Common advice says to “start with the end in mind” but with ADHD, this can often feel too far away to visualize.

Even when you've accomplished a task before, such as organizing your desk, you might forget what that organization looks like as soon as things start to get out control again. This can make it difficult to repeat multi-step tasks and maintain any routines to keep things in some sort of order. Without a clear picture of the end goal, it's easy to miss steps along the way, or struggle to even know where to start.

Rather than getting frustrated, you can be proactive by creating a clear visual reference of your end goal.

Simply take a photo of the area or task when you've completed it and store it somewhere easy to find again later, maybe in a dedicated album on your phone called “Done States.” Make sure to capture all the important details.

You can even think of this as a celebratory “after” photo to show off your success!

Whenever you need to reorganize or complete that task again, you've got the perfect "end in mind" reference photo to be a clear visual guide to aim for.

This best part is this strategy can be useful for all sorts of scenarios:

• Organizing spaces: desk drawers, closet, pantry, bathroom counter, etc.

• Packing: gym bag, work bag, suitcase for trips

• Routines: morning coffee setup, bedtime routine items

• Project completion: how your workspace should look at the end of a project

By having a visual reference of the “done” state, you give yourself a clear target to aim for. This can help you get started, remember all the steps involved, and know when you're actually finished.

This strategy might not help with getting started the first time around, but once you've started to create a library of these Done States, you'll being to notice similarities that can be used for related tasks in the future.

If you find a new or better way to organize or complete a task—or just a more reasonable approach—feel free to update the photo as needed. The goal is a helpful visual guide for you, not an unattainable state you achieved that one single time in hyperfocus frenzy.

Stay curious,
Jesse J. Anderson

Links

• Creating Inclusive Workspaces [Developing Dynamic Leaders]

• What is masking in ADHD? [Shimmer]

• The Liminal Space of a Late ADHD Diagnosis [Skye Waterson]