Time Management: Learning to Use a Day Planner

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W H AT W E K N O W
Time Management:
Learning to Use a
Day Planner
Adults with AD/HD often have difficulties with time
management and planning. These difficulties are an
example of how AD/HD impairs the executive functions
of the brain.
This sheet will discuss:
• selecting the right day planner
• effective strategies for using a day planner
• using a day planner for short- and long-term planning
Executive functions may be described as the brain’s higher order cognitive
processes that regulate and manage learning activities and behavior. Just as the
conductor of an orchestra guides and directs the orchestra, executive functions
guide and direct the individual’s thoughts and actions1,2. Working memory
(holding information that was just seen or heard in memory), organization, and
sense of time are three important executive functions central to the brain’s ability
to manage learning and behavior. Individuals with AD/HD have difficulties with
these three executive functions, and as a result often have poor time management
skills and may be unable to fulfill their responsibilities at work and at home.
One method of addressing time management issues is using a day planner.
Effective use of a day planner can assist the adult with AD/HD in compensating
* Suggestions for using a day planner are based on clinical experience rather than
empirical research. As research becomes available, these suggestions will be updated.
www.help4adhd.org 1-800-233-4050

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for deficits in executive functions by helping the
If you are a gadget-oriented person who learns new
individual manage time, remember responsibilities,
technology easily, pick an electronic organizer. If you are
and remain organized. Many adults with AD/HD
not technology-oriented, pick a paper and pencil model.
have had multiple unsuccessful experiences with day
Go on an outing to an office supply store and carefully
planners, leading them to regard the task as one that is
review a number of different types of day planners. They
highly aversive or even hopeless. Often, they have been
come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, with different types
unsuccessful using a day planner because they have
of daily, weekly, and monthly views. Carefully inspect
gone about it in the wrong way. This sheet will highlight
the different types of daily, weekly, and monthly pages.
strategies for using a day planner effectively, planning
effectively, and following through on commitments.*
“Individuals with AD/HD have
This sheet breaks down the necessary skills into a
series of small steps. Each step should be taken one
difficulties with ... executive
at a time, and practiced for at least one week before
beginning the next step. If a particular step takes more
functions, and … may be unable to
than one week to become a regular habit, practice it for
2-3 weeks before beginning the next step. Building in
fulfill their responsibilities at work
positive reinforcements or rewards may be helpful for
successfully learning each step.
and at home.”
Identify a friend or spouse to serve as your “planner
coach.” Review this sheet with your coach, and discuss
each step before undertaking it. The coach’s role is
Do you schedule many appointments on the hour or
to prompt practice of each step and monitor overall
half-hour? Then use a clear daily view. Are you making
progress. The coach should praise you for your efforts
“to do” lists but not scheduling many appointments?
and provide constructive—not critical or harsh—
Perhaps a weekly view with a lot of space for lists is
feedback about any mistakes. The coach should also
needed.
encourage you to reward yourself at the end of the week.
Your day planner should be the only planning calendar
The planner coach should be a person who will focus on
for everything you do (i.e., work, home, personal). Using
the positive, praising successes and cheering you on to
separate calendars at home and at the office may become
the next step, and not a person who will criticize failures
confusing and overwhelming; you will inevitably forget
or imperfect achievement of any of the steps.
to transfer entries from one calendar to the other and
miss appointments or important commitments.
1. SELEcT A cOMPATibLE DAy PLANNEr
AS yOUr ONLy PLANNiNg cALENDAr.
. FiND A SiNgLE, AccESSibLE PLAcE TO
At a minimum, a day planner is a device that includes
KEEP THE DAy PLANNEr.
a calendar, space to write “to-do” lists, and space to
After selecting a planner, the next step is to start keeping
write telephone numbers, addresses, and other basic
it in a single, accessible location at home and at work,
identifying/reference information. It can be a paper-
so you will always know where to find it. The location
and-pencil model, as with Franklin Planner, Day Timer,
should be clearly visible from a distance, even in a
or Planner Pad brands. It can be a fancy electronic
cluttered room or on a messy desk. Convenient locations
organizer such as a Palm Pilot, or it can be time
might be next to the telephone, on a table near the front
management software on a laptop or desktop computer.
door, or on the desk at the office. If the day planner has
Electronic organizers have a number of advantages.
a strap, it might be hung on a hook next to the front
They are compact; they provide audible reminders that
door, above the telephone, or together with the car keys.
can serve as memory management aides; they can sort,
Carry it to and from work, and practice keeping it in the
organize, and store more information more efficiently
designated locations for a week.
than paper and pencil planners; and they can easily
exchange information with office and home computers.
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. ENTEr THE bASicS iN THE
that are done at approximately the same time each day,
DAy PLANNEr.
e.g,. eating meals, getting dressed in the morning or
Gather the most common names, addresses, and
ready for bed at night, or entering or exiting the office.
phone numbers you use. Enter them into the planner
Third, leaving reminder notes in strategic locations (on
in the alphabetical name/address section. Consider
the desk in the office, on the mirror in the bathroom, on
what vital information might be helpful to have in the
the dashboard or door handle of the car) can be helpful
planner, such as insurance policy numbers, computer
in reminding you to look at the planner.
passwords, equipment serial numbers, and birthdays
and anniversaries, and enter this information in the
designated spaces.
6. USE THE DAy PLANNEr AS yOUr
cALENDAr FOr EvEryTHiNg.
You are now ready to use your planner as a calendar. On
4. cArry THE DAy PLANNEr
scrap paper, make a list of all appointments scheduled at
AT ALL TiMES.
any time in the future. Then, write these appointments in
Now that there is some information in your planner, you
the appropriate time slots on the pages of the planner for
should carry it with you at all times. Many people claim
the particular days and months. Review the scheduled
that they have carried their planner with them at all
appointments for that day each time you check the
times, but then they “forget” the great idea they thought
planner. During the day, write in any additional
of while shopping. “At all times” means whenever you
appointments as soon as you schedule them.
leave the car to go into a store or whenever you leave
Using different color pens for writing different types
your desk to attend a meeting.
of things on your calendar (e.g., red for appointments,
blue for work activities, and green for family events)
permits you to recognize different types of events as your
5. rEFEr TO THE DAy PLANNEr
eye scans the page. For a very busy family, use different
rEgULArLy.
colors for each family member’s activities.
Many adults with AD/HD write things in their planners
but rarely look at what they wrote, relying instead on
memory, with disastrous consequences. Before you
7. USE yOUr PLANNEr AS A “brAiN
can use the planner for a calendar or “to do” lists, you
DUMP” TO cAPTUrE yOUr iDEAS.
need to develop the habit of checking it regularly. Start
Adults with AD/HD experience a constant stream of
ideas flooding their minds. They often become frustrated
because they cannot remember these ideas when they
“Your day planner should be the only
need them. Using the day planner as a “brain dump”
avoids this dilemma. With your planner with you at
planning calendar for everything
all times, practice writing down any ideas you want to
you do…”
capture as they occur to you. Write these down either
on blank, lined planner pages or in the section of the
planner for that day’s “to do” list. If you find that many of
your important ideas come at times when it is impossible
by checking the planner a minimum of three times
to write them down (e.g., in the shower, while driving),
per day—once in the morning to plan/review the day’s
consider carrying a small, digital recorder. Dictate your
upcoming events, once in the middle of the day to make
ideas into the recorder and transcribe them to your
any mid-course corrections and refresh your memory
planner later that day. Some hand-held computers and
about the remaining day’s events, and once in the
pocket PCs may have built-in digital recorders.
evening, to plan/review the next day’s events.
There are several ways to remember to check your
planner. First, alarm wrist watches or alarms for an
8. cONSTrUcT A DAiLy “TO DO” LiST AND
electronic planner can be set to go off at regular intervals
rEFEr TO iT OFTEN.
when you wish to check your planner. Second, you could
Only after you experience success using your planner
associate checking your planner with habitual activities
as a calendar should you start making a daily “to do”
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list. Most planners have a place adjoining the calendar
task management software, or beeper to go off at regular
for each day for “to do” lists. During the first review of
intervals as a signal to check whether you are on task
your planner in the morning, make a list of everything
following your priorities. Use self-talk to help avoid
that needs to get done that day. Use your “brain dump”
distractions. Train yourself to repeat reminders such as
notes to help you make the list. Keep the list relatively
“I have to keep from getting distracted,” “I have to stick
short, e.g., 5-8 items, so that you can experience success
with my priorities,” and “Don’t switch now, I am almost
completing all of the items. Be realistic about what can
done.” Also, make sure that you are taking an effective
be accomplished in one day, and remember to schedule
dose of medication that lasts throughout the day. See
some “me time,” by listing a personal activity or time
the What We Know sheet on medication for more
as one item. List specific actions, rather than vague
information about determining an effective dose.
concepts. For example, “buy my wife flowers” would be a
more specific item than “be nice to my wife.”
Examine the list and assign the items to particular dates
10. cONDUcT A DAiLy PLANNiNg
and times in the day planner. Try to complete them
SESSiON.
as scheduled, referring to the list often. Check off any
By the time you have completed the first eight steps,
completed items and review remaining uncompleted
you will be conducting “ad hoc” daily planning sessions
items.
where you construct and prioritize your daily “to do” list.
It is time to formalize this process as “the daily planning
At the end of the day, examine the list. Congratulate
session.” Consider the time for constructing and
yourself if you completed all of the items on the list.
prioritizing lists as a daily planning session. The goal of
Do not berate yourself if you did not complete all of
this session is to plan the upcoming day’s activities and
the items. If there were only a few unfinished items,
develop a plan of attack to carry them out. In addition to
move them forward to the next day’s list. However, if
listing priorities and reviewing schedules, the planning
you have many unfinished items, consider whether
session is the time to consider exactly how each task will
you have unrealistic expectations for how much can be
be accomplished. What materials will be needed? What
done. Analyze the uncompleted items and what got in
individuals will have to be consulted? What obstacles
the way of completing everything on your list (phone
are likely to be encountered? How can these obstacles be
calls, other interruptions, not enough time, not having
overcome? Asking and answering these questions will
everything you need to accomplish the task, unexpected
facilitate the process of prioritizing the items on your “to
crises). Thinking in these terms will help you become
do” list. The planning session will provide a mental map
more realistic about what can be accomplished in a day.
that guides you in carrying out the tasks on your list.
Either scale back expectations or find other approaches
to completing tasks, such as delegating, streamlining, or
When you have reached this point in the program,
eliminating tasks.
congratulate yourself! You have mastered the basic steps
of using a day planner to manage time! Continue to
follow these steps. As they become habitual, consider
9. PriOriTizE yOUr “TO-DO” LiST
trying the last step, which bridges the gap between short-
AND AcT iN AccOrDANcE WiTH yOUr
term and long-term planning, but understand that it is
PriOriTiES.
more challenging and may require the assistance of an
AD/HD coach or a therapist.
There are many ways to prioritize a “to do” list. One
way is to number all of the items on the list in order of
decreasing priority. Another way is to classify items into
one of three categories: “Essential,” “Important,” and “Do
11. gENErATE A LiST OF LONg-TErM
only if I have extra time.” Pick the method that best fits
gOALS AND brEAK THE LONg-TErM
your style, and begin prioritizing your daily “to do” list.
gOALS iNTO SMALL, MANAgEAbLE
cHUNKS, ALLOcATiNg THESE cHUNKS
As you go through the day, perform the items on the
TO MONTHLy AND WEEKLy PLANNiNg
“to do” list in order of decreasing priority. Adults with
SESSiONS.
AD/HD are often tempted to ignore the priorities and
First, generate a list of all long-term goals. These are
may need strategies to keep themselves on track. Set the
broad goals to be accomplished over many months
alarms on your wristwatch, electronic planner, computer
and years. Then, take one goal at a time and break it
What We KnoW 11 Time managemenT: Learning To Use a Day PLanner 4

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down into small chunks or sub-goals that might be
SUggESTED rEADiNg
accomplished on a monthly basis. Assign one sub-
Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people. New
goal to each month of the year. At the beginning of the
York: Simon and Schuster.
month, conduct a monthly planning session where you
Nadeau, K. G. (1996). Adventures in fast forward: Life, love,
decide how to accomplish the sub-goal over the course
and work for the ADD adult. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
of the month. Assign various tasks to each week of the
Robin, A. L. (2002). Lifestyle issues. In S. Goldstein & A. Teeter
month. At the beginning of each week, conduct a weekly
Ellison (Eds.), Clinician’s guide to adult ADHD: Assessment
planning session where you decide how to assign aspects
and intervention (pp. 280-291). New York: Academic Press.
of that week’s sub-goal to the daily task lists for the entire
week. During each daily planning session, plan the details
of the assigned task that will be performed that day.
SUggESTED WEb SiTES
Planner Pads Company, www.plannerpads.com
Daytimer, www.daytimer.com
SUMMAry
Watch Minder, www.watchminder.com
In this sheet, we have outlined a step-by-step approach
Daily Planner Sheets, www.digital-women.com/daily-planner
for learning to use a day planner to manage time
(free printable planner sheets)
effectively and “boost” inherently inefficient executive
Time Management, www.davidco.com
functions in adults with AD/HD. Follow each step for at
Time Management Tools, www.mindtools.com
least one week, reward yourself at the end of the week for
Timers, www.timetimer.com
practicing the day planner skills, and identify a friend as
a planner coach to provide support and encouragement
for your efforts.
The information provided in this sheet was supported by
Cooperative Agreement Number R04/CCR321831-01 from the
Some adults with AD/HD may find that even the step-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The contents
by-step approach outlined here is difficult to follow. If
are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily
you find that you cannot adhere to the guidelines given
represent the official views of CDC. It was approved by CHADD’s
here, don’t give up. You may need to have the learning
Professional Advisory Board in May 2003.
process broken down into even smaller steps. You
© 2003 Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/
may need assistance overcoming emotional barriers
Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD).
based upon a lifetime of failure experiences before
you can successfully use a day planner. You may need
strong support systems and the guidance of a trained
For further information about AD/HD or CHADD,
professional. Consult a professional, such as an AD/HD
please contact:
coach or a therapist familiar with adult AD/HD, and
national resource Center on aD/HD
show them this sheet. The professional will be able
Children and adults with
to tailor the steps to your particular situation so that
attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
you can experience success managing time through
the use of a day planner. See the What We Know sheet
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
on coaching for more information about selecting an
Landover, MD 20785
appropriate coach.
800-233-4050
www.help4adhd.org
rEFErENcES
Please also visit the ChaDD Web site at
Barkley, R. A. & Gordon, M. (2002). Research on comorbidity,
www.chadd.org.
adaptive functioning, and cognitive impairments in adults with
AD/HD: Implications for a clinical practice. In S. Goldstein
& A. Teeter Ellison (Eds.), Clinician’s guide to adult ADHD:
Assessment and intervention (pp. 43-69). New York: Academic
Press.
Brown, T. (Ed.) (2000). Attention deficit disorders and
comorbidities in children, adolescents, and adults. Washington,
D.C.: American Psychiatric Press.
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