How to Set Up an ADHD-Friendly Visual System for Success – Mighty + Bright

One of the main reasons people love Mighty + Bright's visual systems (especially our adult chore charts!) is because they finally feel hopeful that they've found a system that will work for them — mainly because we've done all of the mental labor for you.

But what happens if you got excited and ordered a bunch of our visual systems, and now you're overwhelmed and don't know where to start?

Tip #1: Start Small

We've organized our systems specifically so that putting them together is really easy. For example, our household chores system is separated into three sheets, each with a different theme:

Mighty and Bright Grown Up Chore Charts reusable sticker sheets

If you're feeling overwhelmed, start with only the first page. We have organized these sheets by prioritizing the categories that will make the biggest difference in your day-to-day. The top part of the page helps you manage food and meals, and the bottom section of that page will help you manage clutter, and by extension, your mental health.

Tip #2: Set Yourself Up to Win

Motivation and success go hand in hand. If you feel like a task is impossible or likely to fail, you won't be motivated to do it.

Checking items off is a dopamine rush, which is part of why we love this system — it provides the opportunity for quick wins.

This is also why we're starting small, with only a few stickers. We want to get used to the system, feel like we've mastered it, and only then do we start adding more.

Tip #3: Peel Only the Stickers You're Starting With

Go through the first sheet and peel off the stickers that you'd like to focus on first. Maybe setting the table isn't a priority — that's okay. You can always add it in later.

The goal is not to fill your board up with the maximum number of tasks — the goal is to make it as easy as possible to move every item to "done" in as little time as possible. It's like a screen-free game for chores.

Tip #4: Get Into a Habit

Once you've set up your first chart, get into the habit of using it. KC Davis' Closing Duties chart is a great example of how to get into a habit by pairing a new activity with an existing one.

With "Closing Duties," you're doing all of your chores at the same time each night (or morning — you could do "opening duties" instead) as a kindness for tomorrow's you. If you're easily overwhelmed, Closing Duties is a great place to start.

Tip #5: Add a Little Bit at a Time

Once you've successfully used the system for long enough that you're feeling ready to level up, add a few more stickers! There's literally no rush.

By building on good habits a little bit at a time, you're setting yourself up for long-term success. You've got this!