ADHD and Time Awareness: How Time Tracking Helps

Time tracking with an ADHD brain. The sheer idea sounds absolutely awful, doesn’t it? 😂 Not only is the practice incredibly taxing on our executive functions, but it also makes us face the reality of where our time goes each day. 🫠

Honestly, when I first heard about tracking my time back in 2010, my brain responded as follows:

“Yeah…No. Why would I willingly do that to myself? I already know I don’t do enough. I am already hard enough on myself. If I start tracking my time, it’s just one more reason to beat myself up over everything I didn’t do. Hard pass.”

However, after much experimentation and coaching my brain, here’s what I’ve discovered.

When we’re willing to occasionally track our time, and do so from a place of curiosity, the data we can gather is absolutely transformative.

Understanding where our time goes throughout the day provides:

• Greater clarity for planning
• Easier decision-making and prioritization
• A boost in our overall productivity as we focus our best time on what matters most.

In episode 286 of the I’m Busy Being Awesome podcast, we’re taking a deep dive into the topic of simple time tracking for the ADHD brain.

We’re making it easy and accessible so you can gather the necessary information and use the data in a way that supports you and your long term goals.

So, if you’re ready to accurately answer the familiar question, “Where the heck did the time go?!” and confidently plan how to best use your time going forward, you’re in the right place. 

Tune into Episode 286 of the I’m Busy Being Awesome podcast below. 

You can listen to the episode above or stream it on your favorite podcasting app here.

Prefer to read? No problem! Keep scrolling for a summary of the key takeaways.

In Episode 286: You Will Discover

• The surprising benefits of time tracking for an ADHD brain. 
• Practical strategies to ease into time tracking without feeling overwhelmed.  
• How to leverage your unique brain style to make time tracking a supportive tool rather than a chore.  

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.

Episode 286: ADHD and Time Awareness: How Time Tracking Helps (Transcript)

I’ve noticed a recurring theme come up time and time again with several new clients. The general overarching theme has to do with time, and more specifically, it’s a sense of resistance or uncertainty or even some dread-lite when it comes to clarifying where their time is going.

Tracking how they’ve spent their time. There’s almost a sense of – I don’t even want to know. 

You’ve been there before, too, right? Maybe you made a plan for the week or the day, but then totally avoid looking at it again or reflecting on how the day went because you don’t want to know how much (or how little) you followed the calendar.

A few weeks ago, I was talking with someone on a consultation call, and when I asked them about scheduling and where their time goes most days, they said, “I have no idea. Honestly, if I don’t look, then I won’t have to face how unproductive I’ve been.”

And I get it.

While I do have the type of brain that loves to plan, when I first heard about the idea of tracking how I spend my time over 10+ years ago, and reflecting to see whether I actually stuck to that fantasy plan or not, I was wildly resistant to it.

I thought, “Why would I willingly do this to myself? I already know I never do enough. I’m already hard enough on myself. If I start tracking my time, it’ll just give me more reasons to beat myself up. Hard pass.”

Here’s the thing. When I finally tried it—and I’ll admit, it took some serious convincing—I discovered a few surprising things.

1. It wasn’t nearly as painful as I expected when I could treat the information as data – which we’ll talk about more in just a bit.
2. I saw areas where I could use my time better, but I also saw more wins than I’d ever given myself credit for. I realized how much time I was spending on things that mattered but hadn’t been celebrating.

So when I combined viewing the results as data—not as some judgmental report card—and also all the wins I WAS having—it completely changed the game.

This mindset shift has allowed me to take what I learned and use it for me instead of against me.

It became this tool for growth and information I could work with rather than something to use against myself. And if that resonates with you, stick with me today, because I want to help you experience that same shift.

As ADHD brains, many of us carry some pretty heavy stories about time, productivity, and potential. One of the things I find repeatedly when working with clients is that many of those stories aren’t even ours.

They’re messages we’ve absorbed from society, school, family, or work. Things like,…

“You’re wasting time if you’re not constantly doing something productive,”

“If you’re not doing something, you’re lazy.”

“You have so much potential; why don’t you just apply yourself?” 

If you have a similar resistance to scheduling or tracking your time, here’s what I want you to hear loud and clear:

1. There’s nothing wrong with you— it absolutely makes sense that you feel that way, given many of our histories and backgrounds.
2. And also…(and here’s the hard truth) avoiding that honest look at your time doesn’t protect you from the reality of where it’s going—even if your brain thinks it is. I
3. In fact, it’s the opposite, and it might be keeping you stuck.

So today, we’re exploring why facing this discomfort of tracking our time and recognizing where it’s going is one of the most empowering things we can do.

And don’t worry, we’re keeping it simple. We’re starting small, with a no-pressure approach that’s designed to help you dip your toes in and see what’s possible.

Sound good? Let’s do this.

Why Do We Avoid Looking at Time?

Let’s talk about why so many of us avoid taking an honest look at how we spend our time. Because if we don’t unpack them, it’s easy to get stuck in the cycle of avoidance.

1. Confirmation of a big fear…

“What if I confirm that I’m wasting time?”
It’s that nagging voice in the back of your mind, whispering things like, “You’re not doing enough. You’re behind. You should have accomplished more by now.” And honestly, who wants to voluntarily engage with that? It’s like inviting your inner critic to have a field day.

2. Fear of Judgment

Then there’s the fear of judgment—either from ourselves or from others. For so many of us, especially if you’ve heard messages like, “You’re so smart, but you don’t apply yourself,” the idea of tracking time can feel like stepping into a spotlight that’s way too harsh.

We might think, “If I see where my time is going, it’s just going to prove I’m failing.”

3. Perfectionism

That sneaky little voice that tells us if we can’t track our time perfectly—or if our day doesn’t look like some Pinterest version of “productive”—then what’s the point? Perfectionism has this way of keeping us stuck in inaction because it convinces us that anything less than flawless isn’t worth doing. 

4. Fear of Falling Short of our Potential

This one cuts deep for a lot of us ADHD brains, because we’ve probably heard it our whole lives: “You have so much potential, if you’d only apply yourself!” Or, “You’re so smart! You could really succeed here if you just tried a little harder.”

It can make us feel like every moment we’re not achieving is a wasted opportunity—and that’s a heavy burden to carry. No wonder we want to avoid it.

–

Know this… These fears? They’re not facts. They are stories. They’re old narratives we’ve absorbed over time about what it means to “use our time wisely” or to be “productive enough.”

Somewhere along the line, most of us have managed to weave our productivity with our worthiness, deciding that if we were “productive enough” then we’re “good enough.”

Your worth has nothing to do with how you spend your time.

If it were the opposite, then one might argue that young children are the most worthless beings on the planet, which is – obviously – the most inaccurate statement ever. Of course children are 100% worthy always.

I know I say this in different ways on basically every episode, but let me say that again for the people in the back: Your worth is not tied to your productivity. Period. 

We can start reframing the way we think about our use of time. It’s not about confirming those old fears. Instead of seeing time perception as a judgment, we can see it as a tool.

Think of it this way…

Imagine you’re trying to steer a ship. If you don’t know where you are right now, how can you adjust your course? You’re just floating out there, feeling lost, frustrated, maybe even defeated. But once you pinpoint where you are—without judgment—it’s like suddenly spotting the compass.

You can start steering the ship toward where you want to go.

That’s the power of time awareness.

Time perception shifts the narrative from guilt and fear to clarity and possibility. It allows us to make small adjustments that help us move closer to the life we want, one step at a time.

So if you’ve been avoiding looking at your time because of these fears, I want to invite you to pause for a moment. What if tracking your time for a day or two wasn’t about proving anything? What if it was simply about gathering information—data you could use to help yourself rather than judge yourself?

What Happens When We Avoid Time? 

The truth is, avoiding time doesn’t solve the problem—it often makes things worse. Here are some examples of what happens when we do avoid keeping track of time.

We Get Stuck in a Loop of Guilt and Uncertainty  

We carry those heavy, ruminating thoughts like “I know I didn’t use my time well, but I don’t want to see just how bad it is.”

Instead of addressing it, we sit in the discomfort of not knowing, spending so much energy worrying—“What if I’m wasting time? What if I never figure this out?”—that we leave ourselves even less energy to actually tackle the problem.

We drain our mental energy and cognitive load so we don’t have capacity to do anything about it.

We Miss Opportunities to Make Small Meaningful Changes

Not figuring out where our time is going – is like trying to fix a leaky faucet in the dark. You know there’s a problem, but without turning on the light, how can you figure out what to adjust?

Those small tweaks are what lead to bigger results, but we can’t make them until we shine a light on what’s happening.

How Do We Shift Our Mindset About Time Awareness?

Let’s think about it like using a GPS. If you’re trying to get somewhere—whether it’s a goal, a project, or just a better sense of balance—you can’t start navigating until you know where you are right now.

Awareness is what helps us recalibrate. It lets us say, “Okay, here’s where I am. Here’s where I want to go. Now, what’s the next step?”

Without that starting point, we’re just guessing. And guessing takes a lot more energy than simply getting clear. But when we know our current location?

Suddenly, things start to feel possible. We can map out a route, adjust for detours, and keep moving forward, even if the path isn’t perfect.

That’s the beauty of knowing how we’re spending our time right now. It’s not about judgment or labeling yourself as “good” or “bad” with time. It’s about getting the information you need to steer the ship—or, in this case, find your way on the map.

If you’re feeling stuck in that guilt or uncertainty, I want to encourage you:

What if you turned on the GPS?

What if you gave yourself permission to just see where you’re at, without attaching any judgment to it?

From there, you can start taking small, intentional steps—and that’s where the real change begins.

Creating awareness of where our time is going isn’t about proving you’re a time-waster. It’s not about pointing fingers at yourself and saying, “See? This is why I can’t get anything done.” That’s not the goal here.

Time awareness is about:

• Learning where your time is going so you can make intentional shifts
• Getting curious
• Gathering data
• Using that information to work with your brain instead of fighting against it

When we know what’s actually happening, we can start to create change in a way that feels supportive — not overwhelming.

In fact, I’m guessing you might even surprise yourself with what you find. More specifically, I’m willing to bet that when you do this exercise, you’ll discover that you’re likely spending more time on meaningful things than you thought.

Maybe you’re pouring time into relationships, supporting your family, and connecting with friends. But because those activities don’t fit the traditional mold of “productive,” you’re not giving yourself credit for them.

However, when you start tracking, you might see just how much energy you’re putting into things that truly matter — and that’s a win!

On the flip side, you might also notice small distractions sneaking in and start spotting patterns.

It could be a quick social media check that turns into a 60-minute scroll or an “I’ll just watch one episode” Netflix situation that turns into an entire season. And here’s the good news: these aren’t failures.

These are opportunities. Once you see those patterns, you can make tiny tweaks to adjust them — and those small changes can make a big difference.

For example, you might spot opportunities to create new routines that support your ADHD brain.

Maybe you realize mornings feel chaotic because you’re trying to make too many decisions at once. Or afternoons are slipping away because you don’t have a clear transition from work to rest.

These insights aren’t problems—they’re clues. And once you see them, you can start building routines that make those tricky times easier to navigate.

Benefits of Increased Time Awareness

Now, let’s talk about the benefits of getting clear on your time. Because the payoff? It’s huge.

1. Clarity of Time helps you feel in control instead of overwhelmed

When you know where your time is going, you stop feeling like the hours are slipping through your fingers. You can step back, make a plan, and feel confident about what’s next.

2. Builds confidence in your ability to manage your time

It’s not about doing it perfectly—it’s about noticing patterns, making adjustments, and seeing progress. And when you do that? You start trusting yourself to handle whatever comes your way. Plus, you’ll likely find that you’re getting SO MUCH DONE.

The real “problem” is that you’re trying to fit 18 hours work of stuff in an 8-hour period, which—spoiler alert—does not work ever. 

3. Enables you to create plans that align with your priorities and goals

When you know what’s working and what’s not, you can focus your energy on what matters most to you. You can build a life that feels intentional and meaningful—one step at a time.

In fact, I want to share something one of my clients offered on our We’re Busy Being Awesome call the other day about how her thoughts about time and scheduling and tracking her time shifted as we worked together. Take a listen.

How fun is that? She went from a total aversion to the calendar and planning to actually looking forward to the process, having a handle on it, knowing her capacity, and having the confidence to get it done. Come on. That’s incredible.

4 Steps To Improve Time Awareness – With Time Tracking

Here’s the step-by-step to get started:

Step 1: For just one day, jot down what you did at the end of each hour.

No need to get fancy. You can use a notebook, the notes app on your phone, or whatever works best for you. The key here is keeping it simple and low effort. Don’t worry about making it perfect, and definitely don’t overthink it.

Step 2: Write it down without judgment.

This isn’t about labeling anything as “good” or “bad.” It’s just a snapshot—a quick note about what you were doing. Maybe it’s as straightforward as, “Answered emails from 9:00 to 9:30,” or “Scrolled Instagram for 20 minutes.” All we’re doing here is gathering data.

Step 3: At the end of the day, take a few minutes to review.

Ask yourself:

• Where did my time go as planned?
• Where did distractions sneak in?
• What surprised me?

You might notice that some parts of your day went exactly how you expected, while other moments didn’t. That’s okay! The goal here is simply to notice patterns, not to beat yourself up.

Step 4: Reflect on one adjustment.

Once you’ve reviewed your day, ask yourself:

• “If I could adjust just one thing from today, what would it be?”
• “What patterns am I noticing, and how can I work with them?”

This isn’t about overhauling your entire routine. It’s about finding one small change that could make your day flow just a little bit better tomorrow.

Want to take this work further? Join us in We’re Busy Being Awesome (my small group coaching program). Enrollment is open now, and we start on the 30th. Of course, if you’re listening to this outside of real-time, you can add your name to the waitlist for the next time the cohort runs. I typically run this just twice a year.

Tip: Keep This As An Experiment

Remember, this is an experiment—not a rigid routine. The goal isn’t to track perfectly or find every single detail. It’s about gathering enough clues to notice patterns and make small, meaningful changes.

Think of it as collecting data—not grading yourself. And with that mindset, this process becomes a lot more empowering and a lot less stressful.

I invite you to try this for one day.

Set a timer, jot down a few notes, or reflect in chunks. Start small and see what comes up. And if you do, send me a message—I’d love to hear what you notice!

Now, maybe you’re sitting there thinking, “I can’t wait to try this, but what am I actually supposed to do with my time? Everything feels urgent. How do I even begin to prioritize? I have no idea where to start, and when it’s time to start, I just procrastinate instead. I feel totally overwhelmed and frozen…”

First of all, if that’s you, take a deep breath. You’re not alone, and there’s nothing wrong with you. This is such a common experience for ADHD brains, and it’s exactly why I created We’re Busy Being Awesome.

Final Thoughts

Alright, my friends, that’s going to do it for us this week.

Do you know someone who would love to learn more about where their time is going? If so, would you be a rockstar and share this episode with them? You could send it in a text message or snap a screenshot of the episode and share it on your Instagram stories.

Whatever you do, please know that I so appreciate you for both tuning in and for helping me get these strategies to even more busy awesome brains who need them. 

Links From The Podcast

• Join us in We’re Busy Being Awesome here!
• Learn more about private coaching
• Get the top 10 tips to work with your ADHD brain (free ebook!)
• Discover my favorite ADHD resources here
• Get the I’m Busy Being Awesome Planning System here
• Get the Podcast Roadmap here
• Get the ADHD Routine Revamp here

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