WANT BIGGER WINS IN 2026?
New Year's resolutions can be tough for a lot of people, but they tend to be especially challenging for individuals with ADHD…
Make these 7 ADHD executive changes for better results in the New Year!
Here are a few key reasons why this happens:
1. Lack of Immediate Rewards
ADHD brains want immediate gratification, and many resolutions—like getting fit or saving money—doesn't always offer instant reward. The delayed gratification needed for long-term goals can feel discouraging. Without that quick payoff, it's easy for the ADHD-minded to lose interest or motivation.
🌟SOLUTION: Breaking long-term goals into smaller, achievable milestones can be challenging for the ADHD brain. Instead of aiming to lose 12 pounds, focus on losing 1 pound each month. Instead of committing to long workouts, try a 10-20 minute session between tasks. Rather than a restrictive diet, start by making one healthier food choice each day. You can also gamify the process by earning points or rewards for completing small tasks. Use an app to track your progress and earn points, or put a dollar in a jar for each day you stay consistent. This visual reward system helps reinforce immediate progress and keeps you motivated.
2. Difficulty with Planning and Organization
A lot of resolutions involve setting clear goals and breaking them down into smaller tasks, but planning and organizing those tasks is a struggle for the ADHD mind. Executive function challenges, like difficulty organizing, prioritizing, and managing time make it hard to map out the steps needed to reach certain goals.
🌟SOLUTION: Create a daily or weekly routine by scheduling your goals at a consistent day/time. Results come from repeated actions over time, so choose a clear time to work on your goal regularly. Once you plan it, the focus shifts to follow-through, reducing task overwhelm, procrastination, and making it easier to get started. More on this in tip #5.
3. Inconsistent Focus and Attention
One of the core symptoms of ADHD is difficulty with sustaining attention. A resolution might start strong, but as the novelty wears off or distractions emerge, it becomes harder to stay focused on the goal. The interest in the resolution fades because the brain is constantly seeking something more novel and stimulating.
🌟SOLUTION: Sustaining focus and initiating tasks that aren't inherently interesting is a common challenge I hear from my clients. To overcome this, try switching things up while maintaining a regular routine with your goal. For example, play music, listen to an audiobook or podcast, work from a new location, or try a different type of workout. The key is to mix things up just enough to keep your brain engaged, but not so much that you lose focus or switch to a different goal. Consistency doesn't mean doing the same thing every day—it's about keeping the process enjoyable and sustainable. No one said you can't make it fun!
4. Perfectionism and All-or-Nothing Thinking
People with ADHD sometimes struggle with black-and-white thinking—either they're fully on track or they've totally fallen off. If they miss a day at the gym, slip on their budget, etc it can feel like they've failed completely, leading them to abandon the goal altogether.
🌟SOLUTION: Mistakes and setbacks are part of the process, and learning to get back on track is essential. Failure isn't final, but the wrong mindset can be. Instead of striving for perfection, focus on “progress over perfection.” The ADHD brain faces unique challenges like difficulty with self-reflection, patience, flexibility, and motivation, which can lead to black-and-white thinking. When you miss a goal, treat yourself with compassion. Ask, “What can I learn from this? How can I do better next time?” Reflect on what worked when you succeeded, and write it down to build on your strengths. Even small victories contribute to long-term growth. Be flexible in your approach and stay intentional with your goals. If something isn't working, adjust and try again. If you fall off track, take a deep breath and pick up where you left off—each day is a fresh start.
5. Difficulty with Time Management
Time management is particularly challenging for those with ADHD. Time blindness, difficulty planning, and distractibility—all play a large part in derailing goals and making it hard to stay on track with a schedule.
🌟SOLUTION: Time management is a big challenge for those with ADHD, mainly due to time blindness—the difficulty in accurately sensing how much time has passed. This makes it easy to underestimate task durations, overlook delays, or lose track of time entirely. To manage this, try using external tools like a timer or the Pomodoro Technique, which involves setting a timer (usually 25-50 minutes) to stay focused on one task at a time while also self-sourcing urgency, challenge, and pressure —factors that help motivate the ADHD brain. This also helps keep you aware of time and prevents losing hours to hyperfocus. Also, its important to account for transition times in between tasks, plan for interruptions, as well as common delays that could disrupt your schedule because they have already been factored in. Lastly, try reducing environmental distractions when working by decluttering your workspace, using noise-canceling headphones, or setting up an optimal space for work to help you make the best use of your time.
6. Difficulty with Self-Monitoring, Patience, & Tracking Progress
ADHD can make it hard to monitor progress toward a goal. Without consistent tracking, individuals may feel like they aren't making any headway, leading to frustration and giving up. This is often due to difficulties with self-reflection; reducing conflicting thoughts and or recognizing growth and achievement.
🌟SOLUTION: Use external tracking tools to stay on top of your progress. Whether it's a journal, an app, or a visual tracker look for your progress and focus on daily or weekly wins. Focus on small stacking wins to boost motivation to win BIG in the long run. And even if you don't see immediate results, tracking will help you realize how far you've come. You could also enlist a buddy or me as your coach to help you track your progress and provide the positive reinforcement you may be overlooking.
7. Energy and Motivation Fluctuations
People with ADHD can often experience fluctuating energy levels and motivation. What feels like a strong drive to succeed in January can drop off by February, especially if challenges with the above executive function skills make it harder to maintain consistency.
🌟SOLUTION: Pay attention to when your energy naturally dips and plan accordingly. On low-energy days, don't push yourself too hard. Instead, focus on a small, manageable task that's related to your goal to keep moving forward. On higher-energy days, take advantage of your motivation to tackle bigger more challenging tasks. Track your energy patterns and schedule your most demanding tasks for when you're naturally more focused or energized. If you're feeling burned out or overwhelmed, the first step is to acknowledge it and allow yourself to rest without guilt. Taking a break doesn't mean giving up—it's all about giving your brain time to recharge, reassess what's happening, and come up with strategies that work with your ADHD brain. Sometimes, energy lows happen because we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves. If needed, revisit your New Year's goals and ask if they're all achievable right now. If not, consider putting one or two goals on hold and focusing on what's most important for the moment so you can really focus on that area. Adjust your goals to fit your current capacity, and be flexible with your timeline. You can also lean on external accountability—a trained coach like myself to help you overcome executive function challenges, and keep you motivated——especially when your internal drive fades.
Need Help Staying on Track?
ADHD can make sticking to your New Years resolutions more challenging, but with the right strategies and support, you too can make strides towards lasting progress and results.
If you'd like 1:1 coaching support, I'm here to help you stay on track and work through these common hurdles.
As a coach who spends my days working with ADHD clients, these challenges may be common but learning the best solution that will help you make progress and get results, is a true discovery and relearning process I am happy to walk you through step-by-step.
Want to create a strategy and plan that is tailored to you for 2026?
Email me at devin@devinweafer.com to see how you too can start your coaching journey or book a 20 minute discovery call HERE with me
Let's make this year your most productive yet!!
Know someone who could use these insights? Forward this email to them— remember sharing is caring! :)
In Service & Success,
Devin