Low-tech tools still work for many people with ADHD, sometimes better than apps. A to-do spike for sticky notes, a large customizable print planner, a pocket notebook or index cards keep tasks visible and make finishing them satisfying. The key is finding a system that fits your brain and sticking with it until it’s a habit.
Recently, I’ve been writing and coaching about how a variety of tech tools and especially AI-driven tools can help ADHDers. I am a great believer in using tech for our own needs rather than having tech control us.
But this work has a way of keeping you humble and so I have been reminded by clients, family members and friends that low tech workarounds still have their place and for some people are far superior.
Here’s a good one:
The To-Do List Spike
- Write your To Dos on a Post-It note
- When each one is done, stab it on this spike
“Why do you use that?” I asked my teen client who uses the spike.
“I saw it on Instagram, and it feels great.”
It’s kind of hard to argue with. Physical post-its littering your desk are much harder to ignore than an app or spreadsheet buried on your computer or phone. And think of the dopamine hit when you mash those post-its onto the spike!
The Return of Print Planners
I have a client a little younger than me who swears by using a print planner. It’s been awhile since I was working with somebody who uses a print planner; most ADHDers are too worried about losing them and want their planner integrated with reminders and alarms.
“Why do you use a print planner?” I asked the client, battling to keep the incredulity out of my voice.
“I can see a month at a time, I am more likely to remember my appointments and do my ToDos if I write them down, and the planner is so big that I don’t lose it.”
One principle of ADHD coaching is if somebody has a system that they like and use, you can modify the system but absolutely do not try to replace it.
It turns out that print planners have made great strides in recent years and now you can customize them exactly how you want them:
We had a fun session talking through exactly how my client wanted to set up her planner; we debated whether she should keep her To Dos on each spread or in a running list in the last ⅓ of the planner. She chose to put them at the back because she wasn’t confident that she would move undone To Dos forward each month.
The Little To-Do Notebook
My younger son, Eli (thank you E for allowing me to write about you) told me recently he was going to keep his To Do items in a small notebook that he plans to carry around with him at school.
I have my doubts about this one: I know my son and there is a very high chance that he will lose a small notebook like this. But he is 16 and he doesn’t really want to hear it from me these days so I kept my mouth closed. And who knows, maybe this system will work for him?
Dad’s Notecards
Eli’s little notebook did jog my memory of my Dad’s system. He was an anesthesiologist and I have a strong visual memory of index cards with scrawled To Do items crammed into the pockets of his medical coats. (This does make me realize where that my Dad must have had his own set of workarounds just like Eli and me and probably was the genetic source of our issues, albeit the kindest person I have known.)
My dad swore by this system. He retired before we all carried around phones so digital was never even an option for him. But I bet he loved tearing up each card when he was done!!
So here’s the takeaway – Find the system that works for your brain and own it. It might be digital or physical or a combination of both. Experiment until you find a system that works for you and then stick with it and keep using it until it’s a habit that doesn’t take too much effort.
Quick questions
Are paper planners good for people with ADHD?
They can be. A large print planner is hard to lose and lets you see a whole month at a glance. The trade-off is no reminders or alarms, so it works best if you check it every day.
Should I switch to a new to-do system?
If you already have a system you like and use, adjust it instead of replacing it. If nothing has stuck, try one physical and one digital option for a couple of weeks each and keep whichever you actually use.
