5 Tips for Managing Adult ADHD
It can be hard to determine how to successfully manage and take control of your adult ADHD. The disorder itself has a wide scope of symptoms that can range from distractibility, lack of motivation, inability to focus, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. A combination of these symptoms, or even just one, can derail even the best laid plans for a productive day.
In my counseling practice, I see clients every day who struggle with adult ADHD. But it doesn’t have to be that way. To help you make moves toward your best, most accomplished self–even with adult ADHD–I’ve compiled a few tips that I often share with my clients:
Virtual calendars
Lots of my clients share with me that they have tried to keep track of their schedule by investing in a journal or daily planner. But, after a few days of good use, that daily planner ends up staying shut for months. Still, calendars are a great tool for people with adult ADHD to stay on top of their plans, and so I suggest using a virtual calendar app on your phone. While you might easily lose a journal or paper planner, you probably do not frequently lose your phone. iPhones come with a calendar already downloaded, but other options I like are Google Calendar, Simple Calendar, and Structured. Since we’re on our phones so much anyway, it makes sense to use our devices to the best of our abilities to improve our mental health.
Task management apps
Often, my clients tell me that they want to accomplish so many different tasks, but they don’t have any of them written down. When they try to put something on paper to help them remember, they end up writing things on sticky notes–that end up getting stacked on top of other sticky notes. Instead, I recommend task management apps. Virtual apps that are right on your phone where you can’t miss them can help you get organized and hold yourself accountable to complete the tasks. The best part is, if you don’t complete your tasks right away, you will see that the task has remained incomplete every time you look at the app. This means you have more chances to complete it, and also an opportunity to reflect on what went wrong if you didn’t. This type of information allows you to gain further control over your adult ADHD. There are many options for task apps, but my recommendations are: Google Tasks, Do!, Notion, Focus-to-do, and Flora.
Set alarms throughout the day
You’ve downloaded the virtual calendars and task apps! You are well on your way to taking control of your adult ADHD. It is crucial that you check your calendar and task apps repeatedly throughout the day to help you stay on task. If you cannot remember to do this on your own, then it might help to create a system. I recommend setting alarms to go off every two or three hours to remind you to review your apps. These gentle reminders will keep you focused if you’ve gone off task, or forgotten your to-do list of the day.
Get specific
Try to be specific with your tasks. For example: “I will work on my taxes Monday morning January 15, 2022 at 9:30 am to 10:30 am.” This type of task states what you will be doing and when, thus holding you accountable.
There’s always tomorrow.
Managing your adult ADHD will take a lot of effort, time, and motivation. Just like mastering any task, no one is going to be perfect at it on the first day or first week. Remember, it takes time to change patterns. It’s important to stay motivated and not give up. There’s a saying I often tell my clients at the end of a session or group: “If you don’t get it right today, you can get it right tomorrow.”
If you need support managing your adult ADHD, reach out now.