ADHD Monthly Self-Care Planner

Director of Operations at a manufacturing company, back from 6-week medical leave for stress-related symptoms. Company requires coaching as part of return-to-work plan. Client believes the problem was workload and expects coaching to focus on time management and delegation strategies.

Frame this as a sustainability audit, not a wellness exercise. 'Before we tackle your workflow, let's map what your system needs to handle the demands without breaking down again.' Most post-burnout clients resist self-care planning because it feels like admitting weakness. Acknowledge this: 'This isn't about being fragile - it's about being strategic with your energy.'

If the Mind column fills quickly with stress management techniques but Body column stays sparse, the client is intellectualizing recovery. Watch for goals that sound like tasks: 'research meditation apps' versus 'meditate 10 minutes Tuesday/Thursday.' Goals written as research or learning indicate avoidance of actual self-care behavior.

Start with the Priorities section and ask: 'What on this list contributed to the breakdown?' Then move to the goals: 'Which of these feel like maintenance and which feel like repair?' The distinction reveals whether the client understands their current capacity. The question that opens this up: 'What would need to be true for these goals to happen without willpower?'

Founder of a successful consulting firm, recently hired their fifth employee. Business doubled in the past year but client feels constantly behind on everything outside work. Sought coaching because they're 'drowning in success' - can't maintain relationships, health, or even basic household management.

Position this as infrastructure planning, not self-improvement. 'Your business has systems that scale. Your personal life is still running on startup mode.' ADHD entrepreneurs often resist structured self-care because it feels like adding more management overhead. Reframe: 'This creates the foundation that lets you stay creative instead of constantly in crisis mode.'

ADHD clients typically fill one column in 90 seconds and stare at the other for 5 minutes. The fast column is their hyperfocus area - usually mind goals like learning or systems. The slow column reveals the neglected domain. Watch for goals that require daily consistency versus weekly or monthly actions - daily goals often fail for ADHD clients without external structure.

Start with the column that took longer to fill. 'Read me what you wrote in the Body section.' Then ask: 'What makes these harder to track than your business metrics?' This reveals the structural difference between externally accountable goals and self-directed ones. Follow with: 'How could you make these as visible as your revenue dashboard?'

VP of Marketing whose company just went through a major reorganization. Lost their executive assistant and two direct reports while gaining responsibility for digital strategy. Previously relied on team support for both work coordination and informal stress management through daily check-ins with trusted colleagues.

Frame this as rebuilding support infrastructure, not personal development. 'Your external systems changed overnight. We need to map what you were getting from those systems and how to replace it.' Many executives resist self-care planning because they're used to having support staff manage their logistics. Acknowledge: 'This isn't about doing everything yourself - it's about being intentional with what you need.'

Look for goals that assume the old support structure still exists - 'schedule regular exercise' when they no longer have someone managing their calendar. Watch for the Reminder field - if it's about remembering to do self-care tasks, the client hasn't identified the structural barriers. Effective reminders are about environmental cues, not memory.

Start with Priorities and ask: 'Which of these used to happen automatically because of your team structure?' Then examine the goals: 'What support did you lose that made these things easier before?' The key question: 'What's one system you could build that would make three of these goals happen without daily decisions?'

CFO at a mid-size tech company, divorced six months ago after 15-year marriage. Threw themselves into a major ERP implementation project and is working 70-hour weeks. Came to coaching ostensibly for 'work-life balance' but shows no interest in reducing work hours.

Present this as a capacity assessment, not balance planning. 'High-intensity periods require different maintenance than steady-state periods. Let's map what your system needs to sustain this pace without long-term cost.' Expect resistance to anything that sounds like processing emotions. Keep the frame operational: this is about performance sustainability, not feelings.

If Mind goals are all cognitive - learning, planning, organizing - and avoid anything emotional or relational, the client is using mental activity as avoidance. Body goals that focus only on energy and performance rather than restoration signal the same pattern. Watch for the Note section - if it's empty or purely professional, emotional avoidance is likely.

Start with what's missing rather than what's present. 'I notice nothing here about relationships or emotional processing. What's your theory about why those aren't priorities right now?' Don't push if they deflect, but name the observation. Then ask: 'What happens to your work performance when you're not processing life changes?'