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Struggling with Home Routines? Simple ADHD-Friendly Strategies for Planning & Follow-Through
If you've ever found yourself struggling to stay on top of household tasks, follow through on routines, or even just remember what needs to be done next—you’re not alone. For many people, especially those with ADHD or executive functioning challenges, home management can feel overwhelming. But here’s the good news: with the right strategies, you can create routines that actually work for your brain, not against it.
Understanding ADHD and Executive Functioning in Home Management
Executive functioning is like the brain's command center—it helps us plan, organize, initiate tasks, and follow through on them. When executive functioning is challenged, everyday tasks can feel overwhelming or even impossible to start. This is why so many people with ADHD or ADHD-adjacent traits struggle with home management.
Some of the most common executive functioning difficulties that impact home routines include:
Task initiation – Struggling to start a task, even when you know it needs to be done.
Time awareness – Losing track of time, underestimating or overestimating how long tasks will take.
Task management – Difficulty keeping track of multiple tasks and responsibilities. Feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, which can lead to avoidance.
Prioritization – Struggling to decide which tasks are most important or urgent. Difficulty structuring tasks or knowing where to begin.
Long-term planning – Difficulty setting and following through on goals over time.
If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone. When executive functioning challenges meet household responsibilities, it’s easy to feel like you’re failing at “adulting.” But the reality is, traditional home management strategies often aren’t designed for neurodivergent brains. That means you’re not failing—the system just isn’t built for you!
The key is to reframe routines and structures in a way that works for your brain, rather than trying to force yourself into systems that don’t align with how you function best.
ADHD-Friendly Strategies for Home Routines
1. Make Routines Visible & Tangible
One of the biggest challenges with routines is remembering them. Visual cues and tangible reminders can help:
Use checklists for daily and weekly household tasks.
Create a command center with schedules, reminders, and task lists.
Utilize visual timers (like Time Timers) to keep track of time spent on tasks.
2. The Power of Externalizing Your Plans
Rather than trying to keep everything in your head, use tools to externalize your plans:
Planners and apps – Digital or paper planners help you track what needs to be done.
Sticky notes or whiteboards – Jotting tasks down in a visible space helps prevent forgetting.
Accountability partners – Whether it's a family member or a community, external reminders can keep you on track.
3. Create Flexible, Not Rigid, Structures
Traditional routines can feel restrictive, but flexible structures can provide the necessary support while adapting to how your brain works:
Implement time blocking for tasks instead of strict schedules.
Try a task batching approach – grouping similar tasks together to reduce cognitive load.
Have a backup plan for days when things don’t go as expected.
4. Task Initiation: Overcoming the “Getting Started” Hurdle
Starting tasks can feel like the biggest challenge. A few tricks to overcome this include:
The Five-Minute Rule – Tell yourself you only have to do a task for five minutes. Often, this is enough momentum to keep going.
Pairing tasks with enjoyable activities – Listen to music or a podcast while cleaning.
Body doubling – Work alongside someone else (even virtually) to stay on track.
5. Celebrate Small Wins and Adjust as Needed
Rather than striving for perfection, focus on progress over perfection. Celebrate small wins, and if a system isn’t working, tweak it rather than abandoning it altogether.
Bringing It All Together
Struggling with home routines doesn’t mean you’re lazy or incapable—it just means you need a system that fits your brain. By understanding executive functioning challenges and using ADHD-friendly strategies, you can create home routines that feel manageable, effective, and sustainable. You can develop a system that works with your brain, not against it.
Which of these strategies do you think would work best for you? Try them out, experiment, and give yourself grace in the process. Home management is about progress, not perfection!
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