ADHD Coaching: Top 10 Time Management Hacks Every ADHD Person Should Know
Time is very delicate for people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The ADHD time management system isn’t made with Swiss precision, nor does it keep time in seconds or minutes. Even if you went through ADHD coaching, there will still be chances of you triggering your procrastination at any given moment. In other words, time is often undervalued by most people with ADHD.
Instead of it being a sequence, an ADHD person sees time as a parade of events that link to the people activities, and emotions involved in them. In other words, an ADHD person feels time, rather than experience it. This explains why people with ADHD have such a lousy relationship with time management and meeting deadlines.
With all that said, is there any solution to this time problem? Fortunately, there are solutions to our time-managing woes. Here are 10 of the best time management hacks that ADHD experts use that have allowed them to make time their best ally.
10 Best Time Management Hacks
1.) Write Your To-do List; Use Pen & Paper
It would be best to use paper and pen for your planning purposes, as it enables you to see a lot of information all at once. You can create your very own visual plan. When you write something down, it tends to build a stronger connection in your brain, allowing you to get things done faster since you’re already aware of what you’re supposed to do.
2.) Plan EVERYTHING Ahead
Most of the time people with ADHD tend to plan their day. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it would be much more effective if you plan your week, your month, or even your year. By planning ahead, you can see the bigger picture, which will allow you as a person with ADHD to make adjustments if needed and overall makes completing tasks a lot faster and easier.
3.) Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro is a time management technique developed by author Francesco Cirillo in 1980. The method involves using a timer to portion any work into small intervals with 25 minutes in length and separated by brief pauses.
When you work on anything, you can incorporate the Pomodoro technique by separating each task into small intervals. So after 25 minutes of straight working, pause and take a break for three to five minutes. You can also take longer breaks once you’ve achieved four 25-minute sequences. You’d realise that you’ve finished a lot while preventing burnouts from working for several straight hours.
4.) Limit Your Projects Per Day
As the cliche goes, ‘too much is bad.’ That’s why when it comes to the things we work on during the day, we need to limit our work during the day. Sometimes having too many things to do can trigger your procrastination. That’s why to avoid that; you need to limit your to-do list items into ideal numbers that don’t burn you out and can even make you feel productive.
For starters, limit your projects to only three per day. There’s a difference between being busy and being productive. If you focus more on the former, most of the time, you will never get things done since you are more satisfied with being busy. But if you focus more on getting things done, you’d realise that having a full plate every day will get you nowhere. This realisation will prompt you to prefer a shorter to-do list to make sure you get things done throughout the day.
5.) Focus More on Managing Your Energy
Most of the time we focus more on time than noticing our energy levels. Keep in mind that the key to maximum productivity has more to do with our energy management skills than our abilities to manage time. So make sure your energy levels are at a point where you can guarantee you can finish your tasks.
You can start exercising, get the right amount of sleep, or do yoga. Whatever you do, always remember that the more energy you have, the more tasks you can complete throughout the day.
6.) Wear A Watch
Nothing too fancy about this one. Just wear a watch. It keeps you updated on what time it is. It will also be helpful if you have your daily plan in front of you to make sure you get things done and you never miss a beat.
7.) Make Use of Your Electronic Calendar
Placing all of your undertakings in your phone’s calendar will ensure that you are always reminded of each task. You can set the reminder per hour, per day, or per week; it all depends on you.
9.) Do Your Tasks Right Away
When you have something to do, do it right away. Don’t wait for your procrastination to trigger. Otherwise, you’ll end up wasting your time.
10.) Visualise Things That are Waiting To be Done
Let’s face it, no matter what we do; we always tend to waste time because our ADHD brain just simply tells us to. So to avoid our procrastination tendencies like binging on Facebook, try to visualise the things that need to be done. Think about the pile of dirty plates sitting on your sink for a week now (I know it’s a bit exaggerated, but think about the possibilities!).
Now, ask yourself: “Will I feel better now about playing around on Facebook, or will I feel better washing the dishes and getting things done?” Make sure you reward yourself with some down time once you do manage to get the work done.
BONUS: Get Expert Help
People with ADHD tend to overlook their symptoms. They tend to make unproven assumptions like their ADHD subsiding when they ignore it. Here’s a fact check: Unless you do something, your ADHD is going to stay and cause havoc to your daily life. Think you have ADHD? Get help right away. Book an appointment to your nearest local ADHD Clinic London and get a proper diagnosis. If you live on or near Manchester or London, you’ll be delighted to know that the ADHD Centre is currently operating in your area.
Get access to holistic ADHD treatment and care for both children and adults. The ADHD Centre is also a proud affiliate of several other ADHD clinics and organisations in the UK. You don’t have to worry if you are living outside the UK. The ADHD Centre also offers online consultations via Zoom. So wherever you are, the ADHD Specialist UK will always be available to help you manage your ADHD and get hold of your life again.
Never Waste Time Again
Sometimes, all it takes is some hacks to get us motivated to be productive and make the most out of the time we have. People with ADHD tend to take time for granted without realising the negative implications until it’s already to late. However, with this time management hacks, you can say goodbye to your procrastination and time-wasting deeds.
