too small? You didn’t buy it again, did you?) 

Regarding appearance, Planner Pads are pretty standard and offer a few different size and color options.

What would we improve? Find some way, any way, for the covers to not get a big crease down the middle if they get accidentally jammed into the abyss of an ADHDers backpack or bag. Probably not possible, but we were able to land on the moon, so it seems within reach.

About the System:

Now, on to the really important part of the review; does the Planner Pad approach help ADHDers get a handle on their lives? The Planner Pad system seems like something you’ve seen before, but really haven’t. It does everything you keep meaning to do, or, perhaps, you keep trying to do on several different pads of paper at once and then failing. Let us explain:

The Planner Pad system works as a funnel. A funnel of tasks and time. (If you immediately thought, “My brain feels like a funnel of tasks and time every day!” Trust us: this is different.)

The system consists of three levels or steps on an inverted triangle; imagine the food pyramid or Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, only upside down and related to time management. 

1. The first level or step is to list tasks based on their categories or projects. 
2. The second level is to begin to prioritize those tasks and assign them to specific days of the week in order of priority. 
3. The third level is to take those prioritized tasks and give them a nice home in time. (Told you that you probably try to do this in your head or on multiple pieces of paper!)

What makes this system particularly relevant for the ADHD brain is that it cuts straight to the core of executive functioning challenges. It requires you to externally organize, sequence, and prioritize your activities within time.

The ADHD brain has trouble organizing information – particularly internally, struggles with memory, tends to be less linear sequencing thoughts and behaviors, and becomes confused by and misperceives time.

The ADHD brain loves having two time zones: Now and Not Now. The Planner Pad system seems particularly effective for managing ADHD-related challenges with time and planning. It provides a simple and structured external scaffolding to work your way from the overflowing list of things on your mind to organizing necessary and prioritized tasks within time.

Other planners can help with this too, but we’ve found that they often require you to do the first two steps on your own, either on a different piece of paper or in your head.

Day Planner comes to mind. It’s wonderful to have your time blocked out in 15-minute increments from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., but you’ve got to do a lot of groundwork before you get to that step. And that groundwork? It’s not so easy, especially for adults with ADHD.

What Would We Do Differently?

Not too much, actually. If there were room, it would be nice to have half-hour increments, but there just isn’t tons of room, and it’s a low-priority perk. 

A goal planning worksheet at the beginning of each month that guides the user through a few steps to identify one – and only one – realistic, time-oriented goal for the month would be a beneficial and appealing feature.

Other Bells and Whistles…

• The Planner Pad week begins on Monday. This makes some people say “Finally!” while others may find themselves writing on Tuesday a lot at first.
• Each week has a “Finances” column to track expenses. Remember, it only works if you use it!
• There is a monthly view and a yearly view, as well as a lined page before each month, several lined pages at the back, and several pages for listing and defining goals. As is typical, the planner also features an address book.
• There are dated and undated spiral-bound planners as well as loose-leaf versions. You can choose add-on features like pockets and a day-marker for the loose-leaf binder planner. The dated spiral-bound version was our favorite because of portability and size/weight.

The Planner Pad App:

Planner Pad also recently rolled out an upgraded web presence and, with it, a time management app that embraces the digital age while still staying true to the style and system of the paper products they’ve said has been beneficial to troves of happy customers over the years. 

We have not had a chance to give the app a trial run, but we’ve done some research and watched the tutorial videos. The Planner Pad app allows you to make lists, color-code the tasks by priority level, then click and drag items from each list onto specific days of the week. Within each day of the week, you can move the tasks into the ideal time slot.

Since writing this review the Planner Pad App has been discontinued. If you’re still looking for help with getting control of your ADHD, then we recommend starting with our free ADHD starter kit.

What Would We Do Differently?

• We loved the color-coded prioritizing system, so not much there.
• The video and description did not mention reminder notifications, which are crucial for ADHDers. Double-bonus if audible AND silent notification options are available.
• One very nice thing is that Planner Pad offers a 100% money-back guarantee for the first six months! That’s a pretty long time for a money-back guarantee on an app, and it may be the incentive you need to give it a go.
• While some people still swear by paper products, the truth is the digital age is well upon us, and paper products will continue to merge with or be replaced by digital products. For many, especially younger people who grew up with greater access to tech devices and apps, the Planner Pad app may be more likely to be used once purchased because of its easy access.
• One problem with paper planner products is the tendency to forget them, lose them, or just stop checking them. Apps can solve some of these frequent problems, though like any other tool, owning it isn’t enough; it’s the “using it” part that’s helpful.

Pricing:

• The Executive Size spiral-bound planner (8.5 x 11) is regularly $34.49. This might seem a bit on the high end for a spiral-bound planner, but it offers much more than the competition in terms of the time management system. Planner Pads has created special introductory offers that pack in several bonuses at this price. Also, I prefer this size as it allows a bit more space to work with and might be easier on the eyes for some.

• The Personal Size spiral-bound planner (6 ¾ x 8 ½) is $33.49. The same system and features, though the size may be more portable for some. Again, there’s an introductory offer that really packs a punch, perfect for gift-giving. (Since Christmas is the ideal time of year to get your planner to start the new year on the right foot)

• [Discontinued] The Planner Pad App will cost you $49 per year. With many free time management and productivity apps available, the cost may be prohibitive for some. However, once again, the management system is what you’re paying for, not just the electronic calendar. Also, the six-month money-back guarantee took the sting out of the price, especially considering that it is a one-time fee for an entire year. 

Our Overall Rating of the Planner Pad App:

• Appearance: 3.5 of 5 – Simple, nice enough, not super-attractive.
• Portability: 5 of 5 – Because you can choose your size or go with the app!
• Effectiveness: 5 of 5 – It’s all about the inverted pyramid!
• Appropriateness for ADHD Brains: 5 of 5 – These people REALLY get executive functioning!
• Price: A very fair value. You get what you pay for. Planner Pads and their electronic cousin will not be found in a dollar store, and that’s the whole point.

Looking for more options? Explore more on ADHD planners in the ADDA blog.

Check out ADDA+ – our complete resource library for thriving with ADHD, including 200+ webinars, courses, peer support groups and more.

The post The Planner Pads Time Management System appeared first on ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association.

Do you resist planning? Do you worry that it’ll rob you of your spontaneity or creativity? Do you think it’ll make your days predictable and boring? On the contrary, planning will set you free.

Thinking strategically about your day will make a much bigger improvement in your life than just boosting your productivity. You don’t need to get more done if you’re not doing the right things. Highly successful people manage their time as a non-renewable resource.

Here are a few of the strategies that make a difference for adults with ADHD, who I like to call Creative Geniuses:

Take time to plan your day

Take time to plan your day, preferably in a weekly planning session that allows you to take a big picture view of your projects. This will make the second strategy, prioritizing much easier. But first, recognize and embrace the idea that for every minute you take to plan your day, you save ten times that in executing your plan.

Planning weekly lets you review all your projects and prevents missing important details that might derail your plan. It also keeps things real. If you’re trying to make progress on too many projects in the week, you won’t make enough progress in any one progress to make a noticeable difference. Remember, you already have scheduled meetings and appointments. Creature Geniuses need to see more progress more quickly to get those much-needed dopamine hits.

Plan maintenance and recurring activities first

Plan maintenance and recurring activities first in your calendar: Include sleep, exercise, nutrition, activities that develop your strengths, planning and opportunities to connect with loved one and friends.

Plot planned activities into your calendar.

Plot planned activities into your calendar. A to-do list does not provide enough information on its own. It doesn’t tell you how much time you can allot to each task, nor does it take into consideration what’s already in your calendar. If you already have 4 hours of meetings scheduled, it’s unrealistic to fit 7 hours of additional work in an 8-hour day. The to-do list also doesn’t tell you when it’s the best time to do the task.

Determine your top one to three priority tasks

Determine your top one to three priority tasks in each of your top projects for the week. Schedule those tasks first in your agenda before you schedule anything else. This doesn’t mean you need to do them first, but as soon as you reach the right level of mental energy to attack the priority tasks, do these first.

Be ready for the unexpected.

Be ready for the unexpected. Don’t automatically jump on these as they occur. If you do that, they become interruptions that derail your plan. Instead, write them down and continue with your original plan. Once you’ve completed your planned task, you can review your list of new, unexpected tasks and re-examine your priorities. Ask yourself, what has the most impact for your business and your life? And leave space in your agenda (It’s unscheduled time – but I don’t leave it blank – I put it in my agenda and call it “Firewall” time. I use these buffer ‘appointments’ as time to deal with emergencies that spring up without derailing my schedule!) to fit these in once the priorities have been tackled.

Learn to say No.

Learn to say No. When you say No to non-essentials, you make room to say Yes to what really matters. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.

Keep your appointments with yourself.

Keep your appointments with yourself. There is no one in your life more important than you. I know many of you will balk at this. If you don’t set time in your calendar for you, someone (interruptions) or something (distractions) will take it from you.

But if you make time for what’s important to you, but you don’t keep those appointments with yourself after you’ve taken time to determine what’s important, you erode your belief in your ability to make things happen. If you no longer trust yourself to accomplish what you’re committed to, you’ll avoid commitments with yourself and with others. It’s totally acceptable to say, “I’d love to take that on right now, but I have a prior commitment.”

Ensuring you can implement what you planned requires a planning approach that works with your brain. It’s not easy to create a planning process without gaps. Many Creative Geniuses set up systems that don’t work for them. It’s not your fault. Most systems and apps out there are created with neurotypicals in mind. They don’t account for challenges with time blindness, challenges with prioritizing and planning, unrealistic expectations, missing details or not allotting time for preparations and transitions.

You can explore the ADDA productivity virtual support group to find techniques and tips for getting this done. OR you can join ADDA+ to get access to our expanding collection of resources for adult ADHD.

Linda Walker offers training and group coaching to Creative Geniuses (her term for adults with ADHD). Her programs help Creative Geniuses move from a life of chaos and overwhelm to one where they feel productive and in control. If you want to take control of your time, your energy, your life, don’t miss Linda’s free Webinar, Own Your Future: Avoid These 7 Planning Pitfalls.

The post Are You Making Time for What Matters Most? appeared first on ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association.

Routines and habits are hard to establish – we with ADHD will sometimes get sick of them and come up with excuses when we no longer feel excited or when things get hard. To be consistent with things, I have to be committed and willing to work through my own resistance.

For example, I spent years creating an exercise routine. A few key things I did:

• Sought outside accountability (another person)
• Chose a specific time and place to exercise
• Set a time limit on the exercise

After many weeks of working out at the same time each week, I had no problem remembering my appointment. I also couldn’t make any excuses because I knew I had paid for the trainer and she was waiting for me. If I was feeling grouchy about my workout, I was honest about it and we’d change it up somehow. We might go outside or I’d invite a friend to work out with us.

We never worked out for more than an hour, so even if I didn’t want to do it, I knew it was short AND I always felt better afterward. I tweaked the system but I kept going. I needed to prove to myself I could do it for one year.

I guess my point is this – no routine can stay exactly the same forever, even if you love it at first. The trick isn’t so much being able to discipline yourself, or “stick to it,” it’s more about finding ways to tweak the activity so you get excited again, and find some external support.

Hope this helps!

-liz

The post How do I maintain a consistent routine? appeared first on ADDA - Attention Deficit Disorder Association.