ADHD-friendly lists that work better than to-do lists

by Kells McPhillips

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Lists help us organize the thoughts and tasks floating around in our minds. However, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may find that traditional to-dos don’t jive with the unique workings of their brains.

“The hallmark of ADHD is executive dysfunction, which is, in essence, impaired ability to plan, organize thoughts, and disruption of task-oriented behaviors,” says counselor Willow Goldfarb, LMHC, who specializes in and lives with ADHD. As a result, writing—and keeping up with—lists may feel almost impossible. “Making lists, remembering to make them, and likely more importantly, remembering to use them in a timely manner can be challenging for people with ADHD,” adds Goldfarb.

Rather than trying to shoehorn their many deadlines into mainstream planning techniques, Goldfarb recommends that those with ADHD take a holistic approach to arranging their everyday tasks by using ADHD organizational tools. “To take a holistic approach, we look at caring for the person first,” says Goldfarb. You may ask yourself:

• Have I eaten something in the last few hours?
• Have I had some water?
• Have I taken my medication?
• Have I validated my feelings about the task(s) ahead of me?

“Checking off these boxes helps to ensure that there are no needs that are going unmet that are creating unconscious barriers to completing the work,” explains Goldfarb. Below, she shares seven other tips for navigating the day ahead. Plus, alternative, ADHD-friendly lists that you can start relying on now.

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7 tips and to-do list alternatives for getting things done with ADHD

1. Try a brain dump

A brain dump is just what it sounds like—and it can be super helpful on days when you have a lot to tackle. “This is an exercise where the person takes a blank page and writes little snippets of all their tasks and perhaps worries. They take them out of their head onto the paper, ”says Goldfarb. You don’t need to organize this exercise in any particular way. Let this process be random, messy, and, dare we say… fun.

“Once the tasks and feelings are on the paper, we can take a look at what tasks are present. On a page directly next to the brain dump page, we can organize those tasks into ‘hot’ (have to-do or else there will be a particularly unfavorable consequence), ‘warm’ (would put me in a better place, mood, or I’ll feel accomplished), and ‘cold’ (can’t promise this will get done but it’s on my radar that it needs to be done),” says Goldfarb.

Hot and warm tasks should be visible on something that will be in your direct line of eyesight all day. For example, your phone screen, a whiteboard, or a sticky note attached to your laptop.

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2. Make a “to-done” list instead of a to-do list

“This is an approach where we ask you to reflect at mid-day and end of day on all the tasks you were able to complete throughout the day and provide yourself praise for the big and small wins,” says Goldfarb. “With ADHD, the brain doesn’t always give immediate gratification for small tedious tasks, and we have to create rewarding moments or else the positive behavior won’t be reinforced.” Consider setting a timer at midday and the end of the day that reminds you to celebrate the “to-dones” you’ve completed.

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3. Reject “consistency culture”

If you’re on social media, you’ve likely heard cliché quotes like “consistency is key.” While that mentality works for some folks, it likely won’t work for those with ADHD—and that’s okay. “I’ve noticed that [for people with ADHD], self-comparison to the ‘routine queens’ online can be a particular blow to self-esteem,” says Goldfarb. ‘It may evoke thoughts like ‘What’s wrong with me that I can’t be consistent with a morning routine?’”

While these thoughts are perfectly normal, be a strong ally to yourself. Create a schedule (or anti-schedule) that makes sense for you and filter out “consistency culture” content on your social media feed.

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4. Break tasks into micro-tasks

Part of creating “rewarding moments” throughout the day is breaking big to-dos into smaller, bite-sized pieces. If you want to complete a work presentation, for example, don’t endeavor to finish the whole thing in one go. Instead, write a slide or two, then celebrate with a walk around the block or a few minutes of reading.

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5. Try habit stacking

Try to link everything you need to get done so that nothing slips through the cracks. “If you’re already stopping to talk to someone, can you have some water or a healthy snack while you do that? Can your phone be charging? Can you walk and talk?” says Goldfarb.

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6. Ask your boss to meet up for a check-in first thing in the morning or midday

“A strategy session with a co-worker, boss, or loved one in the morning or a check-in mid-day may be helpful. Talk through the tasks of the day and get some help to prioritize them,” says Goldfarb. This will give you an opportunity to refocus your energy and do some habit stacking that will help you get to the day’s finish line.

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7. Be compassionate with yourself

Let’s be honest: The world isn’t always friendly to neurodivergent folks. But by practicing self-compassion, you can make sure that you’re always kind to yourself. “It's okay that executive dysfunction is present, time-blindness is real, and it can be really alienating to have to compare yourself to neurotypical people who seem to really easily be able to crush tasks throughout the day without their brain working against them,” says Goldfarb.

Talk to yourself as you would someone you love dearly as the day goes on, and remind yourself that you’re capable of anything. “The words we speak become the house we live in. When it comes to difficulty getting tasks completed, getting places on-time, or keeping things organized, speak kindly to yourself and about yourself,” says Goldfarb.

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