The ONLY ADHD Organization Method You Need

Summary

In this video, Chris, a creator with ADHD, introduces the PARA Method, an organizational system designed to simplify digital clutter, particularly for those with ADHD. The method, created by Tiago Forte, categorizes files and notes into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives, streamlining the way tasks and information are managed. Chris highlights the benefits for ADHDers, such as immediate access to actionable items and visual clarity on ongoing projects, while also cautioning about the initial effort required to adopt this new system.

Takeaways

• 📚 The PARA Method is an organizational system designed to help manage digital clutter, particularly beneficial for those with ADHD.
• 🔍 The system categorizes information into Projects, Areas of responsibility, Resources, and Archives (PARA) to streamline organization.
• 🎯 'Projects' in PARA refer to tasks with a specific goal and deadline, requiring multiple work sessions to complete.
• 🏞️ 'Areas' are ongoing responsibilities without a set end date, such as health and fitness goals or professional development.
• 📚 'Resources' are information or topics stored for future reference without immediate action required, like recipes or reading lists.
• 🗃️ 'Archives' store completed projects or information that is no longer relevant but may be needed for future reference.
• 👀 The PARA Method is visually intuitive, allowing individuals to quickly assess the number of active projects and manage workload effectively.
• 🧠 It simplifies the organizational process by using a single system across all platforms, reducing the cognitive load on working memory.
• 🔄 Adopting the PARA Method requires an initial investment of time and effort to transition to the new system and establish the habit.
• 🤔 Before committing to a new organizational method, it's important to consider its long-term feasibility and the time required for setup.
• 📖 For a deeper understanding of the PARA Method, the speaker recommends reading the book by Tiago Forte, the creator of the system.
• 🌟 The speaker offers additional tools and support for ADHD individuals through their Focus Bootcamp, aimed at building a thriving life with ADHD.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the video script?

The main issue discussed is the challenge of managing digital clutter and staying organized, especially for individuals with ADHD.

Who is the creator mentioned in the script?

The creator mentioned is Chris, who is an ADHD advocate helping others with similar conditions to improve their productivity.

How does ADHD impact organizational skills according to the script?

ADHD impacts organizational skills by affecting the executive functions of the frontal lobe, making it difficult to establish an effective filing system.

What is the PARA Method and who conceived it?

The PARA Method is an organizational system conceived by Tiago Forte, which categorizes everything into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives based on their actionability.

What does the 'P' in PARA stand for and what does it include?

The 'P' stands for Projects, which are tasks linked to a goal with a deadline, requiring multiple work sessions to complete.

What are 'Areas' in the PARA Method?

'Areas' in the PARA Method refer to ongoing activities without a specific end date, such as health and fitness goals or professional development.

What are 'Resources' in the context of the PARA Method?

'Resources' are topics or pieces of information stored for future reference but not necessarily requiring immediate action, like recipes or online courses.

What does 'Archives' represent in the PARA Method?

'Archives' in the PARA Method are items from the other three categories that have been completed and are no longer relevant for current action.

Why is the PARA Method considered beneficial for people with ADHD?

The PARA Method is beneficial for people with ADHD because it organizes information by actionability, making it easy to access the most important tasks, and helps visually manage the number of ongoing projects to prevent overwhelm.

What is the potential drawback of adopting the PARA Method mentioned in the script?

The potential drawback is the initial effort required to move everything into the new system and establish the habit of maintaining it.

What are two questions one should ask themselves before adopting a new organizational method according to the script?

The two questions are: 1) Is this something I should commit to and invest time in for the next few years? 2) How much time will it realistically take to transfer everything over?

How can viewers learn more about the PARA Method and other tools for ADHD management?

Viewers can learn more about the PARA Method by purchasing the book linked in the description and join the Focus Bootcamp for additional tools and systems.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The PARA Method for ADHD Organization

Chris introduces the PARA method, an organizational system designed to help manage digital clutter, particularly for those with ADHD. The method categorizes digital materials into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives based on their actionability. Projects are tasks with deadlines, Areas are ongoing responsibilities without specific end dates, Resources are information for future reference, and Archives are for completed items. This system aims to simplify the organization process and reduce the time spent managing clutter.

05:02

🔍 Benefits and Considerations of the PARA Method

The PARA method is highlighted for its simplicity and universality, making it easy for individuals with ADHD to manage their tasks across various platforms without the need for multiple systems. It helps in visually tracking ongoing projects, which is crucial for avoiding overwhelm and burnout. However, Chris also points out the initial effort required to transition to this system and emphasizes the importance of considering whether it's a habit worth adopting long-term. He recommends the book on the PARA method for further insights and invites viewers to join his Focus Bootcamp for additional tools to thrive with ADHD.

Keywords

💡ADHD

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulty in paying attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. In the context of the video, it is a central theme as the creator discusses how the PARA method can assist individuals with ADHD in managing their organizational skills and digital clutter.

💡Digital Clutter

Digital clutter refers to the disorganized accumulation of digital files, emails, and other digital assets that can lead to inefficiency and wasted time. The video emphasizes the challenge of digital clutter, especially for those with ADHD, and how the PARA method can help streamline and organize digital spaces.

💡Organizational Skills

Organizational skills are the abilities to plan, prioritize, and manage tasks and information effectively. The video script discusses the impact of ADHD on these skills and introduces the PARA method as a potential solution to improve organization for those with ADHD.

💡PARA Method

The PARA method is an organizational system developed by Tiago Forte, aimed at simplifying the way people with ADHD manage their tasks and files. The acronym stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives, each category serving a specific purpose in organizing one's digital and physical space.

💡Projects

In the PARA method, 'Projects' refers to tasks or goals that require multiple steps and have a deadline. The video uses examples like planning a birthday party or completing a work presentation to illustrate how this category helps in organizing tasks with specific completion points.

💡Areas

Areas in the PARA method are ongoing responsibilities or interests without a defined end date, such as health and fitness goals or professional development. The script mentions these to highlight long-term activities that are part of one's routine but not necessarily time-bound projects.

💡Resources

Resources are pieces of information or topics that one wants to keep for future reference but does not need to act upon immediately. The video gives examples like recipe collections and online courses, emphasizing the importance of storing information that may be useful later.

💡Archives

Archives in the PARA method are completed projects or information that is no longer actively needed but worth keeping for potential future reference. The script explains that archiving allows for the storage of past projects and information without the need for deletion.

💡Actionable

Actionable items are tasks or pieces of information that require or prompt action. The PARA method organizes items based on their actionability, which is crucial for individuals with ADHD to prioritize and manage their workload effectively, as explained in the video.

💡Executive Functions

Executive functions are a set of cognitive processes that include planning, problem-solving, and organizing. The video script mentions that ADHD can impact these functions, making it difficult for individuals to establish and maintain effective organizational systems.

💡Overwhelm

Overwhelm refers to a state of being excessively burdened or stressed by the amount of tasks or information one has to manage. The video discusses how the PARA method can help prevent overwhelm by visually organizing projects and tasks, making it easier for individuals with ADHD to manage their responsibilities.

💡Working Memory

Working memory is the cognitive system responsible for temporarily storing and manipulating information. The video highlights the importance of not overworking one's working memory by simplifying the organizational system into one that can be easily remembered and applied across all platforms.

Highlights

Digital clutter can be overwhelming, especially for those with ADHD, causing significant time loss in managing files and organization.

A near-perfect organizational method is introduced that could save time for individuals with ADHD brains.

The PARA Method, created by Tiago Forte, inventor of the second brain system, is presented as a potential game changer for ADHD organization.

PARA stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives, a system to categorize everything from notes to pictures based on actionability.

Projects are tasks linked to a goal with a deadline, requiring multiple work sessions to complete.

Areas represent ongoing responsibilities without a specific end date, such as health and fitness goals or professional development.

Resources are information or topics stored for future reference without immediate action required, like recipes or online courses.

Archives are for completed projects or information no longer in use but worth storing for potential future reference.

The PARA Method simplifies digital storage by promoting archiving over deletion, leveraging abundant digital space.

The method is universal, applicable across all devices and file systems, providing consistency in organization.

For ADHD individuals, the PARA Method's organization prioritizes the most actionable items, reducing decision-making time.

Visual organization helps ADHD individuals manage the number of projects, preventing overwhelm and promoting focus.

The simplicity of the PARA Method reduces the cognitive load on working memory, as it requires learning only one system.

The PARA Method's universality aids in quick location of items across various platforms, benefiting working memory.

Adopting a new organizational method requires initial effort to transition and establish the habit, crucial for long-term success.

When considering a new system, it's important to evaluate its long-term commitment and the time needed for transition.

The PARA Method is detailed in a book by Tiago Forte, recommended for those interested in learning more.

Focus Bootcamp offers a system to help ADHD individuals thrive, suggesting the PARA Method could be part of a comprehensive tool set.

The video ends with an invitation for feedback on the PARA Method's potential as an ADHD lifesaver.

Transcripts

as more and more of our digital lives build up, we can end up with

a complete mess of different file structures and naming conventions.

And if you have ADHD like myself, this can mean losing hours and hours of time

every single month, simply trying to stay on top of the digital clutter.

The good news is I think I found a near perfect organizational

method that could save you and your A D H D brain a lot of time.

So in this video, I'm gonna break down what it is, how it works, three reasons

why it could be perfect for us ADHDers, and one reason why it may not be.

If you're new here, my name is Chris, I'm a creator with ADHD and

I help fellow busy brains learn the tools to finally get shit done.

So ADHD massively impacts our organizational skills.

It's part of the executive functions of our frontal lobe.

And with ADHD we can really struggle trying to figure out a good

filing system that works for us.

There's a million productivity YouTubers out there and we can spend hours

trying to find this perfect system and it could be massively overwhelming.

And I know because I've spent all that time myself trying

to find that same system.

However, I've come across one method recently, which I think is actually

going to change things up quite a lot.

It's conceived by Tiago Forte, who is the guy that invented the second brain system.

But this organizational system is actually called The PARA Method.

And from everything that I've seen so far, and everything that I have started to

utilize, it really seems like it's going to be, a game changer in terms of trying

to manage our organization with ADHD.

so the PARA method is a system where everything, your notes, your files,

your pictures, everything is organized into order of what's actionable.

So it goes like this, the P stands for projects, which is what is

happening right at this moment.

Then there's areas, which is our areas of responsibility, like long term.

So not something that completable, but it's something that's

ongoing, but still actionable.

Then there's resources, which is any of the information that you

just want to store for the future.

And then there's archives, Which is basically everything from the previous

three that is finished, complete, and no longer really relevant.

So let's break it down.

Projects are basically any sort of series of tasks linked to a goal with a deadline.

Something that takes multiple work sessions to complete.

It has two things.

One is a goal, two is a deadline.

So this could be, for example planning a birthday party, completing a work

presentation by next Friday, organizing a garage sale for next month.

Planning a family vacation for summer.

basically anything that has a completion point and a deadline.

The second is areas, Which is areas of ongoing activity

without a specific end date.

So it could be, health and fitness goals.

Could be managing the household.

So finances, for example.

Could be professional development.

So taking courses and workshops and anything related to your career.

Parenting, ongoing tasks and responsibilities to raising the kids.

The third one is resources, which is topics or resources of information

for your reference, but you don't necessarily need to act on.

For example, this could be, collections of recipes, online courses that you

have joined, that you've bookmarked, reading lists, books that you want

to read through, DIY tutorials.

Anything that you're not necessarily actioning right now, but you still

want to have access to those resources.

And then the final one is archives, which is anything from the above three that

we're not actioning right now, but still worth storing for any future reference.

So for example, your previous year's tax returns.

Any completed projects from the project section.

Old school coursework.

Photographs from your past trips.

Memories that you want to store.

Whenever a project is inactive and it doesn't need to be

deleted, it can just be archived.

There's so much digital storage around nowadays that really we

don't need to delete anything.

And the good thing is that archiving it actually still saves it so if

you do ever need to reference it again, you have access to it and

you know exactly where it is.

And that's the essential file structure for everything, this works

not just for your file storage, so if you have a to do list, it's

organized in exactly the same way.

If you use Apple notes, it's organized in exactly the same way.

This is universal across all of your devices and all of your projects

and all of your file systems.

So why do I think that this is so good for people with ADHD?

First of all, , it's organized in a way where the most actionable thing is

actually at the very top, at the very front of where you need to see it.

So therefore, if you're in a hurry, your most active projects

that need to be closest to you are going to be at the very top.

So it's very simple and very, I'm very quick to access.

The next point I want to make is that visually for people with ADHD, we

can visually see how many projects we have going on at the same time.

And that's very important for us because we can take on far too

many projects and that can lead to a lot of overwhelm and burnout.

And we do this without thinking about it.

The good thing is that if we're visually able to see all of the projects that we

have ongoing, then we're able to be a lot stricter in what we do take on in

the future and what we should probably offload into the archive for the moment.

So if we have a very clear vision of how many projects are going

on, we can actually get better at figuring out what we should be taking

on and what we can just archive.

So this is really key for people with ADHD.

The next thing is that it's very simple.

it's only one system that we need to learn regardless of whatever platform..

We don't need to have multiple different filing systems and structures and ideas.

We can just have one single system in every single area of our life.

And it's very simple.

So we don't have to overwork our working memory trying to remember which system

does what and which filing structure we have to remember this time around.

So Google Drive, Dropbox, Apple Notes, email, everything.

It helps with our working memory being able to know exactly where

things are at a very quick glance.

So, It sounds like a perfect system, right?

What's the catch?

With any new organizational method, any new habit, it will take a lot of

effort up front to move everything into the new system and get into

the habit of making it stick.

And this is really crucial to think about when you are moving from one organization

system to the other, or picking up a new ADHD app or a new ADHD habit.

It's really important to take a pause and ask yourself two questions.

Is this something that I actually should commit and invest my time

in learning and getting into a habit for the next few years,

and the second question is, how much time will it realistically

take me to transfer everything over?

Because the last thing we want is to have another failed filing system that is just

going to take up space in our hard drive.

So if you do want to learn more about the para method, I highly

recommend buying the book.

So I'm going to link to it in the description down below.

Definitely take the time to check it out.

And if you want to learn even more tools that I work with all of my Ultranormal

members, if you want to be one of them and help build yourself a thriving ADHD

life for yourself too, then make sure you join me on my Focus Bootcamp, where I

show you the system that's helped me and others learn to thrive with their ADHD.

Let me know, what do you think?

Do you think the PARA method could be the ADHD lifesaver

that we've all been waiting for?

Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you as always for watching and with that guys, I will

see you in the next video.