Back to School Back to Work: ADHD-Friendly Strategies for Success
AcademicAlly, LLC: September 8, 2025
Back to School, Back to Work: ADHD-Friendly Strategies for Success
Introduction: A Season of Fresh Starts
Back-to-school and back-to-work season can bring excitement, there are new, crisp notebooks to be filled with new information: cool planners and organizational apps to track tasks and events; updated backpacks to schlep it all home in; and a new outfit to complement the workplace. But for ADHD brains, this time of year often triggers stress. Suddenly, there are new routines, new responsibilities, and higher expectations. It can feel like juggling flaming torches while standing over an open gas line-one false move, and it will all go up in smoke!
But here’s the good news, it’s time to shift your perspective: this season isn’t about perfection — it’s about a reset. September is a “second New Year,” a natural point to pause, refocus, and create systems that help both kids and adults thrive. Whether you’re a student, parent, or professional, there are ADHD-friendly strategies that can turn this transition into an opportunity for success.
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A Fresh Start for ADHD Brains
Research shows that transitions are powerful moments for change. For ADHD brains, which thrive on novelty and momentum, September offers a chance to build new routines before old habits set in.
How do we accomplish this? Many people with ADHD blame themselves when they can’t “just try harder.” It’s not about the level of effort you put into this year: it’s about your strategy. Success comes from systems — external supports that make the brain’s job easier. To decide your system, you need to create a level of self-awareness: what makes you tick? What holds you back? Knowing this about yourself, you can proceed to your tools which might include visual schedules, accountability partners, or apps that gamify executive functioning.
Redefine your definition of success: It’s not about “getting it right” every time. It’s about creating structures that catch you when your brain wanders and bringing you back to the present moment.
Success Strategies for Students
Elementary & Middle School
• Visual routines: Morning and evening checklists hung in the kitchen or bedroom give children independence while reducing parental nagging. The Get to Do List tool in the My TOAD App offers a great digital option for listing a completing daily tasks, complete with confetti celebrations!
• Homework-friendly spaces: A consistent, distraction-reduced spot, complete with all the materials you need, signals to the brain “this is work time.” Add a small basket of fidgets or noise-canceling headphones if helpful.
• Body doubling with a parent: Sitting nearby while your child works provides accountability and a calm presence while promoting autonomy.
High School & College
• Study hacks: Use short bursts of work (15–25 minutes) followed by 5-minute breaks. Be smart about the breaks you choose, steering clear of the phone or screens if these devices often become a rabbit hole for you. Call your work session a “focus sprint” instead of homework time to make it feel less heavy.
• Brain dumps: Quiet your inner dialogue by clearing your mind. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes and dump everything that’s on your mind (The Brain Dump feature in the My TOAD App is a great tool to practice this process. In fact, you can take the content of your dump and further organize it in the Workspace tool or the Task Manager!) Brain dumps are also great for studying: start your sessions by writing down everything swirling in your mind about the topic, then highlight your top three priorities.
• Dopamine breaks: Build in short, fun rewards after each task — a stretch, a song, or a snack. Follow your streaks and badges This helps the ADHD brain push through effort.
• Executive function superpowers: Teach teens to see EF skills as strengths. For example, planning ahead is like being a fortune teller- they are able to look ahead to the challenges of the future and make adjustments to avoid trouble. How powerful is that!?! The Master Calendar tool in our app is a great way to accomplish this. In fact, you can even export and import tasks and events from your Outlook, Canvas, Google, and Apple calendars!
Graduate Students & Lifelong Learners
• Calendar blocking: Protect study/work time by putting it in the calendar like an appointment. ADHD brains often take scheduled time more seriously because there is structure and predictability.
• Big projects, small sprints: Break down a thesis, certification, or major report into weekly mini-goals. Celebrate progress publicly if possible, this way you not only hold yourself accountable, but you reap the reward of public accolades.
• Reward systems: Adults need dopamine too. After finishing a milestone, treat yourself to a walk, favorite show, or coffee with a friend.
Success Strategies for Parents
• Coach, don’t referee: Parents often fall into nagging or criticizing; they tend to talk, A LOT, with the intention of sharing gems from their own personal experiences. Instead, ask coaching questions: “What’s your first step?” or “What will help you in this situation?”
• Household executive center: Create a command center with a family calendar, drop zone for backpacks/keys, and daily to-do list. Visual systems reduce reliance on memory.
• Homework without tears: Structure of the after-school hours helps. Agree on a start time, set a timer for short bursts, and allow your child to choose the order of the assignments.
• Morning momentum: Prep lunches, backpacks, and outfits the night before. Add a fun element, like a playlist that cues when it’s time to eat, brush teeth, or head out.
• Partnering with teachers: Send a one-page “cheat sheet” to teachers describing your child’s strengths, challenges, and strategies that work at home. This builds allies in the classroom and facilitates a partnership that may last well beyond the end of the school year.
Adults Returning to Work
• Workspace reset: Clear your desk, organize digital files, and set up visual cues (like sticky notes with top tasks). Chuck old snacks and drinks. A tidy space reduces overwhelm.
• Focus survival kit: Use noise tools, apps, or a timer (like the Get Set Timer in the My TOAD App) to stay on task. Try batching emails throughout the day instead of checking constantly. Create rules for meetings (like standing check-ins) to limit wasted time.
• Commute rituals: For those going back to the office, use commutes as transition time — listen to a podcast, record voice notes for tasks, or practice mindfulness.
• Start strong ritual: At the beginning of each workday, write down the top three priorities. When distractions hit, return to this list.
• Celebrate small wins: End the day by noting what you accomplished — not just what you didn’t finish. This builds confidence and motivation. Carry the undone items to tomorrow. It’s another day!
Small Steps, Big Wins
ADHD success isn’t about overhauling your life overnight. It’s about building small, consistent steps that add up. This season, don’t try to fix everything at once. Choose one new system — maybe a morning checklist, a study sprint, or a top-three work ritual. Once that sticks, layer in another.
Here’s the thing: Progress, not perfection, is the goal. ADHD brains flourish when success feels visible and achievable. The more you celebrate your wins, the more momentum you build.
Conclusion
Back-to-school and back-to-work transitions don’t have to mean chaos. With the right ADHD-friendly strategies, students, parents, and professionals can reset, refocus, and recharge. This season is your chance to build systems that support your brain — not fight against it.
Whether you’re heading into a new school year or reentering the workplace, remember: success with ADHD isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about finding tools that work for your unique brain, and using them consistently.
Want more support? Explore My TOAD App™, my book Unlock Your Inner Superhero, or schedule a session with me at Academic-Ally to get customized strategies for your family.