How to actually stick to your plans with ADHD (it's not discipline)

You sit there on Sunday making this elaborate  plan like you time block. You break down the  

complex task into smaller tasks and you're feeling  so productive but then Monday comes and you don't  

even look at the schedule that you've made and  then you start doing the tasks like randomly  

and by the end of the day you feel like a failure  because you can't even follow a simple plan and a  

lot of people think they're not disciplined enough  and that's the reason why they can't follow a plan  

but it's actually not the discipline. The issue  is you're approaching this completely backwards.  

Traditional productivity advice tells you to break  tasks into smaller chunks, time block everything,  

and add buffer time and just stick to it. But  that doesn't work if you have ADHD or if you're  

just wired definitely because ADHD brains don't  get motivated by neat little schedules. We get  

motivated by pressure, urgency, novelty, and yes,  sometimes little bit even a panic. Making plans  

and sticking to plans are actually two completely  different skills. And in many videos that I've  

seen about productivity, they only focus on one  of them. So, in this video, I'm going to show you  

two game-changing methods that literally helped  my ADHD brain to finally follow through on plans  

and actually like follow my deadlines. Okay, I'm  actually getting [ __ ] done these days. Like,  

you can't even see how often I'm posting videos  on YouTube. Impressive. Very nice. I'm going to  

teach you how to hack your brain so you can feel  actually motivated the things that you need to do  

without crying every single night. So, let's get  started. So, the first game changer I want to talk  

about is something I call the reverse engineering  your deadline to visualize urgency. Here's the  

thing. ADHD brains don't get motivated at all  when we see like a to-do list. We get motivated by  

urgency, pressure, and panic. Okay? And if we  can't feel how urgent something is, and if it's  

not like novel or entertaining for our brains, our  brain just like doesn't care. We get distracted  

by other things that seem more interesting in  the moment. and suddenly it's the day before  

deadline and we're just trying to hyperfocus  to get it done. This is why regular planners  

actually don't work for us. Like you look at it,  you see work on project scheduled for Tuesday  

but there's no sense of urgency there. Your brain  just goes and says like ah I can do it later and  

then you end up working on something completely  irrelevant and random. And to solve this issue,  

like most productivity advice basically tells you  just to break big project into smaller tasks and  

assign like due dates for them, blah blah blah.  Put a buffer time between them. But to be honest,  

that's actually not really enough for ADHD because  prioritizing and deciding what to do requires a  

lot of executive function, which is the part of  the function that ADHD people struggle with. Like  

if you don't know what an executive function is,  if you want to learn more about it, I have a like  

a very detailed video explaining it here. You  can watch it. Also, even when we do break down  

project into smaller tasks, we struggle to see how  all these little pieces like fit together into a  

bigger picture because we lack the sense of time.  And this is especially actually hard when tasks  

have dependencies. So like one task has to be done  before you can do the next thing. For example,  

let's say filming a video, right? Like to for  me to film a video, I need to script the video  

first. So it's dependent on it. So we mess up  things when things are dependent on each other  

because we lack sense of time and we just like do  it everything the day before the deadline and then  

we're not giving our best and putting ourselves  a lot of pressure. So I finally solved this issue  

by using a system called the lead day system  and this simple system does the hard planning  

work for me. It uses the concept of like lead days  which is basically counting how many days before  

the deadline each task needs to be completed.  So here's basically how it works. In my notion  

template, I start with my final deadline. Like  this is the handover date when this project needs  

to be done. Okay? Then I basically work backwards  marking how many days before that deadline each  

smaller task needs to be done. Let me give you an  example to explain this better. So let's say your  

manager assigned you a presentation that is like  due in 10 days or so. Okay? So if you would work  

backwards from that deadline, first we have the  presentation delivery which happens on day 10,  

right? Because that is the handover date. So  the lead day is going to be zero because you  

don't need any lead days before that like  a buffer and then probably before handing  

over that presentation you need to do a final  practice run ideally a day before that. So our  

lead day becomes one because it has to happen  one day before the handover date. And then we  

have the manager review. You want there maybe  like feedback at least 3 days before the actual  

handover date. So our lead date becomes three.  And to finish the slides you probably need to  

create the first draft by day six. So our lead day  is day six, which means outlining your main points  

and researching and gathering data will probably  happen a day before that. So the lead day becomes  

seven. So see how each task has to happen in an  order to unlock the next task. Like you can't  

present without practicing and you can't practice  without slides and you can also make slides with  

an outline and you can't create an outline without  a research. I know it sounds like a nightmare,  

okay? But like listen to me. Listen to me. Pay  attention. Listen to me. This is very important.  

The beautiful thing about this is that in my  Kaizen notion template system, you have to only  

set this up once because most jobs have recurring  projects, right? Like even the project itself  

is different. Probably the tasks that are like  following them is the same thing. For example,  

I'm like posting a new video. The video itself is  different, but the individual steps that I need to  

follow is almost almost always the same like with  some maybe minor changes. So I basically created a  

button in my Kaisen notion system that duplicates  all the steps automatically for each project.  

All you have to do is basically sets the final  deadline and then it calculate everything else  

for you and you can like create different buttons  for different projects and then never worry about  

calculating those. So because of this button now  we get the automatic deadline on appearing in the  

system. So basically now I have all these tasks  with their automatic deadlines based on their  

lead days. It automatically shows it me on my  notion system because I cod it. I use AI to code  

like hours and hours and I finally figure it out.  Okay, so it shows you the automatic deadline. The  

cool part is basically the template also shows me  the due date which is when I'm planning to do the  

thing. So ideally I want to do the thing before  the deadline of that specific task to give myself  

a little bit of buffer time and a little bit of  breathing time. Okay. But like when you look at  

the both times of like oh the deadline, the due  date, etc., etc., it just already screams a lot  

of like mental energy. This is the exactly thing  that I'm trying to avoid. So basically I created  

another property. I literally coded this as well  which does the thing for me as well. So this is  

probably the most game-changing part of this like  system that I created. But basically this property  

looks at my auto deadline as well as my due date  and automatically tells me the urgency level. So  

if the auto deadline and due date are on the same  date, it says due today. If I have one buffer day,  

it says due tomorrow. And if I'm behind schedule,  it basically says like past due so that I know  

like I have to do this right now. And if I have  a little bit of time, but I should probably get  

started, it says like better start soon. And  if I have a plenty time of buffer, it says  

like on track. And to be honest, like this whole  thing actually completely change things for me  

because now when I look at my task list and I can  immediately see what's urgent and what's not and  

what I have time for. I don't really have to like  use my mental energy and like try to calculate  

everything to see which task I'm supposed to be  working and this was a game changer. Like before  

this I was trying to use Eisenhower matrix and  it helped me for a while but on the days where  

I was overwhelmed like I couldn't really figure  out what's important and what's urgent like that  

was a lot of mental power to me but now the  system like automatically identifies it for  

me right like my brain sees like the past I'm  like oh my god I have to do this right now and  

then some of them are like on track so I can do  them later not right now. The only work you need  

to do is literally like maybe spend 20 30 minutes  identifying the recurring project types that you  

have and the recurring tasks that comes with that  project and then you have to like break down the  

lead dates for the each task, right? And just  creating the button which is very easy to do and  

then it's like automatic forever. You just need  to press a one button. Like I'm not going to lie,  

figuring out this on notion literally took me  hours because I don't know how to code and some  

parts of it you have to code it. But I use an  AI like to figure out the codes and I fix them  

and there were like bugs and etc etc. Like you can  absolutely do this alone if you want. Like you can  

create them. It's not rocket science. But if you  would rather just like use the already made one,  

then check out my Kaizen ADHD template. The  links in the description below. When you get it,  

I have a full video tutorial showing you exactly  how to set this up, which is quite easy and will  

take you like maybe an hour, maybe less of your  time to customize for your specific needs. I break  

it down step by step. Links in the description  below. Now let's talk about the method two which  

is sprinting instead of time blocking. So now you  have your tasks with automatic deadlines showing  

urgency levels. But here's the common mistake that  people make next which is trying to schedule every  

minute of their day. You probably also did this,  right? Like email from 10 to 10:30 and then check  

this document from 10:30 to 10:45 and from 10:35  I'm going to take a 5minut break blah blah blah.  

And then it's like minuteby minute and it's so  packed and then like something happens and you  

get distracted and then you're not following  the schedule. Now whole schedule is messed up  

and because you made it so detailed like there's  no way going back and fixing it, right? Like it  

will take you more time to fix it. So now you're  just like randomly doing tasks that you remember  

that you have to do. So you get overwhelmed and  you just quit the thing and you're like, "Huh,  

why is this happening to me?" But the thing  is like time blocking is just too strict for  

ADHD brains. We can't accurately guess how  long each task takes. And every single day  

our performance is like so different. Sometimes  you're hyperfocused. Sometimes you can't focus at  

all. Sometimes you're just like doing random  [ __ ] for 30 minutes and you're late. Like  

time blocking does not really work for us. So  that's why I started using something called a  

sprinting method. Basically how it works is that  instead of assigning specific times for tasks,  

you categorize them based on the type of the work  that you have. Okay? Most people's work can be  

grouped into three, two, maybe four categories.  And mine are sprint one is urgent. Basically  

things that are screaming for my attention right  now like I have to do it today. And then sprint  

two is deadlines. This is basically like tasks  that with approaching deadlines that need my  

focus usually with the urgency format that I  explained like with my Kaizen notion template.  

It says like due today those things are the sprint  2 deadline category. And then we have the sprint  

three which is admin work. These are like emails,  scheduling, organizing, the boring stuff. And a  

lot of my chores also falls into this place as  well. And I also put my meetings here like sprint  

3 admin. And then we have sprint four, which is  creative work because I'm a YouTuber where I be  

I'll be like writing, brainstorming, anything that  needs my creative energy goes to sprint 4. So,  

and I try to allocate roughly like maximum 2 hours  for each sprint. Ideally 90 minutes because it's  

usually takes 2 hours to get done with like  90 minutes of work because I get distracted.  

like roughly I would say an hour and a half  to two hours per sprint for every single day.  

Okay? And instead of saying like I'll do this  specific task at like 10:00 a.m. you say this  

like okay I'll email my manager at sprint 3 which  is admin work or let's say I have to send this  

document it's urgent so it's sprint one or let's  say I have a deadline coming up and I have to do  

a research instead of adding it like from 12 to  2 p.m. I'm going to do this research I add it to  

sprint 2 which I handle all the deadlines that I  have. So basically, you look at all of your tasks  

for the day and you sort them into these sprint  categories, right? And then you roughly estimate  

how long each task will take. In my Kaizen system,  I have a spot for this, but you can also do it  

like manually. You write in your journal or write  it in whatever app you're using to manage your  

to-do list. But the only thing I'm reminding you  again is that you try to make not the each sprint  

longer than 2 hours. That's very important. and  you try to like you add up those estimated amount  

of times and you try to keep it reasonable because  one of the important things about sticking to  

a plan is making a plan that you can stick first  place. So when you use this like sprinting method,  

you are grouping similar types of tasks together  which means way less context switching and context  

switching is literally one of the worst things for  ADHD. So you're like bundling similar tasks into  

together so you can get into flow and get through  them all at once. And also the very cool thing  

about these sprints is that they are flexible  based on your energy. So most days for example  

when I wake up I start with sprint one and sprint  two. So I handle the urgent stuff and deadlines  

and then I eat lunch maybe take an hour to an  hour and a half break and then I handle the sprint  

three admin work and then I'll do the sprint 4  which is creative work because I'm more creative  

at night. For example, I'm filming this video and  it's 7:00 p.m. or something. But like some days  

I feel very creative first thing in the morning.  For example, this morning actually when I wake up,  

I had so many ideas for content that normal  traditional productivity method will say like,  

"Oh, first handle the urgent things." But like I  was feeling creative and I didn't want to waste  

this creative flow and I know if I started  something that I'm not currently feeling like  

I'm not going to be able to focus because of my  adi brain. So I said okay like first I'm going to  

tackle the sprint 4 creative tasks first and then  I'm going to get into sprint one and sprint two.  

So when you do this like sprinting method and when  you are like more flexibly scheduling things based  

on your energy of that day, you're more likely  to going to be focused because you're not like  

rigidly telling yourself that you have to do this.  You are choosing to do it which helps quite a lot  

in my opinion. So I handled the creative work and  then I did like the sprint one, sprint two, sprint  

three and then now I'm back at sprint four. Like  this sprint gives you structure without trapping  

you which is I feel like the important thing  that all ADHD people needs to figure out is like  

allowing yourself to be flexible but also have  structure right like finding that sweet spot is  

very difficult like you still have categories to  work through like your sprint categories but you  

can adjust based on how your brain is functioning  that day, how your energy, how your mood is that  

day. Okay, one more thing that is crucial. You  have to plan transition time between sprints.  

And I'm not only talking about like 5 minutes, 10  minutes or something like that. I'm talking about  

minimum of 15 minutes between sprints, between  different tasks that you're doing. Because for  

me personally, like even if I go to the toilet or  if I just leave my desk to make myself a coffee,  

there's no way that I'm returning to my desk  in less than 15 minutes. Like I tracked it,  

okay? I use this like visual timer to literally  like calculate my breaks and stuff like that. But  

still, I never have returned back to my desk in  less than 15 minutes. I get distracted. I clean  

this area. I do that. I disorgani. I organize my  room. I suddenly clean the dishes for no reason.  

It does not happen. So now I plan for it. Like  between my sprints or whenever I'm like leaving  

my desk, I schedule a 15minute like break between  them. And between each sprints, I ideally like  

schedule 20 to 30 minutes, but usually it ends end  ends up like 35 minutes or so to actually recharge  

my brain and almost like reestablish the mode for  the next sprint. And actually like by planning  

those transition times as well as breaks, I  realize I actually get more done because I'm  

not burning out halfway through the day and I'm  constantly like moving the tasks and moving the  

sprints based on my energy, which is allowing me  to be more flexible. Now, there's one more another  

thing that is extremely important and it's a skill  that we're lacking, which is tracking how long  

actually tasks takes you versus how long you think  they will take to get a sense of time. Because  

with ADHD, our sense of time is just terrible.  You know, you think like 3 hours pass and you  

look at the clock and it's like 5 minutes and then  you think like you maybe scroll for 5 minutes and  

you realize it's like 6 hours. Like what the hell?  What the hell? And then like there's another thing  

is like I avoid a task because I think it's going  to take me 2 hours and I like avoid and avoid and  

avoid procrastinate for ages and I do this thing  and it just takes me like 10 minutes and I'm like  

why did this happen? So I have a detailed system  for tracking this in my Kaizen notion template.  

It basically you log your estimated time versus  actual time. You categorize tasks by type and  

with the time with the data that you give it  basically gets an average of the time that you  

estimated versus it actually took you. So you get  like a comprehensive data for each task. So you  

can finally plan realistic sprints that you can  actually follow through. And I know I mentioned  

my notion template multiple times in this video  because it's been a game changer for me, but I  

want to be completely transparent with you. Like  you don't necessarily have to purchase my template  

to be productive or I'm not saying that it's the  only way that works for ADHD brains or anything  

like that, okay? Like it took me genuinely months  and months to build this product and I got a lot  

of feedback from you guys like from fellow ADHDers  and adjusted and I improved template and I'm still  

improving it and then fixing bugs whenever they  happen because I coded parts of it. So, you know,  

I always like try to improve it every single time.  Like you absolutely do not need my template to be  

productive. If you have the time and energy, you  can like literally build this from scratch for  

yourself. It's not like rocket science, you  know? Like it just takes a lot of time. But  

if you rather just have it ready to go so you can  actually start using it instead of spending weeks  

building it and then abandoning it completely  like I did my Kaizen ADHD notion template the  

link is in the below. Okay. And when you get it  I have a full video tutorials walking you through  

everything. The lead day system the sprint day  planning the time tracking and also many other  

things. Also there's like a Discord community for  template users where we talk about ADHD struggles  

share tips and help each other and communicate.  And I'm also more active there. And honestly,  

like so far, I got a lot of feedback from the 600  users that we have in the template. And a lot of  

people tell me that this is the first system that  they actually like stuck with it and they're using  

it. Then also they're like adjusting for their  lives as well. So it's genuinely really like makes  

me happy to see that to be honest. It's obviously  not perfect and I'm still trying to improve it to  

make it better, make it easier to use. And if you  don't want to invest in my template right now,  

it's completely fine. And also like if you  don't have the money and if you want to learn  

still how you can set this up, let me know in  the comments and I'll show I'll make a video  

showing how to set this up on notion. But like  if you're tired of trying to figure out trying  

to set things up for you and if you want to  start using a system that is built for you,  

then check out my template links in description  below. And finally, like I'm not telling you  

that like just because you get this template or  you change like apply the system in your life  

everything is going to better. like it's not going  to be an overnight change because like with ADHD  

everything changes right like something's work  for you and then next month something like your  

energy shifts your brain like tweaks and then  it's not working for you anymore so it's like a  

constant adaptation and it can be very tiring and  I agree with that but it's something that we need  

to deal with life learn lifelong which is kind of  sad and curse at the same time but the principle  

doesn't change you need to build a system that  works with your brain instead of against it and  

you need to adjust trust and adapt to it. You just  need a system that actually works with your ADHD  

brain and not act like you don't have it and you  think like it's only discipline. If only I would  

be more disciplined, I would do it. No, like you  are wired differently. Then adjust to it. Okay?  

I'm not saying that you can't be productive if you  have ADT. You can, but it's going to be a little  

different than other people. So, start with one  method whether you get my template or not. Like  

do it on your Google spreadsheet. I don't know  like to-do list, the journaling, whatever. It  

works probably and try it for a week and see what  happens. Like I genuinely promise you it will help  

you because it changed my life. It made things so  much easier for me. You see, like I'm active on  

social media. I abandoned YouTube for months and  months and months even though it's my job because  

I couldn't create videos because I didn't know  what to do every single day and I was paralyzed.  

But now I'm posting. I'm consistent. I'm hitting  the gym. Okay? I'm healthy. I'm glowing. You can  

see me. It works. Try it. If you want to see  more videos breaking down ADHD related content,  

comment down below. And also, if you find this  video helpful, please subscribe. If you're  

watching this video and if you're not sure whether  you have ADHD or not, then watch this video