Living with ADHD is challenging. If you don’t have ADHD, it might be difficult to understand how unsettled, overwhelmed, and stressed ADHD youth feel every single day. It looks like this: you wake up each day determined to tackle a to-do list but quickly get sidetracked halfway through brushing your teeth because you remember an important email you forgot to send. It’s misplacing your car keys five minutes after holding them or staring at a blank screen for hours because starting your English essay feels like climbing a mountain. The frustration of being called “lazy” despite trying your hardest can be hurtful. It’s a daily whirlwind of chaos that often leaves you longing for control–the one thing that eludes you day after day.
ADHD youth are especially challenged when it comes to time management. They often underestimate how long tasks will take and frequently miss deadlines. Additionally, maintaining motivation for long-term projects can be hard because the inability to focus makes progress feel daunting, if not impossible.
If not appropriately addressed, ADHD can create a cycle of frustration and stress. However, with the right strategies and support, ADHD can be effectively managed.
ADHD and Organizational Coaching in Utah
ADHD organizational coaches can offer strategies that help young adults develop essential life skills, work towards school or personal goals, and hone executive functioning skills. For example, a coach might teach strategies to help students complete tasks without feeling overwhelmed by breaking large assignments into smaller, manageable steps. They can also introduce practical tools like planners or digital apps to improve time management, work with your teen to build routines and habits that work for them or keep them accountable as they work towards personal goals.
In Utah, ADHD organizational coaches offer specialized, practical support that differs from traditional therapy by focusing on actionable strategies. Therapy focuses on emotional regulation and diagnosing mental health conditions, whereas ADHD coaches provide hands-on guidance to improve executive functioning skills like organization, time management, and task prioritization.
Organizational challenges are common for those with ADHD, particularly for young adults, who struggle with executive functioning, or in other words, the ability to prioritize, plan, and manage all types of tasks, be it writing an essay, doing the Christmas shopping, or remembering where they put their keys.
RELATED: Finding The Right ADHD Life Coach in Utah
For example, young adults with ADHD might feel overwhelmed by a cluttered desk because they can’t decide whether to organize paperwork, clean the space, or just start on their homework. This leads to paralysis or task avoidance. The result? They don’t complete any of those tasks and now feel guilty.
ADHD brains also struggle to store and retrieve details about where things were placed, like keys and wallets. These challenges stem from neurological wiring that makes structure and systems of organization feel unnatural, but with external tools or support, ADHD brains can manage all types of tasks quite effectively.
Benefits of ADHD Coaching: How it Helps with Motivation and Accountability
Motivation and accountability issues plague the ADHD young adult. This is where a relationship with an ADHD organizational coach can really make a difference. Consider this example of how an ADHD organizational coach helped Dan.
Nineteen-year-old Dan was feeling overwhelmed. This was his first year studying graphic design, and he found himself juggling college classes, a part-time job, and a growing pile of incomplete assignments.
Regardless of how hard he tried (and he WAS trying), it felt like time was slipping through his fingers. He could never stay on top of his school and workload, always feeling one step behind. His college counselor suggested he get in touch with an ADHD organizational coach.
Together, they created a time-blocking schedule, setting aside focused 30-minute slots for homework and short breaks to recharge. The coach also suggested that he use a color-coded planner, where urgent tasks were marked in red and less critical ones in yellow, making it easier for Dan to prioritize.
To stay motivated, the coach helped Dan tie his tasks to his dream of becoming a graphic designer. With these strategies, Dan started feeling more in control, tackling his workload with determination and enthusiasm, and even submitting assignments early—a feat he once thought was impossible.
Working with a qualified coach that focuses on ADHD challenges can make all the difference for your struggling young adult. Working with an ADHD coach has the following benefits:
- Teach time-blocking
- Help prioritize tasks
- Create consistent daily routines
- Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps
- Provide accountability and celebrate progress
- Recommend tools like planners and apps
- Improve motivation by linking tasks to personal goals
How to Find the Right ADHD Mentor in Utah
Utah offers a range of ADHD coaching options, including in-person programs and virtual coaching tailored to meet your needs. When looking for that “perfect fit,” make sure the ADHD organizational coach has these five key qualities:
- Specialized training–make sure your coach has completed a formal training program from an organization like ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA), ADHD Coaches Organization (ACO), or Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). These programs focus on ADHD-specific coaching methods.
- Proven success–positive testimonials or a strong track record with clients.
- Understand unique ADHD challenges like executive functioning, time management, and motivation.
- Use evidence-based strategies.
- Has experience with the ADHD population.
Additionally, Utah-based coaches may incorporate the state’s outdoor lifestyle into their coaching, using nature as a calming and restorative way to neutralize stress. An ADHD mentor can help clients develop crucial life and executive functioning skills, including:
- Time management
- Systems of organization to manage belongings, paperwork, tasks, and assignments
- Task initiation and completion
- Goal setting
- Accountability
ADHD mentoring focuses on practical, personalized support to address daily challenges. Clients can expect:
- Individualized plans
- Tools and resources–access to apps, planners, and systems designed specifically for ADHD challenges
- Accountability
- Growth of life skills that lead to long-term success
Get Started with Octagon Mentoring
Don’t let ADHD take control. With the right resources and support, ADHD can be effectively managed, turning a floundering young adult into a well-adjusted adult. But you don’t have to take our word for it–ADHD research shows mentoring for young adults is effective at supporting youth of all risk levels.
At Octagon Mentoring, we believe the benefits of mentoring and mental health coaching for teens and young adults go beyond statistics. We’ve seen the positive impacts of mentoring on individuals, families, and communities. It’s meaningful work that changes lives.
If you’re looking for a trusted partner in managing ADHD, we can help. Contact us today for a free consultat
