My Ongoing Experiment with Lists and Staying Organized
I haven’t been writing as often as I’d like lately, but I’m still here. Life has been moving fast, and between work, class, business and just life, my energy often runs very low. If you’re neurodivergent like me—specifically ADHD—you might understand this all too well.
As a high-functioning neurodivergent, I know the struggle of being perceived as extremely organized and productive while internally battling focus issues. I produce a lot of work daily, yet focusing on a single task can be painfully difficult. My brain often blanks out mid-task, leaving me staring at my screen, unable to remember what I was just doing. It’s frustrating, and if I don’t have a system to keep me on track, things quickly spiral into chaos.
Why Lists Are My Lifeline
Because of this, notes and lists have become my go-to survival strategy. Writing things down helps me offload the mental clutter and gives me something tangible to refer back to when my brain refuses to cooperate. I’ve experimented with different ways to keep track of tasks, but lately, I’ve been refining my approach.
Instead of having notes scattered everywhere, I’ve started keeping them all in one book. Here’s how I’m structuring it:
• A Weekly Running List – I dedicate a page to jot down tasks as they come up throughout the week.
• Frequent Check-ins – I revisit the list frequently during the day, checking off completed tasks and noting any new ones.
• Meeting Notes in the Same Book – This way, everything work-related stays in one place, but I still need a color-coding system to quickly identify what requires my attention.
It’s may not be a foolproof system, but it has potential. It’s helping me regain a sense of control, and I like that it’s flexible enough to evolve with my needs.
Still Figuring It Out? Same Here.
I know I’m not alone in this. The idea of the “perfect” productivity system is honestly a myth—what works for one person may not work for another, and for those of us with ADHD brains, we often need to switch things up periodically to stay engaged.
So, I’m curious—how do you stay on top of tasks? Have you found a system that works perfectly for you, or are you like me, constantly tweaking and trying new things?
Let’s share ideas because, honestly, I could use all the help I can get!
Ah yes! Thank you for sharing this!
I'm also perceived as a highly organized and productive person. Sometimes, that's far from the truth.
In my line of work - creating jewelry and accessories - I write many tasks lists to keep me on point with my production expectations. However, most times, I end up riding into the sunset with so many other creations that weren't on the list or even in my thoughts at the time the list was being written.
Don't get me started on writing in multiple books! I currently have 6 books on my work desk that I write in frequently. My intention was to write different things in each book in order to stay "organized". Ha! What a joke! I do try but at this point every book has been compensating for each other. I choose one then start writing. Whether it be tasks, ideas, random thoughts or goals etc. I do believe that my Gratitude journal is the only one that has lived up to its sole purpose.
Although I prefer to write, I'm not always able to grab a book. Therefore, I've spent a lot of time researching, downloading and trying out mobile apps. I'm presently using an app called "Tasks" and it works very well for me. I've been using it for over 2 years (if memory serves me correctly). It's user friendly interface and customizable features allows me to organize and review tasks dependent on my mood each time I open the app. Literally!
Of course, you know that I have 5 million lists running in this app, all filled with another 10 millions tasks. Sigh, but I've definitely seen a difference with my overall productivity in life when I actively use the app. So in honesty it works well enough!
At the end of the day, I'm yet to figure out a fool proof or "PERFECT" way to stay on top of tasks. I'm of the firm belief that there's absolutely no such thing!
I am really happy to know I'm not alone here. The many notes books to house different things... I've so been there and then all things end up in all books lol... I love the idea of a gratitude journal but can never stick to it... the writing it down that is... I try my best to focus on the things I'm grateful for on a daily basis though.
I have being doing my Journaling on my on my iPad though in my attempt to use less paper and it works well for that, but there is just something about having a notebook and actual ink pens that just does it for me...lol.
I will be looking into the app *Task* thank you for sharing that with us.
Nonetheless we keep tweaking until we find a system if not a specific tool that works for us.