Life is just like a puzzle. For those of us with ADHD, it’s not always easy to plan things in advance. Those puzzle pieces don’t always come together with ease!
ADHD can make it challenging to stick to schedules, remember important dates, and meet deadlines. Therefore, we often need help in developing planning and organization skills.
Fortunately, many proven strategies can help you manage your time better and achieve your goals.
We all want to be productive and efficient throughout the day. However, most of us struggle with managing our time and fail to accomplish even the simplest tasks. Planning is the key to success, and with the right strategies, you can master your life while still maintaining sanity and balance.
In this blog post, we will discuss a few helpful 10-minute strategies you can learn to improve your planning and organizational skills. Let’s take a closer look.
Click here to jump to the TL;DR summary.
What Exactly Are Planning Skills?
Planning skills refer to an individual’s capacity to develop an order or a process for a particular goal or task. These skills include breaking down tasks into sub-tasks, scheduling, prioritizing, and estimating the time required for each activity. Effective planning also involves clear and precise goal-setting and problem-solving.
All these aspects of planning work together to ensure a project is executed efficiently and effectively.
For people with ADHD, planning can be a daunting task for several reasons. For one, ADHD can make it challenging to sustain attention, which makes it difficult to focus and plan for a long period.
Also, you may struggle with prioritizing tasks in order of importance, leading to procrastination or getting easily distracted. Of course, ADHD often leads to impulsive behavior, which can cause people to veer off their planned schedule.
How Can You Improve Your Planning Skills?
Planning is a vital life skill. It is the ability to identify and prioritize tasks and then execute them in a timely manner. But developing those planning skills can be a challenge. It’s not just about getting things done but how to manage your time well to complete those tasks.
Sometimes, we need quick and easy strategies that we can implement right away. Here are a few 10-minute strategies to teach planning skills that require minimal preparation and can be easily done at home.
10-Minute Strategies to Teach Planning Skills
1. Write To-Do’s on a Calendar
If you struggle with staying on track, it can be helpful to write down your goals for the day or week. This will help you stay focused and motivated, and it will give you a clear sense of what you need to accomplish.
Take a few minutes each morning to write down your goals for the day, and then check in with yourself at the end of the day to see how well you did. This helps you keep an eye on your activities and ensures you don’t miss doing anything essential. Also, having the satisfaction of scratching that to-do list off your calendar can be very motivating.
2. Try Checklists or Graphic Organizers
Creating checklists or graphic organizers with clear, achievable steps can make a task less daunting and more manageable. Start with the most critical steps first and the tasks you must complete right away.
For a sample visual checklist to organize household tasks each week, try our free downloadable .pdf Weekly Organization Checklist.
3. Cook Something
Following a recipe demands a sequence of steps and strict timing. It also involves planning what ingredients to add and finding missing items. Through cooking (and since we all have to eat anyway!), you can practice planning, organization, and following directions.
Not only that, cooking is an independent task, so it means there’s no need to work with others. This can help reduce stress and makes this an exercise you can easily do in just a few minutes when you have time to spare.
Need help with cooking ideas? Check out the Life Skills Advocate Real Life Executive Functioning Cookbook for easy recipes in a step-by-step visual format.
4. Set Reminders
Setting reminders for important dates, appointments, or meetings is a critical strategy when looking to develop planning skills.
You may want to use software like digital assistants, calendars, clock alarms or free smartphone apps like Google Remind Me, Remember The Milk, or Due.
This way, you don’t have to rely on memory always, but instead can receive timely reminders on appointments, preventing last-minute adjustments and surprises.
5. Download an App
There are all kinds of apps available to help support you, assisting with planning, organization, and time management. Apps like Trello, Any.do, and Pomodoro Tracker provide different services to help organize and assist in time management.
While using a planner or writing sticky notes can be helpful, using technology is a great way to keep yourself on track. Take a few moments out of your schedule to download an app to help you out.
6. Set a SMART Goal
One of the main reasons people struggle with planning is that they fail to prioritize their tasks. It’s essential to understand which tasks are urgent, important, and can wait. For instance, if you have a pressing deadline, that task should take precedence over other tasks that can wait.
Taking 10 minutes each day to identify your priorities can significantly improve your ability to plan effectively.
You can also use this to help you set SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Setting SMART goals can help you create a clear path to achieving your objectives. Take 10 minutes each day to set a SMART goal that aligns with your priorities.
7. Write Down a Due Date
Writing down a due date can help you stay accountable for completing a task. It also helps ensure you don’t forget about the deadline.
Take 10 minutes each day to identify any upcoming deadlines and write them down.
8. Create a Daily Routine
Creating a daily routine can significantly improve your planning skills. A routine can help you stay organized and increase your productivity. Use 10 minutes each day to plan out your routine for the following day.
9. Break a Large Project Into Smaller Steps
Big goals can be daunting, but breaking them down into smaller tasks can make them more manageable. This approach is known as the “divide and conquer” method. Identify the steps required to achieve your goal and create smaller tasks out of them.
This way, you can track your progress more easily and increase your chances of success. Use 10 minutes each day to reflect on your big goals and create smaller tasks.
10. Think Big Picture First – and Begin With the End in Mind
Before starting anything, always take a minute to visualize the big picture. Identify the ultimate goal and work backward. Break down the dream into concrete, achievable steps. This strategy will give you a clear idea of the path you should follow, making it easier to stay on track.
11. Set Yourself Deadlines
Deadlines are an excellent way to add structure and purpose to your goals. Set a realistic deadline for each task, and stick to it. This strategy will help you manage your time more effectively, and it will result in improved productivity and efficiency.
12. Come Up With a Quick System to Automate Part of Your Day
Automating specific aspects of your daily life is an excellent way to free up time and reduce stress. For example, you could automate your bills, social media posts, or email responses. This strategy will help you focus on more important tasks without neglecting minor but necessary tasks.
13. Download a Productivity Planner
Digital planners are a great way to keep yourself accountable and stay on top of your tasks. Most platforms include features like task assignments, reminders, and to-do lists. Choose a platform that works for you, and start organizing your life today.
14. Brainstorm a To-Do List First Thing in the Morning
Starting the day off with a clear idea of what needs to be done is a fantastic way to increase focus and motivation.
Make a list of everything you need to accomplish that day, and prioritize the most important tasks. This strategy will ensure that you’re productive and efficient throughout the day.
TL;DR: 10-Minute Strategies to Boost Planning Skills
With just some quick strategies, you can improve your planning skills in just ten minutes a day. Whether you struggle with organization or staying on task, these tips will help you stay focused and achieve your goals.
Remember, planning is a critical skill that can help you succeed both in school and in life, so it’s worth taking the time to develop it. With a little practice and a few useful tools, you can become a planning pro in no time!
Further Reading
- Amy Sippl: 10 Planning Skills Every Child Should Learn
- Amy Sippl: How To Use SMART Goal Setting To Teach Daily Living Skills
- Phil Sennett: 11 Tips for Organization and Productivity
- Michael Ruptured: 10 Strategies for Better Time Management