I discovered a word that sums up why I’m stuck: plansturbation. It’s the trap of endless planning that feels productive but gets you nowhere. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever spent hours tweaking a to-do list instead of doing anything on it, you’re a plansturbator too.
As someone with ADHD, I’ve fallen into this trap more times than I care to admit. Planning gives me this intoxicating illusion of control and progress. I’ll spend entire afternoons crafting the “perfect” productivity system in Notion, meticulously color-coding tasks by priority and deadline. I’ll binge-watch productivity YouTubers, taking detailed notes on their methods. I’ll write out elaborate morning routines and goal-setting frameworks that look beautiful on paper.
The problem? I never actually follow through on any of it.
The Planning High
Here’s what I’ve realized: my brain gets genuinely high off the idea of being organized. There’s something deeply satisfying about creating systems, about the visual appeal of a well-structured digital workspace, about the sense of potential that comes with a fresh start. It feels productive. It feels like I’m moving forward.
But then comes the crash. When it’s time to actually sit down and do the work — to write that article, make those phone calls, or tackle that project — the executive dysfunction kicks in. The fear of not executing perfectly paralyzes me. So instead of doing imperfectly, I return to what feels safe: more planning
The Procrastination Trap
This isn’t laziness. I care about my goals. But plansturbation is productive procrastination in disguise. It’s like standing at the edge of a pool, adjusting your goggles, and never jumping in. My Notion boards are works of art, but my actual work? A blank canvas.
How I’m Fighting Back
I’m still figuring out how to break free from this pattern, but I’ve started with radical simplicity. Instead of elaborate systems, I’m trying to ask myself one question each morning: “What’s the smallest possible step I can take toward my goal today?
- Write one sentence.
- Make one call.
- Celebrate starting, not perfecting.
I also built simple Notion templates for ADHD brains — action-focused to help you do instead of plan.
Sometimes it’s writing just one paragraph. Sometimes it’s making one phone call. The key is doing something-anything-rather than planning something bigger that I won’t actually execute.
If you recognize yourself in this cycle of plansturbation, know that you’re not alone. Our brains might get more excited about the preparation than the performance, but awareness is the first step toward change. Maybe the perfect plan isn’t the one that looks the best — it’s the one you’ll actually follow
Your Turn
What’s your go-to plansturbation habit? Drop your funniest planning obsession in the comments.