**By Kirstie - CEO**

Ah, January. The season of fresh planners, gym memberships, and wildly ambitious resolutions like *“I’ll become a minimalist AND run a marathon!”*
If you’re anything like me (hello, ADHD brain), those resolutions feel exciting for about… two weeks. Then life happens, the novelty wears off, and suddenly that shiny planner is buried under a pile of laundry and snack wrappers.
Sound familiar? Let’s talk about why resolutions often flop for ADHD, and what I do instead to keep my sanity (and my keys).

Why Resolutions and ADHD Don’t Mix Well

Rigid rules? Nope. My brain loves flexibility and novelty, not strict schedules.

Motivation on demand? Ha! ADHD motivation is interest-based, not “because I said so.”
Executive function hurdles: Planning and sticking to routines? That’s like asking a cat to do your taxes.

One year, I resolved to “write in my planner every day.” By week two, the planner was under a pile of socks, and I was writing reminders on my hand like a pirate with a treasure map.

What I Now Do Instead (AKA: My ADHD-Friendly Hacks)

Intentions over Resolutions:
Instead of “I’ll exercise every day,” I set an intention like:

“I want to feel strong and energised this year.”

That way, I can choose what feels good, maybe a walk, maybe dancing like nobody’s watching (except the dog, who judges me).

Micro-goals are my jam:
Big goals overwhelm me. So I break them down!

Instead of “organise the whole house,” I start with:
“Clear one shelf today.”

Instead of “meal prep every Sunday,” I try:
“Cut up veggies for tomorrow’s lunch.”

Celebrate the tiny wins:
ADHD brains thrive on dopamine, so I cheer for the small stuff:
“I remembered to drink water today? Woohoo!”
“I sent that email I’ve been avoiding? High five!”

Systems over Willpower:
I use reminders, visual cues, and accountability buddies:

I email myself those pesky, important (and intrusive!) thoughts: then I open my emails (personal or work-related) once per day and BAM! There’s reminder for me to action when I’m ready to.

My life revolves around alarms: “Remember to take my meds at 12:30pm”, “Phone Call with So & So at 12:45pm (I give myself a 15 minute reminder before each action is due… oh, and if I didn’t action the thing I was meant to do there and then, I hit the snooze button so that the alarm goes off again in 10 minutes).

Anyone else lost their keys every time they use a different bag with an outfit?!

Last year, instead of “being more organised,” I made a system where I started only using one bag for my life and that is where my keys, medication, sunglasses and my most important cards started living. If I took any of these things out of the bag, then I made sure to place them back in as soon as I was don’t with them. Did I do it perfectly? Nope. But I stopped losing my keys every week and that felt like winning the lottery!

Where to From Here?

If resolutions have never worked for you, it’s not because you’re lazy or broken, it’s because they weren’t designed for your brain. This year, try a kinder, more ADHD-friendly approach. Progress beats perfection every time!

Ready to make 2026 feel more grounded and doable? Learn more about how Peer Practice can support you with ADHD-friendly strategies, wellbeing, and authentic connection!

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