Organizational tools for ADHD

Organizational tools for ADHD

If you’re anything like me, you’re always trying to get organized. ADHD makes it incredibly hard to form habits, which, at least for me, means I get stuck in a cycle of trying to make an organizational tool work, using it for a few days, and then totally ditching it and forgetting it ever existed. That’s why I’ve put together some organizational tools for ADHD; they’re all free or cheap so if you can’t stick with it, you haven’t wasted your money. These are tools that have worked well for me, at least for some period of time; sometimes I have to switch it up to keep the dopamine flowing (you know how it is) but I have found these easier to stick to than other organizational tools.

Bullet journals 

It’s pretty easy to find bullet journals at a variety of price points, and I find these little guys so helpful for keeping track of my schedule and to-do list. Bullet journals are dotted instead of lined, meaning that while, yes, you can write a simple list or paragraph, you can also create a chart, graph, visual tracker, or drawing if that helps you keep organized. I like to create to-do lists with little checkboxes, mood trackers, and goal trackers (like coloring in one box for every task I complete.) If you’re artistically inclined, check pinterest for examples of ways you can make your bullet journal; mine was always bare bones but it’s easy to make them pretty high dopamine!

Finch App

Finch App is centered around self care, and while you can absolutely use it for that, I like to use it for organization as well. The basic idea is that you’re given a little bird friend to care for, and you care for them by caring for yourself. As you check items off your list or complete self-care activities, your bird receives energy, and then it goes on a little adventure that it shares with you at the end of the day. I have my whole morning routine listed out on them, and add daily tasks so I don’t forget them (and because gamifying my list absolutely helps me!) You can ask the app to get you reminders to use it so that you don’t fall out of the habit.

Habitica

Habitica, unlike Finch, was designed to be a productivity app. Like Finch, it’s designed to gamify the completion of tasks, but instead of a little bird friend you’re battling monsters. Use it to keep track of your habits and goals and earn rewards for completing them. You can even link up with friends and fight battles together!

Notion

Think of Notion as a digital bullet journal. You can find a template or create your own page; I have one with a kanban board for my ongoing work projects, a revision plan for a novel I’m working on, and one for meal planning.  Regardless of if you’re doing a research project, planning for your business, creating lesson plans, or something else entirely, this all-in-one workspace may work well for you.

Google Tasks

If you already use gsuite, Google Tasks may be a huge help. You can sync tasks to your calendar (including things like answering emails or upcoming due dates.) Here’s a video tutorial that can walk you through all the features.