Managing Adult ADD and Effective Time Management

Effective time management is something that Adult ADD sufferers really struggle with – how do you get everything done that you need to when you have such a short attention span? How do you actually go about managing your time if you don’t like sticking to a schedule? In this article we will give you a couple of ideas about how you can improve your time management if you suffer from Adult ADD.

Managing Adult ADD by Creating a List of What you Need to Do and Break it Down

Create a list of what you need to do and break it down into small activities which can be completed in a few minutes each. Let’s say you have one big project – try breaking this project down into a number of smaller steps, whether it is a few pages to write each time or different tasks making up the whole. By creating a task list with smaller tasks you will be able to feel a greater sense of accomplishment and get through tasks easier by just working with your attention span.

Managing Adult ADD with the Egg Timer Principle

Managing Adult ADD with the egg timer principle means getting a timer that can time you for how long you spend on each activity and stop you when you have spent enough time on a specific activity. If you are doing things you enjoy between work periods then set the timer to allow you a certain amount of time on that activity before you move onto the next thing. This keeps you from spending too much time on the things you enjoy and not getting anything done. Effective time management means that you do not procrastinate by doing the things you enjoy at the expense of the things you need to do.

Managing Adult ADD by Rewarding Small Achievements

If you can normally concentrate for fifteen minutes, try to tell yourself that you will work on something you need to do for twenty minutes and that you will then reward yourself with something you really enjoy. By rewarding yourself for pushing yourself just a little harder you will be more encouraged to get things done and to just focus for those few minutes longer.

Managing Adult ADD with a Good Reminder System

If you find you constantly miss appointments and forget important dates then you should ensure that you have a good reminder system in place. If you use a computer daily then the best thing is to have a computerized reminder system that will pop up a message to remind you about the important date or to remind you when you need to leave for your appointment.

Managing Adult ADD with Accountability

Another important tool for effective time management with Adult ADD sufferers is accountability. Find someone who will keep you accountable for doing the work you need to do and work with you to see that it gets completed. This person should be free to ask you anytime how your project is going and also to offer constructive criticism without offending you.

Managing Adult ADD by Living your Passion

Another way Adult ADD can actually benefit effective time management is by focusing on something that you are truly passionate about. If you have always wanted to do something then doing this project will actually keep you motivated and enthusiastic in accomplishing it. Write down some goals that you really want to achieve and allow your enthusiasm for these things to drive your time management of their accomplishment. Effective time management is based on knowing what you want and doing what it takes to get there.

In conclusion, Adult ADD sufferers often struggle with effective time management. In order to manage your time more effectively you can write down goals you are truly passionate about and work on getting them done, work with an accountability partner who will help you in accomplishing your tasks, work with your energy spurts and reward yourself for small accomplishments. You should also use a good reminder system to ensure that you don’t forget appointments or important dates.