Mended Chaos Co

The Reason You’re Here

You didn’t land on this page by mistake.

If you’re an adult with ADHD or a neurodivergent thinker, chances are you’ve bought at least one planner, only to struggle to stick with it.

You’ve tried, really tried. But at some point, guilt creeps in. You feel like you should be more organized. You wonder why something that works for everyone else feels impossible for you.

I get it.

This post isn’t just another list of planner recommendations designed for neurotypical brains. This is a reality check. If planners have failed you in the past, it’s not because you’re lazy or bad at planning, it’s because they weren’t built for how your brain works.

Why Do Planners Fail for ADHD?

Most planners on Amazon, in bookstores, or at Walmart are designed for neurotypicals, people who can remember to use them consistently and follow strict structures.

But ADHD brains? We need something different.

10 Reasons Why Planners Don’t Work for ADHD:

🚫 They require strict consistency → ADHD struggles with routine and daily habit formation
🚫 Too rigid → Most planners expect daily entries, structured layouts, and precise schedules
🚫 Time blindness → It’s hard to estimate time and stick to schedules
🚫 Overwhelming layouts → To-do lists, goal setting, and habit tracking can cause overload paralysis
🚫 Perfectionism trap → If you miss a day or mess up, it feels ruined
🚫 Forgetfulness → You literally forget the planner exists
🚫 Decision fatigue → Too many layout options = mental overload
🚫 No dopamine reward → They don’t feel fun or gratifying
🚫 Not flexible enough → ADHD brains need fluid, adaptable tools
🚫 Feels like work → Planners should help, not feel like another assignment

Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone.

So… What Actually Works?

Instead of forcing ADHD brains into rigid systems, we need to adapt planners to work for us.

Here’s what actually helps:

✨ ADHD-Friendly Planner Types

✔ Bullet Journals → Think of these as a brain dump planner, not a strict agenda.
📌 Tip: Be cautious when looking up bullet journal tutorials, many of them are highly structured or artistic, which can be overwhelming if you prefer simplicity. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

✔ Digital Planners → If you already use your phone, tablet, or computer daily, this is a great ADHD-friendly alternative.
📌 Tip: Digital planners can be customized, meaning you’re not stuck with layouts that don’t work.

✔ Kanban Boards → Drag-and-drop tasks provide instant dopamine boosts.
📌 Tip: You can assign priority levels instead of strict deadlines, so tasks don’t feel urgent or overwhelming.

✔ Whiteboards → Old-school but effective. Keeping a highly visible whiteboard in the kitchen, office, or bedroom helps trigger memory recall.
📌 Tip: Use it for shopping lists, appointments, or quick brain dumps.

✨ ADHD Planning Hacks That Actually Help

✅ Time Blocking (Without Deadlines) → Instead of setting strict deadlines, just block off time to work on tasks. No pressure to finish, just show up.

✅ The Rule of Three → Pick three priorities for the day:

• One top priority (must do)
• Two secondary tasks (would be nice to finish)
• Nothing more! Overloading a to-do list kills motivation.

✅ Gamify Your Tasks → Stickers, checkboxes, and small rewards increase dopamine.
📌 Tip: Check out my post on ADHD-friendly reward ideas for planners for motivation boosts!

✅ Use Timers → Break paralysis by setting a 5-minute “Just Start” timer.
📌 Tip: You don’t have to finish, just starting builds momentum.

✅ Ditch the Dates → Strict schedules don’t work for ADHD. Instead, group tasks into categories.
📌 Tip: Read my post on How to Make a Planner With No Strict Schedule for a flexible system.

✅ Keep It Visible → Out of sight, out of mind.
📌 Tip: Pin your digital planner to your home screen or leave your physical planner in a high-traffic area.

✨ My ADHD Planning Journey

I’ve tried almost every planner out there. Some were too bare-bones, while others were too complicated.

📌 In school, my notebooks were meticulously organized, yet my agenda sat empty.
📌 In college, I felt overwhelmed by schedules and deadlines, buying planner after planner… only to never use them.
📌 I even bought planners designed for ADHD, only to open them and find 50 pages of goal setting before I could even write my first task.

My first breakthrough? Bullet journaling. But after two months, it started feeling like another job.

Then I had a bigger realization: I didn’t need a perfect planner, I needed a system that worked for me.

✔ Whiteboards became my go-to – a quick, visual way to track what matters.
✔ Kanban boards transformed my work life – I use Slack’s built-in board for organizing tasks and reminders.
✔ Digital planners finally clicked – they give me the customization and flexibility I need.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but with some trial and error, you can find what works for YOU.

✨ What About You?

💬 Have you struggled with planners? What system works best for you? Drop a comment below, I’d love to hear your experiences!

Need help or want to say hi? You can always email me at hello@mendedchaosco.com.