# Make a short leaving checklist

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://adhd100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://adhd100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://adhd100.jock.pl/visible-transition-checklist/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-29
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-29, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 81 of 100 in the list: https://adhd100.jock.pl/#visible-transition-checklist

Put the next few actions where you'll see them, so leaving home asks less of your memory.

**The number:** Build routines and use visual lists ([East London NHS Foundation Trust, 2026](https://www.elft.nhs.uk/adult-adhd-services/support-available))

## The evidence

- How sure: Certainty of evidence: Not rated. Measured in people with ADHD.
- Evidence grade: C. Grade C: small or mixed studies, expert consensus or clinical practice. Worth knowing, not worth betting on.
- Basis: ADHD-specific NHS or CDC guidance recommends this action; no isolated trial estimate or formal certainty rating.
- Benefit: 42/100. The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.

## Why it matters

NHS ADHD guidance recommends predictable routines and visible checklists, and CDC gives parents similar advice. A short list can make a transition easier to follow when attention wanders, but its own effect on ADHD has not been established. Use the checklist as a prompt you can change, not a test you have to pass.

## How to do it

1. Pick one transition, like leaving home.
2. List only the things you keep missing, in the order you actually do them.
3. Put the list where the transition happens. With a child who prefers pictures, use pictures.
4. Practise it together, then drop steps that no longer need a prompt.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 1 minute: Write down the thing you most often forget when you leave home. That's line one of your checklist.
- 5 minutes: Write a short leaving list and put it where you collect your belongings.
- 15 minutes: Walk through the next departure using your list, and reorder any steps that feel awkward.

### What it looks like

- By the door: bag, keys, appointment letter.
- A child's picture list shows shoes, coat and school bag.

### Common mistakes

- A long list turns into background clutter. Keep only the steps that need help.
- A missed step turns into criticism. Point to the next action and make the cue simpler.

### A structured start

**Build one reliable transition**

1. Choose one departure routine.
2. Try a short visible list for that routine.
3. Keep useful prompts and remove extra instructions.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [Support Available (Adult ADHD Services)](https://www.elft.nhs.uk/adult-adhd-services/support-available), East London NHS Foundation Trust

## Sources

- [Support Available (Adult ADHD Services)](https://www.elft.nhs.uk/adult-adhd-services/support-available), East London NHS Foundation Trust, 2026 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [Treatment of ADHD](https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/treatment/index.html), CDC, 2026 (Tier 1 guideline)

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General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.

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