Let's Find a Way!
A friendly reminder that these are only suggestions based upon my personal experience with ADHD. I would highly recommend speaking with a professional above anything else. I can personally attest to the incredible value that it has brought to my life on being able to navigate this world better. If you don't currently have one, there are some great ADHD coach's that I use at Shimmer.com.
That being said, another helpful tip is when applying this list do keep in mind that it is beneficial to try only one thing maybe two at one time until it becomes a routine. Trust me, I know how tempting it is to want to dive in and learn everything there is to know right away but that tends to be discouraging, and I want this to work for you too. Another thing is that this process is not going to be easy. Rearranging the way that you do things in your life is hard because you've never done this before. If you don't get this right away that's normal and you're not a failure! Just do your best and know that I am always rooting for you!
Important Disclosure: Please read this first!
I am a proud affiliate for many of these tools that have links provided. This basically means that if you do click the link and purchase one of these products listed below that I do in fact receive a commission at no extra cost for you. I would not recommend anything that I haven't tried myself and found that it worked out for me. I understand that not all of these are for everyone because we are all so unique, so please do not feel pressured to purchase anything that you feel won't help. And if you ever have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me and I will do my best to get the answer.
Trying to remember where you put your keys can not only be frustrating, but it can also cause an avalanche of problems. Especially when other people are counting on you such as family, your boss or a friend. With a constant river of thoughts and distractions it can be extremely hard to keep up making it easy for something to get overlooked. Here are some strategies to help keep you from drowning.
Where did I put that...?
Deep Sleep
Yeah, how is this going to help me get organized? Research has shown the positive effects on focus, memory and cognitive function when it comes to getting the right amount of sleep (between 7 and 9 hours). When you are able to get into the deeper cycles of your cycadean rhythm it activates a process called the glymphatic system. This essentially rinses the brain with cerebrospinal fluid similar to a rinse cycle in a dishwasher and it washes away harmful protein called Beta-amybid. This also helps to transfer short-term memories to a safer more protected long-term database in your brain.
On the flip side of that, people who tend to get fewer than 6 hours of sleep are at a higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive decline and possible death from any cause. It has also been known to cause weight gain and higher levels of stress. In short, getting more sleep is a real-life saver.
I understand that getting more sleep can be difficult for some. With kids, school, work and life in general this can be very challenging especially when you want to get some me time. Try planning your day differently. It takes the typical person at least 45 minutes to wind down so try dimming the lights and slowing down your mind by doing tasks that don't take a lot of effort so as to cue your mind and body that it is time to start getting ready for bed. What has really helped me is limiting screen time before bed and replacing those activities with either reading or journaling. There are also a lot of helpful tips and guided sleeping exercises on the Headspace app if you are looking for a good resource.
Start Small
This is one that I got from Megs Crawford a professional organizer and ADHD coach. Start with the smallest task imaginable. Something that you can do that will only take ten to fifteen minutes. For this example, take your desk. Just take a look at what's on top of it and ask yourself the question, "What is the thing that I have the most of?" Whatever that item is then ask yourself, "Do I need this? Can it be put away? Or can it be thrown or given away?"
If you want to find more helpful tips you can listen to and subscribe to her podcast Organizing an ADHD Brain. She also has one on one sessions on her website and a free download at Mindfulmegs.com
Celebrate the Little Wins!
Say that you were only able to organize a pile of receipts in the last exercise. That's a huge step in the direction of living a more organized life. Just imagine the value that being able to find things will add to your life. This is important to recognize because we fail too often because we have all these grandiose ideas and no plan to actually accomplish them. This often makes us feel like a failure and every time it happens that reinforces that belief about ourselves. Break that destructive cycle by recognizing and celebrating those little things that you are doing to get better. Yeah, it's not going to happen overnight, but before you know it those little wins start adding up!
Did you know that getting rid of stuff gives you the same rush of dopamine that buying stuff does? This is another one that I heard from Megs and hopefully it inspires you to try this out. Create a donation box for all the stuff that you find that you just don't have a use for anymore. Maybe someone else could find a great use for that foldable exercise bike that is now collecting dust and becoming a distraction. And if you are having trouble deciding to get rid of something, such as photo or bill just think if you have this saved somewhere else.
There are so many different barriers that have gotten in the way of us becoming more organized. A lot of that comes from the belief that we are failures because we tried this out before and it didn't work. Believe it or not, that's actually a great place to start because you tried something, and now you know that it doesn't work for you. Coming to believe takes time and finding out what works for you. Everyone deserves to live a better more organized life. I know that this isn't easy but take the time to figure out why something didn't work out and do your best to figure out what will. Organization looks different for everybody; it's simply just a way for you to be able to find your things.
Create a System That Works for you!
A lot of us already have a system in place that works for us in at least one area of our life. For most of us that is the kitchen. We put things where we know that we can find it. This is important when it comes to organizing files, that pesky junk drawer or finding a place where you will remember to find your keys. Another awesome suggestion from Megs Crawford is, whatever that item may be look at it and ask yourself, "Where would I go to look for this?"
Whether that is a key rack or putting things in clear bins so that you can easily see what is inside that is completely up to you! Just remember, that even the perfect system won't work if you don't remember how it works. Create a label system to help remind you how everything is set up and start small. Hey and sometimes it's okay to just leave that junk drawer alone (for now)!
Two-Minute Rule
Yeah, it can get annoying when you get a new bill or your glasses get smudged, just ignore it and toss it to the side right? This actually causes more stress and emotional exhaustion not to mention more clutter. Create a rule: If it takes you less than two minutes to do a task, just do it! Right then and there. That way you have one less thing to worry about and boost confidence in yourself because you got something done! Remember those little wins.
Come Back to it
There are going to be those moments where you just don't know what to do with something or where to put it. That's completely normal. Taking on a knotty persistent problem such as an e-mail system can take time and troubleshooting. Sit down and really think about it but if you don't come to an answer in that session, it's okay to let it go and come back to it later. Often times a solution to a problem that I am having comes to me when I've given myself permission not to think about it and move on.
A Little Self-Compassion and Patience...
Do your best to avoid perfectionism such as telling yourself I can only be successful if I do this right, or why should I even try when I know that I'm going to screw this up? Instead, gently remind yourself that this is a journey and you've never done this before. And that is: actually, being concerned for your well-being perhaps for the first time in your whole life! And that in and of itself is a huge step!
Be kind to yourself and allow room for mistakes. The thing that I try to tell myself is that setbacks are really just opportunities to grow. I was told that over and over by people who cared until it finally stuck and guess what?! I'm still working on it! So be kind to yourself and really celebrate those little wins! If you were able to get in two minutes on that project that was two minutes that you didn't wait until the last minute. Just give yourself a break and go for five minutes next time. And remember that stress is a silent killer and prolonged it can lead to major health complications. So, it really does pay off to practice a little patience, especially with yourself!
This technique involves scheduling specific blocks of time for certain tasks or activities. The method it utilizes helps to ensure that time is allocated for important tasks and minimizes the tendency to drift away from the set schedule. A great tool for this is google calendars because it allows you to set times and reminders throughout the day.
Schedule Organization
Dedicated Spaces
Have some places in your house that are dedicated to being decluttered. Such as your living room, the foyer or the kitchen. Well, Ron, just how is organizing my living space going to help me at work? Just think about it, once you are done with work and you come home you don't want to come back to chaos, right? The purpose is to try and foster a place that feels safe to help you unwind and relax. Remember to communicate this to those that you live with so that they understand what it means to you and maybe they can help you to maintain that!
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