🧠 Help students organize with Google Keep, for ADHD & Executive Function

So, I had a fantastic question from one of my students in Executive Function Lab. During one of our co-working sessions, the student asked:

“I want to be able to manage my life better, manage projects better. I want to feel more organized and more on top of things. How do I manage everything?”

It was a fantastic question. For middle and high school students—and obviously beyond—project management is something kids really need. Life is project management. Homework is project management. School is project management. Getting a job is project management.

So how do we help students do this?

I went over four ideas with this student and helped them choose one. Today, I’m going to show you one of those ideas. I’ll show you exactly how it works. It’s super easy, and I’ll give you very clear, solid examples of how you can apply it—so you can walk away knowing exactly what to do.

What’s up? My name is Seth Perler. I’m an executive function coach. I wear a lot of hats in the executive function, ADHD, neurodiversity, and 2E worlds.

This student asked such a great question because they had the wisdom and maturity to say: “I care about myself. I want to know how to make my life easier, how to have better executive function, and how to have more choices for myself.”

Usually, I help high school and college students set up some sort of project management system—whether that’s software or another method—so their life becomes easier.

As I said, I showed this student four different options. Today, I’m going to show you one of them. It’s free, it’s easy, and it works for everybody.

The tool we’re using is called Google Keep.

If you look up Google Keep, you’ll find it’s free. If you have a Gmail account, it’s already associated with your account. It’s already there.

I have a demo account set up to show you exactly how it works.

If you go into your Gmail inbox and look in the upper-right corner, you’ll find Google Keep. There are actually a few ways to access it. You can even open it in the side panel of your email, turn it on and off, and use it for project management and planning.

For kids who don’t like planners or don’t know how to use them—or who resist them—this can be a really helpful tool.

When you open Google Keep, you’ll usually see a light version with a blank slate. Imagine none of the notes are there yet—that’s what it looks like at the start.

To begin, you click “Take a note.” It’s a bit unintuitive because it starts with the note rather than the title, but I like to add a title first.

You can type your note, change its color, add icons, and customize it however you want.

You can also:

* Add collaborators
* Set reminders
* Add images
* Archive notes

One feature I use often is checkboxes. You can turn them on to track completed tasks or turn them off for simple text notes. You can also easily export notes to Google Docs.

Once you create a note, it appears below unless you pin it. Pinned notes stay at the top.

I recommend pinning important notes so students can prioritize what matters most.

There are many ways to use this tool. I’ll show you a few so you can decide what works best for you.

For example, you can create categories like:

Urgent tasks

* Submit English paper by noon
* Turn in job application

You can color-code (e.g., red for urgent), add emojis, and check off completed tasks.

General to-do list

* Buy a birthday gift
* Complete science homework
* Work on a draft for 30 minutes

**Errands**

* Buy a toothbrush
* Get a blue folder
* Purchase guitar strings

I personally use this for errands all the time because it syncs with my phone and is incredibly easy to use on the go.

You can also track money, like:

* Payments you’ve made
* Checks you’ve written
* Money people owe you
* Monthly bills

If you’re forgetful, this is a great way to keep everything in one place.

For school, you can create notes for specific projects.

If you have a social studies project, you can:

* Capture ideas
* Store notes
* Track sources or bibliography
* Write reminders

You can quickly open the app during class and jot things down.

You can also create notes for:

* General school reminders
* “Someday” ideas (goals, dreams, hobbies)
* Random ideas
* Daily routines (morning, evening, workouts)
* Research topics
* Personal interests

For example, if you’re learning guitar, you can even save YouTube links directly in your notes and open them instantly.

So that’s Google Keep.

There’s a lot more to it, but for students with executive function challenges—ADHD, 2E learners, or anyone who struggles with planning and organization—this is an incredibly simple but powerful tool.

I’ve used it with many students, and it works.

I encourage you to check it out.

Again, my name is Seth Perler. I wear many hats in the executive function world. I have:

* A website: sethperler.com
* The Executive Function Summit (a free annual event)
* Executive Function Lab, a community of families and teachers supporting kids

If you have tips, ideas, or your own project management strategies, share them in the comments.

Let’s help each other.

Take care, everybody. I wish you peace of mind, joy in your heart, and—most importantly—connection with the people you care about, especially the kids in your life.