I'm Busy Being Awesome - Sustainable Productivity for ADHD Episode 336: How to Plan with ADHD (Without Getting Overwhelmed)
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Jan 5, 2026 Explore how to make planning less overwhelming for ADHD minds. Discover the iterative mindset that embraces progress over perfection. Learn to reframe scheduling as supportive rather than restrictive. Understand why traditional planners often fail and how flexibility can coexist with structure. Find out how to manage sabotaging thoughts and treat planning as an ongoing experiment. Tune in for practical strategies that empower you to adjust your approach and stay anchored amidst distractions!
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Planners Weren't Designed For ADHD
- Traditional planners assume linear thinking and consistent energy, which misfits many ADHD brains.
- Paula Engebretson reframes schedules as supports that provide flexible containers, not rigid rules.
The Planner Graveyard
- Paula describes owning many planners that start with hope and end up in her "planner graveyard."
- This example illustrates repeated fresh-start energy followed by abandonment and self-blame.
Schedules As Bookends
- A schedule functions like bookends: it holds your day while allowing you to move tasks within containers.
- This structure reduces decision fatigue and gives a home base to return to after derailments.