38. QUICK RESET: The Hallway Hook That Saved My Sanity

ADHD Mums

School mornings feel like hostage negotiations — not routine. Missing shoes, weird sock meltdowns, vanishing library bags… and still the world says ‘just get more organised’. But ADHD families don’t run on habits — we run on cues.

In this Quick Reset, Jane shares the one simple change that turned mornings from chaos into something survivable: the hallway hook. More than a place for bags, it’s an environmental accommodation that reduces the daily executive function tax every ADHD mum knows too well.

What We Cover in This Episode

• Why ADHD mums pay an ‘executive function tax’ every morning
• How visual cues beat willpower when it comes to routines
• The difference between neurotypical habits vs ADHD-friendly environments
• Why a hallway hook (or any visual system) can save your sanity
• Practical tips for setting up ADHD-friendly launchpads at home

This Episode Is For You If…

• You’ve aged 100 years by 9am thanks to school chaos
• Your kids’ bags, shoes, or library books disappear into another dimension daily
• You’ve been told you just need to ‘get organised’
• You know reminders and willpower aren’t enough — you need cues that work
• You want one ADHD-friendly change that makes mornings survivable

Related ADHD Mums Episodes

• S3 E31 The ADHD Mum’s Guide to Surviving School Mornings Without Tears (Theirs or Yours)
• S3 E10 QUICK RESET: Why am I bracing for impact when nothing is wrong?
• Check out School mini-series if you haven’t yet

If school mornings leave you burnt out before 9am, these episodes will hit close to home.

Claim: “Neurodivergent people often rely on visual memory and object permanence strategies — like hallway hooks — to reduce executive function demands.”

🔍 Research and References:

Object Permanence & ADHD

Barkley, R. A. (2014). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment.

– Barkley discusses how deficits in working memory and internal visualisation affect how ADHD individuals manage time, tasks, and memory. Without visual cues (like hooks, labels, laid-out clothes), the brain can “forget” the task exists.

Visual Cues and Home Organisation

Tuckman, A. R. (2009). More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD.

– Emphasises that visual systems (clear bins, hooks, laid-out outfits) help compensate for weak prospective memory and object permanence.

Environmental Modifications for ADHD

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Parenting Children with ADHD.

– Recommends home modifications including visual schedules, labelled areas, and consistent placement for items (e.g. a hook for every bag or jacket) to support task follow-through and independence.

Executive Function Supports in Home Environments

Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2010). Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide to Assessment and Intervention.

– Notes the need for external structures like visual reminders and routine anchors for kids with ADHD who struggle with task initiation and transition.

🎧 Listen now: Quick Reset: The Hallway Hook That Saved My Sanity — on Spotify, Apple, or adhdmums.com.au

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Episodes Covered

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