The ADHD System That Helped Me Track 100 Random Thoughts a Day
If you have ADHD, your brain probably sounds like this:
“Don’t forget to call the dentist.”
“We’re out of almond milk.”
“What if squirrels could learn sign language?”
“Reply to that email from three days ago.”
“Oh, we should start that business idea.”
“Wait… where are my keys?”
That’s just the first 90 seconds of being awake.
ADHD brains are idea factories. We don’t just have a few passing thoughts—we get hit with dozens (sometimes hundreds) of random ideas, reminders, feelings, and to-dos every single day.
And if we don’t capture those thoughts? They’re gone. Vanished. Launched into the void like they never existed.
For years, I struggled with this. I was constantly thinking, but rarely remembering. Until I built a system that finally helped me track, store, and organize the chaos—without trying to hold it all in my head.
Let me show you what actually worked.
Why ADHD Brains Generate So Many Thoughts (And Why We Forget Them)
1. Hyperactive Thought Generation
ADHD brains don’t filter out “irrelevant” thoughts the way neurotypical ones do. That means our brains grab onto every interesting, urgent, or shiny idea—even if it has nothing to do with what we’re doing.
2. Weak Working Memory
We have lots of ideas… but nowhere to hold them. Working memory in ADHD is like a leaky bucket: if you don’t write it down or say it out loud immediately, it disappears.
3. Time Blindness
We forget when things need to happen. A brilliant idea at 10 AM gets swallowed by the time it’s actually useful at 3 PM.
4. Idea Overload = Shutdown
With so many thoughts firing off at once, our brains get overwhelmed and avoid taking action at all. It’s not laziness—it’s cognitive overload.
What I Tried (That Didn't Work)
Before I found what worked, I tried a bunch of things that didn’t:
- ❌ Keeping a planner I forgot to open
- ❌ 10 different notes apps (too scattered)
- ❌ Sending myself emails (never checked them)
- ❌ Carrying around a notebook (would lose it or forget to write in it)
- ❌ Trusting myself to “just remember” (lol)
I needed something simple, low-pressure, always available, and ADHD-proof.
What Actually Worked: My ADHD Thought-Catching System
I call it my “mental inbox.” It’s not fancy. It’s not aesthetic. But it’s flexible enough to catch every random thought I have—when I have it.
Here’s how I built it:
1. I Chose ONE Primary Inbox (That’s Always With Me)
I stopped using 12 different systems and picked ONE default thought-dump zone. For me, that’s the Apple Notes app on my phone.
- Fast to open
- Syncs across devices
- Can search old notes
- Doesn’t require structure
I have one pinned note called “🧠 Brain Dump” that I add to all day long.
2. I Made the Entry Process Friction-Free
ADHD brains hate extra steps. So I simplified the input process:
- Tap note → type quickly → done
- Use Siri or voice-to-text when I’m moving
- If I’m on my laptop, I use the same synced note
The rule is: Don’t overthink it—just capture it. Misspellings, half-thoughts, typos? Totally fine.
3. I Don’t Organize Anything Up Front
The biggest reason I avoided tracking my thoughts? The pressure to “file” them right away.
Now? I just write everything in the dump note, like this:
- Call pharmacy
- “Introvert shutdown” blog idea
- Order more cat litter
- Find that TikTok recipe
- Brainstorm gift ideas for Mom
- ✨ Remember: future you will need rest
Messy? Yep. But they’re saved. That’s what matters.
4. I Do a Quick Daily Review (When I Remember)
Once a day (okay… sometimes every other day), I scan the note and:
- Copy tasks to my to-do list or calendar
- Save ideas into Notion or Google Docs
- Delete the junk
- Highlight the good stuff
I usually do this during lunch or at the end of the day. No pressure—just a casual scroll through the brain clutter.
5. I Created “Buckets” for Ongoing Categories
Once I noticed patterns, I made a few other pinned notes for:
- 💡 Blog/creative ideas
- 🛒 Shopping list
- 📆 Things to schedule
- 🧹 Home stuff
But I only move things there after they’ve lived in the brain dump for a bit. That way, I don’t interrupt the thought capture process with categorizing.
6. I Built in Backup Options
Sometimes I can’t use my phone—so I have a few backups:
- A tiny notepad in my bag
- A whiteboard near my desk
- A sticky note pad on the fridge
- Google Keep widget on my home screen
If a thought shows up, I’ll catch it wherever I am—and transfer it to my primary inbox later.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
Monday, 9:12 AM – Hear podcast mention a book → write: “Look up Rest Is Resistance book”
Tuesday, 2:47 PM – Walking past pantry → write: “Low on olive oil + oat milk”
Wednesday, 6:20 PM – Shower epiphany → yell to partner: “Remind me to write about ADHD + transitions!”
Thursday, 11:03 AM – Feeling fried → type: “Check if you’ve eaten. Go outside.”
None of these ideas were life-changing on their own. But tracking them helped me:
- Get things done
- Follow through on creative ideas
- Reduce anxiety
- Feel like I wasn’t constantly forgetting everything
ADHD Thought-Catching Tools That Actually Help
✅ Apple Notes / Google Keep – For messy input
✅ Notion or Evernote – For organized archives
✅ Todoist or TickTick – For turning thoughts into tasks
✅ Voice memos or Otter.ai – For verbal processors
✅ Sticky notes + index cards – Old school and effective
✅ Time-blocked “thought review” moments – To process your brain dump regularly
Use the combo that fits your life, not someone else’s system.
What I Tell Myself Now When the Ideas Won’t Stop
- “Catch it now. Sort it later.”
- “It doesn’t have to be good—it just has to be saved.”
- “You don’t need to act on every thought. Just park it.”
- “If your brain made it, it’s worth writing down.”
- “You’re not too much—you’re just running high-speed software.”
Conclusion: You Don’t Need Fewer Thoughts—You Just Need a Place to Catch Them
If you’ve got ADHD and feel like your brain never shuts up, here’s the truth:
You don’t need to quiet your mind.
You don’t need to chase every idea.
You just need to catch what matters—and let the rest go.
One inbox.
Zero pressure.
Daily check-in (ish).
That’s it.
You’ll forget less.
Stress less.
And maybe even make something cool from the chaos.
Because those 100 thoughts a day? They’re not distractions. They’re data.
And now? You’ve got a system for all of it.
