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Are you one of the 4-5% of people who lives with adult ADHD?

Do you experience the following difficulties at work, school, or in your personal life?

  • Chronic lateness or forgetfulness

  • Trouble concentrating

  • Poor organizational skills

  • Impulsiveness

  • Procrastination

Man saying 'I'm a pro procrastinator.'

Learn strategies to manage adult ADHD!

Did you know?

While many kids with ADHD outgrow it, about 60% still have it as adults. Adult ADHD affects men and women equally (webmd.com).

Organize Yourself to Better Manage Adult ADHD

Organizational strategies can help you manage your time and tasks efficiently.

Joanna and Clea from The Home Edit saying, 'We can help you with that!' to Manage Adult ADHD better.

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  • Create a schedule each night for the following day.

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  • Use a checklist for top priorities and check off tasks as you complete them.

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  • Set phone reminders to check your progress throughout the day.

Build Routines

Routines help you practice behaviors that you want to repeat regularly. Soon, they'll become habits!

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Home Routine

  • Create a space for important items, like keys, wallet, and phone.

  • Return them to their space at the end of each day.

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Mail Routine

  • Check and sort mail on the same day and time each week.

  • Establish an area for important mail and discard junk mail right away.

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Chore Routine

  • Schedule cleaning time at set days and times each week.

  • Keep supplies easily accessible.

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Exercise Routine

  • Schedule enjoyable fitness activities at a regular time daily or weekly to help stay active and healthy.

Did you know?

Even a small amount of regular exercise, like walking, can help manage adult ADHD! It gets rid of excess energy and helps you focus. Aim for 20-30 minutes per day. (webmd.com)

Make Tasks Manageable

Completing big projects can be especially hard for adults living with ADHD, who may struggle with indecision or feeling overwhelmed.

David from Schitt's Creek yelling 'it's too much!'

These tips can help.

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Break It Up

  • Break a project into smaller tasks that are more manageable.

  • Start with shorter tasks to help you gain momentum.

  • Take breaks before and during longer tasks.

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Simplify Your Workload

  • Finish projects before taking on new ones.

  • Respect your limits by knowing when you need help.

  • Learn when to say no to new tasks you can't do effectively at the moment.

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Work In Small Time Chunks

  • Set a timer for 15 minutes.

  • Focus on one task during that time.

  • When the time is up, decide if you can keep working for another 15 minutes.

  • If yes, reset the timer. Repeat for as long as you can.

  • If no, rest and try again later.

Did you know?

While technology can be a big source of distraction, there are also many digital tools that can help you stay organized, follow routines, and handle big tasks.

Manage Adult ADHD by Limiting Distractions

Do things around you constantly pull your attention away?

Physical environments can be a big challenge when you try to manage your adult ADHD.

Dexter in a crime lab spinning distractedly in an office chair and thinking about how to Manage Adult ADHD.

Whether at home or at work, determine what outside factors you can control by limiting the distractions around you.

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Turn Off Notifications

  • Forward calls to voicemail.

  • Disable alerts on social media or other apps.

  • Check emails and messages only at set times throughout the day.

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Adjust Work Time

  • When possible, choose a work time when your environment is quieter, such as early morning or later in the day.

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Minimize Outside Noises

  • Choose a quiet space when possible.

  • Use noise-cancelling headphones if there's a lot of background noise.

  • Certain music or white noise can help you stay focused.

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Keep Your Workspace Clear

  • Physical clutter can be distracting.

  • Put papers and clutter away to minimize visual distraction.

Quiz

Yesenia works a remote job from an apartment she shares with roommates. She's working on a major project and worries that her environment may cause distraction. Which of these can help Yesenia stay productive?

Take Action

Woman saying, 'Oh, I got this.'

Adults living with ADHD face challenges that can make daily life difficult.

Taking steps to manage your adult ADHD symptoms will help you to be more productive.

License:

This Byte has been authored by

VV

Valerie Verastegui

Designing Learning for Learners on the Go!

This Byte has been reviewed by

LD

Lana Do

MD, MPH, BCMAS

English

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