Task Management for ADHD Brains
ADHD-friendly task management is built on four principles: frictionless capture, fast triage, a short do-now list, and a regular review ritual. The system must be simpler than the tasks it manages.
3Tasks
5Minutes
Capture Everything
Description: Use one inbox, not many. A single app, a voice memo, or a pocket notebook. The rule is: if it enters your head, it goes in the inbox immediately.
Triage the Inbox
Description: Process your inbox once daily. For each item: do it now (under 2 minutes), schedule it, delegate it, or delete it. Never leave items in the inbox.
Execute with a Do-Now List
Description: Each morning, pull three tasks from your backlog onto a do-now list. These are your only tasks for the day. Add more only when all three are done.
System Setup Checklist
Choose one capture tool (app or notebook, not both)
Create an inbox, a backlog, and a do-now section
Schedule a daily 10 minute triage session
Set a recurring weekly review (Sunday or Monday morning)
Write task names as actions: verbs first, specific outcomes
Pair tasks with time estimates to reduce avoidance
The most common failure point is skipping the daily triage. Without it, the inbox fills and becomes another source of anxiety. Protect the triage habit above all.