Minimalist Weekly Planner for Chaotic ADHD Brains

Traditional planners fail neurodivergent minds because they demand rigid schedules, dozens of fields, and constant discipline. What we need is a one-page dashboard that mirrors how ADHD brains actually operate: energy flows up and down, friction appears randomly, and dopamine needs to be planned just as intentionally as tasks. This guide gives you a printable + digital-friendly template that keeps the week quiet, visual, and actionable.

If the energy crashes and random friction spikes sound like your week, confirm how much ADHD symptom load you’re managing. A 2-minute ASRS check gives you data before you map the planner, and you can rerun our free neurodivergent screening whenever those energy graphs feel unpredictable.

TL;DR: The One-Page Layout

Section 1: Energy Forecast (5 minutes)

Divide the page into seven columns with two rows each (AM/PM). Shade each block using Green = Steady, Yellow = Uncertain, Red = Low. This is not about predicting exact tasks—it’s about choosing when to attempt high-friction work.

• Pull from your Low-Stim Morning Loop data: Which mornings felt calm? Which afternoons crashed?
• Mark medication peaks or therapy appointments in the margins so you see natural boosts.
• During the week, jot one-word notes (“migraine,” “library,” “client call”) so future-you can spot patterns.

Section 2: Quiet Pillars (three objectives)

Pick three outcomes only. For each, write:

1. Outcome statement (e.g., “Finish Quiet Classroom visual pack”).
2. Micro-actions (2–4 bullets) that can be finished in <25 minutes.
3. Regulation cue (movement tool, white noise, or accountability buddy) that you’ll pair with that pillar.

Example:

• Pillar: Quiet Classroom visuals
  • Micro-actions: sketch card layout, photograph sensory corner, draft parent letter.
  • Regulation cue: Quiet Sprint timer + weighted lap pad.

Section 3: Friction Sweep (daily maintenance)

Every evening, scan the day for friction and log two columns:

Keep friction entries short—this is a log, not a diary. The goal is to see repeating blocks so you know when to deploy the Quiet Desk, Body Doubling, or Morning routines.

Section 4: Dopamine Menu (attach to planner)

Split rewards into 3 buckets based on effort/time:

• Fast (≤5 min): texture card break, stretching with bone-conduction audio, sending a meme to your accountability buddy.
• Medium (10–20 min): iced matcha run, short ambient co-working session, mini tidy of the Quiet Corner.
• Slow (45+ min): long walk with podcast, crafting sensory tools, art block with noise-canceling headphones.

Match each micro-action from Quiet Pillars to a reward. Write it directly next to the task so you don’t have to invent dopamine when you are already depleted.

Section 5: Weekly Retro

Friday (or whenever your week ends), rate three sliders 1–5:

• Focus: Did Quiet Sprints + Body Doubling keep you on track?
• Noise: Was your desk/house under 45 dB most of the time?
• Regulation: Did you use tactile tools/morning routines at least once per day?

Then add two bullet prompts:

• Win: Something small you completed (e.g., “kept Quiet Desk tidy 4 days”).
• Roll-over: One pillar/micro-action to move to next week.

This ensures the planner closes the loop and doesn’t become a guilt artifact.

Sample Filled-In Planner

Quiet Pillars preview:

• Pillar 1: Quiet Desk CTA assets → actions (design mockup, copy review, upload).
• Pillar 2: Body Doubling article → actions (tool table, CTA config, FAQ).
• Pillar 3: Planner template → actions (layout sketch, Canva export, upload PDF).

How to Use the Template

1. Print / duplicate Sunday night. The template fits on A4/Letter; digital users can import to Notion/GoodNotes.
2. Place in Anchor Zone. Put the page on a clipboard or stand near your Quiet Desk so it’s within your visual field but not covering screens.
3. Review twice daily. Morning: glance at energy blocks + plan micro-actions. Evening: log friction + check off rewards.
4. Archive weekly. Snap a photo or slide into a folder. Every month, review trends to adjust routines.

Download & Stack

• Download: Minimalist Weekly Planner (PDF + Notion duplicate link) via the toolkit CTA below.
• Stack: Pair with Body Doubling at Home for accountability and with Quiet Classroom if you manage students.
• Iterate: Each Sunday, adjust energy colors and rewards first—tasks come second.