Designing Personalized ADHD-Friendly Systems

This month, we are diving into a hot executive function skill topic: designing personalized, ADHD-friendly systems that work for you. This is part of the organization executive function skill. Organization is an executive function skill (a brain-based skill). For some of us, it's a strength; for others, it's a challenge; and for many, it's somewhere in between, depending on the context or the specific task. Whether it is a strength, a challenge, or a moderate for you, you can improve. When inevitable mistakes happen (they happen for all of us), remember: It's not your fault. It's your brain doing its best. Try to have self-compassion even as you work to develop strategies and skills to maximize your functioning.

What Is Organization?

Organization is the ability to create and maintain systems for items, paperwork, electronic documents, and important tasks (Mutti-Driscoll, 2024).

A lot of organization comes from having systems. For a lot of us, we actually already have some systems in place, but we may not recognize them. The purpose of this post is to reflect on what you are already doing, so you have a foundation to build from.

Does your organization vary across contexts, like home versus work? I am pretty good at organizing tasks, but routines, papers, and physical items are tricky. For me, electronic documents are easier than physical papers. Routines, however, are pretty hard unless they are super duper simple.

Navigating gender expectations: Social expectations often dictate that girls and women should be naturally organized. Girls and women who struggle to clean up, organize their music, or complete self-care routines often receive negative feedback or are deeply misunderstood. This is me. I have definitely struggled with being judged or misunderstood about my organization's challenges. Because my challenges are everywhere at home all the time, it can be hard to keep these mindsets in mind. I am always working on being more self-compassionate and looking at it in a non-shaming way, but it is a process. You are not alone.

Key Mindsets for Neurodivergent Organization

When thinking about organization, it helps to foster some mindsets:

• Your systems might look different: If you are neurodivergent with ADHD or another diagnosis, the organization may look different than people expect. Some people have systems that work perfectly for them, even if they look messy from the outside. If you can find things when you need them, you have a good skill in this area, even if others don't recognize it.
• Care tasks are morally neutral. Being organized or disorganized is not a moral failing. Reframe care tasks as functional acts that benefit your future self rather than moral obligations. What things actually matter to you, rather than just avoiding the judgment of people outside? Shame is a bad motivator.
• Rhythms or rituals over routines. Are you more drawn to the concept of a weekly or daily rhythm rather than a rigid routine? With a rhythm, it's OK to miss a step. This is much better for my brain.
• Functionality over perfection. A lot of us get caught in the perfectionism trap, thinking that if we are just perfect or hard enough on ourselves, we will feel good. Logically, we know that it is unattainable and leads to burnout. Instead, ask: What helps you in your space? How can your space serve you rather than stress you out?

My Personal Organization Systems

It may be generous to call these "systems" because many of my strategies are very simple, but they DO count because they help me quite a bit of the time, and they are worth recognizing as a result. What are you already doing, dear reader, to help yourself be organized? Would you add any tasks, tools, or strategies to my list below?

Decluttering

• I subscribe to the Ridwell program to pick up clothes and plastic film every two weeks so they don't build up. I've used Buy Nothing groups in the past, though it can be a bit labor-intensive.

Paperwork

• A weekly routine to go through mail, pay bills, and file things into a yearly file. Chunking tasks helps me sit down and bust out admin emails all at once.

Weekly Chores

• Having a designated "chore day." Sunday serves as a deadline for various tasks (paperwork, bills, laundry) to get done before Monday.

Laundry

• Using a timer so I remember when it's time to switch the loads.

Finding Items

• I use the Tile app to find my keys and my phone. I also buy multiples of vital items like sunglasses and sunscreen, so I can usually find at least one.

Filing

• I have a short-term file for the current year, and a longer-term file that a professional organizer helped me create. At the end of the year, I transfer the short-term to the long-term and start fresh.

To-Do Lists

• I use the Gmail task list alongside a physical Planner Pad where I make and prioritize daily lists.

Cleaning

• I am working on using the Tiimo app to track a daily cleaning routine.

• Cleaning a messy space by going through it categorically (trash, dishes, laundry, items with a place, etc.). This can make a chaotic space seem less overwhelming, since you'll address its parts one by one.

Cooking

• Implementing "same days" to reduce decision fatigue, like Taco Tuesday and Waffle Wednesday.

ADHD Essential Reads

How ADHD Stimulant Medications Really Work

What a 20-Minute ADHD Evaluation Can and Can't Tell You

Grocery Shopping

• I dictate my grocery list to Alexa so I can easily see the list on my phone when I get to the store.

I want to recognize myself for these efforts, and I want to recognize you for yours, too. We are all doing our very best, and that is so much better than doing nothing.