Executive Function and Planning: Why Big Projects Feel Overwhelming (And How to Plan Them)
- Eric Kaufmann
- Jul 10
- 9 min read
Planning can feel incredibly overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to. When you learn to backwards plan, even big projects become manageable.
Table of Contents:
Hi Friend,
Summer is here! And if you’re anything like me, you have a list of things you’re hoping to do.
Beach days.
New restaurants.
A hike you keep talking about.
A baseball game.
A weekend trip.
Time to just…exist.
Then somehow, summer ends in what feels like two seconds.
You look back and think, “Wait, what did I even do this summer? What happened to my plans?”
I know that the thought of sitting down and mapping out our entire summer doesn’t exactly spark warm, fun, fuzzy feelings for many neurodivergent adults.
It can feel overwhelming, boring, rigid, or like one giant reminder of every time we tried to plan and then didn’t follow through. It takes so much executive function!
I nearly fell into this trap last week.
I’m hosting a booth for UpSkill Specialists at an upcoming event, and I had this amazing idea to create an “executive function playground.”
I imagined people excitedly coming up to the booth, laughing, and smiling.
Great idea, Eric!
Then I sat down to figure out how to actually make it happen, and my brain froze.
What if it sucks?
What do I even need to buy?
I’m really not good at this stuff.
Where do I start?
How am I supposed to turn “executive function playground” into an actual booth that doesn’t look like I threw it together in a parking lot?
That kind of self-talk is a cue. Not to “try harder” or “come back to it tomorrow”. It tells me I need a strategy.
So I used one of my favorite planning tools: backwards planning.
Thirty minutes later, I had the booth mapped out, a list of what I needed, deadlines for the major steps, and a clear first action I could take.
That’s the power of backwards planning.
It reduces the giant, foggy feeling of “I don’t know where to start” to a simple sequence of steps.
This week, I’m showing you how to use backwards planning for one summer adventure before summer disappears.
If you’ve been saying, “We should totally do that this summer,” this is your sign to make it real.
Let’s dive in.
Why Planning Big Projects Feels Overwhelming
Planning isn’t just one executive function skill. It’s a combination of several executive function skills working together. This is why many neurodivergent adults, like those of us with ADHD or who are autistic, find planning to be difficult.
When we plan something, our brains need to:
hold lots of information in working memory
prioritize what matters most
estimate how long each step will take
sequence those steps in the correct order
adapt when the plan changes
resist distractions long enough to follow through
That’s a lot! No wonder planning feels overwhelming.
Now imagine trying to plan something you’ve never done before.
A summer vacation. A work presentation. Moving into a new apartment. Or, in my case, creating an executive function playground for an upcoming event.
When I first sat down, my brain didn’t see one project.
It saw dozens.
Signs.
Flyers.
Games.
Supplies.
Giveaways.
Table decorations.
What should people experience? What should they learn? Where do I even buy all of this?
When our brains see twenty unanswered questions at once, it’s easy to freeze because the starting point isn’t clear.
And confusion is one of the biggest emotions that leads to procrastination.
This is especially common for neurodivergent adults.
Research shows that adults with ADHD often struggle with executive function skills like estimating time, sequencing tasks, maintaining attention, and resisting distractions while planning.
Autistic adults may find planning difficult because it often requires cognitive flexibility, prioritization, and navigating open-ended situations where there isn’t one obvious “right” answer.
Fortunately, there’s a strategy that dramatically reduces that overwhelm.
It’s called backwards planning.
How to Backwards Plan
Backwards planning is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of starting with today and trying to figure out where you’re going, you start with the finish line.
Then, you work backwards until you reach the starting point.
Backwards planning follows four steps:
Step 1: Picture what “done” looks like
Step 2: Ask, “What happens right before that?”
Step 3: Keep working backward
Step 4: Find your first step
Let’s think about planning a summer beach day. Most people start by asking, “When should we go?”
Backwards planning asks a different question: What does “done” look like?
Done looks like sitting on the beach with friends, laughter, tasty sandwiches, swimming in the ocean, and watching the sunset.
Now ask yourself: What has to happen immediately before that?
We need to arrive at the beach.
Before that?
Pack the car.
Before that?
Gather towels, sunscreen, chairs, snacks, and drinks.
And so on.
Instead of one giant overwhelming task called “Plan a beach day,” you now have several small, manageable actions.
This is exactly what I did with my conference booth.
The finished product wasn’t “Create an executive function playground.”
The finished product was standing behind a booth where people were chatting, playing games, learning about executive function, and walking away excited.
Once I pictured that, I simply asked myself, what needs to happen before that?
Set up the booth.
Before that? Pack the car.
Before that? Gather everything I need.
Before that? Create the signs. Choose the games. Order the giveaways.
And before all of that?
Figure out the experience I wanted people to have.
Within thirty minutes, what felt impossible became a clear roadmap.
I knew exactly what needed to happen and exactly what to do first.
Why Backwards Planning Works
Backwards planning is a powerful way to improve the executive function skill of planning for a few reasons:
Reduces Ambiguity
When we plan with the end in mind, we are less likely to forget important steps. It asks us to visualize each milestone while reducing ambiguity. This is especially helpful for autistic adults.
Makes Planning Simple
Many neurodivergent adults find backwards planning simplifies the planning process. Because we are intentionally asking ourselves the same question, “what do I need to do before that?”, we can create a map one step at a time.
Creates a Visual
As we backwards plan, we write out each step of the process. In doing so, we develop a visual roadmap that we can follow and return to. For adults with ADHD, this is helpful as it reduces working memory load and keeps us on track.
If the next step feels unclear or if we get the sense that we are distracted, we can return to the visual plan.
Why is Planning Difficult for Neurodivergent Brains?
Planning is a complex executive function skill. It requires cognitive flexibility, prioritization, estimating time, and sustained attention. In short, this is why planning is difficult for people with ADHD or who are autistic.
Research also explores specifically why planning is challenging for different neurotypes.
Why is planning difficult for adults with ADHD?
People with ADHD often have natural gaps in executive function. Commonly, these struggles are…
estimating time
resisting distractions
sequencing steps
We might struggle to guess how long a project will take, become sidetracked by side quests, or struggle to figure out what order we should go in.
Why is planning difficult for autistic adults?
Much more research is needed to uncover the true reasons autistic adults struggle with planning.
However, research on autistic children reveals that many of them struggle with executive function skills like…
prioritization
cognitive flexibility
task switching
initiation
Every one of those skills is needed to make a plan.
Autistic adults may find backwards planning to be challenging at first. The abstract, open-endedness of this exercise might feel frustrating because of the cognitive flexibility it requires.
Some of our autistic clients prefer bottom-up planning. It’s all about testing different strategies until you find one that works with your brain.
With the guidance of an executive function coach, anyone can learn to plan. It takes time, repetition, and practice.
ADHD | Autism |
Forgets about the plan | Plans become too rigid or detailed |
Struggles to sequence steps | Starting to plan is overwhelming |
Misestimates how long each step will take | Struggles to transition from one step to the next |
Distracted by sidequests | Difficulty adapting when plans change |
What Mistakes do People Make When Trying to Plan?
Because planning is a complex executive function skill, we make mistakes along the way. That’s a part of learning.
However, we can recognize common mistakes and make an effort to mitigate them beforehand.
Planning without externalizing the plan
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could map out a detailed plan in our heads, remember every step, and execute each flawlessly?
The truth is, our working memory isn’t designed to handle that level of complexity.
Many neurodivergent adults try to keep a plan in their hands. This often results in missed or forgotten steps and overwhelm.
Making plans that are too large
Sometimes we plan for BIG things. Then, when we try to chunk it into smaller steps, we don’t make the steps small enough.
Clean the house. Write the report. Plan travel.
All accurate steps, but they need to be smaller.
Trying to plan every possible step
Many of us use planning as a tool to seek control. We think of every single step or potential outcome. And while having a detailed plan is helpful, there is such a thing as too much detail.
We need clear steps, but we also need space for plans to change.
Try It This Week
If you’ve had a summer adventure in mind, this is your sign to plan it out.
Here’s my challenge for you: plan ONE summer adventure.
Not your whole summer. Just one thing. Maybe it’s a…
camping trip
beach day
concert
family BBQ
road trip
After you choose your adventure, backwards plan until you uncover your first, smallest step.
Summary: How to Backwards Plan a Summer Adventure
Planning is a complex executive function skill. It requires working memory, cognitive flexibility, prioritization, estimating time, task initiation, and sustained attention. That’s why planning can feel overwhelming for many neurodivergent adults, especially those with ADHD or autism.
The most common planning mistakes are trying to hold the plan in your head, making the steps too large, and trying to plan every possible outcome. Backwards planning helps because it makes the plan visual, reduces working memory load, and gives your brain a clear sequence to follow.
Here’s how to backwards plan:
Start with what “done” looks like. Name the exact outcome you want.
Ask, “What needs to happen right before that?” Work one step backward at a time.
Keep planning backward until you reach your first step. The first step should feel clear, small, and doable.
Write everything down. Your plan needs to live outside your brain.
Take the first action. Don’t wait until the whole plan feels perfect.
Backwards planning is not about creating a perfect plan. It’s about giving your future self a map, so the thing you want to do actually has a chance to happen.
Pick one summer adventure. Work backward. Make the first step small.
Then go have some fun.
In service,
Eric
FAQs:
Why is planning so hard for adults with ADHD?
Planning is hard for adults with ADHD because it requires several executive function skills at the same time, including working memory, time estimation, sequencing, sustained attention, and resisting distractions. Many adults with ADHD underestimate how long steps will take, get distracted by side quests, or forget the plan exists. Backwards planning helps by creating a clear visual roadmap and reducing the need to hold every step in your head.
What is backwards planning?
Backwards planning is a planning strategy where you start with the finish line and work backward until you reach your first step. Instead of asking, “Where do I start?” you ask, “What does done look like?” Then you identify what needs to happen right before that, and keep working backward. This makes big projects feel less overwhelming because it turns one giant task into smaller, manageable actions.
How does backwards planning help with executive function?
Backwards planning supports executive function by reducing ambiguity, lowering working memory load, and giving your brain a clear sequence to follow. This is especially helpful for neurodivergent adults because planning requires cognitive flexibility, prioritization, time estimation, task initiation, and sustained attention. When the plan lives outside your brain, it becomes easier to return to the next step, stay on track, and take action.
Related Articles
References
Demetriou, E. A., DeMayo, M. M., & Guastella, A. J. (2019). Executive function in autism spectrum disorder: History, theoretical models, empirical findings, and potential as an endophenotype. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, Article 753. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00753
Kofler, M. J., Irwin, L. N., Soto, E. F., Groves, N. B., Harmon, S. L., & Sarver, D. E. (2019). Executive functioning heterogeneity in pediatric ADHD. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(2), 273–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0438-2
About the Author
Eric Kaufmann is an Educational Therapist, Certified Executive Function Coach, and speaker. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an executive function coaching company that helps adults and workplace teams overcome disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks.
Want to learn more about 1:1 coaching? Click here.
Interested in hosting a workshop for your team or company on how to improve executive function skills in the workplace? Click here.
Looking for guidance on how to become an adult executive function coach? Click here.
