How can I stop double-booking appointments with ADHD?

PostedNovember 17, 2025

UpdatedNovember 18, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

Author: Phoebe Carter, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

If you live with ADHD, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of double-booking yourself, committing to two things at once, then realising too late. According to NICE guidance (NG87), this happens not because of carelessness but because ADHD affects how the brain plans, organises, and tracks time.

Why double-booking happens

The Royal College of Psychiatrists explains that ADHD involves executive dysfunction, difficulty managing multiple pieces of information at once. When scheduling, the brain may fail to hold previous commitments in mind or underestimate how long events will take.

Time blindness; a weaker internal sense of time passing can also make future appointments feel less “real” until they’re imminent. Add impulsivity, and it’s easy to say yes to new invitations before checking the diary. Research in The Lancet Psychiatry (2024) and NHS reviews confirms that these traits make people with ADHD especially vulnerable to scheduling conflicts and missed transitions between activities.

Strategies that actually help

According to NHS guidance (2025), the key to preventing double-booking is building structure around decision-making, not just reminders. Practical strategies include:

Use one main calendar: Keep all commitments in a single place, whether digital or paper.

Enter events immediately: Add new appointments as soon as they’re made to avoid memory gaps.

Set weekly “calendar audits”: Spend 5–10 minutes reviewing upcoming appointments.

Create buffers: Avoid back-to-back meetings and block out transition time.

Colour-code categories: Use visual distinctions (work, health, social) to see clashes quickly.

Add accountability: Share your calendar with a partner, coach, or support worker.

The RCPsych CR235 guidance also recommends coaching and CBT to strengthen planning and self-monitoring skills. Apps that combine reminders with visual scheduling (rather than text-only alerts) have shown better real-world success in NHS service evaluations.

Medication can also play a role by improving attention and time perception, though it works best when paired with structured behavioural systems.

The takeaway

Double-booking is a common and entirely understandable ADHD challenge. It stems from how ADHD affects executive function and time awareness, not from disorganisation or lack of effort.

With a single calendar system, weekly reviews, and structured planning support, most people can dramatically reduce scheduling conflicts. According to NICE and NHS guidance, the goal isn’t perfection, it’s building a routine that turns planning into a habit, not a mental juggling act.

Phoebe Carter, MSc

Author

Phoebe Carter is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology. She has experience working with both children and adults, conducting psychological assessments, developing individualized treatment plans, and delivering evidence-based therapies. Phoebe specialises in neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, and learning disabilities, as well as mood, anxiety, psychotic, and personality disorders. She is skilled in CBT, behaviour modification, ABA, and motivational interviewing, and is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health care to individuals of all ages.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the author's privacy.

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Reviewer

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez is a UK-trained physician with an MBBS and experience in general surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, gynecology, intensive care, and emergency medicine. She has managed critically ill patients, stabilised acute trauma cases, and provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. In psychiatry, Dr. Fernandez has worked with psychotic, mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, applying evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her skills span patient assessment, treatment planning, and the integration of digital health solutions to support mental well-being.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the reviewer's privacy.