Calm planning with ADHD
Time blocking with ADHD
Time blocking with ADHD works with short blocks of fifteen to thirty minutes, plenty of air in between and one task per block. Start each block with a fixed starting ritual and end it with a timer. If a block fails, move it to a new moment instead of giving up the whole day. Plan rest as a block too.
Good to know
This is practical planning help, not medical or therapeutic advice. If you have questions about ADHD itself, talk to your GP or a healthcare professional.
Ordinary time blocking and an adapted version
| Often recommended | Adapted | |
|---|---|---|
| Length of a block | 60 to 90 minutes | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Between blocks | Little | At least 10 minutes of air |
| Tasks per block | A few | One |
| When it goes wrong | Keep going or skip it | Choose a new moment straight away |
| Rest | Whatever is left | A block of its own |
A sample afternoon
| Time | Block |
|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.20pm | Paperwork: pay one bill, answer one email |
| 1.20 to 1.35pm | Air: a glass of water, a moment outside |
| 1.35 to 1.55pm | Home: bathroom, timer set for 20 minutes |
| 1.55 to 2.15pm | Air |
| 2.15 to 2.30pm | People: call Gran |
| 2.30pm | Free |
Five rules
- A starting ritualAlways the same: get some water, set the timer, turn your phone over. That makes starting easier.
- Visible timeA timer you can see counting down helps you know how much time is left.
- One taskIf something else comes to mind, write it down and go back.
- Air is workA block without a buffer after it almost always runs over.
- Move, do not deleteA missed block gets a new moment straight away. A missed day is not a missed week.
How SortYourMind does it
The blocks are made for you
SortYourMind makes the blocks for you. The app reads when you are busy in Outlook or Google Calendar and places SyMslots in your free time, priority 1 first and always on the day you chose. If a block runs over or does not happen, the app replans from now and moves what no longer fits to a later moment. You do not have to make the plan again yourself.
No card needed. Basic stays free. Works in the browser on any device.