tips & tricks & i’ve learned in 21 years as a human girl who has adhd
some of these i’ve learned on my own, or from family/friends, or reddit/tumblr/pintrest/facebook. but i’ve compiled a list that has helped me remain focused, organized, and not having my mind go all over the place. some of them are just good to know.
1. don’t put it down, put it away (helps immensely with clutter)
2. use a planner for everything, not just school (i use an actual planner because writing it down actually helps me remember it better, but an app can work too)
3. color code class materials, use a different color for each subject (i’m a nursing student and i’m always running around like crazy, my binders, folders, and notebooks for each class each have their own color. ex: bio=green, chem=blue, psych=pink. that way if i’m in a rush, i never grab the wrong stuff.)
4. rewriting class notes, memos, important dates, & anything else worth remembering helps to engrain it in your mind
5. meal prepping twice every week helps to save time & money & also helps to keep your meals nice and healthy (it also helps me remember to eat because sometimes i have a hard time doing so since my vyvanse suppresses my appetite. it also helps to eat before i take my meds because then i have a more normal appetite and i’m not cranky. i’m also someone who would rather just not eat because i get stressed if i have to cook something, so having something all set and ready to go for each meal is such a huge stress relief)
6. do some sort of exercise for 30 minutes at least 4 times a week because it gets rid of excess energy, helps you to focus, & look & feel great (i do 45 minutes of cardio every other day on the stair-stepper & i’ve just gotten really into weight lifting. cardio definitely helps me A LOT to not be so cranky or all over the place)
7. pick out and get your outfit for the next day, every single night (i pick out EVERYTHING from the actual clothes, to the underwear, socks, bra, shoes, & accessories. this helps because i also have a weird thing about how clothes fit over undergarments & i also have a weird thing about matching clothes with undergarments, socks, & shoes)
8. pack your backpack and whatever else you need the night before (i put all my class materials, snacks & drinks, chargers, gym clothes, etc in my bag every night before i go to bed so i don’t rush or forget anything in the morning)
9. have a bag full of essentials that you take everywhere (i have a purse that i keep my wallet, keys, a protein bar, a water, my iPad, a back up charger, pen, small notebook, planner, gum, & hand sanitizer that i take with me everywhere. everything has it’s own special pocket & i never lose track of the things i need)
10. make lists of “to’s” (to do, to remember, to buy)
11. go from room to room whenever you leave someplace to make sure you haven’t left anything behind
12. use post-it notes in visible places as reminders
13. set aside one day per week to do stuff you need to get done (cleaning, schoolwork, chores, grocery shopping, etc)
14. have a “time out” for yourself every other day to relax and recharge (i set aside an hour or two every single day to read or watch a tv show or do something that doesn’t require too much thought or energy. i don’t answer calls or texts, and i try not to browse social media. this helps me relax and not feel overwhelmed throughout the day or the week)
15. set alarms for waking up, tasks, & cooking fro better time management (i use a great app called 30/30 thats a great task manager. it lets you set up a list with a set time for each task. the timer starts and you go about your task, once the time is up, it lets you know you should move onto your next task)
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