Book SummaryOrder from Chaos, by Jaclyn Paul

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Order from Chaos

In Order from Chaos, Jaclyn Paul argues that people with ADHD face organizational challenges that can make their lives feel chaotic and frustrating. By implementing Paul’s strategies and systems, though, ADHDers can gain control over their lives and find greater peace. The process of getting organized starts with learning about yourself and how your brain works, and then using this understanding to identify your unique needs and preferences. After that, you can take concrete steps toward improving your organization by finding ways to contain your current mess and then finding the right system for managing any new task or...

Order from Chaos Summary What is ADHD and How Does It Affect Functioning?

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a neurobiological condition that impairs working memory and executive function, among other things. Working memory is the capacity to hold information in our brains for immediate use in the short term, such as remembering what you need to retrieve when you walk into another room. Executive functioning refers to a set of skills related to planning ahead and making decisions. Everyone struggles with working memory and executive function from time to time, but for people with ADHD, these deficits occur at a severity and frequency that substantially interferes with their daily lives.

(Shortform note: An estimated 2.8% of adults have ADHD. As Paul’s definition of the condition suggests, ADHD is not characterized by a lack of understanding of what you’re supposed to do, but rather an [inability to perform the...

Order from Chaos Summary Step 1: Getting to Know Yourself

Every person with ADHD is different, and their ADHD affects them differently. There’s no cookie-cutter method for organization that will work perfectly for everyone, so you have to form an understanding of how your ADHD affects you personally in order to devise the best organizational system to manage it.

(Shortform note: Some experts distinguish between different types of ADHD, identifying anywhere between three and seven subtypes of the condition. These are defined by the dominance of either symptoms of attention dysregulation or hyperactivity. Some distinguish between inattentive ADHD, hyperactive/impulsive ADHD, and combined ADHD. Others include additional subtypes based on traits like mood and emotional regulation, including temporal lobe ADHD, limbic ADHD, and anxious ADHD. Exploring the different subtypes of ADHD may help you better understand how the condition impacts you personally.)

Understand Your Purpose

An essential part of Paul’s recommendations for better organization is to identify the reason you want to get organized and keep that front of mind as you begin...

Order from Chaos Summary Step 2: Contain Your Current Mess

According to Paul, if you’re already behind on your organization, you won’t be able to jump right into a new system. You need to get a handle on your current state of disorganization first. ADHDers can become disorganized more easily because they tend to quickly be overwhelmed by new input, and we’re all constantly receiving various types of input: Much of it is informational like ideas and obligations, and much of it is physical like mail and belongings. For ADHDers, the overwhelm from all this input often leads to piles.

(Shortform note: ADHDers may not even realize how messy their environment has gotten because they often experience clutter blindness, which is when they become so accustomed to the mess around them that it no longer looks messy. Sometimes it can help to ask a friend or loved one to help you identify cluttered areas in your environment so you know where to start containing your mess.)

Piles accumulate when we have no system for dealing with incoming stuff. We get a piece of mail or find a dirty sock on the floor and put it in a pile for us to deal with later, which grows and grows until it feels too...

Order from Chaos Summary Step 3: Implement an Organizational System

Once you’ve got your current situation contained, you can implement a system for managing your incoming items, tasks, and projects. The most important part of establishing a system for organization is to find one that works for you. It should be both simple and sustainable, meaning it should require as little work from you as possible and should be something you can reasonably do every week in perpetuity.

Paul doesn’t explicitly describe many organizational systems, but she highly recommends reading David Allen’s Getting Things Done and using his tips to design your own system.

(Shortform note: The guide to Allen’s Getting Things Done is available in our Shortform library. The five steps he describes for a strong organizational system are: 1) Capture your items and ideas, 2) Clarify what you need to do about each item, 3) Organize the decisions you’ve made about your next actions, 4) Reflect on what you should do next, and 5) Engage (complete the task). Paul’s system is heavily based on Allen’s Getting Things Done system, but she adds tips specifically...

Shortform Exercise: Understand Your ADHD

Getting organized starts with getting to know yourself better. Reflect on your situation as it is now and consider how you could implement Paul’s advice to bring greater order to your life.

First, identify the ADHD symptoms that have the greatest impact on your life and that interfere the most with what you want to accomplish each day.

Shortform Exercise: Establish Inboxes and Lists

Once you’re in the later stages of your organizing, begin identifying the best ways to keep track of your items and ideas.

First, identify the things you struggle to keep track of. These will be items that frequently end up in piles or overflowing containers.