20-Minute Couple Check-In

Only ever talk about the week when something's gone wrong? A short, planned check-in gives the calendar, the kids and the money a set time, so they don't come up at 11pm or halfway through a row.

The 20-Minute Couple Check-In is a one-page weekly agenda with a time on every section. Set a timer, follow the page and stop at 20 minutes. It's short on purpose, for brains that get bored fast.

On the page:

• 2 min: one thing I appreciated this week (each of you)
• 5 min: the week ahead: calendar, kids and money
• 5 min: one thing that didn't work, framed as a problem to solve together
• 5 min: decide who owns what, with an owner and a "by when" for each job
• 3 min: something to look forward to
• A short rules box: no phones, stop at 20 minutes, one topic each, and a pause word if it gets heated
• A filled-in example page, so you can see what a real week looks like

This is for you if… one or both of you has ADHD (diagnosed or not), you love each other but keep missing things, and you want a habit that's quick enough to stick.

Pairs well with: Who Owns What, the ADHD couple's task handover, to give every household job one owner.

Practical tools from lived experience, not medical, therapeutic or counselling advice. For relationship support, Relate offers couples counselling: relate.org.uk

Format: 1-page A4 printable plus a filled-in example page, PDF, instant download. Print at home as often as you need.

Made by the parent behind HopPdfs, who has ADHD and gets bored fast, so every page is short and to the point.