Effective Time Management and Organization Strategies for Teens

If you're a teen with ADHD, juggling school, activities, and social life can feel like a lot. Sometimes this overwhelm can lead to avoidance, which can look to others like you don’t care or are lazy.

It’s not laziness!

One of the biggest challenges is managing your time and staying organized. That’s because ADHD often affects something called executive functioning—the mental skills that help you plan, focus, and get things done. People without ADHD can struggle with executive functioning too, but it’s very common with ADHD.

What is Executive Functioning?

Executive functioning is like the brain's management system. It helps you stay on top of tasks, remember important stuff, and control impulses. The executive functioning system can be a bit slow to develop, which can lead to:

• Procrastination: You might have trouble starting tasks, especially if they seem hard or boring.

• Forgetfulness: It’s easy to forget assignments, deadlines, or where you put your things. Have you ever spent time on homework, only to realize you forget to turn it in? That’s not laziness - you did the work. Your brain is struggling with forgetfulness.

• Difficulty Prioritizing: When everything feels urgent, or nothing does, it can be tough to figure out what to do first.

• Time Blindness: For some people, the concept of time isn’t understood. Even very smart people can’t estimate how much time something will take. They may get lost in a moment and lose track of time. It’s often said that with ADHD things are either now or not now.

“Just as people who are near-sighted can only read things close at hand, people with ADHD can only deal with things near in time. The further out the event lies, the less they are capable of dealing with it, and this is why everything is left to the last minute because they only deal with last minutes.” ~ Dr. Russell Barkley

But don’t worry—there are lots of tools and tricks that can make managing time and staying organized easier.

Time Management Tools That Actually Work

• Use Visual TimersIf time feels like a blur, visual timers can help. These allow you to see the countdown of time, which is often more helpful than a traditional clock or digital watch. Using a timer with the Pomodoro technique breaks your work into chunks with timed breaks in between. This makes it easier to stay focused, and the visual countdown shows you how much time is left for each task. If you’re not sure what the Pomodoro technique is, use your search engine to learn about it.

• Break Big Tasks into Smaller PiecesBig assignments can feel overwhelming. The trick is to break them into smaller, manageable steps. If the task is still overwhelming, break it into smaller steps. You might find that once you get started on a really small part of the task, it’s easier to keep going! Create a to-do list for each project, so you can see your progress and feel less stressed about the big picture. Accomplishing steps can also help to boost your motivation to do more!

• Keep a Calendar or PlannerWhether you prefer an app or a paper planner, keeping track of your schedule is key. Try color-coding different activities—school, sports, or social events—so you can see what’s coming up at a glance. Make the time to look at your day’s schedule each morning and the following day in the evening. Set time once a week to look ahead at the week and month. This can help prevent forgotten big projects and recognize when you’re overbooked and need to reschedule. The time invested in keeping and using your calendar or planner pays off!

• Set Alarms and RemindersIf you’re always running late or losing track of time, alarms are your best friend. Set reminders for homework, breaks, and even when you need to leave the house.

You (or your teen) can learn about all the techniques above (and more) in Scaffolding for Success. This 90-minute interactive class for teens can help learn and practice the skills.

Simple Organization Tips

• Create a Study ZoneSet up a dedicated study space where you can focus. Keep it free of distractions and stocked with everything you need—pens, notebooks, and chargers—so you don’t have to keep getting up. Having a specific spot for work helps your brain switch into "focus mode." (Note: Sometimes changing things up helps. If your brain does better with “new,” then change it up: read in a hammock, or under a tree, or go to a library.)

• Use Folders or BinsTo avoid losing things, get organized with color-coded folders or labeled bins. Keep school stuff in one place and home stuff in another. As soon as you finish using something, put it back in its place. Every time. This way you’ll always know where things are, and there’s less chance of running late because you couldn’t find something you need and you’re less likely to forget important papers if they’re in the folder that’s in your backpack.

• Do a Quick Tidy-UpSpend 5-10 minutes each day cleaning up your workspace or backpack. A quick tidy-up every day can stop clutter from building up, and you'll start the next day feeling more organized.

• Limit Digital DistractionsPhones and social media are major distractions. Set your phone and computer to block distracting notifications and tempting apps while it’s time for you to work. You can still use your favorite app and return messages during a scheduled time (yes, put time to do the things you enjoy on your calendar too!) but not when it’s time for other things. This can help you stay focused and get things done without constant interruptions. Every time you’re distracted, you have to shift your brain focus back to what you need to do. This takes brain energy, and that energy is limited each day.

  • I’m talking about this limited brain energy, what we do that steals it, and how to conserve it in the ADHDKCTeen October meeting “Energy Vampires.” This is a free talk and open to the public. All middle and high school students are invited to join me on October 8th! RSVP here or from the button below.

We’ll talk about and practice using all of these organizational techniques and more in Scaffolding for Success, which is one of 10 workshops for teens to learn about executive functioning and emotional regulation. The series is called “Director’s Cut” because it teaches teens to be the director of their life with new skills to re-work the script of day-to-day life. In addition to the 90-minute workshop, teens get worksheets to use at home and encouragement to use newly learned tools through follow up messaging.

A Note for Parents: How to Support Your Teen

While these tools are essential, parental support is also key. Encourage your teen to experiment with different techniques and find what works best for them—what helps one teen might not work for another. It's also important to remind them that improving time management and organization is a skill that takes time to develop.

Use positive reinforcement to help your teen accomplish tasks. Every time they’re reminded to do something — or worse, told they’re lazy for not doing something — they can feel attacked, which leads to more avoidance, lowers self-esteem, and can lead to anxiety and other problems. This weekend’s Director’s Cut workshop, Reworking the Script, is all about how some people become overly sensitive to any feedback, and how to work on more positive thoughts to get better outcomes.

For teens with ADHD, time management and organization don't have to be insurmountable challenges. With practice, patience, and the right tools, they can gain the skills needed to thrive.