PDF worksheet
The Eisenhower Matrix
Sort what needs doing now, what can wait, what can be passed on and what does not need your time.
Useful when everything feels urgent and prioritising is difficult.
Open free worksheetFree Resources for Neurodivergent Adults
Practical tools, guides and worksheets for ADHD, autism, overwhelm, work and everyday life
If you have landed here feeling overwhelmed, stuck, newly diagnosed, burnt out, or just trying to understand your brain a bit better, start here.
This page brings together free ADHD and autism resources, practical worksheets, guides and useful articles from ADHDaptive.
Take what helps. Ignore what does not. You do not need to use everything.
Not sure where to start?
Use the quick links below, or book a short chat if you want help making sense of what is going on.
Start hereWhat do you need help with?
You do not need to read everything. Choose what sounds closest to what is happening for you.
Or browse some useful starting points
- What ADHD really feels like - a plain English explanation of the lived experience.
- Late diagnosed ADHD and autism struggles at work - for adults trying to make sense of work pressure.
- ADHD burnout recovery guide - for when you feel drained, stuck or close to your limit.
- Access to Work guide for ADHD - practical funding support for work in the UK.
- ADHD Brain Sessions - one-off support if you want help untangling something specific.
If you have recently been diagnosed with ADHD and feel ready for paid one-to-one support, you can also book a paid session:
ADHD After Diagnosis Support Session
It is a £95 online session to help you work out what needs attention first and what to do next.
Some things I've written that might help
I've grouped a few articles by topic, so you can find information that's relevant to what you're dealing with right now.
Waiting for an ADHD assessment?
Waiting for an ADHD assessment can take months or even years, but that doesn't mean you have to wait to get help. These articles look at the support available before diagnosis, where to start looking and what's happening with NHS waiting lists.
-
You Don’t Need an ADHD Diagnosis to Start Getting Support
You can start getting practical support while waiting for an assessment, or if you do not meet the diagnostic criteria.
-
ADHD Help for Adults in the UK: Where Do You Actually Start?
Find support for assessment waiting lists, work, burnout, diagnosis, coaching and everyday ADHD challenges.
-
ADHD waiting lists: The people behind the numbers
What long waits can mean for work, relationships and daily life, and why support is needed sooner.
-
ADHD Assessment Waiting Times in the North East: Why You May Now Have to Wait at Least 78 Weeks
Understand reported waiting times across the North East and North Cumbria, and what they mean for getting support.
-
ADHD Support in England: NHS Waiting Lists, Funding and Support Before Diagnosis
A look at the scale of NHS assessment waiting lists, funding pressures and why practical support can start before diagnosis.
When everything feels too much
When you're overwhelmed or struggling to get through the day, it can be difficult to know where to begin. These articles explore burnout, autistic burnout and executive dysfunction, including what they can feel like and where to find practical help.
-
ADHD burnout recovery guide
Understand ADHD burnout and explore ways to reduce pressure and begin recovering.
-
Signs of autistic burnout
Recognise some of the signs of autistic burnout and why everyday demands can become harder to manage.
-
What executive dysfunction feels like
Explore why planning, deciding or starting even familiar tasks can become so difficult.
Struggling at work?
Workplace pressure, unclear expectations and environments that do not account for different ways of working can make everyday tasks much harder. These articles explore those experiences and possible sources of support.
- ADHD, autism and gaslighting at work
Explore how workplace experiences can leave neurodivergent people doubting their own judgement and needs.
- Neurodivergent work pressure and burnout
Look at the effects of sustained work pressure and why burnout is not simply a question of motivation.
- Support for university professional services staff
Support and perspective for staff managing competing demands and pressure in university professional services.
Finding it hard to get started?
Knowing what needs doing is not always enough to make starting possible. These articles look at task initiation, procrastination and organisation, with practical ideas for everyday challenges.
- ADHD task initiation help
Understand why starting a task can be difficult and explore ways to make the first step more manageable.
- ADHD coaching for procrastination
Look at what can sit behind procrastination and how coaching may help you approach it differently.
- ADHD coaching for organisation
Explore approaches to planning, organising and keeping track of everyday responsibilities.
Free worksheets and tools
Five free tools you can open and use whenever you need them. Pick one that fits what is going on today.
PDF worksheet
Timeline Tasking
Break a large task into smaller steps and put them in a rough order.
For projects, life admin, work tasks and anything that keeps sitting there glaring at you.
Open free worksheet
Image worksheet
Task Reflection Tool
Look back at what got in the way when something did not go to plan.
Spot what happened and think about what might help next time.
Open free tool
PDF tool
ADHD Task Buckets
Reduce overload by sorting tasks into three buckets: do first, do next and done.
Useful when everything feels urgent and your brain cannot prioritise.
Open free tool
PDF helpsheet
Second Brain Helpsheet
Capture, organise and store thoughts so they are not stuck in your head.
For memory, overwhelm and keeping track of ideas, tasks and plans.
Open free helpsheetMore in the ADHDaptive Shop
Everything above is free. If you would like something a bit more structured, the ADHDaptive Shop has downloadable workbooks, practical toolkits, neuroinclusion resources, books and a few slightly unusual ADHDaptive creations.
Shop products are paid and prices are shown clearly before you buy.
Visit the ADHDaptive ShopA quick check-in
If your head feels full, try answering these three questions before opening another tab.
- What is the one thing I am avoiding?
- What is making it hard?
- What would make it slightly easier right now?
You do not need a perfect plan. You just need the next honest step.
Strengths and patterns
Harnessing strengths
Understanding your strengths can help you see what gives you energy, what comes naturally, and where you already have something solid to build from.
This survey is free and usually takes around 10 minutes.
Overcoming your saboteurs
This short survey helps you spot the inner patterns that trip you up, wear you down, or talk you out of things before you have really started.
It is free and takes around 10 minutes.
Just diagnosed with ADHD?
The free resources on this page are a good place to start.
If you have recently been diagnosed with ADHD and are still trying to work out what it all means, I offer a one-off ADHD After Diagnosis Support Session.
We will look at what is affecting you most, what needs attention first, and what to do over the next 7 days.
This is a paid £95 online session.
Book the £95 sessionIf this is all feeling a bit too familiar, you do not have to work it out alone.
A Brain Session is a one-off, practical conversation to help you untangle one problem and work out what to do next.
Find out about Brain SessionsOfficial information and support
These links take you to official UK information about ADHD, autism, workplace support and employment rights.
Urgent support
If you feel unsafe, unable to cope, or worried about what you might do, please use urgent support rather than trying to handle it alone.
- NHS 111 online
- Samaritans - call 116 123 in the UK and Ireland.
- Call 999 if there is immediate danger.
Common questions
Are these ADHD resources free?
Yes. The resources listed in the free sections of this page are free to read, download or use. Some external surveys may ask you to create a free account. Products in the ADHDaptive Shop and paid support sessions are separate and clearly marked.
Are these resources only for people with ADHD?
No. They are written with ADHD and autism in mind, but many of them can help anyone who struggles with planning, overwhelm, work pressure, task initiation or burnout.
Can these resources replace coaching?
They can help you understand yourself and try practical strategies. Coaching gives you space to work through what is happening in your actual life, with another person helping you make sense of it.
Where can I get ADHD support in the UK?
You can start with free resources, speak to your GP about assessment routes, look at Access to Work if employment is affected, or explore coaching if you want practical support with day-to-day challenges.
What is the best resource to start with?
If you feel overwhelmed, start with the burnout resources. If you are stuck on a task, start with Timeline Tasking or the Task Reflection Tool.