The start of a new year can feel magnetic — like a fresh page, a reset, a burst of energy to finally make big things happen.

January sometimes feels like a dopamine factory: new planners that promise to change our lives, “ins and outs” lists, Instagram milestone roundups, and endless talk of reflecting, reinventing, and becoming a whole new version of ourselves in just 12 months.

And while that can spark motivation at first, for folks with ADHD or other neurodivergence, the pressure to overhaul our habits and routines can quickly turn into burnout.

ADHD brains are novelty-driven. When the newness fades — and it’s normal that it does — so does motivation. A whole year is a long time to stay interested in one rigid goal.

This is partly because ADHD brains wrestle with things like all-or-nothing thinking, perfectionism, impulsivity, and good old executive dysfunction, which greatly affects the way we approach goal-setting and our expectations around it.

Miss one workout? The goal feels unreachable now. Plan to meditate but end up doomscrolling? Suddenly it feels pointless. What starts as motivation can quickly slide into shame.

What if, instead of subtracting parts of ourselves or setting rigid, year-long goals, we tried something different?

Shorter timelines; adding supportive habits instead of restricting ourselves, and choosing themes over resolutions. ADHD brains are very capable of setting goals and achieving them — we just need to do it in a way that works for us.

So, this week, we’ll be exploring ways to gently step away from traditional, sometimes lofty New Year’s resolutions, and toward systems, supports, and expectations that actually fit real life.

Theme your year instead

Our first recommendation is: Instead of committing to one rigid goal for the entire year, like “go to the gym every day”, consider choosing a theme instead.

A theme is like a guiding principle, not a checklist. It gives you personalized, values-driven direction, without the pressure of perfection.

For example, if your theme is health, you might focus on small, achievable actions week-by-week: this week, add more hydration. Next week, spend more time outside. The week after, incorporate more fiber or veggies into your diet.

This approach works especially well with a novelty-seeking nervous system — like ADHD brains have. Instead of relying on a constant burst of motivation to do the same thing every day for 12 months, you get to celebrate small wins, see progress, and feel like you’re actually moving forward.

Using a theme lets you focus on direction, not perfection. You don’t have to overhaul everything at once — you just need to take steps that align with what matters most to you.

Three tips to set goals

🎯 Choose a guiding principle or theme instead of one fixed goal for the whole year.

🏃‍♀️ Break your theme into mini-actions you can actually achieve each week — like hydration, movement, or time outside.

✨ Direction, not perfection. Focus on moving toward what matters most, celebrate small wins, and let flexibility guide your progress.

Align your behaviors to your desired outcomes

Let's talk about aligning our daily behaviors with the outcomes we want.

Setting a goal is a start, but if our everyday systems don’t support it, even the most inspiring resolutions can fade fast.

The trick is to break big goals into tiny, doable behaviors and design our environment to make those actions easier. Think of it like building a path toward your outcome, one small step at a time.

For example, if your goal is to feel healthier this year, instead of “go to the gym every day”… commit to 15 minutes of movement three times a week. Instead of “eat perfectly”… start with adding a vegetable to one meal each day. Instead of “drink more water”… place a water bottle on your desk and aim for one refill between meals.

These small, consistent actions not only add up, they also build self-trust and calm our nervous system.

Every time we follow through, even imperfectly, we reinforce for our brain that we can stick to the direction we care about.

So instead of asking, “Did I succeed or fail?” we ask: “Which behavior today actually moves me toward the outcome I care about?”

This shift takes the pressure off perfection, makes progress visible (essential for ADHD brains), and keeps us moving forward — even on low energy days.

4 ways to keep moving forward

💧 Design your environment and remove friction. Put the water bottle on your desk, prep easy snacks, or leave your sneakers by the door - make the behaviors automatic.

🎯 Ask: Which action today actually moves me toward my outcome? Even imperfect steps count.

🗒️ Use checkmarks, sticky notes, or a habit tracker - ADHD brains love visible wins.

🥳 Small, consistent actions add up and reinforce self-trust, making it easier to keep going—even on low energy days.

Keep It Visible!

Keeping your goals visible and tangible is essential — because "out of sight" often means "out of mind," especially for ADHD brains.

One strategy I’m trying this year is resolution bingo.

Instead of pressuring ourselves to do everything perfectly, we mix low-bar wins like “try a new restaurant” with bigger goals. This makes progress feel achievable and fun as every checked box is a win.

Beyond bingo, visual aids are powerful tools for staying on track. Things like vision boards, whiteboards, sticky notes, habit trackers, or reminder apps serve as external cues, nudging us to take action even when motivation dips.

For example:

A calendar on your wall shows progress and deadlines at a glance. A sticky note by the sink reminds you to drink water. A reminder on your device pings you to take a short walk or check off a task.

These cues reduce the reliance on memory and willpower, which are often taxed for ADHD brains.

They keep momentum going, build self-trust, and make success visible in a way that feels encouraging rather than overwhelming.

Make your goals visible by using…

🖼️ Vision board or collage – pin images, quotes, or reminders of what you’re working toward.

🎉 Resolution bingo – mix low-bar wins with bigger goals for a fun, trackable progress game.

📌 Post-it notes – place small reminders where you’ll see them daily (desk, mirror, fridge).

📅 Wall calendar or planner – track deadlines, habits, and milestones at a glance.

📱 Reminder apps or timers – get nudges for tasks, breaks, or micro-goals.

 Plan for low energy and low motivation days (because they will happen!)

At some point, the shine and novelty of setting your new year's resolution is going to wear off.

The goal that felt exciting at the start of the year will start to feel boring, inconvenient, or harder to continue.

That’s not a sign you chose the wrong goal, it’s just a part of being human. In fact, according to statistics, most people, regardless of neurodivergence, fall off their New Year’s goals by the end of January.

For ADHD brains, this dip can feel especially intense because motivation is often tied to novelty and dopamine. When that drops, it can trigger all-or-nothing thinking, task paralysis, or even a strong emotional response around failure or rejection.

ADHD-friendly planning assumes energy will fluctuate. Consistency doesn’t mean doing the same amount every day — it means having a plan that still works on low energy days.

That might look like: a “bare minimum” version of your goal that includes “good”/”better”/” best” options, or breaking the task down until it feels possible again. 

Planning for low-energy days on purpose reduces shame and protects self-trust. Setbacks aren’t failures — they’re information that helps you adjust your timeline, social support or expectations, instead of quit.

Three ways to plan for inevitable fluctuations

🔁 Motivation fading is normal, not a failure. Planning for low energy days (ahead of time) helps you respond with intention instead of self-shame.

🛠️ Decide in advance what “bare minimum” looks like and how you’ll adjust when things get hard, rather than quitting altogether.

🤝 If you have a therapist, partner, or trusted friend, let them know this is a goal and ask them to check in when your energy or motivation drops.

✧˖°. ⋆｡˚:✧｡

January sometimes feels like a "dopamine factory." We hope this guide helps you develop systems, supports, and expectations that actually fit real life! If you'd like to join our free New Year planning workshop this year, you can sign up here.

P.S. If you aren't a member of Focused Space, but could use help accomplishing your goals, busting through procrastination, or getting motivated… you are welcome to join us at one of our live guided work sessions, or morning planning sessions!

Take care,

— Farah and the focused space team