October is ADHD Awareness Month, and task management is a common theme for discussion in the workplace, with many people looking for strategies that support focus and follow-through. Tasks such as responding to emails, preparing reports, coordinating with colleagues, or following up on agreed actions can feel harder to initiate or harder to complete when you live with ADHD.

This isn’t about effort or ability. It comes down to how the ADHD brain handles executive functions: planning, prioritising, organising. Often, tasks are split into two groups:

• the urgent ones that demand immediate attention,
• and the quieter but important ones that slip away.

Recognising that pattern is the first step toward building systems that ease your work, rather than fight it.

Strategies for Task Management at Work

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to managing workplace tasks when you have ADHD, but there are techniques that can make a real difference. The key is finding what works for you and adapting it as you go. Below are a few approaches that many people find helpful for improving focus, reducing overwhelm, and building momentum at work.

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Large projects can sometimes feel overwhelming and potentially paralysing. Breaking a task down into smaller, more manageable and ‘tick-offable’ tasks often can help you get started. Instead of “complete the presentation,” think:

1. “Open a document”
2. “Write the 1st three bullet points”
3.  “Add supporting data to slide 1”

Each micro-step helps reduce overwhelm and allows you to see that you are making tangible progress. And you get a lovely little dopamine hit for ticking off some of the chunked tasks!

Make Priorities Visible

If something vanishes from view, it vanishes from mind. Use visual systems to keep them visible to you: whiteboards, sticky notes, Kanban boards, task apps. The trick is choosing a format that fits your workspace and one you’ll use regularly. If digital tools don’t work for you, try a physical option such as a notebook, wall planner or whiteboard.

Some of our team’s favourite visible task strategies are:

• Trello
• Muji notepad
• Asana
• Desk pads- like this pink dopamin hit one from Bookishly, or these beauties from Papersmiths
• Notion –
  • Have a read of our Notion ‘How to get started’ blog if it all feels a bit overwhelming!

It’s also ok to try a few options out and decide to try something else. You may have to kiss a few frogs before you find YOUR prince.

Add External Accountability

Deadlines often act as a useful prompt to focus attention and help turn intention into action. If one doesn’t exist, create one.

Book a 30-minute work slot with a colleague ot peer, schedule a check-in with your manager, or send yourself a calendar invite you can’t ignore. Even small agreements can make a task feel more concrete and achievable.

Another option is to join one of Sycamore’s Focus Sessions, which provide structured co-working time with accountability built in. You’re welcome anytime!

Use Time Blocking – Pomodoro Method

Time-chunking helps avoid open-ended fatigue. The Pomodoro technique is one well-known method.

How to Use the Pomodoro Technique

• Choose a task
• Work on the task for 25 minutes
• Take a 5-minute break
• Work on the task again for another 25 minutes
• After four cycles, take a longer break

This gives tasks natural boundaries and helps to reduce mental fatigue.

You can allocate specific Pomodoros to different parts of a project: one for drafting, one for editing, one for revising, turning a vague ‘must do’ project into manageable chunks.

There are now some great tech tools and physical desktop timers that can help you set and stick to the times.

Reward Progress, not just Completion

It’s easy to focus only on the final goal, but acknowledging progress as you go helps maintain momentum.

For example, completing the first section of a report or clearing part of your inbox both move the task forward. Building in small rewards – such as a cup of tea, a short walk, or listening to a song you enjoy – can help reinforce progress.

This is particularly relevant for ADHD, where dopamine levels play a role in how motivated and engaged a task feels. Pairing work with small, enjoyable rewards helps to trigger that sense of achievement and makes it easier to keep going.

Plan for Flexibility

Even the best systems won’t work perfectly every time. Build in buffer time and be prepared to reschedule tasks when needed rather than dropping them altogether. If something doesn’t get done today, move it into tomorrow’s plan so it stays visible and manageable. A useful reflection is to ask yourself: “What one thing can I do today to make tomorrow better?”  – this keeps planning forward-looking and realistic without adding pressure.

Managing Meetings & Email with ADHD

For some of us, meetings and email can take up a large part of the working day, so it helps to have a few simple approaches to keep them under control:

• Prepare before meetings
  • Jot down what you want to cover, any questions you need to ask, and what you’ll need to follow up. A quick glance before the meeting helps you stay focused.
• Capture key points during meetings
  • Make brief notes of decisions and actions as they come up, so nothing gets overlooked once the meeting ends.
  • There are various AI tech tools for recording meeting notes that may be worth an investigation too
    • Otter AI
    • Fathom
    • Fireflies
• Set times for email
  • Instead of checking messages constantly, pick two or three times in the day to deal with your inbox. This keeps email from breaking up your concentration.
• Flag important emails
  • Use clear subject lines or flags to mark items that need action, for example, adding “Action” or “Follow up” to make them easy to spot.
• Use simple filters
  • Most email systems let you highlight messages from certain people or with urgent keywords. Setting these up makes sure important emails don’t get buried.

The Role of Coaching

Practical strategies are often a solid start. Coaching helps bridge the gap between knowing and doing.

In a coaching process, you can:

• Experiment with tools and routines in a low-risk space until something sticks
• Build accountability that feels supportive, not pressurised
• Discover what actually makes tasks visible to you – your personal ‘radar triggers’
• Adjust systems as your work changes (different roles, projects, team structures)

Specialist ADHD coaching takes this one step further. A coach with experience in executive functioning and neurodiversity understands how attention, motivation and working memory influence daily performance. They’ll help you identify strategies that work with your brain, rather than against it – combining practical planning techniques with tools that support focus, regulation and self-management.

A screening assessment can also be a useful first step. It’s not a diagnosis, but it can highlight patterns, strengths and areas where extra support may make a difference.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve tried several planners or task management tools without finding one that consistently works, you’re not alone. The goal isn’t to find the ‘perfect’ system, but to find something that works for your brain, one you’ll keep using, tweak, and grow with.

Small, consistent changes can gradually shift how you move through work. When you combine that with occasional support, whether coaching, accountability, or adaptive tweaks, task management can become more structured and manageable.

Blog Author: Paul Coombes, Sycamore Coach

Paul is an experienced coach and leadership training facilitator, specialising in business and personal development for clients ranging from start-ups and SMEs to global corporations. His work across industries led him to focus on neurodivergent coaching, recognising the unique challenges and strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring to leadership and business.

Want to explore how Paul can support you and your business? 

Click here to read our Meet the Coach Q&A with Paul Coombes