Alex is 17 years old, a high school student and has ADHD. He has difficulty staying focused on long tasks and sometimes feels overwhelmed by homework, extracurricular activities and daily obligations.

Challenge:
Alex has to prepare a biology project, but he tends to procrastinate until the last minute.

Adapted plan for time management:

1. Dividing the project into small and clear tasks: Instead of thinking about “I need to finish the project,” Alex breaks down his work into simple, specific steps: – Research on the subject (2 days). – Creating the outline (1 day). – Writing the introduction and conclusion (1 day). – Review and verification (1 day).
2. Set a visual calendar: Alex uses an organization app or a colourful physical calendar. Each task is given a different colour. For example, the research is green, the outline writing is yellow and the revision is blue.
3. Implementation of the customized Pomodoro technique: Because he finds it difficult to concentrate for a long time, Alex sets 15-minute work intervals, followed by a 5-minute break. After 4 intervals (about an hour), take a break over 20 minutes.
4. Creating a Friendly Workspace: Alex arranges his desk with things that help him focus: a colourful lamp that creates a relaxing atmosphere, a visual timer for Pomodoro and a fidget (e.g., a spinner) that he uses during breaks.
5. Using Motivation Rewards: After completing each task (e.g., research), Alex gives himself a small reward, such as 10 minutes to play on his phone or a favourite snack.

Results:

• Alex completes the project on time without feeling pressured to do everything simultaneously.
• He feels more motivated and confident because he has adapted his strategy to his way of operating.
• He discovers that he can stay focused better by using colours and regular breaks.

To remember:

For neurodivergent young people, the key is to personalize the methods. Shorter intervals, frequent breaks, and small rewards can make an intimidating task more enjoyable and manageable.

Maria, 16 years old, is a student and has dyslexia. She finds it difficult to organize her study materials and feels overwhelmed by multiple tasks.

Strategy:

1. Prioritization of tasks with the Eisenhower method:  Maria writes down all her homework and classifies it:

• Important and urgent: The math homework (it’s for tomorrow).
• Important, but not urgent: Reading a chapter for next week’s quiz.
• Unimportant: Organize old notes.
• Using an audio app for to-do lists:

Because writing is more difficult for her, Maria uses an app that turns voice into text to create her daily to-do lists.

    2. Custom Time Blocks: Maria works for 25 minutes on her Maths homework, with a 10-minute break, during which she listens to relaxing music.

    3. Visual Feedback: It uses colourful stickers to mark completed tasks, which gives it a sense of accomplishment.

Result:
Maria completes the important assignment without feeling overwhelmed and manages to stay on track for the next test. Visual and audio methods help her maintain her motivation and clarity. 

Be open to learn from mistakes, experiment with new methods and adapt them to your own pace. With a bit of patience, you’ll discover how to juggle time and build the life you want – without unnecessary stress and with a lot of success.

Each of us has a unique brain, meaning the strategies for organizing time must be equally diverse. If you find yourself on the spectrum of ADHD, autism or another form of neurodiversity, you may need methods that fit your particular way of thinking. And that’s super OK! The idea is to find what works for you.

You’ve got everything you need – now get to work and conquer the time!

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the ANPCDEFP. Neither the European Union nor the ANPCDEFP can be held responsible for them.