Thank you for purchasing our A-OK! EVERY DAY, printable planner
A-OK EVERY DAY printable planner
I'm on a mission to get you organized, reduced your overwhelm, calm your brain, and increase your productivity.
Planning for the ADHD brain must:
1. Be simple
2. Include a system/structure
3. Generate positive emotion
What generates positive emotion?
Fun (humor/creativity)
Things that we’re interested in
Novelty
Things that challenge us/Competition
Deadlines
We don’t have Nike (“Just Do It!”) kind of brains but if we weave fun, interest, novelty and challenge (stay away from deadlines as they're an unhealthy way to be productive over the long term) into what we’re trying to get done, we can spike our own dopamine which is a very effective way to achieving our goals.
When you're feeling anxious and depressed and find yourself procrastinating, the fastest way to feel better is to:
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Step 1: Brain Download
If you have too many ideas, to-dos and deadlines cluttering up your brain, start with the Brain Download. All of these thoughts increase your stress and anxiety and contribute to your feelings of overwhelm.
Get them all out of your head by writing every last one of them (both personal and professional) down. If you run out of space use an additional Brain Download card or a blank piece of paper.
Use the Key Code to determine how to categorize each of these items.
Put a "D" in front of any items you can delegate to a work colleague, spouse or your kids.
Put an "H" in front of what you don't enjoy doing that you can hire out (housecleaner, laundry, gardener, assistant).
Put a "U" in front of what needs to be done urgently.
Put a "W" in front of what you want to do but is not urgent.
Choose ONE medium to large goal from your A-OK Brain Download per week.
Get them all out of your head by writing every last one of them (both personal and professional) down. If you run out of space use an additional Brain Download card or a blank piece of paper.
Use the Key Code to determine how to categorize each of these items.
Put a "D" in front of any items you can delegate to a work colleague, spouse or your kids.
Put an "H" in front of what you don't enjoy doing that you can hire out (housecleaner, laundry, gardener, assistant).
Put a "U" in front of what needs to be done urgently.
Put a "W" in front of what you want to do but is not urgent.
Choose ONE medium to large goal from your A-OK Brain Download per week.
- This is a personal goal that you really care about. This goal doesn't just hold your interest but your intention. You want to accomplish this goal just for you, not for others. Can you articulate why accomplishing this goal is so important to you?
- Being able to quickly connect with the intention behind your goal is important when you're procrastinating.
- This will be your weekly goal. Do you really know what the steps are to accomplish this goal?
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Step 2: Goal Decode
Part of the reason that we struggle with planners is that we tend to see a goal as one big task. This ensures that we underestimate how much time it takes to complete said task.
After all, we’re not only time optimists but we struggle to break tasks down. Instead, we move "build website" from one task list to another for months on end.
That huge task is so overwhelming that we don't know where to start so we don’t. This hardly makes us feel successful and is what leads us to believe that we're incapable of planning.
Follow the prompts on the Goal Decode
List your weekly goal.
Break down this goal on your Goal Decode into the smallest basic steps that must be completed to move your goal forward.
Estimate how long it will take you to complete your individual tasks.
Mark SMALL TASKS which can be completed in under 30 minutes.
Mark MEDIUM TASKS which take longer than 30 minutes to complete.
After all, we’re not only time optimists but we struggle to break tasks down. Instead, we move "build website" from one task list to another for months on end.
That huge task is so overwhelming that we don't know where to start so we don’t. This hardly makes us feel successful and is what leads us to believe that we're incapable of planning.
Follow the prompts on the Goal Decode
List your weekly goal.
Break down this goal on your Goal Decode into the smallest basic steps that must be completed to move your goal forward.
Estimate how long it will take you to complete your individual tasks.
Mark SMALL TASKS which can be completed in under 30 minutes.
Mark MEDIUM TASKS which take longer than 30 minutes to complete.
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For years, Christie O. wanted to create a YouTube channel for her business but she couldn't start. Here is how she finally succeeded using our Goal Decode cards.
Step 3: A-OK! Weekly Task List Cards
When we struggle with ordinary planners but find success with a different kind of planner, we feel accomplished and this motivates us to stick with it.
We are Gold Star People.
Every time you successfully check a task off your WEEKLY TASK LIST, you get a jolt of positive emotion (a.k.a. dopamine.) That further motivates you to continue. This is why it's important that you make a point of celebrating your success because this too motivates us to stick with it. Take the time to pause, feel the positive emotion that's generated by completing each task and give yourself a gold star.
Follow the prompts on the Weekly Task List:
Print the one goal that you've chosen for yourself at the top of your Weekly Task List. This is your Weekly Goal.
Add your Goal Decode tasks to your Weekly Task List FIRST.
Add no more than two MEDIUM GOAL TASKS to any day; no more than 10 total for the week.
Add scheduled appointments next
Add to-dos from your Brain Download after that
Be realistic. The goal is to complete all your tasks by the end of the week. When we're successful we generate positive emotion and want to continue.
We are Gold Star People.
Every time you successfully check a task off your WEEKLY TASK LIST, you get a jolt of positive emotion (a.k.a. dopamine.) That further motivates you to continue. This is why it's important that you make a point of celebrating your success because this too motivates us to stick with it. Take the time to pause, feel the positive emotion that's generated by completing each task and give yourself a gold star.
Follow the prompts on the Weekly Task List:
Print the one goal that you've chosen for yourself at the top of your Weekly Task List. This is your Weekly Goal.
Add your Goal Decode tasks to your Weekly Task List FIRST.
Add no more than two MEDIUM GOAL TASKS to any day; no more than 10 total for the week.
Add scheduled appointments next
Add to-dos from your Brain Download after that
Be realistic. The goal is to complete all your tasks by the end of the week. When we're successful we generate positive emotion and want to continue.
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STEP 4: AOK! Monthly Calendar
Add your appointments to your monthly calendar.
Celebrate your progress by writing down what you're most proud of every day.
Celebrate your progress by writing down what you're most proud of every day.
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Planning tips for your ADHD Brain...
Spend 30 minutes every Saturday morning planning your upcoming week so you can hit the ground running on Monday morning.
What time of day are you most productive? Tackle your MEDIUM TASKS then.
You may want to start your day by completing a SMALLER TASK. If you're struggling to start, completing a SMALLER TASK may serve to generate enough dopamine and positive emotion to motivate you to follow that smaller task with a larger task.
We are more productive when we are having fun and feeling challenged. This increases our chance of completing our tasks and to-dos. Ask yourself, are some tasks easier to complete when you can:
- Listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks
- Watch television
- Take a walk
- Work in a coffee shop or co-working space
- Virtually co-work using an application like Focusmate
If you're procrastinating, you're likely overwhelmed. Consider breaking down your to-dos into even smaller tasks.
