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ADHD & Prioritising

You’re not careless. You’re juggling tasks with no clear gravity. ADHD makes prioritising feel like everything is urgent and nothing is urgent — all at once. The hardest part isn’t doing the thing… it’s figuring out which thing to do first.

What’s Actually Going On?

ADHD brains don’t naturally sort by importance. Instead of a neat to-do list, it feels like a pile of tabs open in your head — all blinking at once, none clearly louder than the others.

You might know what matters most, but that doesn’t always connect to action. That’s because ADHD impacts executive functions like task switching, future thinking, and emotional filtering. It’s not that you don’t care — it’s that your brain doesn’t label things the way neurotypical brains do.

Where It Shows Up in Daily Life:

Prioritising problems might look like:

  • Spending hours on a minor task while big ones pile up
  • Avoiding something important because it feels “too big”
  • Feeling frozen when everything seems equally urgent
  • Starting five things and finishing none
  • Constantly reacting instead of planning

Things That Actually Help

Because knowing what matters doesn’t always mean you can act on it. With ADHD, prioritising isn’t just a mental checklist — it’s a constant tug-of-war between urgency, overwhelm, and interest. These tools are designed to cut through the chaos and help your brain choose what actually counts.

tool 1

The Urgency/Importance Grid

Use a visual aid to help your brain see what matters. Sort tasks by “urgent vs important.” Many ADHDers spend time in the urgent-but-not-important box — this helps reroute attention toward the things that matter most.

tool 2

One Sticky Note Rule

Instead of a full to-do list, use one sticky note with three key tasks for the day. It narrows your focus and makes decisions easier on the fly.

tool 3

Make the First Step Obvious

If something is “high priority” but feels too big, shrink it. Define the very first action — open the email, name the file, write the heading. ADHD brains need momentum to follow importance.

tool 4

Use Time, Not Feelings

Instead of doing one giant plan at the start (and abandoning it later), create mini check-ins. ADHD planning works better when it’s flexible, visual, and revisited often.

Why It’s So Emotionally Draining

Prioritising problems don’t just waste time — they wreck confidence. You want to do the right thing. You mean to. But somehow you’re always behind, always chasing, always explaining.

You feel like a failure… even when you’ve been working nonstop.

The Spinning Compass Brain

Imagine trying to follow a compass that keeps spinning. You know where you should be going, but your internal sense of direction won’t hold still. That’s ADHD prioritising: constant motion, zero clarity. The fix isn’t more effort — it’s building tools to anchor your direction.

Common FAQ

Why does everything feel equally important?
ADHD brains often struggle to rank urgency. Without clear mental sorting, everything shouts at once — leading to overload or paralysis.
How can I tell what to do first?
Try using visual aids like grids or columns: urgent vs important, must-do vs nice-to-do. It helps externalize the sorting process.
Why do I waste time on the wrong things?
You’re not wasting time on purpose. ADHD tends to pull focus toward what feels stimulating, easy, or immediate — even if it’s not what matters most.
Can I train my brain to prioritise better?
Yes, with systems that reduce decision load — like time blocking, task triaging, or setting defaults. The less your brain has to “figure out,” the easier it flows.
Is this procrastination or prioritising trouble?
They often overlap. Many ADHDers procrastinate *because* they can’t decide what matters most. Fixing the prioritising issue often reduces the delay.
Why does this make me feel like a failure?
Because people often mistake prioritising issues for irresponsibility. In reality, you’re working harder than most — your brain just isn’t wired to filter by urgency easily.

More ADHD Struggles

ADHD rarely shows up in just one way. Whether you're navigating life as a parent, figuring out relationships, or just trying to make it through the day — chances are, other challenges are tagging along. From executive dysfunction to emotional storms, there’s a whole mess of overlapping struggles that might finally start making sense once you name them.

Decision-Making Executive Function Routines & Habits Burnout Hyperfocus Planning Prioritising Impulsivity