Struggling to Stay on Top of Your To-Do List? Try This ADHD-Friendly Strategy
Do you ever look at your to-do list and feel completely overwhelmed? Instead of helping you stay productive, it just reminds you of how much you haven’t done. (Do you have those moments when you realize you forgot what your to do list was and you never wrote it down?)
If you have ADHD, this is not your fault. Traditional to-do lists don’t always work for ADHD brains—but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a system that actually does work for you.
How do we do that? We make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard using ADHD-friendly strategies to structure your to-do list in a way that works with your brain, not against it.
Let’s break down why to-do lists often fail for ADHDers and how to create one that actually helps you stay focused, build momentum, and feel accomplished.
Why ADHD Brains 🧠 Struggle with Traditional To-Do Lists
ADHD is a dopamine-driven brain condition. This means your brain craves immediate rewards and struggles with:
- Task Initiation → Getting started feels impossible some days
- Time Perception → Underestimating how long tasks take, how much time is passing, etc.
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Prioritization → Everything feels equally urgent—or not urgent at all
- Motivation → Tasks without immediate rewards feel boring
A study published in The Journal of Neural Transmission found that ADHD brains have lower dopamine levels, which makes completing routine tasks feel physically exhausting.
So how can you help yourself with this?
Structure your to-do list so that it triggers dopamine, celebrates your wins, and makes it easier to follow through.
Start with Small Wins (Dopamine Hack for Motivation)
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Completing small, achievable tasks releases dopamine, making it easier to stay motivated.
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Breaking tasks into micro-steps reduces overwhelm and makes starting easier.
Instead of: “Write a blog post”
Try: “Write the first sentence for the blog post”
Instead of: “Clean the house”
Try: “Set a 5-minute timer and deal with one area”
Your first task should be so small that it’s impossible to fail—this creates a dopamine reward that makes the next task easier.
Use a “Done List” to Track Progress & Boost Confidence
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Research shows that tracking accomplishments increases motivation and confidence.
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Seeing visual proof of progress helps ADHDers overcome time blindness.
How to Use a Done List 📝:
- Keep a separate section for completed tasks
- Cross tasks off and write a short note about how they made you feel
- Review your progress at the end of each day to reinforce motivation
Your ADHD-Friendly Done List might look like (imagine you get to cross these all off):
- Sent one email (Kept it short and simple!)
- Folded laundry (Glad I didn’t try to do it all at once!)
- Wrote a rough draft of my blog post (Feeling creative today!)
- Cooked food for the day while I procrastinated writing (a win is a win.)
Bonus action: Pair your Done List with gratitude by acknowledging the effort behind each task, not just the result. You put in the time. You are showing up for yourself. You are putting in the effort to make changes and help yourself. That’s awesome!
Gamify Your Productivity (Make It Fun & Rewarding)
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Gamification triggers dopamine, making boring tasks more engaging.
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ADHD brains thrive on short-term rewards, so mini wins help maintain momentum.
How to Gamify Your To-Do List:
- Use Habit Trackers → Check off tasks like a game leaderboard
- Try Point Systems → Assign points to tasks & reward yourself for hitting a goal
- Set Timer Challenges → Try “beat the clock” focus sprints (e.g., 10 or 25-minute bursts)
- Make Bets With Friends → Pay your friends $10 for every deadline you miss
Here's what your ADHD Habit Tracker might look like (Weekly View):
| Task | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Write 3 MITs (Most Important Tasks) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Take a 10-min movement break | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Brain dump before bed | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
You can use an app as a habit tracker, or you can totally make one on paper, in a journal, or on a post it. Put it somewhere you will see it regularly, so it acts as a visual reminder of the habits you are wanting to spend time on.
Prioritize Your List Using the “MIT Method” (Most Important Tasks First)
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Prioritization is harder for ADHD brains due to executive function challenges.
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Choosing just 3 key tasks per day makes decision-making less overwhelming.
How to Choose Your MITs (Most Important Tasks):
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Ask: "If I only get 3 things done today, what will make the biggest impact?"
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Write them at the top of your list before anything else.
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Schedule them in your calendar or set reminders for when you plan to do them.
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Focus on these first, then move on to other tasks.
Use Time Blocking for ADHD-Friendly Planning
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ADHD brains resist rigid schedules but thrive with structured flexibility.
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Time blocking helps reduce decision fatigue while leaving room for creativity.
How to Use ADHD Time Blocks:
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Pick 1-2 hour work blocks instead of planning every minute.
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Use “Focus Sprints” - 25-45 min of deep work, followed by a break.
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Adjust as needed - if you can’t focus, switch tasks or take a break.
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Plan Ahead - plan your day the night before or the morning of, first thing.
Visual timers can help you stay on track without constantly checking the clock.
I make my work blocks twice as long as I think they need to be for me to complete a task, so my procrastination or transition time is built into my calendar. This makes it less overwhelming for me to keep up with my daily calendar events.
Even if you don’t follow your schedule fully, as long as it is helping you get more done, IT IS WORKING and worth the effort.
Build Confidence One Task at a Time
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Start with small, achievable tasks to create momentum.
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Track progress with a Done List to celebrate every win.
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Give yourself Rewards to positively reinforce the good choices you’re making.
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Gamify your to-do list so productivity feels rewarding.
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Use the MIT Method to stay focused on priorities.
Time block with flexibility so your schedule works with your ADHD brain.
Your to-do list isn’t just a productivity tool—it can be your confidence builder. Every small win reinforces the belief that you CAN follow through, you ARE capable, and you ARE making progress.
Keep going. You are worth the effort that it takes to make progress and learn how to work with your brain. Your efforts make your life better.
You might already know all of this stuff, and you fail to use it. If that's the case, you need an accountability partner. Find someone in your life or hire a coach to help you implement, build your consistency muscles, and finally reach your goals. Having:
- a plan for how you will put something into practice
- a system for reminders
- a plan to monitor your progress and check in on longer term goals
- an accountability partner who will check in and discuss progress regularly
increases your likelihood of reaching your goals by 95%.
Ready to Master Your To-Do List & Focus?
👉 Need 1:1 Coaching? Get personalized ADHD productivity strategies & accountability from me here.