How a TED Speaker Coach Uses Data Collection to Manage ADHD and Executive Function Challenges

When you're trying to make meaningful changes in your life, especially if you're like me and live with ADHD or executive function challenges, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, "I know what I need to do, so why can't I just do it?" That kind of thinking often leads to frustration, self-doubt, or even shame.

But what if the problem isn’t you, it’s just that you’re missing the right kind of information about you?

That’s exactly what we explore in this post about how a TED and TEDx speaker coach (yes, really!) uses data collection to manage ADHD and executive function challenges. In Episode 69 of our Focus Forward Podcast, I spoke with my Executive Function coaching client, Helena Bowen, a speaker coach for TED, TEDx, and other high-profile speaking events. For the past year and a half, Helena and I have been working together to expand on the creative and science-backed approaches she uses to understand herself better and build systems that actually work for her brain. One of the key tools in her toolbox? Data collection. 

And no, we’re not talking about ultra-detailed spreadsheets and charts (unless you're like my sister and that’s your thing!). We’re talking about simple, daily ways to gather information about your habits, emotions, and behavior, so you can stop making guesses and start adapting based on the results of your research. The foundation of this data collection is the skill of Metacognition - thinking about your thinking. By using metacognitive thinking, Helena is able to learn about herself and then modify her tools and strategies to match how her brain works. 

Today, we’re sharing three of Helena's favorite ways to use data collection to support real, lasting change. 

1. Time Tracking with BVA (Budgeted vs. Actual)

Most of us have a poor sense of how long tasks actually take. I know I do, for sure! We either avoid things that seem time-consuming or hard, or we beat ourselves up when something takes longer than we thought it would. We might think, “What’s wrong with me that I can’t estimate time or finish tasks in the time I think I should?”  Time tracking helps replace those faulty assumptions with real data. It helps us move away from the “shoulds” that could do some damage to our self-esteem and towards realistic goals that make us feel better about ourselves.

How to Try It:

• Create a Google form (Helena’s favorite!) or a spreadsheet with five fields: 1. Name of task, 2. Your estimated time for the task, 3. The actual time it took, 4. The difference + or - your estimate, and 5. Notes or observations.
• Before starting a task, write down how long you think it will take.
• Set a timer and complete the task. Remember to stop the timer!
• Record the actual time spent.
• Compare your estimate to reality.
• Use what you learn to make more realistic future plans.
  

This tool can be surprisingly empowering. For Helena, tasks that feel huge often turn out to take just a few minutes, and that insight can reduce avoidance and overwhelm. Just last week, I thought a dreaded task would take me 1.5 hours, and it only took me 19 minutes, and it wasn't even that hard!

2. Emotion Tracking with the “How We Feel” App

Our emotions often have a big impact on what we think can and can’t get done. We often overlook our emotions because they might be uncomfortable and something we want to avoid! Helena reframed her emotions as data and used them to find out more about herself and her relationship with her work. By tracking how she felt throughout the day, she was able to see patterns she had never noticed before. 

How to Try It:

• Download the How We Feel app (it’s free with no ads!).
• Log your emotions a few times a day, which only takes a few seconds. The app is easy to use and visually appealing!
• Tag what you’re doing, where you are, and who you’re with.
• Review your logs weekly or monthly to find patterns.
• Ask yourself: What kinds of situations lead to low-energy or high-stress feelings? What activities consistently make me feel calm or focused? What should I avoid? What should I do more of?
  
  
  
  

This kind of emotional insight helps you make more intentional choices and gives you permission to shift your routine based on what actually works for you. I learned I cannot think about my upcoming day when getting ready in the morning without it ruining my morning! So, now I work hard to just get ready without anticipating how my day will go. 

To learn more about How We Feel, visit their website or check out Marc Brackett, PhD’s work on emotional intelligence. To learn more about using our emotions as data, check out Susan David, PhD’s work on managing difficult emotions.

3. Task Avoidance Analysis

Sometimes we think we’re lazy or unmotivated, but what we’re really doing is avoiding a feeling. Helena discovered that most of her procrastination was feeling avoidance. She was not actually avoiding the task itself, but the emotion it triggered. Tim Pychyl, in his research on procrastination, discovered that this is usually the case for procrastinators! Analyzing why you’re avoiding a task can help unlock the door that’s blocking your progress. Helena discovered this and was able to learn how to get started even on tasks that are emotionally draining for her. This is how Helena checks in with her feeling avoidance.

How to Try It:

• Create a Google form, spreadsheet, or notebook page with a list of possible reasons for avoidance (e.g., overwhelmed, bored, ashamed, confused).
• When you’re avoiding a task, pause and ask yourself:
  
  • What task am I avoiding?

• • Why do I think I’m avoiding it?

• • Ask yourself “why” five times to dig deeper. Can you get down to the true root cause of the block?
    
    

• Track and look for patterns in your responses.
• Use that insight to create targeted strategies, such as breaking down a task if you’re overwhelmed, or scheduling it for a time of day when your energy is better. Paying attention to ourselves pays off in spades over time!
  
  

By identifying the real barrier, you can address the root cause instead of just trying to push through. Self-regulation is often more helpful than self-control, so taking the time to figure out your own needs is going to help you more than just trying to be bossy with yourself and push through the task!

Bonus Tip: Make Tasks Visual (and Fun!) with Bingo & Coloring Sheets

If traditional to-do lists make you want to run for the hills or freeze up, you’re not alone. Helena found that standard, written to-do lists often triggered perfectionism and pressure that got in the way of being productive. She swapped them out for something way more engaging: Task Bingo and Task Coloring Sheets.

These tools turn task management into a creative activity, not a chore, by adding a sense of play and visual satisfaction to getting things done. Even if you’re not a creative person yourself, you can use these tools!

Task Bingo

• Create a 5x5 bingo card (or whatever size works for you) and fill each square with a different task, big or small, personal or work, it’s up to you!
• Choose your tasks at random rather than working in order.
• Use it as a way to lean into productive procrastination by doing something useful, even if it’s not your top priority.
• Crossing off squares becomes a motivating game instead of a stressful checklist.
  
  

Task Coloring Sheets

• Draw a simple shape, animal, or design with sections, or use a kid’s coloring book.
• Label each section with a task—larger sections for big tasks, smaller ones for quick wins. Larger tasks can be broken down into smaller steps, with each step fitting into objects that have multiple sections to them, such as a barn or a flower.
• Color in the sections as you complete tasks using markers, crayons, or acrylic paint pens.
  
  

These visual tools offer:

• A creative, pressure-free way to manage your tasks
• Visual motivation and a sense of progress
• A reduction in task anxiety and overwhelm
  
  

Helena's approach reminds us that when it comes to productivity, fun counts too. Our Motivation and Productivity Program (MAP) members love using these tools! Fun is often the key to getting going! 

The Takeaway

None of these tools requires a large time investment, but they do require you to shift your mindset to be open and curious. A quote, often attributed to Walt Whitman, is perfect here: “Be curious, not judgmental.” This kind of thinking gives you permission to be open to new ideas, to experiment, and to learn about yourself!

When we treat our behavior as information and not failure, we open the door to self-compassion and creativity. Whether it’s estimating time more accurately, noticing how your emotions shift throughout the day, or unpacking why you’re putting something off, data collection and the self-reflection that comes along with it can help you work with your brain instead of against it.

Want to learn more? Listen to Helena’s full story on the Focus Forward podcast, where we go deeper into these strategies and more creative ways to outsmart avoidance, perfectionism, and overwhelm. Try a 14-day trial of our Motivation and Productivity Program (MAP) and learn more tips and strategies like these.