My ADHD likes to present itself in different ways, including anxiety, struggling with focus, and feeling restless. But perhaps the most life-impairing symptom I deal with is a lack of intentionality. It’s not that everything I do is based on compulsive thoughts and feelings, but I often find myself mindlessly scrolling through my phone, watching random YouTube videos, or letting my mind wander without being aware of it.

This type of behavior is something I’ve been battling for a long time. Since my ADHD diagnosis in 2023, I’ve been working on improving my ability to stay intentional throughout the day and push back against distraction-seeking urges by implementing different tools and coping mechanisms. Here are some of the things that have been working for me.

Yearly Themes

Having clear goals is the first — and perhaps most important — step in being intentional. My system might seem a little excessive, but it’s actually very simple and works great for my brain.

Inspired by Myke Hurley and CGP Grey from Cortex, I’ve been setting Yearly Themes for the past few years. Rather than aiming for a specific outcome like a New Year’s Resolution, Yearly Themes are about finding an overarching focus that guides your goals throughout the year.

My theme for 2025 is the year of knowledge and focus:

Last year, I set too many goals for myself. This year, it’s simple – start university. Since I have free time now, I want to go there well-prepared by taking courses, refreshing my math skills, and hitting a reset button on my productivity system to find more focus.

I also have a few ideal outcomes for my theme:

• Enroll at a university
• Complete the UX Design course
• Complete the Data Analytics course
• Complete the math refresher course
• Find a new (part-time) job
• Journal most days
• Meditate most days
• Read at least 12 books

I keep track of my Yearly Theme (and all other goals mentioned below) in Apple Notes, but Cortex also offers a physical Theme System Journal. Their product website also does a great job explaining what it takes to create a successful theme.

Personal OKRs

My Yearly Theme sets the direction, but I need more actionable goals to help me stay focused throughout the year. That’s where I use the Objectives and Key Results (OKR) system, which you might recognize from the corporate world. The idea is simple: pick 1–3 objectives for the quarter and assign 1–3 measurable key results to each.

Here are my OKRs for Q2 2025:

• Getting ready for the next career challenge
  • Publish 3 design case studies (2/3)
• Pursuing higher education
  • Complete the math refresher course
• Staying consistent with writing
  • Publish 9 articles (2/9)

Weekly Review

I believe the weekly review is essential to sticking with the goals I set for myself in both my Yearly Theme and Personal OKRs. This concept is best known from David Allen’s Getting Things Done. During a weekly review, you clean your inboxes, write down what’s on your mind, look ahead to upcoming tasks, and refocus on your priorities.

I covered my weekly review process in my article on Things 3. Every Sunday, I go through messaging apps and social media, file storage, media trackers, and my full productivity system. I reply to unanswered messages, check for items needing my attention, and make sure I’m on top of the projects I’m working on.

I also use the review to reflect on my progress toward my quarterly goals. I ask myself:

• How did I progress toward my quarterly goals this week?
• What’s my focus priority for the upcoming week?
• What challenges did I face, and how can I address them next week?

These questions get added to my Sunday daily note in Apple Notes using a Shortcuts automation (I explain how that works here).

Daily Check-In

I like to start the day by checking in with myself what are the most important things to get done, and what’s my intention for the day. After scanning my to-dos in Things 3, calendar, and notes, I briefly answer:

• What are my highlights for today?
• What intention or mindset do I want to carry through today?

As with my weekly review, these get added to my daily note in Apple Notes. I open it throughout the day to remind myself what morning-me decided to focus on.

Mindfulness and Journaling

You’ve probably heard this from every productivity creator on the Internet, but it’s true: meditation and journaling are invaluable if you struggle with intentionality. They let you slow down, reflect, and train your “intentionality muscle.”

When I stay consistent with meditation and journaling, I feel noticeably more present and focused.

For meditation, I use Apple Fitness+ guided sessions. For journaling, I prefer a physical notebook and a LAMY Safari fountain pen — handwriting helps me connect with my emotions more easily.

Calendar and Time Blocking

I can’t imagine how chaotic my life would be without calendar apps. I switch between Apple Calendar and Notion Calendar (the latter lacks iPadOS/watchOS apps but has an excellent scheduling tool).

Beyond time-bound events like workouts, appointments, or hangouts, I also use time blocking to plan focus sessions — like writing this article, for example.

I have seven different Google calendars: Personal, Exercise, Routines, Health, Travel, Education, and Work. Each is color-coded, so I can instantly see my week’s priorities at a glance.

Reducing Digital Distractions

I’m fairly good at blocking external distractions — turning off notifications, using AirPods Pro with Endel soundscapes, etc.

Still, I often need help stopping myself from compulsively checking apps and websites when my mind starts to wander. I’ve written dedicated posts on using Opal across my Apple devices and Safari extensions to reduce web distractions.

I also keep my devices as clean and minimal as possible. I have more apps installed than I’d like to admit (well, except on my 64 GB iPad Pro), but I keep Home Screens and Docks minimal — launching apps with Raycast on Mac or Spotlight on iOS/iPadOS.

Staying Intentional Is a Practice

Building intentionality is a lot like building muscle. It takes time, repetition, trial and error, and the right mindset and environment.

And sometimes, no matter how many productivity strategies you follow, staying present will still be hard.

What matters most is figuring out what works for you, being consistent, and giving yourself grace when you fall out of routine.