---
title: 3 Unlocks – from Scratchpad to Anchor
description: The Anchor technique can be a powerful one for those of us with ADHD and wandering minds. This week we discuss the three keys to unlocking its usefulness.
image: https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/3%20Unlocks%20-%20from%20Scratchpad%20to%20Anchor-blog.jpg
---

![burger-icon](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/burger-icon.svg) 

[![Kourosh Dini - Homepage](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/logos/kourosh-logo.svg)](https://www.kouroshdini.com)

![close-icon](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/close-icon.svg)

- [Blog page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog)
- [Podcast page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/podcast)
- [Music page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/music)
- [Courses & Books page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/courses-and-books)
- [Psychoanalysis page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/psy)
- [About page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/about)
- [Contact page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/contact)
- [Waves of Focus page](https://www.kouroshdini.com/waves-of-focus)

![Search](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/search-icon.svg)

[![at-icon](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/icons/at-icon.svg)](mailto:kmdini@gmail.com)

[Return to Blog](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog)

# 3 Unlocks – from Scratchpad to Anchor

Jul 03, 2026 

![3 Unlocks from Scratchpad to Anchor](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/3%20Unlocks%20-%20from%20Scratchpad%20to%20Anchor-blog.jpg)

> “A bunch on my mind, I’ll write it down...”

 

> “ahh, relief.”

 

Except...

> “wait, now it’s a mess” or “wait, I still have to do these?!”

 

Writing things down isn’t the end.  Lists often fall apart and we can easily fall back to where we started.

<iframe style="margin: 0px auto; display: block;" allow="clipboard-write" xml="lang" src="https://player.captivate.fm/episode/610d28a9-7d44-4e1f-9135-852e5cbc44bb/" width="600" height="200" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless loading="eager" data-service="player.captivate"></iframe>

There are a few rules of the game that can help us keep these scratchpads from becoming more froth in the sea, and instead support us well.

In today's episode, we walk through three unlocks that carry a scratchpad all the way to an anchor — a pen-and-paper practice that rests our working memory and hands a little agency back to us.

Check out this week's [Rhythms of Focus S01 Episode 62 - 3 Unlocks - from Scratchpad to Anchor](https://rhythms-of-focus.captivate.fm/episode/3-unlocks-for-adhd-anchor-technique/).

- - Kourosh

P.S. I just launched a new YouTube video series ▶  [Finding Flow with ADHD — the WAVES series](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJpQS5q6yvRw): Wander, Anchor, Visit, Engage, Station. New episodes will drop every week for nine weeks, make sure to subscribe to stay up to date.

![Divider](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/separator.svg)

Share this article

<https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/3-unlocks-from-scratchpad-to-anchor-for-adhd> <https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/3-unlocks-from-scratchpad-to-anchor-for-adhd>

## Recent Articles

[![I'm Sorry. I Can't Do the Laundry. I Just Don't Have the Dopamine.](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/Im%20Sorry.%20I%20Cant%20Do%20the%20Laundry.%20I%20Just%20Dont%20Have%20the%20Dopamine-blog.jpg)](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/adhd-productivity-dopamine-struggle)

#### [I'm Sorry. I Can't Do the Laundry. I Just Don't Have the Dopamine.](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/adhd-productivity-dopamine-struggle)

 Sep 18, 2026

Sorry, I can't do the laundry. I just don't have the dopamine. I saw this post on Instagram. It was funny. I l...

![Bottom card separator](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/faq/line-mobile.svg)

[![You Don't Need Another List — You Need a Better Prompt](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/You%20Dont%20Need%20Another%20List%20%E2%80%94%20You%20Need%20a%20Better%20Prompt%20Blog.jpg)](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/you-dont-need-another-list-you-need-a-better-prompt)

#### [You Don't Need Another List — You Need a Better Prompt](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/you-dont-need-another-list-you-need-a-better-prompt)

 Sep 11, 2026

Maybe I just need another list. Things are piling up, something slips. Deadlines creeping up. Project we were ...

![Bottom card separator](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/faq/line-mobile.svg)

[![Single-Threading: AI, ADHD, and the Cost of Switching](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/Ep%2071%20Single-Threading-%20AI%20ADHD%20and%20the%20Cost%20of%20Switching.jpg)](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/single-threading-ai-adhd-and-the-cost-of-switching)

#### [Single-Threading: AI, ADHD, and the Cost of Switching](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/single-threading-ai-adhd-and-the-cost-of-switching)

 Sep 04, 2026

Recently I've found myself bouncing around between eight or nine different open threads with my AI, choosing o...

![Bottom card separator](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/faq/line-mobile.svg)

[Return to Blog](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog)

## Publications

 Over the years, I’ve written five main works on productivity. Sign up for the Weekly Wind Down newsletter to get free previews.

![Kourosh Dini courses](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/courses%20and%20books/books%20left.webp) ![Kourosh Dini books](https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/courses%20and%20books/books%20right.webp) 

[See all the publications](https://www.kouroshdini.com/courses-and-books)

- [Kourosh Dini Instagram (opens in new window)](https://www.instagram.com/kouroshdinimd/)
- [Kourosh Dini LinkedIn (opens in new window)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kouroshdini)
- [Kourosh Dini X/Twitter (opens in new window)](https://x.com/kouroshdini)
- [Kourosh Dini YouTube (opens in new window)](https://www.youtube.com/c/KouroshDini)

### Contact Us

 If you have a clinical matter, please call.  
 For books and productivity matters, please email.

- [1020 South Wabash Ave, Unit 4G, Chicago, IL 60605 (Opens Address in google Maps)](https://maps.app.goo.gl/7agnPcDjwB6PRNuX6)
- [312-391-3171 (opens phone dialer)](tel:+13123913171)
- [dinigroup@kouroshdini.com (Opens mail application)](mailto:dinigroup@kouroshdini.com)

- [Home](https://www.kouroshdini.com/)
- [Blog](https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog)
- [Podcast](https://www.kouroshdini.com/podcast)
- [Music](https://www.kouroshdini.com/music)
- [Books & Courses](https://www.kouroshdini.com/courses-and-books)
- [Psychoanalysis](https://www.kouroshdini.com/psy)

- [About](https://www.kouroshdini.com/about)
- [Contact](https://www.kouroshdini.com/contact)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.kouroshdini.com/privacy-policy)
- [Terms & Conditions](https://www.kouroshdini.com/terms-and-conditions)

© 2026 The Dini Group, Ltd.

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Kourosh",
    "url" : "https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/author/kourosh"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-07-03T17:00:00.511Z",
  "datePublished" : "2026-07-03T17:00:00.000Z",
  "headline" : "3 Unlocks – from Scratchpad to Anchor",
  "image" : [ "https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/3%20Unlocks%20-%20from%20Scratchpad%20to%20Anchor-blog.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.kouroshdini.com/the-dini-group-ltd-blog/3-unlocks-from-scratchpad-to-anchor-for-adhd",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://www.kouroshdini.com/hubfs/logos/kourosh-logo.svg"
    }
  }
}
```