theADHD Desk

Working Memory

Forgets the third step, walks into a room and forgets why, does one part of a job and loses the rest. Why working memory — the mental scratchpad that holds a few things just long enough to use them — is small and fades fast in an ADHD brain, why you can't train it bigger (the brain-training evidence is settled), and the move that actually works: get the information out of your head and somewhere it'll keep.

↓ Download PDFView / print2 pages · Letter · updated June 2026
Working Memory: printable ADHD action card for working memory — the mechanism in plain language (page 1 of 2).Working Memory: printable ADHD action card for working memory — the step-by-step routine (page 2 of 2).

Not medical advice

A practical, plain-language reference. It doesn't replace assessment or treatment from a clinician who knows the individual.