Blog · Analog Planning

How to Stay Organized Without Apps: Analog Planning for ADHD

For years I thought more apps would fix the forgetfulness and time blindness that come with my ADHD. What actually helped was building the right habits on paper.

Luis Duque, PE · September 26, 2026 · 7 min read

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The short answer

A combination of practices and habits took me from someone who was distracted, unable to focus, and forgetful to someone who gets a lot done at my day job.

I don't know whether these habits are specific to ADHD. They can help you even if you don't have the underlying symptoms and challenges that come with it.

Why paper

Having an engineering brain and an ADHD brain comes with a constant low hum of anxiety. I overthink things and struggle to process information as it comes my way.

So I moved my notes, my capture system, and my tasks back to paper. Sometimes that's a notebook and sometimes a notepad, but I always try to keep a pen and paper handy so I can process information and get it out of my head.

Once the information is out of your head and on paper, you can actually acknowledge the tasks, problems, and issues, and start working on them.

Habit 1: The brain dump

Everything carries a cognitive load. With ADHD and anxiety, working memory is often overloaded with thoughts and problems that need solving. Anxiety also steals time, because it makes every task feel urgent and immediate.

A brain dump is how I handle that constant high cognitive load. Getting things out of my mind and onto paper has helped me a lot with these challenges.

Take a piece of paper, whether a loose sheet or a notebook, and write down everything that is happening: what is stressing you out and what you may need to work on. That gets it out of your brain and onto paper.

That starts to relieve some of the internal anxiety and pressure you may be facing. It's the first step toward emptying your mental hard drive.

Habit 2: The priority matrix

Once you start doing brain dumps, you will notice that many of the items are open loops: things you need to do or accomplish. The problem is that you have been keeping all of them in your head.

One of my favorite techniques for sorting them is the Eisenhower matrix, also called a prioritization matrix. It rests on the idea that most tasks fall into four categories.

Urgent and important: the firefighting quadrant

These tasks need to be done immediately, or there will be consequences. Take care of them as soon as possible.

Important but not urgent: the strategic quadrant

Tasks that are important but not urgent tend to be more strategic, which is why I call this my strategic quadrant.

I can delay these a little so I finish the firefighting first. They still matter, but they don't have a tight timeline or need a quick turnaround.

Urgent but not important: distractions

Tasks that feel urgent but are not important are usually distractions, and they are one of my biggest challenges with ADHD and anxiety. Cleaning my desk can feel urgent, but is it really important right now?

Meanwhile, a project or task that needs to be done much sooner waits while I do work that only seems urgent.

You can also delegate tasks in this quadrant: hand them to someone at work, or hire someone to do them in your personal life.

Neither: noise

Tasks that are neither urgent nor important are noise, and they should be discarded.

What the matrix does

Sorting your brain dump into the matrix gives it a structure that helps you decide where to put your energy and your limited resources.

The matrix is not a new concept, but it's an important part of how I manage anxiety and ADHD. It shows me which tasks are both urgent and important, and those are the ones I need to get done today. It makes getting through my task list a little easier.

Habit 3: The sensory reset

Another thing that helps with ADHD, at least in my case, is a sensory reset. It's based on the concept of grounding.

Whenever I'm feeling extra anxious or worried, or just struggling to get through the day, going for a walk or using my stationery has been a great way to manage the symptoms.

With a fountain pen, I uncap it, look at the nib, and feel how scratchy or smooth it is on the paper. As I write, I can feel and hear the ink going onto the page. Those sensations help me a lot.

As someone who struggles with ADHD, I find that tactile grounding, like the smell of a notebook, the feel of paper, and flipping pages, is really satisfying. When I'm anxious, it gives me something I can actually feel, touch, and do something with, instead of only staring at a computer.

Habit 4: The weekly review

The last practice is a weekly review, which I also call a weekly reset. I've been fairly consistent with it for about two years now.

The review is where I look back at the previous week and the tasks I finished. This is why I like doing everything on paper: I can see exactly what was done and how each task went from an idea to a concept to done. I like seeing the crossed-out tasks and how it all comes together.

It's also where I look at the habits I've been tracking and how my week went in terms of workouts, work, and anything else I want to track. That look back matters because, for someone with ADHD, time blindness can be a real struggle.

I sometimes skip a few weeks of tracking or of the review itself, but I always come back to it. It helps me feel in control of my life, and controlling the important things I'm able to control is something I value a lot.

What this will not do

Managing ADHD and anxiety is not something you do once and finish. You have to work on it every single day.

You learn to deal with it as you develop your habits, systems, and processes. Over time, they help you manage the symptoms, overcome the challenges, and live a happier life in general.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you stay organized with ADHD without using apps?

Yes. For a long time I thought more apps, systems, and technology were the answer to my ADHD symptoms, but what actually helped was building the right practices and habits, mostly on paper.

What is a brain dump and how do you do it?

A brain dump means taking a piece of paper and writing down everything that is happening, what is stressing you out, and what you may need to work on, so it's out of your head and on the page.

How does the Eisenhower matrix help with ADHD?

The Eisenhower matrix sorts tasks into four categories by how urgent and how important they are. Mapping a brain dump into it gives the list a structure that shows where to put your energy.

What if I skip my weekly review for a few weeks?

That happens to me too. I sometimes skip a few weeks of tracking or of the weekly review itself, but I always come back to it because it helps me feel in control.