When the Tools That Are Supposed to Help Become Another Thing to Manage
I have tried a lot of organizational systems over the years. And when I say a lot, I mean enough that I could probably open a small museum dedicated entirely to the different ways I’ve attempted to get my life together. Bullet journals. Notebooks. Planners. Sticky notes covering my desk and computer. A reminders app […]
Why “I’ll Do It Later” Is More Complicated Than It Sounds
I say “I’ll do it later” with an impressive amount of confidence for someone who has apparently never met Later Jill. Later Jill is very busy. She has the things Current Jill didn’t feel like doing, the things Morning Jill didn’t have time to do, and at least three things Yesterday Jill confidently handed over […]
The Weird Amount of Energy It Takes to Keep Track of “Almost Done”
I currently have several things that are almost done. This sounds like good news. It is not. Almost done means the hard part is finished. The document is written. The form is filled out. The email is drafted. The appointment has been researched. The laundry has made it through both the washer and the dryer. […]
When Your Environment Is Doing More Work Than You Realize
I have learned something about myself over the years. If I put something somewhere because I will definitely remember it? That item has entered another dimension. Apparently, my memory operates largely on the principle of: If I cannot see it, it has ceased to exist. This is why things end up by the front door. […]
The Part of OCD Most People Never See
For years, if someone had asked me what OCD looked like, I probably would have given the same answer most people do. I would have pictured someone who liked things organized, someone who color-coded their planner, or someone who got frustrated when the picture frames weren’t straight. Those are the stereotypes we’ve all seen repeated […]
The Hidden Mental Load of ADHD
There’s a version of ADHD that people think they understand. “Oh look, a squirrel.”“Can’t sit still.”“Forgot their homework again.”“Probably just needs a planner.” Thank you, Brenda. Truly groundbreaking analysis. But the reality of ADHD is way less “quirky distraction” and way more “my brain has 37 browser tabs open, 12 are frozen, one is playing […]
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