#adhd planner adult

[turns-out-its-adhd]

I set so many alarms and reminders.

Alarms to get up. Alarms to tell me to go to bed. Alarms to time my lunch break. Alarms to remind me I'm making tea. Calendar reminders to put the bins out and to pay bills. A timer to go off to make me start a task. A timer to make me stop a task.

And yet I am still able to snooze them all.

[ineedfairypee]

Breaking it down doesn’t make the task any easier but starting it usually is 🥰

[dreamscape-doodle]

[marchharesteatable]

Plz give me your help opinions

I am making a planner because I am dyslexic with ADHD, so making words and sticking to things is hard. Therefore I decided to make a planner that I can color in as the day goes on, along with essential planner items. I would love it if you took a look over the week I have so far and give me any opinions, comments, questions, etc.

It looks prettier on my computer as only some of the fonts and such transferred over, but it is the general gist.

I plan to add an end-of-the-week review with a mood tracker, medication and symptom tracker, and a little gratitude journal prompt. I also plan to add a monthly overview with some reviews, reflections, and such.

If you have any ideas, I would Love to hear them about any of this! I have been staring at this all day and am still determining if this is good or not.

[thelightofthingshopedfor]

this time, I told myself, this time I'd do it right, I'd actually make a plan for my week off and I’d get a lot of things done, or at least I’d get some of the things done that are either urgent or that I’ve been needing to do for months or even years, and not just come to the end of the week hating myself more for having had all that time and wasted it

reader, you'll never guess what happened next

I mean, I did get some stuff done! Several things, in fact, but I didn't even finish all the urgent things or get to any of the things I've been meaning to do for months/years, and I barely made a dent in the list of stuff I felt like I should have been able to do during an entire week, so now I feel way worse about it than if I hadn't taken the time off to begin with. and in fact instead of trying to get through at least a couple more things on my list today, I spent most of it basically just trying to distract myself from the spiral of self-loathing...which is to say, not doing any of the things I actually needed to be doing, because that would first require me to choose one of them, which would require me to think about all of them and choose others to give up on doing...which of course also means getting to the end of the day with more panic and self-loathing about the things I could have done and didn’t, and feeling like I should stay up late to do something but I can’t fucking choose because it’s too late to do everything now because I fucked it all up again, and choosing one thing means acknowledging I already failed, is that the problem? when I’m still scrambling for a way to make that not be true even though it’s not possible because, you know, the week’s already over?

but, okay, I did some things, it wasn’t enough but I did some things

made some appointments

got my updated covid booster

did a ton of playtesting, proofreading, and bug reporting in the VN I’m helping test (this admittedly took up way more time than I expected)

wrote and mailed like...35 postcards to voters, which would feel like more of an accomplishment if I didn’t have at least 50 more that should go out on Monday

tentatively arranged some pin trades, mailed another one

bought postcard stamps

hung the biggest of my new pin boards so it doesn’t get knocked over again (there’s nothing on it yet, it’s just out of the way now)

took Hazy to get her nails trimmed

bought...some stuff...from some small business...there were sales, okay, don’t judge me

left some comments on some fics

also left a bunch of Etsy reviews

made a super simple custom Lego minifig Loki, although I’m probably still going to change it; also ordered additional Loki minifigs to do so

took some pictures for eBay

which doesn’t look at all bad when you list it like that, except when you consider I could have probably done most of this stuff in a normal week while working, and the list of things I really, really meant to do was not all that long but the things on it were significant, so...I don’t fucking know.

[smartplanr]

Smartplannr: The Best Planner for ADHD to Boost Productivity

Being organized and efficiently managing your time might provide special problems for people who live with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Thankfully, there are resources and solutions available to help people with ADHD increase their daily productivity and routines. One such tool that is becoming more and more popular among people with ADHD is Smartplannr, which is widely regarded as the greatest planner for this use.

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Conclusion

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[albeitinzane]

sometimes i remember that me having adhd is like. disabling. my friends were talking about their classmates having to ask for extensions because they weren't passionate about the coursework and didn't do it, and i was like "oh i'd likely have to ask for extensions but that's just because brain don't worky" and then they started giving me the really basic adhd tips that everyone has tried like "get a planner" and "take notes" as if the whole problem is me remembering that i have work to do

don't get me wrong, i'm not mad at them for giving this advice; it is helpful advice for some people, and yes, i keep a planner and i write everything down, because i know that if it's important, i don't want to forget it. however, it illustrates to me that people don't understand the full issue around adhd. it's not just "i *forgot* my assignment", it's "i remember my assignment but my brain screams and cries like a baby every time i try to buckle down and do it, so i have to fight myself to get it done".

adhd isn't just "i forgot this". it's "i have the motivation/energy to do this but because it's not the exact niche thing my brain wants to be doing right now, it's a total extra million more pains in my ass". it's having the desire do to 5 billion things at once and not making the moves you need to do to actually do any of them. it's having a fucking toddler in your brain that throws a temper tantrum, full on bawling and screaming and crying every time you want to be a functional adult and it just doesn't feel like doing that right then and there. i love the power of hyperfocus when it comes around, but i can't control when it does. the fact of the matter is that adhd is legitimately disabling for me, and sometimes, all i can do is give myself extra time to strangle my brain goblins and get them to shut up long enough for me to finish my work.

it also reminds me that not every developmentally/intellectually disabled person is going to understand or be entirely empathetic towards my experiences with adhd, because they just don't get why this is a problem i deal with. they don't have adhd. they don't know how it feels to have a goblin in your brain screaming 24/7 and racing in a circle at a billion miles an hour, rarely focusing on one topic for more than 20 minutes to an hour (unless the autism goblin takes control and then i think about nothing but one thing for a whole month but this is about adhd not autism). i'm not upset with them for not understanding, but sometimes i wish i could put them in my shoes so they'd get it, so it'd click for them and they'd understand.

some of my friends have gotten really upset with me about my adhd symptoms before, and all i can do at this point that isn't being unhealthily apologetic is go "sorry man, i can't control that." i feel bad about asking for accommodations like assignment extensions, even though i know they're one of the only things that actually work to help me get anything done. i wonder sometimes if me needing accommodations for my disability means i'm not passionate or good enough, but deeper down i know that's not true.

idk, this is getting rambly. but i generally think people forget that conditions like autism and adhd can, in fact, disable you, and do, in fact, need accommodating. i can't just flip a switch and get my brain to work the way it's supposed to. it's not a skill issue, it's a disability.

tldr: gary!!! i need adderall!!!

[jacebeleren]

im soooo fucking mad i missed my ADHD medication evaluation appointment today because i have ADHD and i fucking forgot. i cant stop crying because i feel so stupid and im so angry. i literally requested today off work so i could have this appointment and i still fucking missed it. god fucking damn it. im so sick of how life-ruining ADHD has been for me. ive been stuck in several dead-end jobs because i barely graduated high school and i dropped out of college. ive wasted so much money paying for things and then forgetting about them or paying late fees for important things ive forgotten. i literally have a stack of several years of daily planners that ive never written in in my desk that my therapists / doctors kept telling me to buy instead of JUST GIVING ME THE FUCKING MEDICATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i cant get anything done i cant remember anything i literally dont have object permanence like a newborn baby. i got diagnosed in 2021 and im only now getting around to having an evaluation for medication because ITS FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO KEEP A CALENDAR AND REMEMBER APPOINTMENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and getting diagnosed was genuinely so embarrassing to me because of the tiktok quirkification of adult ADHD diagnosis. and while im glad i know now so i can at least try to get help i sometimes wish id never found out i have ADHD because thinking about how different my life couldve been if id gotten help sooner pisses me off so bad. and its not like im a person who didnt have access to get diagnosed until recently. ive been privileged enough to have really good healthcare my entire life and ive been in and out of therapy seeing therapists and psychiatrists since i was 10 years old and i got diagnosed autistic when i was 11. but no one ever fucking thought to have me evaluated for ADHD and i didnt know i could ask back then. they just looked at all my problems and said "youre clearly struggling but youre also too smart to need help. just do it." and then they watched me crash and burn instead of FUCKING HELPING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have a lifelong history of having so many mental illnesses and disorders but literally none of them make me violently hate myself as much as my adult ADHD diagnosis does. im so sick and tired of this. can they find a fucking cure for this shit. quickly

[magnetic-dogz]

It was always so frustrating in a way that I couldn't clearly communicate as a teenager to be told a bunch of generic advice on managing ADHD like "use a planner", "make lists", "just set a reminder on your phone" and now it's so fucking relieving that as an adult I've genuinely found stuff that helps motivate me to remember and get tasks done. Some people would probably say the ways I've found to remember things now are """"childish"""" but I Do Not Fucking Care. The joy of knowing what works for me now and being able to remember and get shit done is incomparable to any judgement any neurotypical person ever could cast on me

[ineedfairypee]

Small manageable steps are the key to not stumbling ✨

[notonlycoloringbooks]

ADHD planner for adults 2024: Conquer Distractions, Achieve Goals, and Manage Your ADHD Successfully

2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner

The Ultimate Planner for People with ADHD

Stay organized, focused, and on track with this comprehensive planner designed specifically for people with ADHD.

The 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner is the perfect tool for people with ADHD who are looking to improve their productivity and achieve their goals. This planner is packed with features that are specifically designed to help people with ADHD stay organized and focused, including:

A comprehensive calendar with monthly and yearly overviews

Weekly brain dump pages for capturing all of your thoughts and ideas

Daily journal pages for tracking your progress and reflecting on your day

My Goals pages for setting and tracking your goals

The 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner is also designed to be stylish and functional. The planner is printed on high-quality paper and features a sleek, modern design.

Here are some of the specific features of the 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner that make it so effective for people with ADHD:

**Calendar

The calendar in the 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner is comprehensive and easy to use. It includes monthly and yearly overviews, as well as space for important dates and events. The calendar is also color-coded to help you easily identify different types of events.

**Weekly Brain Dump Pages

The weekly brain dump pages are a great way to capture all of your thoughts and ideas. These pages are large and uncluttered, so you can easily write down everything that's on your mind. The brain dump pages are also a great way to declutter your mind and focus on the present moment.

**Daily Journal Pages

The daily journal pages are a great way to track your progress and reflect on your day. These pages provide space for you to write down your thoughts, feelings, and accomplishments. The journal pages are also a great way to identify patterns and areas where you can improve.

**My Goals Pages

The My Goals pages are a great way to set and track your goals. These pages provide space for you to write down your goals, as well as deadlines and progress updates. The My Goals pages are also a great way to stay motivated and on track.

**Conclusion

The 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner is a valuable tool that can help people with ADHD stay organized, focused, and on track. This planner is packed with features that are specifically designed to meet the needs of people with ADHD. If you're looking for a planner that can help you achieve your goals, the 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner is the perfect choice for you.

**Here are some additional tips for using the 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner:

Use the calendar to track important dates and events.

Use the weekly brain dump pages to capture all of your thoughts and ideas.

Use the daily journal pages to track your progress and reflect on your day.

Set goals for yourself and track your progress on the My Goals pages.

By following these tips, you can get the most out of the 2024 ADHD Brain Dump Planner and achieve your goals.

[cambriancrew]

Just wanna muse a bit about us-Willows' plurality and all the things it's not.

Tw for discussion of trauma, structural dissociation, and triggers

From way back when we were very little, we talked to each other in our head, had our own opinions, could think our own things independently and simultaneously (though only one of us could be thinking in words at a time, but we're primarily nonverbal thinkers) and we swapped control easily and effortlessly and usually at least a few times a day. On school days, Crystal would be in control for most of school, Sunni mostly for recess and hanging out with friends, Shiloh mostly for when we were bored, Anna partly for hanging out with friends at recess and lunch and for dealing with bullies - both harassing us and our friends. After school, it would be Crystal for chores and homework and reading for fun, Sunni for hanging out with family, Anna for watching over our younger siblings, and Shiloh for Bible study and bedtime prayers and meditation to help us sleep. On weekends it would be mostly Crystal for more reading, Shiloh when we got dragged away from books and kicked outside to play (more like "be bored out of our minds while getting fresh air.") Sundays would be a mix of all of us participating in church with Shiloh doing the most, unless we were helping out in the nursery which was Anna's domain.

Keep in mind these were all trends, not hard and fast rules, especially with how easily we switch and how ever-present all of us are.

So while Crystal took the bulk of our time most of the time, and was primary for most of it (the one to do most of the stuff and to be the one who wakes up in control) we were all really present in our life.

And it's been that way too after graduating and in our adult life too.

We don't know how to Not be this way.

We spent several months really considering hard whether we're ANPs or EPs, and recognizing within each of ourselves our ANPs and EPs.

Now, the theory of structural dissociation does suggest that in some cases, alters can each be a grouping of ANPs and EPs. However, that organization within tertiary structural dissociation is heavily associated with more severe dysfunction and distress, which we don't have.

We used to have more symptoms of CPTSD, especially just after we were getting out of our relationship with our abusive ex.

But for us, the distinction between having CPTSD as a plural system, and having tertiary structural dissociation and consequentially DID, is pretty obvious. We don't have amnesia. We have a pretty good memory for the most part, in fact - trained it in childhood to help with ADHD forgetfulness, like forgetting to lock the door on the way out and forgetting to grab our planner before leaving school or forgetting our locker combination if we got a new lock recently, nothing serious like forgetting our personal history or ourselves or people we knew (though our memory for names is still not so great. Part of that is we innately primarily link people to their stories and histories, not names. And we don't really recognize people by faces, but by how they move due to our legal blindness without glasses and how long we went in childhood without glasses. [Didn't get them til we were 15!!]) And even our corrected vision isn't that great. Enough to pass the driver's test, at least.

So. Normal levels of forgetfulness (slightly higher than normal due to undiagnosed untreated ADHD, inattentive type). No amnesia.

And our CPTSD, unlike our PTSD, is very interrelational. Issues with interpersonal relationships and safety and feeling secure. And those are experienced, not between us, but in us Willows as a whole. Our reactions to those are different, but our differences are very much related to our personality differences. And it's like, instead of that trauma pushing us apart, it brought us together. Hard to explain, easy for us to feel.

We feel like, if we had more severe tertiary structural dissociation, it would have affected us more strongly than it does, too. Like we said, and have said before, while we do have C-PTSD it is by and large mostly resolved. We're much more severely affected by our PTSD, especially the food related trauma, which affects us, if not quite daily anymore, then at least a few times a week. And it's still SO MUCH BETTER than it used to be.

Also, our ANPs and EPs are clearly defined within ourselves as individuals. Crystal is primarily the healed core person - core + ANP merge - though she does have CPTSD parts that pop back up from time to time - a firefighter (addicted to escapism through reading) and exile (inner child that bears a lot of shame and perfectionism and used to have a lot of self-directed anger) and manager (perfectionist learner who wants to know all the things in order to protect ourselves and people we know.) Each of the rest of us have a similar set - a mostly healed ANP + core merge, and some or all of the CPTSD parts.

Our EPs only come out when we're triggered, and that's pretty rare these days. Even when we have nausea from migraines or our digestive system issues, it's usually not enough to truly trigger us these days. They're mostly just feelings and reactions, not clearly defined and distinct fragments of us, and certainly not individual people within us, not like our core selves are.

CPTSD and PTSD just overall fits us so much better than DID or OSDD-1.

[traumasurvivorshelpingsurvivors]

Hi, I have hard executive dysfunctions but had some (temporary) results using to-do apps and stuff. For everything, brushing teeth, eating, etc. But it always end (very quickly) by me adding 30+ to dos for a day and working 10 hours to get them done until I break down. I can't not do it. Once I think about it, there is sooo much to do, so much I neglected.

So I saw this nice bullet journal in a shop today and took it with me and need some ideas how to make it, to not end like the others:

I thought about a symptom part, how good did I sleep, what mental health issues do I have, etc pp.

I am completely unsure if I should ad any "chore to-dos" or only self care/mental health ones. But even those feel like chores so...

And my energy level varies strongly so I thought about keeping it vague like idk "do one relaxing thing"-like maybe. So I could decide on that day, what I think I will get done. But that's pretty unsatifying.

Ah and, as much as I love such book and diaries etc, writing it down feels like a chore too so... It sounds worse than it is, I had some results but everything in this world sounds like a chore so I am unsure how to make this fun and manageable and neither go to the extreme nor give up.

Give me all your ideas and examples and plans.

Hi anon,

As soon as I saw your ask I just knew I wanted to answer it ~ I have ADHD, but because of other chronic health issues - I cannot take stimulant medications for it and rely on my adaptations to manage symptoms (and yup, some of my mental energy does get used up doing it this way - but it is possible for some of us!). I wanted to start by sharing some resource links and articles first:

The Best Work Schedule for ADHD Brains: Flexible or Rigid? (with resources at the end, and lots of reflections from a variety of folks who benefit from both - great starting point to see which style resonates with you)

Adults With Executive Function Disorder (scroll about halfway down for tips and resources)

Tips and Tricks for Executive Function Disorder (geared towards the caretaker of a child with it, but still impactful suggestions, including movement breaks and reward systems)

Executive Function Disorder: Bullet Journal (one person’s personal bullet journal and how an adaptable reward system - shaped like a bingo card - really helped them) 

But also wanted to share what I use/tell myself throughout the day/week to help: (under the cut to help avoid the post getting super long)

I personally use an adapted planner for the overall schedule, it’s got enough blank spaces where if I want to “change it up” I can do that week to week, but in general this is the place where I store my overall monthly calendar and every Sunday night write out my week ahead of “big things” (apps, time sensitive errands, etc).  

I take a picture of my monthly calendar, as well as my weekly so even if I’m out and about I can quickly refer to it if someone asks about a date - versus saying “I’ll check my calendar later and get back to you” . . . and then - never doing it, whoops!

People in my life are used to it by now, but essentially if someone tells me something like “next weekend is so and so’s birthday” - I’ll take a moment to set an alarm reminder to add it to my calendar when I’m home, and or make a text message note on my phone, and set an alarm that essentially reads “don’t forget to add your text notes to the calendar” (some days I can have like fifteen alarms going off throughout the day, but this way I also manage to add the information I need to, versus feeling like I’m constantly forgetting something, or worse, expending limited mental energy constantly cycling through a “don’t forget don’t forget don’t forget” concentration).

I timeblock my day every morning before everyone else is awake, for example: 7 to 8 - studies, 9 to 10 - social, and so on.  By doing it every day, I can refer back to it throughout the day and adjust as needed but also not plan too far ahead with no adaptability to changing circumstances.  I also ensure that for a chunk of “serious chores” I also schedule in what I like to call “serotonin boosts” - whether that’s some friends time, or creative time, whatever sparks joy for you.  There have definitely been days where I felt like I could not do one more email - and then reminded myself that as soon as I got through the five I scheduled myself for, then I could draw for an hour (a basic ‘this, then that’ reward system).  Suddenly, I manage to push through it, and often quicker than I had originally thought it would take - allowing me to have even more time with something that brings joy.

If I have to be somewhere at a certain time, I set several alarms, almost like a countdown 

I like to use fun color pens, or even pens with like fuzzy balls, or some other sort of stimming part to it as I work - it allows me a moment to stim if I need it, even when I’m tackling the “boring brain dump” stuff.

No amount of telling my brain “just do it” for twenty minutes is going to magically create the dopamine/serotonin it needs to do the thing.  So if a reward isn’t working, I get up and move with a timer to get it going that way, and then try again.

I’m sure there’s plenty more ideas/tips/tricks - anyone stumbling on this, please feel free to comment, reblog, and add to it, but I hope it’s a helpful start for you and anyone else out there looking for adaptions. - Mod Kat

[newhologram]

okay YES, advice like this can be annoying bc it’s not as simple as starting a new habit for us. but i spent my whole life unorganized and barely able to do anything due to being ND (shout out to both sides of my family being ADHD/autistic). now as an adult i have multiple places where i write multiple kinds of to-do lists and even if it’s STILL HARD TO GET SHIT DONE AND I CRY IN FRUSTRATION A LOT, at least i’ve taken the pressure off of my wacky brain to remember things for me and can use my lists as my backup brain. so i’m way more functional now. it took me like 8 years to establish this habit, to be consistent with a planner, and i STILL fall out of it a lot, but at least I have a little bit of something now. i’m not saying this is easy. it wasn’t and isn’t. but i’m saying that i’m so much less stressed now. do i still fuck up and find myself frozen, overwhelmed, unable to start things, much less finish them? all the time. but even if i can do ONE THING on my list, i can now celebrate it and it feels so fucking good to function even a little. i make lists obsessively now but at least i’m a little bit productive even on bad days. not saying this is accessible or doable for everyone but. my life is way less of a mess now. i HAD to give my disabled brain a safety net.

[raiasintended]

My reminder system is starting to get stale and needs to be refreshed,

so I think now's a good time to make a Long Post about how I use the iOS/OSX Reminders app to keep on top of my shit,

even with

ADHD Sponge Brain

Alright, so because I'm an adult with ADHD, I need a system that can collect my every thought as soon as I have them with as little friction as possible, so that I can keep on top of my shit (all of which has varying importance).

I've tried many different apps and physical tools for this! Planners, task matrices, Habitica.. nothing really sticks. Except for this, and it's literally just Reminders.

My first step was to throw the default list in the fucking trash and make a new list called Inbox.

This is what my Inbox looks like at the beginning of the day: a handful of random thoughts dictated to Siri, added via Share (like the one with the link attached already was shared directly from my browser), or entered directly into the app.

In Settings, you can make this the Default List (important).

When I have a random thought, it's "hey siri, add 'brilliant fucking idea' to my Inbox list." Or, Share > Reminders > and then choose the Inbox list.

With the whole Shortcuts thing, I'm sure there's some clever ways to automate adding things to this list, too: like if you need to follow up on an email or whatever. I haven't messed with it too much because I've found the more little widgets and shit I add, the more distracting the process becomes, and it's harder to use.

Every morning (or, uh, with the intent of doing this every morning and the grace to understand that I have ADHD and once or twice a week is also acceptable), I process my Inbox.

Processing means I go through the thoughts in my Inbox and either attend to them immediately, delete them, or rename and tag them. Tasks that are left get moved to another official list that's all nice and sortable.

Naming a task is critical! A task should have a verb, or my Immediate Gratification Monkey Brain won't know what the fuck I meant or what I'm supposed to do. That's why "transit card" was renamed to "Research Japan transit card."

The tags I use for tasks are:

Estimated time to complete the task: 5, 15, or 30.

If it's going to take less than 5 minutes, I do it right away. If it's going to take longer than 30, it's going to have commitment a tag.

This is not so much a planning tool as it is a source of reassurance. The idea behind the original system is that if you have 15 minutes free, you can quickly find your easiest tasks and knock a few out! In practice, this serves to tell me "don't worry, it's only going to take 15 minutes to do this."

Commitment: one-off, event, or project.

A one-off is a task that's one and done—it doesn't have additional subtasks or moving parts or anything complicated like that.

An event is something that needs to happen at a certain time, like taking the garbage to the curb or shipping a birthday gift.

A project is a task that's either going to have subtasks or is going to take a LONG TIME: like doing the laundry (wash it, dry it, fold it, put it away), or finishing a coat I promised to crochet for my niece.

Context: phone if the task requires a call or internet if the task requires .. the internet.

Sometimes I use drive for a task I can't do at home, or tag with a person's name if they're required to complete task.

I don't look for tasks with these tags very often, but sometimes I'm in a place where I have the energy to get a bunch of phone calls out of the way and it's useful to pull up every phone task at once.

Non-tasks: Kind of a weird subcategory here, but not every thought in my Inbox is a task, exactly.

Research is for when I need to go... research some stuff. A lot of times I need more information before I can plan out a proper task or project. If a task ends up being a question instead of an imperative, it's going under Research.

Shopping is for a task that is purely "buy (insert thing here)." I have a grocery list I manage in a different app entirely, so this is mostly for non-necessities I don't want to forget to purchase when payday rolls around.

Someday is for a task I'd like to get to at some point but it's not a priority. This is pie-in-the-sky, daydreaming, "wouldn't be fun if I..." kind of stuff.

Notes is not actually a tag I use but I have a list specifically for thoughts that aren't really actionable in any way. It's kind of a catchall-list of things like bookmarks, gift ideas, and recommendations from friends.

An important thing I've learned about my tasks list is that I should not attach due dates to a task unless the due date is critical to the task itself. I used to think that if I attached dates to my tasks it would also attach a sense of urgency. In reality, all it did was make me clear bunch of alerts instead of listening to them, and then I get a bunch of red in my Reminders. Annoying.

After the tasks are all tagged, I click and drag them into their new lists. The main list for tasks, I've named Get Things Done (after the system this is based on).

...This is what Get Things Done looks like when I've fallen off the wagon. I used to feel a lot of shame about this but honestly it's fine. It really is part of the process—sometimes the monkey brain needs a quick shower and a change of scenery.

When I see I've got tasks building up and I have lost track of what's even on my list, that means it's time to go in and recontextualize some tasks, which usually means clearing them because they're no longer relevant, retagging them, or just picking a couple to do right away.

Here I've cleaned it up a bit as part of my regular refreshing ceremony: I cleared my repeating past-due tasks (there's no point in keeping them around just to make myself feel bad), cleared tasks that are no longer relevant, and cleared tasks I've already done and forgot to mark.

The two other lists I manually add things to are my Someday list:

And my Notes list:

The rest I can actually build Smart Lists for. Smart Lists have gotten a lot more useful: it used to be you could only have them build from one tag, but now you can get a little wild with the filters.

An easy way to take advantage of this is to make a Smart List with all your shit that would be easy to finish.

I use Smart Lists to keep my Research tasks and my Shopping items in their own lists. Depending on the tags you use with this, you could do things like make Smart Lists of every tasks that takes less than 30 minutes, doesn't require a phone, and idk requires your Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor to come with you. It's your lists.

Anyway, try it out! No overhead, no distracting features, just the basic-ass Reminders app.