Could using the Anti-Planner be your key to managing ADHD?
We are looking at The Anti-Planner by Dani Donovan to see if it will work for someone with ADHD. Remember, even though we all have ADHD, different things will work for some of us. What works for me may not be for you, and that’s okay. This series will give you a closer look to help determine if it would work for you.
Looking at the actual book, it has an o-ring coil. These are not my favorite type of coil. I find it hard to turn the cover and pages, often having it get stuck. The front and back covers are quite heavy-duty and will probably hold up well over time. The material on the cover is very soft to the touch, maybe vegan leather, with The Anti-Planner printed to stand out. It does have an elastic closure, but it seems a bit thin for this chonky boy. I’d be worried it won’t hold up.
Opening it up, the paper is very smooth. I would be worried about some pens on it, but Donovan recommends using a pencil to use the pages repeatedly. There are cardstock dividers with tabs. I wish the tabs were laminated. They are just cardstock, meaning they will get dinged up and maybe even rip sooner than if laminated.
These minor complaints can be mitigated by not shoving your copy places or tossing it in the corner. You know, actually taking care of your stuff.
The book starts with a note from Donovan, followed by one of her comics. Then we have a forward and an introduction with instructions. The book is divided into five sections: Stuck, Overwhelmed, Unmotivated, Disorganized, and Discouraged. An index for each section is broken down by how you feel with a list of activities.
Now, we get into the actual activities!
Each section starts with your tabbed page that says “I’m feeling ______” and the four areas/feelings in the section. The back of the tab page is titled “How are You Feeling?” and has a section for each of the four feelings. There are several statements to help you narrow down where to start.
The opposite page has some information, advice, and a checklist of what being ____ looks like. Next, we move into the first of four areas of each section. There is more information on the specific feeling, the contents, and other activities you may like. Then, we move into the activities.
I like that there are many ways to help you figure out your feelings and needs.
Overall, I love the idea of the Anti-Planner. It will be helpful to identify why you aren’t getting stuff done. The hard part will be actually doing the activities. I think it’s a great tool for those with ADHD, but like anything else, we have to commit to using it for it to work.
Which can be difficult.
Let me know if you would use the Anti-Planner? If so, what do you think is the most helpful part? If not, why not?
Shop the Anti-Planner, now available in original (with swears), clean version, and PDF bundle with 30 activities. The PDF bundle would be great if you want to do some of the activities multiple times.
Watch the video review here:
