From Overwhelmed to Organized: How I Manage ADHD in Adulthood

The Tools, Mindset Shifts, and Gentle Routines That Changed Everything

By Lindsay Metternich

For years, I thought being “organized” was just a personality trait—something some people had and some didn’t.I was the one with the cluttered desk, the late fees, the half-written to-do lists, and the guilt that came with it.

Turns out, it wasn’t a character flaw.

It was ADHD.

Getting diagnosed as an adult was like finding the missing piece of a puzzle I didn’t even know I was building. Suddenly, all the chaos had context—and I could stop blaming myself long enough to start working with my brain, not against it.

This post is my honest look at how I’ve gone from overwhelmed to organized—not perfectly, but functionally. And most importantly, sustainably.

🌀 Step 1: Accepting That My Brain Works Differently

Before planners, apps, or habits—this was the biggest shift:

👉 I stopped trying to force myself into neurotypical productivity.👉 I started designing systems that actually matched how my brain operates.

That meant:

• Breaking big tasks into tiny, visible steps

• Letting go of shame and leaning into structure

• Reframing “I can’t get it together” into “I haven’t found what works for me… yet”

🧰 Step 2: Building a Toolbox (Not Just a To-Do List)

I don’t rely on one big system—I rely on layers that keep me from spinning out.

My go-to ADHD organization tools:

• Visual checklists for daily routines (laminated and posted where I can see them)

• Digital calendar + phone alarms for anything time-sensitive

• Post-it brain dumps when my thoughts get tangled

• Timers (Pomodoro style) to break up tasks into manageable chunks

• Whiteboard for “today-only” tasks so they don’t get lost

• Color coding for everything—if it’s not visually separated, I ignore it

• “Done is better than perfect” sticky notes everywhere

🪜 Step 3: Routines That Reset (Not Restrict)

ADHD makes structure hard. But total freedom makes it worse.So I live by soft structure—flexible routines that guide me, not cage me.

A few that work for me:

• Morning rhythm: Wake → water → meds → move → coffee → list

• “Start of Work” ritual: Light a candle, put on music, open ONE tab

• Evening tidy: 10-minute reset with a timer + a basket

• Sunday planning hour: review the week, check the fridge, brain dump what’s buzzing

These routines aren’t perfect. I miss days. I start late. But I always come back—because they’re designed to be gentle.

🚫 Step 4: What I Stopped Doing

Managing ADHD isn’t just about what you add—it’s also about what you release.

I stopped:

• ✖️ Expecting motivation to show up on command

• ✖️ Starting every Monday with a “new me” list that was 37 steps long

• ✖️ Comparing myself to people with different brains

• ✖️ Saying yes to things that would burn me out

• ✖️ Believing that productivity = worth

Instead, I focus on progress. Not perfection. And rest? Rest is part of the plan now.

💬 Step 5: Finding Support That Gets It

I used to isolate when I was struggling. Now I reach out.

That looks like:

• Joining ADHD support groups

• Following neurodivergent creators who speak my language

• Having friends I can “body double” with while doing tasks

• Asking for accommodations or grace—without guilt

• Seeing a therapist who understands executive dysfunction

Support isn’t weakness. It’s strategy.

✨ Final Thoughts: What Organized Looks Like for Me Now

I’m not color-coded and minimal with perfect handwriting.I still lose my phone in the laundry basket.I still get overwhelmed sometimes and forget what I was doing mid-sentence.

But I’m not drowning anymore.I’m aware. I’m equipped. And most of all, I’m kind to myself when it doesn’t all go as planned.

Managing ADHD in adulthood doesn’t mean becoming a new person—it means creating an environment where your real self can thrive.