Hello and welcome to 2025!
This holiday season, I’ve done a lot of reflecting on what’s important to me and how I want to grow in the new year. If you stick around, you’ll quickly learn how much ADHD impacts my daily life. One major way it manifests is an endless stream of enticing ideas—but I usually lack the focus to bring them to fruition. Enter: bullet journaling!
ADHD and bullet journaling: a personal story
Over the past few years, I’ve progressively gotten more into bullet journaling. My early journals were simple—just lists of tasks, ideas I didn’t want to forget, and book or podcast recommendations. These days, my spreads and lists are a bit more organized, though still much simpler and messier than the beautiful spreads you’ll find on Reddit over at r/bujo.
What I love most about bullet journaling is how it keeps me on track. My brain is an endless racket of furniture ideas, snippets of character dialogue, recipes I want to try, etc. And bullet journaling allows me to dump all those thoughts in one place and come back to them when I’m ready.
I used to see my 3-out-of-5 track record as a failure, but now I’m learning to work with my ADHD instead of against it.
One habit I’m working on lately is turning those lists into actionable goals and creating structures that help me follow through.
Typically, I complete about three out of every five projects I start. I used to see my 3-out-of-5 track record as a failure, but now I’m learning to work with my ADHD instead of against it. This year, I’m trying a new approach: Project Bingo 2025.
Introducing Project Bingo 2025
With Project Bingo, I can indulge my love of starting multiple projects (25 to be exact) and feel good about myself if I complete at least five. Realistically, I’ll probably complete around 15, and that’s just fine. After all, with 15, I can score Bingo five ways, providing I can sit still long enough to “crochet a table runner!”
- The concept: Create a Bingo card with 25 projects.
- The goal: Complete at least five projects (but realistically, I’ll probably finish around 15).
- The reward: Score Bingo five ways and embrace the joy of starting and completing things!
Sample Projects on My Bingo Card
Here are a few gems from my Bingo card:
- Complete 20 house projects (yes, projects within projects!)
- Blog 10 times
- Magically tidy 5 categories (looking at you, Marie Kondo!)
- Submit my short stories to literary journals at least 5 times
- Write 2 new short stories
- Try 6 new dinner recipes
- Refinish our dining room table
- Plant 5 new plants
Why Project Bingo Works for ADHD Brains
There are a couple of reasons why I think Project Bingo is going to be especially helpful for me. First, it embraces excitement without overwhelm. I love brainstorming multiple possibilities, but I often feel overwhelmed by trying to complete them all. Project Bingo allows for the enthusiasm of brainstorming while accepting that it’s okay not to finish everything.
Second, it’s motivational in ways traditional goal-setting isn’t. Have you ever experienced that feeling of being utterly overwhelmed when you start to do what should be an easy thing like washing the dishes? That’s task paralysis, also known as “ADHD freeze,” and it happens far more frequently to people with ADHD.
Like a lot of people with ADHD, I’ve had a lifetime of people looking at me and wondering, “Why can’t she just get it done?” Well, this is why. My brain doesn’t work like the “neurotypical brain.” I need a motivational system that works for me.
Play, curiosity, novelty, connection, urgency – these are the five motivational factors that ADHD brains crave.
Unlike traditional goal-setting, Project Bingo taps into five motivational factors that ADHD brains crave:
- Play: It’s literally a game!
- Interest/Curiosity: The projects are handpicked by me, so obviously, they’re intriguing (at least in the brainstorming phase).
- Novelty: It’s a fresh approach to goal-setting that I haven’t tried before.
- Competition, Collaboration, Connection: Blogging about it and sharing progress adds accountability and fun.
- Urgency: By the end of the year, I’ll be feeling the time crunch – hello, adrenaline.
Why call it Project Bingo?
You might be wondering why I’m calling this variation of goal setting “Project Bingo” instead of “Goal Bingo” as everyone else is doing. I’ve decided to call this variation Project Bingo because it acknowledges the project management aspect of goals, which is crucial for overcoming ADHD.
Project Bingo acknowledges that I’m not going to be able to “just get it done.” I’m probably going to experience ADHD freeze, and that’s okay. I’ll figure it out in my own way.
Most goals need to be broken down into action steps in order to make them manageable. For example, sure, I could just call the first gym that comes up on Google My Business and sign up for a membership, but I’m much more likely to choose the gym that’s right for me if I do some research first. So my action steps would be locating the gyms in the area, creating a pros and cons list, scheduling a tour of the top one or two choices; and, finally, signing up. Project Bingo acknowledges that I’m not going to be able to “just get it done.” I’m probably going to experience ADHD freeze, and that’s okay. I’ll figure it out in my own way.
Staying on track with Project Bingo
It’s important to remember that a tool like Project Bingo isn’t going to keep me focused. That’s where channeling those motivational factors above come in. To stay on track, I’ll:
- Check in with friends regularly about the status of my projects
- Break each project down into small, manageable steps (one tiny, guilt-free baby step at a time)
- Find fun ways to do things, like pairing the activity with music or listening to my favorite podcast only when I’m out walking
Join me in Project Bingo 2025
As part of Project Bingo 2025, I’ll be blogging (at least ten times) right here for you to follow along. Do you have any projects you’re launching in 2025? I’d love to hear about them! Leave a comment and share what would be on your Project Bingo card.
Cheers, and Happy New Year! With this post, I’m officially checking off the first box in my blogging square.