ADHD Status Update Worksheet
Turn a delayed, unclear, or awkward work update into one honest message with a useful next checkpoint.
Step 1 of 5
Choose the closest starting point
What’s the update problem right now?
Choose the closest sentence. The aim is a clear checkpoint, not a perfect justification.
Practical ADHD Toolkit · Completed worksheet
ADHD Status Update Worksheet
- Starting point
- First guided action
- Enough for this round
- Return cue
Use it for one real situation
When this worksheet helps
Professionals who delay updates until the work is finished, then face more pressure and uncertainty.
- Someone is waiting for progress or a decision.
- You are behind and unsure how to say it.
- You need a short update before a task becomes a surprise.
Different stuck points need different moves
Practical starting paths
Open the situation closest to yours. These examples are options, not answers that are inserted into your worksheet.
I am behind and have avoided telling them.
Write three facts: current state, the next step, and the next time you will update them.
I do not know what update they actually need.
Ask one focused question about the decision, level of detail, or deadline they need from you.
I over-explain and the message becomes harder to send.
Keep the first draft to three sentences: status, next action, checkpoint.
A blocker means I cannot give a clean completion date.
Name the blocker, the person or input needed, and what you can still do while waiting.
Only if you need more support
Choose what comes next
Questions that often block progress
Common questions
Do I need to complete every part of this worksheet?
No. Choose the closest problem and write only enough to make the next action visible. One useful line is a successful use.
What if I stop before the task is finished?
Use the restart cue. The worksheet is designed to make returning easier, not to demand a perfect uninterrupted session.
Understand the pattern
Related ADHD guides
Sources and further support
Source material
The Practical ADHD Workplace Planner
Designing Your Task System, Workday Startup and Shutdown, Manager Communication
Longer-form support
The Practical ADHD Workplace Planner
Build a workday system that protects focus, improves follow-through, and makes busy days easier to control.
Independent guidance
NICE guideline NG87: ADHD diagnosis and management
These references set context and safety boundaries; they do not clinically validate each worksheet prompt.