Amplifying Adult ADHD (or ADD) Self-Care
Strategies for Navigating ADHD in Adulthood
If you're grappling with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), commonly known as ADD, in your adult life, it can seem like an uphill battle to manage the basics, such as paying bills on time or juggling work, family, and social obligations. ADHD inadvertently brings obstacles in various life aspects, straining your health and both personal and professional relationships. Symptoms like extreme procrastination, trouble meeting deadlines, and impulsive behavior are all common indicators. You might also find that friends and family don't entirely grasp what you're enduring.
But fret not, as there are skills you can pick up to help reign in your ADHD symptoms. These include refining your daily habits, recognizing and leveraging your strengths, and developing techniques that boost productivity, promote organization, and foster better interactions with others. A crucial part of this process involves educating others to help them appreciate your struggle.
Change may not happen overnight, but these ADHD self-help strategies can make you more effective, organized, and in control of your life while boosting your self-worth.
ADHD Self-Help Misconceptions
Myth:
Medication is the instant fix for ADHD.
Fact:
While medication can assist some people in managing ADHD symptoms, it is not a cure and should never be the sole solution. When employed, it should be coupled with other treatments, such as self-help strategies.
Myth:
Having ADHD equates to being lazy or unintelligent, so I can't help myself.
Fact:
Individuals with ADHD may have struggled with labels like "lazy" or "stupid," but ADHD is not indicative of a lack of motivation or intelligence. Instead, it revolves around a disorder that interferes with normal cognitive functions. Interestingly, adults with ADHD are often exceptionally resourceful in finding innovative ways to compensate for their disorder.
Myth:
A health professional can solve all my ADHD problems.
Fact:
Healthcare professionals can aid in managing ADHD symptoms, but they cannot fix every problem. As the person living with the difficulties, you have the power to make the most significant impact in overcoming them.
Myth:
ADHD is incurable - I'll always suffer its symptoms.
Fact:
ADHD does not have a known cure, but with practice, patience, and a positive attitude, you can significantly reduce its adverse effects. Over time, you may find that managing symptoms becomes second nature once you've become accustomed to using strategies to help yourself.
Tips for Getting Organized and Handling Clutter
Disorganization tends to be an enormous challenge for those with ADHD due to their propensity for inattention and distraction. Regardless of whether you're grappling with getting organized at work or home, the seemingly insurmountable task can leave you feeling overwhelmed. However, you can learn to break tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks and apply a structured approach to organization. By adopting various structures, routines, and utilizing tools like daily planners and reminders, you can conquer the chaos and maintain organization.
Establish Structure and Neat Habits
To organize a room, home, or office, begin by categorizing your items, discarding unnecessary ones, and finding storage solutions for items used regularly. To organize yourself, embrace theimportance of taking notes and creating lists. Maintaining your organizational structure on a daily basis is essential, so develop healthy routines to keep things tidy.
Create space. Sort your items based on their daily use, and store or eliminate items that are not needed. Designate specific areas for important items, such askeys, bills, and other frequently misplaced items. Consider using labels and color-coding to make finding items quicker.
Utilize Technology. Produce maximum organization with the help of apps and electronic reminders on your smartphone or computer. Set regular reminders for appointments, deadlines, and tasks to prevent things from slipping your mind.
Take advantage of lists. Implement lists to keep track of regularly scheduled tasks, projects, deadlines, and appointments. If you opt for a daily planner, keep all lists and notes inside it. Explore various options on your smartphone or computer, such as "to do" apps or task managers.
Do It Now. Avoid forgetfulness, procrastination, and clutter by filing papers, cleaning up messes, or returning phone calls right away rather than promising to do so in the future. If a task can be completed in two minutes or less, tackle it immediately instead of setting it aside for later.
Tame Your Paper Trail
Paperwork often contributes to major disorganization for those with ADHD. However, you can put an end to the perpetual mountain of mail and papers cluttering your home, office, or kitchen by establishing a paperwork system that works for you.
Deal with mail on a daily basis. Set aside a few minutes every day to sift through the mail as soon as you bring it in. Create a designated sorting spot to handle your mail, separating papers to be filed, thrown away, or acted upon.
Go Paperless. Lessen the volume of paperwork by opting for electronic statements and bills instead of paper copies. In the U.S., you can reduce junk mail by opting out of the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Mail Preference Service.
Set Up a Filing System. Organize documents into different categories using dividers or separate file folders, such as medical records, receipts, and income statements. Label and color-code your files so that you can find what you need quickly.
Seek Guidance from a Licensed Therapist
BetterHelp offers licensed, accredited therapists who can help you navigate difficulties like depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take their Assessment and connect with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.
Take the Assessment
Tips for Managing Your Time and Staying on Schedule
Time management issues are prevalent among those with ADHD, with symptoms such as lost track of time, missed deadlines, procrastination, underestimating time requirements for tasks, and completing tasks in the wrong order. The consequences of these challenges can leave you feeling frustrated and incapable, while it may also irk others.
Identifying which ADHD symptoms have the most significant impact on you when attempting to complete a task is a great starting point for improving time management abilities. Do you struggle to study due to excessive task switching, or do you overfocus on a particular topic? Understanding your unique challenges helps you find the best solutions for managing your time effectively.
Time Management Techniques
Individuals with ADHD may perceive the passage of time differently. To align your time perception with that of others, stick to the classic method: a clock.
Track the clock. Wear a watch or use a highly visible wall or desk clock to monitor the time. As you initiate a task, note the time by saying it aloud or writing it down.
Use Timers. Allocate limited amounts of time for each task and use a timer or alarm to cue you when time is up. Break larger tasks into smaller time slots to aid productivity and stay mindful of how time slips away.
Allow Extra Time. Adults with ADHD tend to be poor time estimators when predicting how long it will take to complete a task. For every 30 minutes you anticipate a task will take, set aside an additional 10 minutes as a safety buffer.
Plan Ahead and Set Reminders. Write down appointments 15 minutes before they actually occur to prompt you to leave on time and ensure you have all necessary items ready. With electronic calendars, you can also establish text or email reminders at optimal intervals.
Prioritization Techniques
Due to their impulse control issues and tendency to jump from one task to another, completing tasks can be a challenge for those with ADHD. To overcome this:
Identify Priorities. Decide which task should be tackled first and organize the remaining priorities after that.
Break it Down. Divide larger projects or jobs into smaller, manageable sections.
Stay Focused. Stick to your schedule and invoke the use of a timer to enforce it if necessary.
Learn to Say No
Impulsiveness can make adults with ADHD agree to an excessive number of projects at work or attend too many social engagements. Overcommitting can leave you feeling swamped, exhausted, and compromise the quality of work. Learning to decline commitments can improve your ability to accomplish tasks, attend to social dates, and live a healthier lifestyle. Review your schedule before agreeing to something new.
Tips for Managing Money and Bills
Money management requires fiscal planning, budgeting, and organization, making it a daunting task for many adults with ADHD. Common systems for managing finances don't usually cater to those with ADHD because they require too much time, paperwork, and attention to detail. However, constructing a personalized, straightforward system can help you maintain your finances while avoiding overspending, missed payments, and late fees.
Control Your Budget
Gain a clear understanding of your financial situation by keeping track of every expenditure, no matter how insignificant, for a month. This will help you identify unnecessary purchases and reckless spending. From this information, you can develop a monthly budget based on your income and needs.
Figure out how to avoid exceeding your budget. For example, if you're spending too much on dining out, opt for meal planning and allot time for grocery shopping and food preparation.
Simplify Your Money Management and Bill Paying System
Create an uncomplicated, orderly system for managing money and bills to help you maintain order and reduce clutter. Incorporating technology can greatly enhance this system for adults with ADHD.
Switch to Online Banking. Online banking allows you to balance your budget and keep track of all deposits and payments automatically. You can also set up automatic bill payments for regular, monthly bills and pay occasional ones as needed.
Set Up Bill Reminders. While automatic payments may not be an option for some bills, you can make the bill-paying process smoother with automated reminders. You may be able to set up text or email reminders with online banking or schedule them within your calendar app.
Utilize Technology. Free tools can assist you in keeping track of your finances and accounts. After spending some time setting them up, they will continuously update once linked to your accounts. Such tools can make your financial life easier.
Stop Impulse Spending
Impulsive spending, motivated by ADHD, can lead to debt, guilt, and shame. To avoid impulsive buys:
- Use cash only and leave your checkbook and credit cards at home.
- Eliminate all but one credit card, and when you shop, stick to a list of necessary items.
- Implement a calculator on your mobile phone to keep track of your total during shopping.
- Stay away from places where overspending is likely, such as shopping malls, and discard catalogs as they arrive.
- If you're more likely to make impulsive purchases when stressed or overwhelmed after a long day at work, have some stress-relieving techniques at the ready, such as exercising, calling a friend, or meditating.
Tips for Staying Focused and Productive at Work
While working in a job that requires sustained attention and little physical exertion may be challenging for adults with ADHD, they may thrive in fast-paced, ever-changing work settings. However, changing jobs or careers might not be an option for everyone. Instead, consider the following strategies for coping with challenges at work, such as organization, task completion, sitting still, and quiet listening:
Get Organized at Work
Organize your workspace, cubicle, or desk, step by step. Then use the following strategies to maintain tidiness:
Dedicate Daily Time to Organize. Set aside 5 to 10 minutes a day to clear your desk and organize your paperwork. Experiment with storage inside your desk or in bins to keep unnecessary distractions at bay.
Embrace color and lists. Color-coding can be incredibly helpful to those with ADHD. Manage forgetfulness by writing down everything.
Prioritize. Allocate more significant tasks to be accomplished first, so you remember to complete them before less important tasks. Establish self-imposed deadlines for everything.
End Distractions
The surroundings and distractions within your work environment can have a significant impact on your productivity. Here are ways to minimize distractions:
Choose Your Workspace. If you don't have your own office, you may be able to take your work to an empty office or conference room. When attending lectures, workshops, or meetings, opt for a front-row seat or a quiet location away from chatty colleagues.
Minimize External Commotion. Face your desk toward a wall and declutter your workspace. If possible, let voicemail pick up your phone calls, and return them later. Turn off email and social media during certain hours, or even log off the internet entirely. If noise distracts you, consider noise-canceling headphones or a white noise machine.
Save Ideas for Later. When creative concepts or thoughts keep popping into your head and distracting you, jot them down on paper or on your smartphone for later consideration. You might want to schedule a set time at the end of the day to go through all the notes you've made.
Stretch Your Attention Span
While adults with ADHD can focus, staying on task can be challenging, especially if the activity does not engage them. Here's how to increase your attention span and follow instructions more effectively:
Write it down. For meetings, lectures, workshops, or other events that demand close attention, request an advance copy of pertinent materials, such as a meeting agenda or lecture outline. During the event, use the written notes to guide your active listening and note-taking. Writing as you listen will help you stay focused on the speaker's words.
Repeat Directions. After someone provides verbal instructions, reiterate them aloud to ensure you heard them correctly.
Move Around. Movement can help reduce restlessness, fidgeting, and improve focus. Go ahead and move around when appropriate, such as by squeezing a stress ball during a meeting or taking a walk during a meeting break.
Tips for Managing Stress and Boosting Mood
Due to impulsivity and disorganization often accompanying ADHD, you may struggle with poor sleep, unhealthy diets, or inadequate exercise—all factors that introduce extra stress, mood swings, and a feeling of being out of control. The key to breaking this cycle is to take charge of your lifestyle habits and establish healthy new routines.
Balancing nutrition, adequate sleep, and regular exercise can help you stay calm, minimize mood swings, and combat any co-occurring symptoms of anxiety or depression. Healthier habits can also reduce ADHD symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity, and distraction, while regular routines can make life feel more manageable.
Exercise and Spend Time Outdoors
Exercise is an excellent approach to reducing hyperactivity and inattention. Regular physical activity helps relieve stress, boosts your mood, and helps you work off extra energy and aggression that may affect relationships and emotional stability.
Engage in Daily Exercise. Select an enjoyable, vigorous activity that you can maintain consistently—such as a team sport or working out with a friend.
Spend Time Outdoors. Activities that take place outdoors can be particularly rewarding for those with ADHD. Use sunshine and green surroundings to your advantage by taking your workout or walks outdoors.
Consider Relaxing Exercises, like mindful walking or yoga, to reduce stress and provide a foundation for better control of attention and impulses.
Prioritize Adequate Sleep
Sleep is essential for ADHD: Inadequate sleep can exacerbate symptoms of adult ADHD, making it harder to cope with stress and maintain focus during the day. Some simple modifications to daily habits can contribute to sound nightly sleep.
- Limit late-day caffeine intake.
- Engage in regular exercise but avoid working out within an hour of bedtime.
- Establish a predictable bedtime routine, including taking a warm shower or bath before bed.
- Maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule, even on weekends.
Embrace a Healthy Diet
While a poor diet does not cause ADHD, it can exacerbate symptoms. Making minor adjustments to your eating habits can result in significant reductions in distraction, hyperactivity, and stress.
- Opt for small, frequent meals throughout the day.
- Minimize sugar and junk food intake as much as possible.
- Ensure an adequate protein intake at each meal.
- Aim for several daily servings of fiber-rich whole grains.
Seek Guidance from a Licensed Therapist
BetterHelp offers licensed, accredited therapists who can help you navigate difficulties like depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take their Assessment and connect with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.
Take the Assessment
Foster a Mindful Approach
Mindfulness meditation can double as a powerful tool to reduce stress and increase resistance to distractions while lowering impulsivity, improving focus, and providing better control over your emotions.
Since hyperactivity symptoms can make meditation challenging for some adults with ADHD, starting slowly can be beneficial. Meditate for short periods and gradually increase your meditation time as you become more comfortable with the practice and are better able to maintain focus. The key is then to apply these mindfulness techniques during your daily life to enhance your concentration. Try HelpGuide's free online guided meditations.
If you find yourself becoming discouraged while managing your ADHD symptoms, it can be helpful to view your concentration and attention span as muscles. Like any other physical muscles, the more you work them and practice these coping strategies, the stronger they become. Starting with small steps can ultimately lead to big strides.
Crisis Hotlines and Support
- In the U.S., speak with an ADHD Information Specialist at 1-866-200-8098, Monday through Friday, 1-5 pm ET, or search the Professional Directory for ADHD clinics and other resources. (CHADD)
- UK, call ADDISS at 020 8952 2800 or consult a list of support groups from ADD-UK.
- Australia, call Health Direct's 24-hour advice line at 1800 022 222 or find a list of ADHD Australia support groups.
- Canada, find support groups and other resources. (CADDAC)
- India, call the Vandrevala Foundation Helpline at 1860 2662 345 or 1800 2333 330.
- Incorporate mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing exercises or meditation, into your daily routine as a means of managing stress, a common challenge for individuals with ADHD.
- Engaging in science-backed activities, like yoga or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), can help reduce symptoms of ADHD, improve mental health, and enhance overall health and wellness.
