Productivity for Everyone
Everyone can climb “Productivity Mountain” in the same way. However, ADHDers run into obstacles pretty quickly when it comes to managing information, planning, prioritizing, time management and getting started – oh – and finishing! Before I get into how to handle those, I like to work with my clients to set up an information system. This becomes their “base camp”. Designing a customized, solid base to start from also gives us a workable place to return to when ADHD challenges kick in.
Two “WARNINGS” for ADHDers:
1. Limit the time you spend researching systems, apps and platforms. Don’t forget to DO the thing.
2. Start small with one project (see the vacation example below). Don’t try to reorganize your whole hard drive, just use this system going forward if it works for you.
Building a Strong Base for Productivity
I know I was talking about mountains, but this really is about levelling the playing field for everyone. ADHDers often have some of the foundational elements in place, but making sure that they have the system and scaffolding necessary for the way their brain works enables them to use motivation and momentum when they show up. (More about the fickle nature of ADHD momentum and motivation in another post.)
Building Your Base – Managing Information
I am a fan of Tiago Forte’s PARA Method for managing information. His idea is that you can create a Second Brain by organizing all of your relevant information into 4 categories:
P – PROJECT
A – AREA
R – RESOURCES
A – ARCHIVES
The largest category is probably AREAS. This is where the ongoing things in your life get stored. In my AREAS folder, I have folders for Finances, Health and Well-Being, Family and Work as well as other topics.
In my PROJECTS folder, I have a folder for my 2025 Taxes, Bathroom Renovation and Preparing a Coaching Kiosk at the CADDAC National Conference in November as well as other specific projects that have timelines or deadlines.
In my RESOURCES folder, I have links to blog posts, books and videos that I find interesting or useful, images that I use on my website or in my newsletters as well as other bits of information that might come in handy one day.
In my ARCHIVES folder, I have previous years’ taxes, presentations for past conferences, newsletters from past years, old website information, etc. These projects are complete but may be useful later on or need to be kept for documentation purposes.
10 Steps to Reach the Summit
Creating this information management system – or any effective system that works for you, is like setting up an organized productivity base camp. A good climber relies on good tools for the next part of the climb. Use the tools that work best for you. I have suggested some tools below. You may have others not listed here that work really well for you, so by all means, use those!
Step 1: Brain Dump
When people start a new project, or start to organize an ongoing one, there is usually related information that helps get the project completed. Sometimes this information is swimming around in our brains – distracting us and limiting our bandwidth. At this point, a brain dump is helpful. While there is no official place for a Brain Dump in the PARA system, you could make a folder called “Brain Dumps” where the information can live until it is needed*.
Tools: paper, note app, doc app, or post it notes, another person or technology to act as a “sounding board” (if it helps for you to talk things out)
*Tiago has indicated that an “Inbox” could work when you are on the run or don’t have time or are low on “thinking energy” for temporarily storing information to be filed into the PARA folders. Use this sparingly because this inbox full of things “to be organized” can become an overwhelming source of stress.
Step 2: Categories
After dumping your ideas onto paper (or into a digital document), find the things that go together and start to put them into categories. It might be a bit messy at first, but that’s part of the process. You can do this with lists, post-it notes, mind map (web), or however you need to do this so that it makes sense visually for yourself.
Tools: paper, post-it notes, highlighters, note app, or doc app, mind maps/web, or spreadsheet, “sounding board”
Step 3: Priorities
It is not necessary to prioritize all of your categories. You can probably tell at a glance what the top three most important categories are. Set the rest aside for now. You might even be able to prioritize your top three according to time sensitivity. The important thing for ADHDers is to make sure that we prioritize what is important to us. Our brain works best when we are interested. The mountain is that much harder for us to climb if it is not truly our priority. (More about personal priorities in another post.) Identify your top 3 priorities and get really clear about why these are priorities for you. Write them down in order of importance on a separate piece of paper (or digital document).
Tools: paper, post-it notes, highlighters, note app, or doc app, mind maps/web, or spreadsheet, “sounding board”
Step 4: Breaking IT Down – Individual Project Lists
To turn these three important categories into projects, we need to break them down a little further. Make a mini brain dump document for each priority if you still need to add information. Review your new brain dump and go through the process of putting the things that go together into groups, and see if some of these are projects. As you break down them down, you may also be starting to list some of the steps needed. Don’t get carried away listing all the steps yet. There is time for that in “Step 7” after you have chosen your top priority. You might find that your priorities actually break down into more than one project. That’s okay. It is more effective and less overwhelming to have more smaller projects. You might also have mini-projects inside larger projects. That’s okay too.
Tools: paper, folders and notes/docs/spreadsheet/breakdown apps, “sounding board”
Step 5: “Priority One” Project
Start with your highest priority project. (Put the other two priorities aside for now.) Make a specific folder for your top priority project inside your PARA folders. Create a document inside this project folder to record the project breakdown. If your top priority project contains mini-projects, list them in order in the project breakdown. Review the breakdown and continue asking yourself: Do you need any more information or resources? Do you need more information to estimate the time each step might take? Will you need to involve others? Make a note of these answers so they don’t get forgotten.
Tools: paper, project folder and notes/docs/spreadsheet/breakdown apps, “sounding board”, To Do app, check list
Step 6: Looking Ahead
Put your pen down for a moment to think about the big picture for your top priority again. If you can see what is coming, you will be able to maneuver in time to miss the falling rock or the broken bridge. Look ahead and ask yourself: What might get in the way? What is missing? Is there anything that you need to do/have before you can even begin acting on this project – a “prerequisite”? What are the most likely challenges or problems? How will you deal with them? What will you do if things happen that are beyond your control? What might those things be? (Don’t skip this part!) Make notes as needed. Find someone who will give you their honest and constructive feedback on your rough plan, or consult an AI tool. Another strategy is to put your rough plan away for a day and review it the next day with a fresh mind.
Tools: paper, project folder and notes/docs/spreadsheet, “sounding board”, To Do app, check list, AI tool (ChatGPT)
Step 7: Sequence
Begin to write the steps needed to complete your project. If it is too hard to see where to begin, use “backwards planning”. Start with the end in mind and work your way back to the beginning, making a rough sequence of steps. Ask yourself, Does your sequence make sense? Is the order efficient? Rearrange the order of steps as needed. Are you missing anything? What might get in the way? If you are ready, write some approximate dates/times beside each step. If you have trouble estimating the time some of the steps will take, ask another person, AI or Google it.
Tools: paper, project folder and notes/docs/spreadsheet, “sounding board”, To Do app, check list, AI tool, Google search
Step 8: Scheduling
Use “backwards planning”. Start from the deadline (even if it is your own arbitrary one) and work backwards. Enter the step on your calendar. Now it is officially a “task” or an “action”. Share it with anyone else involved – or “invite” them to the calendar event. Put the notes made earlier into the calendar events.
Tools: paper, project folder and notes/docs/spreadsheet, “sounding board”, To Do app integrated with calendar, check list
Step 9: Review and Adjust
Check off your tasks as you do them. Make adjustments or alternate arrangements if things don’t go as planned. Use some of your ideas from Step 6 to deal with problems or challenges. Make notes as you go so that you can plan more efficiently in the future. These notes can live in your project folder inside PARA.
Tools: paper, project folder and notes/docs/spreadsheet, “sounding board”, To Do app integrated with calendar, check list
Step 10: Celebrate
No really – celebrate! You did it!
Building Your Base – Planning a Vacation
Let’s say you want to plan a vacation.
The Elements:
1. Brain Dump: ask yourself questions like, “Why do you want to travel?” “Where do you want to go?” “What do you want to do?” “What can your budget support?” “What documentation will you need?” etc.
2. Categories: Then look to see if you can spot things that go together. The idea is to build categories that will help you to determine the mini-projects that will help you have a memorable vacation. Categories might include: places to stay, transportation, sights or events, places you want to visit. Now is a good time to consider your ideas to see if there is anything missing. Is there anything else you need to find out?
3. Priorities
You probably can’t do everything on your list, so which categories, or which things in each category are most important to you? These will be your priorities as you plan your vacation.
4. Break It Down – Mini-Projects: Next you can break it down a little further and start to make mini-projects such as finding places to stay (hotels, hostels, or BNBs). Another category might be transportation (flights, tours and car rentals). If you are going to several places, it might help to break those down into mini-projects as well. Review your mini-projects again – Is there anything else you need to find out? Anything else you need to pack?
5. Priority One Project: Make a specific folder for your vacation inside your PARA folders. Add a document for Transportation and record information about your car rentals, tours, and flights. Add PDFs of documents such as flight booking information. Do the same for your other mini-projects, such as places to stay. Add folders as needed to make it easier to find things. Consider making this folder online so that you can access it on vacation if needed.
6. Looking Ahead: Think about your vacation as a whole again. Look ahead and ask yourself: What might get in the way? What is missing? (Is your Pasport up-to-date? Where is it?) Is there anything that you need to do/have before you can even begin planning your vacation – a “prerequisite” such as vaccinations or specific country VISAs? What are the most likely challenges or problems? How will you deal with them? What will you do if things happen that are beyond your control? What might those things be? Do you have travel insurance and/or travel medical insurance? What about trip interruption insurance?
7. Sequence: First do your best to make a vacation schedule so you can see roughly where you want to go and maybe even when. Then write the steps for how to make it all happen. If it is too hard to see where to begin, use “backwards planning”. Start with your departure date (even if it is an estimate) and work your way back to the current week, making a draft sequence of steps. Ask yourself: Does your sequence make sense? Is the order efficient? Are you missing anything? Do you have a budget? Do you know what each part will cost yet? If not, how could you find out? What might get in the way? If you are ready, write some approximate dates/times beside each planning step. If you have trouble estimating the time some of the steps will take, consult a travel agent, a travel book, ask another person, AI or Google it.
8. Scheduling: As your travel dates are confirmed, you can add them as events to your calendar, scheduling them where it makes sense. Do the same for the planning steps you created above. These planning steps are your “To Dos”, tasks or actions that will make your trip a reality.
9. Review and Adjust: Just because the “To Dos” are in the calendar, does not mean they will happen that way. Be prepared to adjust as needed using your ideas from Step 6.
10. Celebrate: Enjoy your vacation! Take lots of photos and share them with friends and family when you get back.
