Look, I’m not going to pretend I have it all figured out. Even though I’ve never been officially diagnosed, I’ve read enough books and talked to my coach/therapist to know I have ADHD. Some days, my brain is on fire with ideas and productivity. Other days, I can’t remember what I walked into a room for.
But over the years, I’ve figured out a few things that actually help me function like a semi-organized human being. These aren’t fancy productivity hacks from some guru. They’re just what works for my ADHD brain—in business and in life.
And if you also have ADHD (or just a brain that likes to wander), maybe these ADHD hacks will help you too.
1. Two Planners: One Digital, One Paper
This is my non-negotiable system. I keep one digital planner (my Google Calendar combined with my GHL tasks, and iPhone reminder) and one paper planner.
Here’s why I need both:
Digital is for appointments and anything time-sensitive. It gives me reminders, syncs across devices, and keeps me from double-booking myself or forgetting a Zoom call.
Paper is for everything else—brain dumps, daily to-do lists, tracking my goals, planning my week. And everything from my digital planner gets transposed here. There’s something about physically writing things down that helps my brain actually process and remember them.
You might think it’s redundant, but for me, it’s essential. The digital keeps me on schedule. The paper keeps me focused. Together, they help me run my life efficiently.
2. Visual Timers for Task Switching
Time blindness is real. I’ll think I’ve been working on something for 20 minutes when it’s actually been two hours. Or I’ll avoid starting a task because I think it’ll take forever when it’ll actually take 10 minutes.
That’s why visual timers help. I use one on my phone or a physical timer where I can see the time counting down. At first, it made me anxious because I felt pressure to complete the task in the given time. But I’ve changed my mindset on this. Instead of thinking I have to complete the tasks, I remind myself I only have to work on that task during the given time. Using a visual timer helps me:
- Stay focused for a set amount of time (hello, Pomodoro technique)
- Know when to switch tasks
- Not spiral into hyperfocus and forget to eat lunch (again)
Bonus: Knowing there’s an end time makes starting less overwhelming.
3. Keep Everything in One Place (Even If That Place is Messy)
My ADHD brain cannot handle things being scattered everywhere. If my notebook is in one room, my sticky notes are in another, and my phone is who-knows-where, I lose track of everything.
So I keep all my work stuff in my office. My planner, my color-coded notebooks… Everything stays here—even if the desk gets a little messy.
The same goes for digital. I have one place for note-taking (not five) and one folder system. Capturing ideas in a specific place means I’ll be a bit more focused when I sit down to do some work.
Does everything always stay organized? Heck no! But at least I know where to look when I inevitably forget something.
4. Lists for Everything (And I Mean Everything)
If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist. That’s the rule. And that goes for tasks, meetings, appointments… anything and everything!
I keep lists for:
- Daily to-dos
- Weekly priorities
- Project tasks
- Ideas I want to remember
- Things I need to buy
- Books I want to read
- Literally anything my brain spits out
Why? Because if I don’t write it down immediately, it’s gone. Poof. Vanished into the ADHD void.
And here’s the key: I keep my lists short. I don’t put 47 things on my daily to-do list. I write everything down that I need to get done, and then pick 1-3 priorities to focus on. At the end of the day, if I complete those priorities, then it’s been a good day. And if something needs to get pushed, it gets pushed.
The thing to remember with lists is that we’re only human and only have so much time and energy in a day. So don’t get discouraged if everything doesn’t get completed. Just avoid getting overwhelmed and doing nothing.
5. Routines (But Make Them Flexible)
Structure helps my ADHD brain. But rigid routines? Those make me want to rebel and do nothing. It’s exactly why I’m a corporate dropout; that 9-5 was not for me.
Instead, I’ve built routines that have structure but also flexibility:
Sunday planning: I sit down and plan the week ahead. But I don’t schedule every single hour. I just block out priorities and see where things fit.
Morning routine: Coffee, check my planner, pick my top 3 tasks for the day. There is no elaborate 5 am miracle morning nonsense in my world.
Evening routine: Head upstairs around 8 pm to read. It signals to my brain that the day is done. And yes, I know this is early, and yes, I love it.
The routines I create give me a framework, but they’re not so strict that I feel trapped. That balance is what makes them work.
The ADHD Real Hack: Stop Trying to Be Someone Else
Here’s the thing about hacks: What works for someone else might not work for you. And that’s okay.
I’ve tried every productivity system under the sun. Bullet journaling, time blocking, the Pomodoro technique, morning pages, you name it. Some stuck. Most didn’t.
The real hack is figuring out what works for your brain and letting go of the rest.
If using two planners feels like too much for you, don’t do it. Visual timers stress you out? Skip them. And don’t force routines if you hate them.
But if something I said resonates? Try it. Tweak it. Make it yours.
Because living with ADHD doesn’t mean you have to struggle. It just means you need to work with your brain instead of against it.
What About You?
Do you have ADHD? What hacks actually work for you?
I’d love to hear what’s helped you stay organized, focused, or just functional. Drop a comment or send me a message—let’s swap strategies.
Because honestly, we’re all just out here trying to remember where we put our coffee while simultaneously running businesses and living our lives.
Looking for a community that gets it? Join the SheSupports Network—a space where we support each other through the messy, chaotic, beautiful reality of building a life and business that works for us.
