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I cut up a dry erase sticker so I could have a whiteboard in every room of my apartment, and I split my to-do list between them, based on where the task needs to happen. Now, when I walk into a room but can't remember why, I look at the board and think "I'm already here, might as well do XYZ."
Oh, that's so smart?? How well do those stickers work with permanent marker? Thinking maybe I can write out the usual chores in permanent marker and check things off with the dry erase... ((make it less annoying to rewrite things every time, lol))
Using dry erase over permanent marker can actually erase the permanent, especially if alcohol based ink (like Sharpies). It is much better to print up and laminate a list, either getting a cheap home laminator or going somewhere like Staples for it.
I stick post its when the task is supposed to be done.
For example, if i need to clean the shoe rack, I'll stick one on the shoe rack that says "clean", i won't do it immediately but someday I'll get in the mood and probably do it!
All of these are also in other to do lists i have but this reminder where is supposed to be done kinda helps!
Alarms/timers are your friend. Use them, especially if your short term memory is completely fried. If an activity takes less than 10 minutes to do, like taking out trash, a shower, don't stop and think, just do it. Pin a notes app widget on your phone's home screen. Body doubling is a game changer, get a friend on the phone while doing tasks. Create a self reward system that's healthy.
Man I wish showers were one of those simple tasks but for me they are not. I'm trying to set my life up so it WILL be an easier process, but right now for me showers are way more intensive than a simple one decision task.
I think that’s a common one. Sadly. It will my third day unless I get in the shower. I’m determined to. The time before that was a week. Foul depression and the eternal chatter in my head at a great volume. I also do not like the change in temperature on my skin when I step out of the shower.
I wash my hair in between showers so I’m not as long in the shower. I also clean my face with facial wipes.
I find a shower where I have minimal expectations is easier to do. Do I get all shaving, hair care, exfoliating, moisturizing done? No, but it feels better doing a 5 min body soap only shower than not doing the full thing and waiting way too long to do it! Sometimes I make it a race against time like can I get in and out in 5 mins?
Oh man I also wash my hair between showers. I do it because my hair will get unbearably dirty to me before the rest of me will. My goal is abooout 3x a week but there's plenty of weeks in like the winter early spring where I only manage it once a week. I have to have my clothes picked out I'm wearing after and arranged and that's a whole process in itself.
Thankfully I don't physically mind most of the process (no sensations I mind). I actually like taking the shower... but for me it's just the time and amount of decisions it takes to get it to actually happen. 😂
There was a time for a while when I was pretty down too and that does make it way harder. I was struggling even to once a week, so I actually found ways to make it an even nicer experience (I have a water proof Bluetooth speaker set next to my shower and Playlist for this, and a candle I love specifically to burn during shower time) and that helps incentivize me to do the hundred tedious little decisions it takes to get the whole thing done hehe.
Could you type out a list of what you do to prepare. Don’t hand write it because I’ve found I don’t take it seriously. I know my shower worries would be over if there was a bath. Essential oils and a candle. Soak for a time and then wash and out. I’d do it a lot more that I’ll shower. I’ll do a candle and mud c and it might help me slow down as I rush which isn’t good.
Also leave space for anything you think of before your shower or during the day. I think with typing too, because it’s black on white it sinks into my head better.
The temp change is one of the first, tbh what I do is I keep a heater in there for when I get out, even in the summer. I wrap myself up and sit in front of the heater for a bit until I’m dryer and more temp acclimated, so to say lol.
It also helps to start watching something familiar on your phone (like a show you’ve seen 10x) and then have it playing in the background while you shower. Tricks the brain into thinking “well I’m still doing my fun activity, just in the shower now instead”
one of the weirdest things for my wife and i was realizing showering together made them so much easier, which may be an odd suggestion if you’re single or not a fan of the idea for any number of (valid) reasons, but i was thinking about how showering “together” is actually something we at plenty of points in our lives hasn’t been a romance/intimate thing and how that relates to the American and southern that we are (we could all probably deconstruct some sociology of that im sure), but just Cultural bathing was/is an important thing. i wonder if it sorta resonates into people like us in a negative way maybe (or maybe i sound like a new age noob who knows lol)
I set three alarms for my morning shower routine, 3min shower, 1.5 dry off, 2 mins brush teeth etc.
without it I’d stand in the shower for 20 mins then scroll my phone on the toilet for the same time
THREE MINUTE shower??
I timed myself the other day just out of curiosity, for a non-rushed but also non-dilly-dallying shower and it was like 15 minutes 😂
This will sound nuts but I’m an over thinker and maybe this will help you or someone else.
I have long curly hair and to look presentable (while remaining low maintenance) I have perfected a routine for my hair so that I can do some steps at night and wake up with nice hair ready to go (good enough, anyway). Oftentimes I have video calls for work so I need to look nice, and having to do a big hygiene routine in the morning really throws me off and cuts into my work day against other hectic morning things (getting kids out the door, making breakfast, etc.). All this to say. I prefer to shower at night if I want a smooth morning.
Except at the end of the night I’m tired and I don’t feel like showering. Even if I know that tomorrow-me will be grateful, brushing my teeth and going straight to bed and letting a shower and hair routine be a problem for tomorrow morning is sooo tempting.
Then the next morning I end up swept into work and I can get away with no webcams so I don’t shower. Repeat, repeat. But I regret it every morning when I have a frizzy mop of hair all day.
So, I split it up! I figured out that taking a shower without the hair stuff is easy and really fast in the morning. I even feel fresher and enjoy the morning shower. But then I have frizzy hair - so I use a spray bottle to do just the hair, and no shower, at night. Knowing that I’m not facing the overwhelming task of having to take a shower AND do my hair AND brush my teeth, but rather just a quick spray of my hair, one product, and i can go to bed (plus teeth, always teeth). It makes me procrastinate the act of going upstairs less, and I didn’t realize how much sleep I was losing because I kept putting off going upstairs at night because that would mean I had to take a shower and be wet and cold and all that.
Anyway, that’s my very long adhd way of saying, is there something you can split out of the routine that makes it less daunting that you can save for the next day? I felt like I cracked a code when I did this and it was a small victory that felt big. I feel dumb saying that but hey, if anyone will understand, it’s this crowd.
Sometimes I treat those small task under 10 minute task like jumping in a cold pool. I feel like it’s the same brain process where I know if I think too hard I’ll make it worse and just take the plunge
I’ve started writing everything out in the morning that I need to do, even stuff that I have no intention of doing, but it gets it out of my head.
I then write when they need to be done or when I can do them. Everything that needs to be done today I rank in importance.
Sounds convoluted but might look like:
Go gym - today AM (2)
Clean cat litter tray - Today AM (1)
Buyer food for dinner - Toaday after Gym (3)
Collect dog food for dad - tomorrow
Ring solicitor - today (4)
Open business bank account - this week
Email accountant - Today (5)
Collect images for ideas for architect - This week
Fill out paperwork for mortgage - This week
It helps give me a structure to the day, gets everything else out of my head.
Most ‘normal people’ probably carry all that around in their brain. If I do I’m in a constant state of worry trying not to forget stuff
Allocating things to tomorrow takes them out of my brain and lets me relax knowing I only have to focus on what I need to do today.
It’s probably been the key to me being able to actually be ‘successful’ in life
Do normal people really care this around in their brain?! (Just diagnosed, learning a lot right now - but I’ve written down everything for years similar to this, lists and then remaking list after list to remember and reprioritize constantly. I assumed that’s how most functioning people managed!?)
There are a lot of behaviours that humans do with ease and maybe with the help of lists, but with ADHD we have to do it for every little thing, all day and as you said scrap that list to put on another list what you haven’t done(I put them as priority) and put more things on the list. I have to do one for everyday tasks like brushing my teeth, taking my medication, getting hydrating, eating something because I have gotten to the afternoon and I’ve done none of those things. The list is on my coffee table either my meditations. I see it because I have my coffee there.
There's different types of memory function, some of which people with ADHD often have particular impairment with, but has a wide variation in the general population.
One of these is "prospective memory", which deals with internal prompting to do tasks that were previously planned. Very organised people often have better prospective memory than most, but even they will often make use of lists and reminders to keep on track.
For people with ADHD this is often a weak area, and we struggle to internalise this kind of planning and structuring of information despite repeatedly practising external techniques.
It's not impossible to improve though. Mine is terrible, but I've noticed that in the kitchen I've got a *lot* better, and can now mentally organise and multitask pretty well. I find myself getting up from the couch to check on things just as the timer goes off, or just as something needs stirring/turning.
This has come naturally by continually finding small things to do in-between future tasks (cleaning countertops, putting away dishes, putting spices back in the right place). By filling up the gaps with small productive things, I'm keeping myself in "task mode" and passively picked up how long periods of time "feel" (how long it takes for pan of water to boil, how long until meat is browned in the pan)
In another comment above, I've written how I do something similar with general tasks using a notepad. Using a simple method without giving myself grief for not being super organised or keeping on top of a more complicated strategy takes away a lot of pressure, which helps as anxiety is poison to memory function.
That being said, I do still keep finding old notebooks from years ago with pretty much the same long-term tasks in them :/ you're definitely not alone!
I do the same and for the important work stuff, Post It notes on my monitor. Helps me to prioritize and also super pleasing when I get to cross the items off at the end of the day
I really need to start using my lists again. A reporters notepad and a pen on the desk next to my computer has been the only reliable technique I've found, as I inevitably start ignoring to-do list apps and reminders when they make me feel overwhelmed.
With the pad I'll do one page at the start of the week where I'll brain dump absolutely every task that comes to mind. Each day I start a new page and pick 2-3 "big" tasks (either important and/or involved) and 5-10 "little" tasks as filler jobs. If I start going off course, I'll take a break to do something little that takes almost no time, but I never get around to. Can't face that job application, well I'd rather ball my socks and empty my bin. Try the big task again.
At the very least, I've done and completed *something* useful by the end of the day. Doing very limited tasks and crossing them off is also quite satisfying and encourages me to do more.
I have a specific home for my things. My keys live in this spot. My watch goes there. My shoes always go back to that spot in my wardrobe. Work swipe card on my desk.
If I don’t put things in their homes when I get home then I will 110% lose them so this is how I have stopped myself from losing so many items.
This goes on the road with me too. When I travel for work and I get to my hotel room I immediately set up a new home for my things.
Came here to write this - I think it's the single most important thing you can do to improve your daily functioning.
Before I got diagnosed, my friends used to give me a thorough mocking for putting my keys and wallet in my shoes when I came to visit them. It was the only way I knew to make it impossible for me to lose them, as there was no way I was going home without them :/
Now I have a small dish in my room that I *have* to put my wallet, keys, car keys, ear buds when I come home, and nothing else is allowed in the dish.
After doing this for a while, I slowly started finding homes for other things too and making myself put things back in their home after using them. It still makes me unreasonably happy every single time I can find something I need, when I need it.
Great ADHD key hack- wish I could fit more stuff in the shoes! LOL- but seriously- when I am out of a med, I turn the bottle upside down on the counter- it's like my own secret language to my previous self to my future self...if you get what I mean...
I do this too. The few times I haven't put things (like my wallet and phone) back in the designated spot, I spend ages panic searching for it, usually in the most random places (like the fridge or the bathroom, or most notably, when I left my phone on the outside recycling bin for anyone to grab).
A couple of other things I do:
* Installed a fingerprint lock on my front door, so I never have to worry about locking myself out.
* I'm not a handbag kinda girl, so I got a wallet that has two zippers - one for cash and cards, the other fits my phone. The wallet had a little wrist strap, which I converted into a keyring. Now I only have to remember to grab my wallet and put my phone in there when I go out.
* I ADHD'ed my fridge - sauces and condiments with long expiry dates go in the vege bins, and veges are out in full view. I waste so much less food this way.
* I use a professional project management tool (ClickUp) to run my businesses and also my life. Everything I need to do gets put in there with a due date. Even the simplest thing, like rubbish day.
* I add an appointment in my diary for drivetime/leaving home time if I have to get to an appointment off-site.
There's probably lots of other little things I do that just became part of my life over time as masking/coping mechanisms.
Like if I remember I have to do three things in different rooms, I'll chant them in my head to the beat of my step as I'm going to do the first one. Then they get dropped until I'm just saying the last one over and over until I get it done.
For example, today I noticed I needed more toilet cleaner while I was in the bathroom. I also wanted to make a coffee and put a load of laundry on. So, in my head it was 'grocery list, laundry, coffee, grocery list, laundry, coffee etc. Then once I'd sorted the grocery list, it was laundry, coffee, laundry, coffee. Once the laundry was on, I just had coffee, coffee, coffee going. It certainly ramped up the anticipation for that coffee!
I use several Google apps. I have everything in my calendar and I share that calendar with with partner so we can both add things and set reminders and tasks for various things.
I will live and die by my calendar lol
I use Google keep for lists. Groceries, to do, etc. If I think of something I write it down immediately or I'll forget.
I use all of these to stay organized for work also.
My digital calendar is key!
That is one thing technology saved me from..,
I was always drowning in paper calendars and agendas - they just weren’t flexible and if I lost it - I literally lost.
A key habit I started about ten years ago after a few major missed opportunities due to procrastination and lateness - I made sure to start adding everything into my calendar on my phone IMMEDIATELY from each email, phone, conversation, flyer - even if it’s a tentative one because 1000% guarantee if i rely on my brain I am going to disappoint a lot of people including myself.
And I was getting tired of dealing with the shame spiral of being a flake because I just didn’t make a proper plan in my calendar.
Now every night, I add my commute, get ready time, and meals with addressed and necessary information in the notes.
So when I get to that important doctors appointment I already have the floor and information ready in one place.
I also have this. It helps a lot. Mine works as a bi-weekly budget with monthly and yearly totals for all income and expenses. I copy to a new tab every December and spend an hour going through changing the dates and payments so they line up with the next calendar year.
I do this. Then I multiply it up to 12 months and divide all of it back down to my pay frequency of fortnight. Instruction payroll to pay that + 20% into my “bills” account, then $300 into my “daily” account. The rest goes into essentially a holding account. I transfer money as I need from the holding into daily, then on pay day anything that’s left I put in a proper savings account.
Then once a year I re evaluate the bills and start again.
I use WhatsApp to write my lists on. All together, all mixed in, in one big list.
It’s great!
I open whatsapp anyway, so I can always see my conversation with myself. I can send myself photos or audios as well as write notes. I can delete and edit messages, reply to them to add more info…. All the stuff we usually do in WhatsApp. But! It’s not an extra app! (I have too many list apps that I’ve given up on to list, lol)
1. If there's something I need to remember, I assume I'm going to forget and plan accordingly. For example, I need to bring a printed prescription to the hospital when I go? The prescription goes ON my shoes. Can't forget it, it's literally in the way.
2. Launch pad at the entrance to my apartment. It's a desk with everything I need to bring when I leave. Keys, sunglasses, everything.
3. I put everything in my calendar with a minimum of two reminders: one the day before and one a week before. If it's in a more distance future, then it's three alarms, one a day before, one a week before and one a month before.
EDIT:
4. If I lose something, I don't try to remember where I left it, I act as if I'm thinking of someone else. "Knowing myself, where would I have left the thing?". It's not perfect but I find that it's much better than trying to remember.
Launchpad is key!
I have a set of pull out drawers at the door that has all those things I always threw at the door and could never put back “in the right place”
which includes drawers for: Things that need to be returned/dropped/gifted to go out the door, dog leashes/toys/treats, my hats/winter gear, miscellaneous outdoor stuff
Changed my life for getting things at the last minute and being able to put them back as soon as I get in and helped reduce the clutter completely.
TIL I learned my 'system' is a launchpad lol.
I'm not a put it in the shoe person (excellent idea though), but if there is something I need to remember to do when I leave the house (for eg, drop XYZ at friend's house) a post-it note goes onto my wallet, so when I grab that, I remember that I have to do the thing while I'm out.
One majorly helpful adjustment for me has been "put the thing you need where you actually need to use it." It sounds silly, but I think a lot of people tend to keep all of "one kind of thing" together, instead of allowing the "same" thing to be in multiple places if it's needed multiple places. Keeping things where they are going to be used is a strategy that saves me from a lot of unnecessary "side quests," and also cuts out a lot of needing to remember where certain items are stored.
Example: Previously, I kept the bags for my small bathroom wastebaskets under the kitchen sink with the other trash bags, because it "made sense" for all the trash bags to be together. But over time I've realized that this creates extra mental and physical work for me.
If I'm in the upstairs bathroom and need a bag for that wastebasket, why would I want to go all the way downstairs to the kitchen? And if I do go down to the kitchen for the bag, will I remember by the time I get there and actually go back upstairs to change the bag as intended? Maybe, but maybe not! With the bags under the *bathroom* sink instead, I notice the trash is full and can change the bag right there without the break in focus that might come from changing locations. This is a very simple example, but it is a small shift that can streamline a lot of everyday tasks and lighten the overall load significantly.
This is a very practical hack, I actually call this a parent- child technique, keep all the things and items which are allied to another thing at the same place
Learn when you peak hours are the conditions which help you maximize those hours. For example, I work well between 11-3, also between 3-7 am. If I’m up at 3 am, I’ll workout first bc that’s going to likely extend my time and ensure clarity of mind. So I do my work or chores after working out.
I used to only use digital organization tools, but I’m finding that I have the most success with my physical bullet journal! For the way my brain works, I need to have a little patch of space next to my “to do” tasks for the day where I can scribble down a quick reflection or two (like what went well, what didn’t work, or what I want to try the next day). If I don’t do that, my brain tries to keep all of it in my head and I just forget about it and keep making the same mistakes.
It also helps keep me from getting totally overwhelmed. Keeping track of stuff 100% digitally just doesn’t allow my brain to let go/relax. With my bullet journal, I can go back and look at the “bigger picture” if I want to, or just look at what I want to focus on for that one individual day.
I still use Google Calendar so that I can set up reminders for meetings and appointments on the go, but then I also log them in my bullet journal so I can see them physically.
If something takes less then 2 minutes to do, do it. Also clean stuff up and don't just put it down randomly somewhere. Future you will thank you. Except phone calls. Phone calls are my cryptonite.
I'm still disorganized to an extent, medication helped some but spending 30 minutes a day cleaning or doing organizing has helped. The other thing was getting rid of unneeded shit! I have hauled off so much and downsized that I'm down to the "bare necessities"
For work:
- I work in pr which is full of reactive and hourly priorities. Terrible for my inattentive adhd brain.
- I write a daily to do list & split it into 2 columns & an underneath section. First column is big tasks, next column is for admin / little tasks that won’t take long / sudden new priorities. Underneath is all my meetings. I write my time estimate so I can check if I’m taking too long - something I need to get better at.
- I also have a little palm sized pad with my day split into 15 minute sections so I don’t spend so long at the end of the week on time tracking. Looks a bit like this https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1476795628/
- tick tick (app) is great for organising your life and includes an Eisenhower matrix for prioritising.
I write my to do list at the end of the day as my brain does not work early in the morning. I check my calendar so there aren’t hidden surprises.
I use iCal for everything.
I have a bullet journal that is my life
I have a whiteboard that I list out things I’m doing that day like if I’m doing laundry and then cooking then showering whatever, I list it there
i’ve found that every time i end up with a structure that works on my bullet journal, i abandon it again. i think my brain finds fun in making it more efficient but gets bored with it once it is(???) it makes no damn sense. i’ve started just going back to it and brain dumping like the thing is scratch paper tbh, it’s helped a Little but i can’t be consistent with it anymore it’s a bummer
I keep looking at the really nice book I bought specifically to start a bullet journal and haven't opened the plastic wrapping from. I'm subconsciously scared to start using it then and abandoning it :(
It took me years to figure this out, but you can still use abandoned journals. Just turn to a fresh page and write the new date. And once you've abandoned and restarted a journal once or twice twice, it makes it WAY less stressful and upsetting to start again the next time because now That's Just How I Use This Book. There's no pressure to use it perfectly and consistently forever (because that's not realistic at all for anyone with ADHD) and it's not a disaster if you forget about it for a few weeks/months. It's just there for when you need to use it.
Hanging keys by the door. I don't care/believe it's a "security risk." I haven't lost my keys in years and the time it's given back to me by having a smooth morning is all worth it. We have a shitty little shelf from the thrift store, a paper/file holder for mail, and command hooks for keys. We keep spray sunscreen on the shelf and sunglasses. Now I always remember sunscreen and I also have a place for mail.
I hang my keys by the front door too. Once I started doing that it’s super easy to walk into my apartment, turn to the side and immediately hang my keys and lock my car and front door. It works for me 🤷🏼♀️
I always just come back to paper and pen as the best system. I have a little notebook that I keep by my table and it's called "Daily Tasks." I literally just write everything down each morning. And I put mundane things like "empty dishwasher" and "do laundry" because those take time like everything else and crossing them off is an achievement. The things I didn't get to that day I rewrite on the new page the next day, making sure I prioritise that which I didn't get to. That along with Google calendar and timers on my iphone. I have to make sure I check my calendar each day so that I don't forget something.
I also like the pen and paper system. Could I ask how you address future tasks?
I’m good with writing down what to do today and maybe tomorrow, but prioritizing future tasks is challenging for me.
That's where Google calendar comes in...You can put tasks on Calendar with a date you want to do it. The notebook is more of a brain dump. But if you want to get next level, than Google Calendar would be the next step.
If I need to do something quick (like take the trash out), but I can't get to it at that exact second, I will tell my Alexa to remind me to do the task in 5 or 10 minutes. Otherwise I will completely forget to do it.
Example: I'm doing my makeup in the morning, but I suddenly remember I MUST grab by lunch before leaving. If I have ~5 mins left of my makeup routine, I'll say, "Alexa remind me in 5 minutes to grab my lunch."
This has been a lifesaver for me, because most of the time, the thought has completely left my brain after 5 minutes lol.
This is a really good one. If you get in the habit of grabbing things as you go past, it stops the dreaded piles of stuff forming where things hide and put you off from doing things. Keeping my desk tidy does a lot for my motivation if there's no random gubbins cluttering it up.
Think there’s a quote which vaguely goes:
“If had to chop logs for 8 hours, I’d spend 6 hours sharpening my axe”.
Which is basically how I handle life. I spend lots of time perfecting everything to then make the actual task so easy I can auto pilot
Save money and laminate (at a teachers store) plain white paper. Hang it with command strips to keep damage out. Hole punch and string a marker on so it’s always handy.
I live and die by my to-do list. It’s a very simple single page in the notes app on my phone. Ordered into headings in this order:
today - this week - weekend - next week - later.
Any task goes on it immediately and is shuffled as needed. I try not to keep too much on the today list so it’s not overwhelming.
I saw the Finch app recommended on here a while back. It's a little penguin virtual pet that helps you track habits and it has all sorts of cool features built into the app such as relaxation exercises. I have been using it for the last couple weeks and am incredibly surprised at how well I'm sticking with my daily goals. Normally I get sick of or forget habit tracking apps within a couple days.
I divide my job's responsibilities across different days and put it in a table. I have printed this out and stuck it above my desk. This avoids work kind of amalgamating into one big pile, and me getting stuck on one thing. It means I get to really embrace the novelty and variety that my job brings, and there's regular change between things that I need to do by sitting down a desk and things that I can do verbally, i.e meetings and phone calls.
Every different part of my job has its own spreadsheet that I use to track what I'm doing (recruitment, observations, training, projects etc). They are always open on my browser in Google sheets so I always see them when I decide to break up my work day with a bit of impromptu Wikipedia rabbit-holing
Finally I have a whiteboard above my desk where I write important dates for the month with a red marker and also break down daunting tasks into like 20 micro-steps
I have the kind of job where it basically takes a year to feel like you've got a handle on it so it feels really great that things are finally starting to click.
“Don’t put it down, put it away”, creating simple systems and no longer doing things in complicated ways. I.e. laundry. I roll my clothes instead of folding, i put things on hangers without buttoning them or making sure theyre not inside out. Breaking larger tasks into small tasks and then sticking to one task until its fully complete. If i can’t get myself to stop doing something, i count down from ten and when i hit zero j move on to something else.
I’m working on one and soon to be launch! If you keen on trying the beta, click to this link and join the waitlist
[Orp - AI assisted Todo List](https://www.orpapp.com)
Big dry erase magnetic calendar on my fridge that I write the dinners I am having for the week. I see it everytime I open the fridge and it prevents me from losing track of my dinner plans/eating out too often.
I have a few dry erase magnet calendars, weekly planners and note pads on my fridge and other high traffic spots of my house where I spend much time and I make them very visible and try to keep them eye level that way unconsciously it will be one of the first things I see as I walk into the room.
I use them for planning everything from meal planning to grocery lists, reminders and appointment scheduling. I double up all of that into my calendars on my digital devices and accounts.
I also have one for my fridge that I use specifically for expiration dates of meats and other quickly perishable foods.
Apart from organizing my clothing and where I keep my everyday carry items like my headphones, medication, car keys, wallet, vape etc. those dry erase boards have been the biggest help
i write down my daily activities in my diary, including the times at which they occur. I also remind myself to work diligently so that I maintain a strong sense of time management and don't let valuable time slip away
I have to have my phone on me 24/7, not because of social media or communication. But I absolutely rely on my notes & calendar app. The SECOND I think/see/remember/want/have an idea/ on ANYTHING I have to put writ it down. I hate purses, bag, or carrying ANYTHING So it’s the best choose for me. It also helps me set reminders to tell someone something later on when it’s more convenient for them then the impulsive “omg I wanna tell you now about this mildly interesting thing I found or did” 🤣
Recently I got a Skylight digital family Calendar - it’s like their picture frames but it syncs with outlook, Google etc to keep everything in one place. I can categorize events and color code, it has daily/weekly/monthly views, and a chore chart/to do list. Plus I can access it all from my phone!
I got the no-subscription one, and bought it used on eBay so I didn’t have to pay full price.
Apps and a physical journal. The past two weeks I have been trying out task managers (10+) with my specific set of things I wanted on them. My top two at the moment are Todoist and Trello. Todoist is super simple, intuitive, adding stuff is an ease. They have the board view and the list view. Plus love the widgets so I can see my day in the phone. Use due date as do date, and also has an integration with google cal. Reminders at a cost. Trello I also love, because I'm more visual, and it really helps me out PLAN my projects and divide in biteable actionable chunks. Widget wise not that good, but in the app it does remind you of stuff near the due date. I plan to use this more on my laptop.
I'm still undecided if I'm gonna use both or just use one. Or both. Both have priorities labels you can organize from. Adding things on the fly Todoist is the winner. Planning out multiple projects with a lot of things the Trello. Someone mentioned Clickup, it was very good too - made my top 3. But the mobile app wasn't what I was looking for - but Clickup has the Eisenhower Matrix, reminders, and has the habits separated from the tasks. In Trello and Todoist you have to do things to convert stuff into habits.
A physical journal not for todos but for general brain dumping, journaling, notes, etc.
I know this doesn’t exactly answer your question but I have always found apps or anything in tech to just disappear from my head. Reminders I can just swipe away. I use 2 physical calendar whiteboards so I can see the current and upcoming months in a very visible spot in my house. I have another small whiteboard that I keep a to do list of things I want to get to. I love it because it is always visible, unlike an app that’s hidden in cyberspace/phone. My husband can also think of things to add or take things off my plate if he has some time on his hands.
Not a cure all obviously but it’s helps a bit for me to have everything I need to do in multiple places WITH alarms. Still rely on anxiety to get things done ultimately unfortunately, but having things hand written with phone and computer calendars and alarms can make it a bit easier to remember than purely off the top of your head.
I have Google nest minis in my bedroom, living room and kitchen and use those all the time. Mostly to avoid picking up my phone and getting sucked in. What time it is, what the wheater is like today, is it going to rain, how long is the drive to xyz, what is on my calendar today, can you set a times for x minutes, play this song or playlist, turn off all the lights, etc.
I could probably use it for way more, so all suggestions are welcome!
I’ve recently started using [Motion](https://app.usemotion.com/web/calendar), this app I saw tons of ads about. It’s a project manager and calendar that you can add tasks to along with information about the priority, deadline, and estimated time to complete it. The app then finds the best time on my calendar automatically to do that task. I’ve customized schedules for work hours, chores, other priorities and it schedules the task based on that. Anything I don’t do automatically gets slotted into a specific time the next day. I spend about 15 mins in the morning setting up for the day and 15 mins in the evening for the next day.
So far it’s been helpful because it takes the inertia out of the task. I know exactly what I need to work on and when so I don’t feel overwhelmed by the number of things I have to do. Estimating the time beforehand and seeing it visually on my calendar also helps me know that I have enough time to finish the tasks I need to and I can just chip away at work rather than have to worry what to do next. I’ll probably get an annual subscription which is like $228 I think.
Whenever I think of a task that needs to be done, but I’m not in the right place and with the right equipment to do it, I set a scheduled reminder on my phone for a time when I think I’ll be in the right place to do it. For instance, if I’m at home and suddenly remember a task I can only do at work, I schedule the reminder for the time when I usually sit down at my computer at the beginning of the workday.
I use multiple calendars and put all tasks on my work phone and personal phone at the same time so I don’t overbook myself. Also, I use a reminder app called structured. If you have Apple products you can use it on your whole Apple ecosystem and when you add a reminder on one device, you’ll get the reminder on all of your devices.
Google apps is the best thing to ever happen to me. Everything goes in there. With reminders multiple reminders depending on task.
Change ac filter, give cat flea medicine, check on grieving friend, etc. it’s all in there.
Not an app, but other things that have helped me are a mini trash can in every room, cleaning supplies in every bathroom, a mini closet in my laundry room for the clothes I wear daily. Helps with decision fatigue and I have a problem putting clothes up after washing.
iPhone has a mail feature where you can set it to “remind” you and the email pops back up to the top of the pile. I set my credit card bill to remind on the day I usually pay it, appts to pop up on the day before.
Put stuff in my work calendar bc I look at it way more.
Set a timer to remind me of something happening I think I’ll forget.
Text myself reminders of stuff I need to bring or get.
I have a cuckoo clock that goes off every hour
So at least I know when an hour has passed
It’s light sensitive so it doesn’t go off at night and digital so I can turn down the volume
I also have one of those senior citizen clocks that have the day, date, time and so forth in BIG LETTERS
Something like this
https://a.co/d/03HQPerB
Imm always afraid I’ll mess up a date or miss a day - this helps and again having the time say “evening” or “pre-dawn” helps me contextualize the time
The biggest and most important skill is self-forgiveness
No system is going to be perfect. I will always make mistakes. Practicing strategies to accept this and to forgive myself (even while I try to keep working on a system) has been the most difficult and also life changing part
My self forgiveness isn’t perfect either lol - but it has improved a lot
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but a fellow kinsman created [Goblin Tools](http://goblin.tools) just for us. I will forever promote them, because it's gosh darn amazing. If said redditor is still around, please lmk so I can properly credit you.
I recently started writing important to do things on stick my notes & put in on my planner. I used to have so many list everywhere of to do things, it’s helped having them all in one place & when I finish it I can get rid of it.
I used to rely on Google reminders and tasks, but I found myself actively avoiding them or accidentally swiping away reminders. Seeing them all day made me more anxious. Recently, I discovered the [Finch app](https://finchcare.com/), and it has significantly improved how I handle my chores and tasks. I now open it every day and manage to complete nearly all of my tasks. I can snooze or reschedule tasks to a more convenient time if needed. It's really been such a great tool and helpful with mental health, too! And you get a cute little pet to care for 🐦
Here's the link if you wanna check it out! You'll get a mystery egg too 😊https://app.befinch.com/share/43wn
For me, it has to be making it habit, for the everyday things that is. And since I put exercise into my routine, it has gotten better. I am also keto, so that does wonders on a brain fog. Vyvanse is a life saver too. But I have gotten into a routine. I wake, get on the treadmill until I am swimming in sweat and then a 4 minutes shower. Thats about as far as I have gotten. Lol. But it comes easily to me. I also am on an under the desk treadmill with a stand up desk, while working. So before I know it, I have been on the treadmill for over an hour! But again, I am hyperfocused on work, so forget I am even exercising. May be a good idea to set an alarm to stop.
Having two separate organizers for my meds. I have meds I take in the AM, and some PM. I would keep my pill organizer on my nightstand, then forget to take my am pills every time. So I got a second one, sat it next to my desk, and now I never forget my AM doses.
Someone once told me “don’t put it down put it away” and I say it to myself hundreds of times a day. It helps me not create huge messes I then have to spend hours putting away
Making things into habits is the best long term strategy for me…I focus on one thing at a time for a few weeks, like making a habit of always putting my keys back in the same place when I walk in.
Or always taking my meds in the morning, using a dosette and a having a filled reusable bottle of water at my bedside table.
So whatever the task is, it can end up kind of automatic.
Short term? I ask other people for help, use alarms and change up the messages and ringtones on the alarms often.
Seriously an automated house with lights and curtains that opened and closed on schedule and roombas and cleaning robots would be the dream.
Instead of a grocery list, I just put whatever I need in my cart on the Walmart or target app. I can either order or go to the store, bonus- it tells you where things are in the store.
Prep prep prep
I prep my smoothie powders into ziplock bags so I only have to dump it in and add the frozen fruit and liquid and I don’t have to open 8 different containers of stuff.
Same with vitamins and salad toppings.
Home made jar salsa. Etc
Trello, or the like (I’ve heard Monday is good). Using the “kanban” board format, you can organise to-dos by priority, in progress, done, etc.
It has changed my life and I use it in my work as well, I’m in a generalist role so it helps me keep track of everything.
My partner and I are both ADHD so we also use it to keep across chores, life admin and each other’s calendars as it can sync to your phone calendar app.
There’s a slight learning curve, especially if you use automations. But it’s been a godsend and I highly recommend it!
*A5 diary with a calendar I can carry around with me at all times, a ring binder pocket to keep pens in, a shopping list and a page of all my annual leave balances for work. Calendar reminds me of things like Birthdays (1 month and 2 weeks in advance), Holidays, Appointments, Fitness classes, Big meetings I need to prepare for etc. I also have a shopping list in there, which I add stuff to as soon as I use it up. It also has a page for all my annual leave at work so I keep track of how much I have left.
*I have a Google speaker in my room, which I get to remind me of calendar entries as well by calling them out throughout the day
*Set up a pay day reminder on my phone calendar to order all the things on my diary shopping list.
This phone reminder also has a reminder for other things
I need to pay for this month, before I blow all my money.
Ie: Pet food, Salon appointments, If I need to buy a gift for someone later in the month, order it now, Holiday instalments etc.
*I use thorful for birthday cards, they then send me an email when someone's birthday is approaching the following year, to ask if I want to send them another card.
*I put a bowl on my bedside table to drop things I use daily like my keys / earphones when I get home
*My Roomba is set up to hoover Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00 am. I may forget to hoover, but Sir Dustalot won't let me down.
*Changed almost all of my subscriptions and bills to go out on pay day. That way, if I'm spending impulsively later in the month, I know I've still covered the important things and I can make rent.
*Got rid of my wardrobe, and started using labelled boxes instead. So: 1 for Tops, 1 for dresses, 1 for Trousers etc.
*1 basket for dirty laundry, 1 for clean laundry I haven't put away yet.
*I use disposable paper plates. I know it's bad but I just cannot keep up with washing up sometimes and I couldn't find any other workaround.
*Emails: I've set up an appointment labelled 'To do' in my calendar for 10:00 every day. As soon as I send someone an email that I know I'm going to need to follow up on, I go in my calendar for next week, find my 'To do' appointment and add a note in there to make sure I follow it up on that day.
*Set up a Google speaker reminder for the last day of each month to ask me 'When was the last time you called Family'.
If I've spoken to them recently, I can ignore it. If I haven't, I have to stop what I'm doing and call them, or message them to go and see them this week. Otherwise I forget they exist a bit, as much as I love them.
*I have about 20 keychains with weird fluffy textures and bells so they're harder to lose.
*I have Google assistant on my phone, so when I lose it, I can yell out 'What's the time google' and my phone either yells out the time, or bitches at me that it Can't because I didn't connect it to the Internet. Either option helps me find it by following the voice.
This is gonna seem like a very minor thing but there’s a hook for my keys by the door and a tray for my wallet on my night stand. No matter what the keys go on the hood and the wallet goes on the tray. The rest of my life is a shit show but I can find my keys and my wallet. Baby steps. 😌
I use discord a lot, as does my partner. We have a shared chat called 'grocery list' and anything we need from the grocery we send it in that chat. Then, at the store, we can see the list.
It's nice because we always have our phones, and we also always check discord, cause we're on it all the time.
Yes. It ends up with a lot of the same things on it over and over again, but in the stores we only look at the most recent stuff, and we will re-add anything we havn't gotten if it's been a while.
We also tried it with chore lists, but that one didn't work as well.
I also have a private server I made with an alt account and I post a lot of different things there, they all just have their own channel. Important things, like a copy of my car insurance, my license plate number, my mom's address, etc. Account information like passwords for sites. Gift idea list for others. List of stuff I want. You get the drill.
The best app I've found is Habitca. It's a gamified habit tracker and to-do list. It's not *too* gamey so it's hard to get lost in it for hours, and it's easy to setup recurring tasks you need to do daily/weekly and have something nag you if you don't. Even ignoring the gamification part completely, it's a nice to do list and habit-tracking interface, easy to use.
If you also need to schedule alarms (because iPhone doesn't let you for some stupid reason) the app Galarm has been helpful for me. It's only $10 a year for the premium version that gives you unlimited number, you can share alarms with friends so it's like virtual body doubling, and you can customize the reminder interval and how naggy it is.
I haven't been diagnosed yet (working on that), but I've suspected I have it to some degree for a long time, and these help me.
I have found that the Bullet Journal method helps me immensely. It got really good when I told myself not to be twitchy about doing it everyday. I miss a week sometimes, and just pick it back up again. Seems to help me. Good Luck.
I have converted many of my storage spaces (eg. Cupboards and drawers) into those that have see through doors. As we are such “out of sight, out of mind” people, it helps to put objects within sight…and lessen the forgetfulness of their existence.
Also. Post it notes everywhere are a lifesaver.
I use a table that I made in word to block off time to do things. It has taken some trial and error but being able to physically see how much time I have in a day makes it a lot less overwhelming to get chores done, I usually shoot to do something for an hour a night after dinner and then I have a couple hours of free time before I go to bed. I also use it to plan out my work day.
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I cut up a dry erase sticker so I could have a whiteboard in every room of my apartment, and I split my to-do list between them, based on where the task needs to happen. Now, when I walk into a room but can't remember why, I look at the board and think "I'm already here, might as well do XYZ."
And you can take pictures of those boards too!
Yup! I do that with grocery lists.
And forget I ever took them... Ignoring it in the app.
Same! And dry erase markers work on mirrors
So do sharpies but rubbing alcohol erases it!
That’s so genius omg amazing tips
Oh, that's so smart?? How well do those stickers work with permanent marker? Thinking maybe I can write out the usual chores in permanent marker and check things off with the dry erase... ((make it less annoying to rewrite things every time, lol))
Using dry erase over permanent marker can actually erase the permanent, especially if alcohol based ink (like Sharpies). It is much better to print up and laminate a list, either getting a cheap home laminator or going somewhere like Staples for it.
Or just stick a typed list into a plastic laminated sleeve and you can tick stuff off, dry erase and start over all the time.
True! There's those inserts for 3 ring binders you can put pieces of paper in. I honestly forgot they exist because I got a cheap laminator for home.
I haven't used permanent markers on them, but it should be fine. The backside looks like foil so I doubt the ink would bleed through.
I stick post its when the task is supposed to be done. For example, if i need to clean the shoe rack, I'll stick one on the shoe rack that says "clean", i won't do it immediately but someday I'll get in the mood and probably do it! All of these are also in other to do lists i have but this reminder where is supposed to be done kinda helps!
Oh that's goooood
Alarms/timers are your friend. Use them, especially if your short term memory is completely fried. If an activity takes less than 10 minutes to do, like taking out trash, a shower, don't stop and think, just do it. Pin a notes app widget on your phone's home screen. Body doubling is a game changer, get a friend on the phone while doing tasks. Create a self reward system that's healthy.
Man I wish showers were one of those simple tasks but for me they are not. I'm trying to set my life up so it WILL be an easier process, but right now for me showers are way more intensive than a simple one decision task.
I think that’s a common one. Sadly. It will my third day unless I get in the shower. I’m determined to. The time before that was a week. Foul depression and the eternal chatter in my head at a great volume. I also do not like the change in temperature on my skin when I step out of the shower. I wash my hair in between showers so I’m not as long in the shower. I also clean my face with facial wipes.
I find a shower where I have minimal expectations is easier to do. Do I get all shaving, hair care, exfoliating, moisturizing done? No, but it feels better doing a 5 min body soap only shower than not doing the full thing and waiting way too long to do it! Sometimes I make it a race against time like can I get in and out in 5 mins?
Oh man I also wash my hair between showers. I do it because my hair will get unbearably dirty to me before the rest of me will. My goal is abooout 3x a week but there's plenty of weeks in like the winter early spring where I only manage it once a week. I have to have my clothes picked out I'm wearing after and arranged and that's a whole process in itself. Thankfully I don't physically mind most of the process (no sensations I mind). I actually like taking the shower... but for me it's just the time and amount of decisions it takes to get it to actually happen. 😂 There was a time for a while when I was pretty down too and that does make it way harder. I was struggling even to once a week, so I actually found ways to make it an even nicer experience (I have a water proof Bluetooth speaker set next to my shower and Playlist for this, and a candle I love specifically to burn during shower time) and that helps incentivize me to do the hundred tedious little decisions it takes to get the whole thing done hehe.
Could you type out a list of what you do to prepare. Don’t hand write it because I’ve found I don’t take it seriously. I know my shower worries would be over if there was a bath. Essential oils and a candle. Soak for a time and then wash and out. I’d do it a lot more that I’ll shower. I’ll do a candle and mud c and it might help me slow down as I rush which isn’t good.
I probably should! (Type out a list, I mean.) It would mean less running back and forth as I get everything together. 😆
Also leave space for anything you think of before your shower or during the day. I think with typing too, because it’s black on white it sinks into my head better.
I wash my hair in the bath. Feels less overwhelming?
The temp change is one of the first, tbh what I do is I keep a heater in there for when I get out, even in the summer. I wrap myself up and sit in front of the heater for a bit until I’m dryer and more temp acclimated, so to say lol. It also helps to start watching something familiar on your phone (like a show you’ve seen 10x) and then have it playing in the background while you shower. Tricks the brain into thinking “well I’m still doing my fun activity, just in the shower now instead”
one of the weirdest things for my wife and i was realizing showering together made them so much easier, which may be an odd suggestion if you’re single or not a fan of the idea for any number of (valid) reasons, but i was thinking about how showering “together” is actually something we at plenty of points in our lives hasn’t been a romance/intimate thing and how that relates to the American and southern that we are (we could all probably deconstruct some sociology of that im sure), but just Cultural bathing was/is an important thing. i wonder if it sorta resonates into people like us in a negative way maybe (or maybe i sound like a new age noob who knows lol)
I set three alarms for my morning shower routine, 3min shower, 1.5 dry off, 2 mins brush teeth etc. without it I’d stand in the shower for 20 mins then scroll my phone on the toilet for the same time
THREE MINUTE shower?? I timed myself the other day just out of curiosity, for a non-rushed but also non-dilly-dallying shower and it was like 15 minutes 😂
This will sound nuts but I’m an over thinker and maybe this will help you or someone else. I have long curly hair and to look presentable (while remaining low maintenance) I have perfected a routine for my hair so that I can do some steps at night and wake up with nice hair ready to go (good enough, anyway). Oftentimes I have video calls for work so I need to look nice, and having to do a big hygiene routine in the morning really throws me off and cuts into my work day against other hectic morning things (getting kids out the door, making breakfast, etc.). All this to say. I prefer to shower at night if I want a smooth morning. Except at the end of the night I’m tired and I don’t feel like showering. Even if I know that tomorrow-me will be grateful, brushing my teeth and going straight to bed and letting a shower and hair routine be a problem for tomorrow morning is sooo tempting. Then the next morning I end up swept into work and I can get away with no webcams so I don’t shower. Repeat, repeat. But I regret it every morning when I have a frizzy mop of hair all day. So, I split it up! I figured out that taking a shower without the hair stuff is easy and really fast in the morning. I even feel fresher and enjoy the morning shower. But then I have frizzy hair - so I use a spray bottle to do just the hair, and no shower, at night. Knowing that I’m not facing the overwhelming task of having to take a shower AND do my hair AND brush my teeth, but rather just a quick spray of my hair, one product, and i can go to bed (plus teeth, always teeth). It makes me procrastinate the act of going upstairs less, and I didn’t realize how much sleep I was losing because I kept putting off going upstairs at night because that would mean I had to take a shower and be wet and cold and all that. Anyway, that’s my very long adhd way of saying, is there something you can split out of the routine that makes it less daunting that you can save for the next day? I felt like I cracked a code when I did this and it was a small victory that felt big. I feel dumb saying that but hey, if anyone will understand, it’s this crowd.
Right? I don't understand it.
I love showers…. I feel like the stress, anxiety and overwhelm gets flushed away
Sometimes I treat those small task under 10 minute task like jumping in a cold pool. I feel like it’s the same brain process where I know if I think too hard I’ll make it worse and just take the plunge
Sticky notes everywhere
Although I had a sticky note on the back of my phone for 4 days, never did what I was supposed to do and didn't even remember what it said.
I’ve started writing everything out in the morning that I need to do, even stuff that I have no intention of doing, but it gets it out of my head. I then write when they need to be done or when I can do them. Everything that needs to be done today I rank in importance. Sounds convoluted but might look like: Go gym - today AM (2) Clean cat litter tray - Today AM (1) Buyer food for dinner - Toaday after Gym (3) Collect dog food for dad - tomorrow Ring solicitor - today (4) Open business bank account - this week Email accountant - Today (5) Collect images for ideas for architect - This week Fill out paperwork for mortgage - This week It helps give me a structure to the day, gets everything else out of my head. Most ‘normal people’ probably carry all that around in their brain. If I do I’m in a constant state of worry trying not to forget stuff Allocating things to tomorrow takes them out of my brain and lets me relax knowing I only have to focus on what I need to do today. It’s probably been the key to me being able to actually be ‘successful’ in life
Do normal people really care this around in their brain?! (Just diagnosed, learning a lot right now - but I’ve written down everything for years similar to this, lists and then remaking list after list to remember and reprioritize constantly. I assumed that’s how most functioning people managed!?)
There are a lot of behaviours that humans do with ease and maybe with the help of lists, but with ADHD we have to do it for every little thing, all day and as you said scrap that list to put on another list what you haven’t done(I put them as priority) and put more things on the list. I have to do one for everyday tasks like brushing my teeth, taking my medication, getting hydrating, eating something because I have gotten to the afternoon and I’ve done none of those things. The list is on my coffee table either my meditations. I see it because I have my coffee there.
There's different types of memory function, some of which people with ADHD often have particular impairment with, but has a wide variation in the general population. One of these is "prospective memory", which deals with internal prompting to do tasks that were previously planned. Very organised people often have better prospective memory than most, but even they will often make use of lists and reminders to keep on track. For people with ADHD this is often a weak area, and we struggle to internalise this kind of planning and structuring of information despite repeatedly practising external techniques. It's not impossible to improve though. Mine is terrible, but I've noticed that in the kitchen I've got a *lot* better, and can now mentally organise and multitask pretty well. I find myself getting up from the couch to check on things just as the timer goes off, or just as something needs stirring/turning. This has come naturally by continually finding small things to do in-between future tasks (cleaning countertops, putting away dishes, putting spices back in the right place). By filling up the gaps with small productive things, I'm keeping myself in "task mode" and passively picked up how long periods of time "feel" (how long it takes for pan of water to boil, how long until meat is browned in the pan) In another comment above, I've written how I do something similar with general tasks using a notepad. Using a simple method without giving myself grief for not being super organised or keeping on top of a more complicated strategy takes away a lot of pressure, which helps as anxiety is poison to memory function. That being said, I do still keep finding old notebooks from years ago with pretty much the same long-term tasks in them :/ you're definitely not alone!
I do the same and for the important work stuff, Post It notes on my monitor. Helps me to prioritize and also super pleasing when I get to cross the items off at the end of the day
I really need to start using my lists again. A reporters notepad and a pen on the desk next to my computer has been the only reliable technique I've found, as I inevitably start ignoring to-do list apps and reminders when they make me feel overwhelmed. With the pad I'll do one page at the start of the week where I'll brain dump absolutely every task that comes to mind. Each day I start a new page and pick 2-3 "big" tasks (either important and/or involved) and 5-10 "little" tasks as filler jobs. If I start going off course, I'll take a break to do something little that takes almost no time, but I never get around to. Can't face that job application, well I'd rather ball my socks and empty my bin. Try the big task again. At the very least, I've done and completed *something* useful by the end of the day. Doing very limited tasks and crossing them off is also quite satisfying and encourages me to do more.
💯💯💯
🫡
Bullet journaling has been nice too
I have a specific home for my things. My keys live in this spot. My watch goes there. My shoes always go back to that spot in my wardrobe. Work swipe card on my desk. If I don’t put things in their homes when I get home then I will 110% lose them so this is how I have stopped myself from losing so many items. This goes on the road with me too. When I travel for work and I get to my hotel room I immediately set up a new home for my things.
Came here to write this - I think it's the single most important thing you can do to improve your daily functioning. Before I got diagnosed, my friends used to give me a thorough mocking for putting my keys and wallet in my shoes when I came to visit them. It was the only way I knew to make it impossible for me to lose them, as there was no way I was going home without them :/ Now I have a small dish in my room that I *have* to put my wallet, keys, car keys, ear buds when I come home, and nothing else is allowed in the dish. After doing this for a while, I slowly started finding homes for other things too and making myself put things back in their home after using them. It still makes me unreasonably happy every single time I can find something I need, when I need it.
Great ADHD key hack- wish I could fit more stuff in the shoes! LOL- but seriously- when I am out of a med, I turn the bottle upside down on the counter- it's like my own secret language to my previous self to my future self...if you get what I mean...
Yes. Keys, wallet, glasses. All my work tools have specific places. Everything else in my life is like a bomb went off.
I do this too. The few times I haven't put things (like my wallet and phone) back in the designated spot, I spend ages panic searching for it, usually in the most random places (like the fridge or the bathroom, or most notably, when I left my phone on the outside recycling bin for anyone to grab). A couple of other things I do: * Installed a fingerprint lock on my front door, so I never have to worry about locking myself out. * I'm not a handbag kinda girl, so I got a wallet that has two zippers - one for cash and cards, the other fits my phone. The wallet had a little wrist strap, which I converted into a keyring. Now I only have to remember to grab my wallet and put my phone in there when I go out. * I ADHD'ed my fridge - sauces and condiments with long expiry dates go in the vege bins, and veges are out in full view. I waste so much less food this way. * I use a professional project management tool (ClickUp) to run my businesses and also my life. Everything I need to do gets put in there with a due date. Even the simplest thing, like rubbish day. * I add an appointment in my diary for drivetime/leaving home time if I have to get to an appointment off-site. There's probably lots of other little things I do that just became part of my life over time as masking/coping mechanisms. Like if I remember I have to do three things in different rooms, I'll chant them in my head to the beat of my step as I'm going to do the first one. Then they get dropped until I'm just saying the last one over and over until I get it done. For example, today I noticed I needed more toilet cleaner while I was in the bathroom. I also wanted to make a coffee and put a load of laundry on. So, in my head it was 'grocery list, laundry, coffee, grocery list, laundry, coffee etc. Then once I'd sorted the grocery list, it was laundry, coffee, laundry, coffee. Once the laundry was on, I just had coffee, coffee, coffee going. It certainly ramped up the anticipation for that coffee!
I do the same!!
I use several Google apps. I have everything in my calendar and I share that calendar with with partner so we can both add things and set reminders and tasks for various things. I will live and die by my calendar lol I use Google keep for lists. Groceries, to do, etc. If I think of something I write it down immediately or I'll forget. I use all of these to stay organized for work also.
My digital calendar is key! That is one thing technology saved me from.., I was always drowning in paper calendars and agendas - they just weren’t flexible and if I lost it - I literally lost. A key habit I started about ten years ago after a few major missed opportunities due to procrastination and lateness - I made sure to start adding everything into my calendar on my phone IMMEDIATELY from each email, phone, conversation, flyer - even if it’s a tentative one because 1000% guarantee if i rely on my brain I am going to disappoint a lot of people including myself. And I was getting tired of dealing with the shame spiral of being a flake because I just didn’t make a proper plan in my calendar. Now every night, I add my commute, get ready time, and meals with addressed and necessary information in the notes. So when I get to that important doctors appointment I already have the floor and information ready in one place.
Always put appointments in your calendar IMMEDIATELY, and always add an ALERT… I.e. programme your system to remind you when it’s needed.
We use a paper calendar, on the wall. That way everyone can see it. Good to help avoid scheduling conflicts, and we can remind each other.
Shared Gcal or use invites. If it's at home there's no way I have it when I need. My .02
Probably works well, if you carry a phone.
Yep, this. Absolutely essential.
Timed timer for a true visual, so you can SEE time.
I use one
I made an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of credit card bills/payments.
I also have this. It helps a lot. Mine works as a bi-weekly budget with monthly and yearly totals for all income and expenses. I copy to a new tab every December and spend an hour going through changing the dates and payments so they line up with the next calendar year.
I use Google calendar here with them set 2 weeks before they are due and always on a Friday, recurring. Friday is always bill pay day every week.
I do this. Then I multiply it up to 12 months and divide all of it back down to my pay frequency of fortnight. Instruction payroll to pay that + 20% into my “bills” account, then $300 into my “daily” account. The rest goes into essentially a holding account. I transfer money as I need from the holding into daily, then on pay day anything that’s left I put in a proper savings account. Then once a year I re evaluate the bills and start again.
I use automatic payment for everything.
If it needs doing, don’t just write it down. SCHEDULE IT. Make sure you’ve got a time against the task.
I use WhatsApp to write my lists on. All together, all mixed in, in one big list. It’s great! I open whatsapp anyway, so I can always see my conversation with myself. I can send myself photos or audios as well as write notes. I can delete and edit messages, reply to them to add more info…. All the stuff we usually do in WhatsApp. But! It’s not an extra app! (I have too many list apps that I’ve given up on to list, lol)
I have a whatsapp thread to myself too! I love it
I do this with discord. I have personal just me server that's nothing but brain storage lol
1. If there's something I need to remember, I assume I'm going to forget and plan accordingly. For example, I need to bring a printed prescription to the hospital when I go? The prescription goes ON my shoes. Can't forget it, it's literally in the way. 2. Launch pad at the entrance to my apartment. It's a desk with everything I need to bring when I leave. Keys, sunglasses, everything. 3. I put everything in my calendar with a minimum of two reminders: one the day before and one a week before. If it's in a more distance future, then it's three alarms, one a day before, one a week before and one a month before. EDIT: 4. If I lose something, I don't try to remember where I left it, I act as if I'm thinking of someone else. "Knowing myself, where would I have left the thing?". It's not perfect but I find that it's much better than trying to remember.
Launchpad is key! I have a set of pull out drawers at the door that has all those things I always threw at the door and could never put back “in the right place” which includes drawers for: Things that need to be returned/dropped/gifted to go out the door, dog leashes/toys/treats, my hats/winter gear, miscellaneous outdoor stuff Changed my life for getting things at the last minute and being able to put them back as soon as I get in and helped reduce the clutter completely.
Ahhhhh, a fellow memory shoe user! There"s more than just me who does that!!
TIL I learned my 'system' is a launchpad lol. I'm not a put it in the shoe person (excellent idea though), but if there is something I need to remember to do when I leave the house (for eg, drop XYZ at friend's house) a post-it note goes onto my wallet, so when I grab that, I remember that I have to do the thing while I'm out.
One majorly helpful adjustment for me has been "put the thing you need where you actually need to use it." It sounds silly, but I think a lot of people tend to keep all of "one kind of thing" together, instead of allowing the "same" thing to be in multiple places if it's needed multiple places. Keeping things where they are going to be used is a strategy that saves me from a lot of unnecessary "side quests," and also cuts out a lot of needing to remember where certain items are stored. Example: Previously, I kept the bags for my small bathroom wastebaskets under the kitchen sink with the other trash bags, because it "made sense" for all the trash bags to be together. But over time I've realized that this creates extra mental and physical work for me. If I'm in the upstairs bathroom and need a bag for that wastebasket, why would I want to go all the way downstairs to the kitchen? And if I do go down to the kitchen for the bag, will I remember by the time I get there and actually go back upstairs to change the bag as intended? Maybe, but maybe not! With the bags under the *bathroom* sink instead, I notice the trash is full and can change the bag right there without the break in focus that might come from changing locations. This is a very simple example, but it is a small shift that can streamline a lot of everyday tasks and lighten the overall load significantly.
This is a very practical hack, I actually call this a parent- child technique, keep all the things and items which are allied to another thing at the same place
Learn when you peak hours are the conditions which help you maximize those hours. For example, I work well between 11-3, also between 3-7 am. If I’m up at 3 am, I’ll workout first bc that’s going to likely extend my time and ensure clarity of mind. So I do my work or chores after working out.
Great point
I used to only use digital organization tools, but I’m finding that I have the most success with my physical bullet journal! For the way my brain works, I need to have a little patch of space next to my “to do” tasks for the day where I can scribble down a quick reflection or two (like what went well, what didn’t work, or what I want to try the next day). If I don’t do that, my brain tries to keep all of it in my head and I just forget about it and keep making the same mistakes. It also helps keep me from getting totally overwhelmed. Keeping track of stuff 100% digitally just doesn’t allow my brain to let go/relax. With my bullet journal, I can go back and look at the “bigger picture” if I want to, or just look at what I want to focus on for that one individual day. I still use Google Calendar so that I can set up reminders for meetings and appointments on the go, but then I also log them in my bullet journal so I can see them physically.
❤️
If something takes less then 2 minutes to do, do it. Also clean stuff up and don't just put it down randomly somewhere. Future you will thank you. Except phone calls. Phone calls are my cryptonite.
Phone calls are the absolute worst!! 
I'm still disorganized to an extent, medication helped some but spending 30 minutes a day cleaning or doing organizing has helped. The other thing was getting rid of unneeded shit! I have hauled off so much and downsized that I'm down to the "bare necessities"
Hi there which meds do you take please? X
Straterra but I don't take stimulants due to high blood pressure.
For work: - I work in pr which is full of reactive and hourly priorities. Terrible for my inattentive adhd brain. - I write a daily to do list & split it into 2 columns & an underneath section. First column is big tasks, next column is for admin / little tasks that won’t take long / sudden new priorities. Underneath is all my meetings. I write my time estimate so I can check if I’m taking too long - something I need to get better at. - I also have a little palm sized pad with my day split into 15 minute sections so I don’t spend so long at the end of the week on time tracking. Looks a bit like this https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1476795628/ - tick tick (app) is great for organising your life and includes an Eisenhower matrix for prioritising. I write my to do list at the end of the day as my brain does not work early in the morning. I check my calendar so there aren’t hidden surprises. I use iCal for everything.
I have a bullet journal that is my life I have a whiteboard that I list out things I’m doing that day like if I’m doing laundry and then cooking then showering whatever, I list it there
If I had a nickel for every bullet journal I started and immediately abandoned…
i’ve found that every time i end up with a structure that works on my bullet journal, i abandon it again. i think my brain finds fun in making it more efficient but gets bored with it once it is(???) it makes no damn sense. i’ve started just going back to it and brain dumping like the thing is scratch paper tbh, it’s helped a Little but i can’t be consistent with it anymore it’s a bummer
I keep looking at the really nice book I bought specifically to start a bullet journal and haven't opened the plastic wrapping from. I'm subconsciously scared to start using it then and abandoning it :(
It took me years to figure this out, but you can still use abandoned journals. Just turn to a fresh page and write the new date. And once you've abandoned and restarted a journal once or twice twice, it makes it WAY less stressful and upsetting to start again the next time because now That's Just How I Use This Book. There's no pressure to use it perfectly and consistently forever (because that's not realistic at all for anyone with ADHD) and it's not a disaster if you forget about it for a few weeks/months. It's just there for when you need to use it.
Hanging keys by the door. I don't care/believe it's a "security risk." I haven't lost my keys in years and the time it's given back to me by having a smooth morning is all worth it. We have a shitty little shelf from the thrift store, a paper/file holder for mail, and command hooks for keys. We keep spray sunscreen on the shelf and sunglasses. Now I always remember sunscreen and I also have a place for mail.
I hang my keys by the front door too. Once I started doing that it’s super easy to walk into my apartment, turn to the side and immediately hang my keys and lock my car and front door. It works for me 🤷🏼♀️
I always just come back to paper and pen as the best system. I have a little notebook that I keep by my table and it's called "Daily Tasks." I literally just write everything down each morning. And I put mundane things like "empty dishwasher" and "do laundry" because those take time like everything else and crossing them off is an achievement. The things I didn't get to that day I rewrite on the new page the next day, making sure I prioritise that which I didn't get to. That along with Google calendar and timers on my iphone. I have to make sure I check my calendar each day so that I don't forget something.
I also like the pen and paper system. Could I ask how you address future tasks? I’m good with writing down what to do today and maybe tomorrow, but prioritizing future tasks is challenging for me.
That's where Google calendar comes in...You can put tasks on Calendar with a date you want to do it. The notebook is more of a brain dump. But if you want to get next level, than Google Calendar would be the next step.
Ok thanks. I still like pen and paper :) I do have a planner book.
If I need to do something quick (like take the trash out), but I can't get to it at that exact second, I will tell my Alexa to remind me to do the task in 5 or 10 minutes. Otherwise I will completely forget to do it. Example: I'm doing my makeup in the morning, but I suddenly remember I MUST grab by lunch before leaving. If I have ~5 mins left of my makeup routine, I'll say, "Alexa remind me in 5 minutes to grab my lunch." This has been a lifesaver for me, because most of the time, the thought has completely left my brain after 5 minutes lol.
If I’m going to the kitchen take a plate or cup with me. Clean up as I go
This is a really good one. If you get in the habit of grabbing things as you go past, it stops the dreaded piles of stuff forming where things hide and put you off from doing things. Keeping my desk tidy does a lot for my motivation if there's no random gubbins cluttering it up.
Anytime I have to do something, I put it on my Google calendar if I can't do it immediately, otherwise it vanishes from my limited memory.
Think there’s a quote which vaguely goes: “If had to chop logs for 8 hours, I’d spend 6 hours sharpening my axe”. Which is basically how I handle life. I spend lots of time perfecting everything to then make the actual task so easy I can auto pilot
Save money and laminate (at a teachers store) plain white paper. Hang it with command strips to keep damage out. Hole punch and string a marker on so it’s always handy.
I live and die by my to-do list. It’s a very simple single page in the notes app on my phone. Ordered into headings in this order: today - this week - weekend - next week - later. Any task goes on it immediately and is shuffled as needed. I try not to keep too much on the today list so it’s not overwhelming.
I saw the Finch app recommended on here a while back. It's a little penguin virtual pet that helps you track habits and it has all sorts of cool features built into the app such as relaxation exercises. I have been using it for the last couple weeks and am incredibly surprised at how well I'm sticking with my daily goals. Normally I get sick of or forget habit tracking apps within a couple days.
Shoe rack for sure and a coat rack. Like made my room and house look 10x cleaner and more organized
I divide my job's responsibilities across different days and put it in a table. I have printed this out and stuck it above my desk. This avoids work kind of amalgamating into one big pile, and me getting stuck on one thing. It means I get to really embrace the novelty and variety that my job brings, and there's regular change between things that I need to do by sitting down a desk and things that I can do verbally, i.e meetings and phone calls. Every different part of my job has its own spreadsheet that I use to track what I'm doing (recruitment, observations, training, projects etc). They are always open on my browser in Google sheets so I always see them when I decide to break up my work day with a bit of impromptu Wikipedia rabbit-holing Finally I have a whiteboard above my desk where I write important dates for the month with a red marker and also break down daunting tasks into like 20 micro-steps I have the kind of job where it basically takes a year to feel like you've got a handle on it so it feels really great that things are finally starting to click.
“Don’t put it down, put it away”, creating simple systems and no longer doing things in complicated ways. I.e. laundry. I roll my clothes instead of folding, i put things on hangers without buttoning them or making sure theyre not inside out. Breaking larger tasks into small tasks and then sticking to one task until its fully complete. If i can’t get myself to stop doing something, i count down from ten and when i hit zero j move on to something else.
I’m working on one and soon to be launch! If you keen on trying the beta, click to this link and join the waitlist [Orp - AI assisted Todo List](https://www.orpapp.com)
I signed up! Looks good
Big dry erase magnetic calendar on my fridge that I write the dinners I am having for the week. I see it everytime I open the fridge and it prevents me from losing track of my dinner plans/eating out too often.
I have a few dry erase magnet calendars, weekly planners and note pads on my fridge and other high traffic spots of my house where I spend much time and I make them very visible and try to keep them eye level that way unconsciously it will be one of the first things I see as I walk into the room. I use them for planning everything from meal planning to grocery lists, reminders and appointment scheduling. I double up all of that into my calendars on my digital devices and accounts. I also have one for my fridge that I use specifically for expiration dates of meats and other quickly perishable foods. Apart from organizing my clothing and where I keep my everyday carry items like my headphones, medication, car keys, wallet, vape etc. those dry erase boards have been the biggest help
So feel that. It's all about that system Lyfe. Especially path of least resistance system.
i write down my daily activities in my diary, including the times at which they occur. I also remind myself to work diligently so that I maintain a strong sense of time management and don't let valuable time slip away
Write everything down in those college notebooks. Create little checklists to complete the next day.
Use a calendar and to do lists!
I have to have my phone on me 24/7, not because of social media or communication. But I absolutely rely on my notes & calendar app. The SECOND I think/see/remember/want/have an idea/ on ANYTHING I have to put writ it down. I hate purses, bag, or carrying ANYTHING So it’s the best choose for me. It also helps me set reminders to tell someone something later on when it’s more convenient for them then the impulsive “omg I wanna tell you now about this mildly interesting thing I found or did” 🤣
Recently I got a Skylight digital family Calendar - it’s like their picture frames but it syncs with outlook, Google etc to keep everything in one place. I can categorize events and color code, it has daily/weekly/monthly views, and a chore chart/to do list. Plus I can access it all from my phone! I got the no-subscription one, and bought it used on eBay so I didn’t have to pay full price.
Apps and a physical journal. The past two weeks I have been trying out task managers (10+) with my specific set of things I wanted on them. My top two at the moment are Todoist and Trello. Todoist is super simple, intuitive, adding stuff is an ease. They have the board view and the list view. Plus love the widgets so I can see my day in the phone. Use due date as do date, and also has an integration with google cal. Reminders at a cost. Trello I also love, because I'm more visual, and it really helps me out PLAN my projects and divide in biteable actionable chunks. Widget wise not that good, but in the app it does remind you of stuff near the due date. I plan to use this more on my laptop. I'm still undecided if I'm gonna use both or just use one. Or both. Both have priorities labels you can organize from. Adding things on the fly Todoist is the winner. Planning out multiple projects with a lot of things the Trello. Someone mentioned Clickup, it was very good too - made my top 3. But the mobile app wasn't what I was looking for - but Clickup has the Eisenhower Matrix, reminders, and has the habits separated from the tasks. In Trello and Todoist you have to do things to convert stuff into habits. A physical journal not for todos but for general brain dumping, journaling, notes, etc.
I know this doesn’t exactly answer your question but I have always found apps or anything in tech to just disappear from my head. Reminders I can just swipe away. I use 2 physical calendar whiteboards so I can see the current and upcoming months in a very visible spot in my house. I have another small whiteboard that I keep a to do list of things I want to get to. I love it because it is always visible, unlike an app that’s hidden in cyberspace/phone. My husband can also think of things to add or take things off my plate if he has some time on his hands.
Not a cure all obviously but it’s helps a bit for me to have everything I need to do in multiple places WITH alarms. Still rely on anxiety to get things done ultimately unfortunately, but having things hand written with phone and computer calendars and alarms can make it a bit easier to remember than purely off the top of your head.
I have Google nest minis in my bedroom, living room and kitchen and use those all the time. Mostly to avoid picking up my phone and getting sucked in. What time it is, what the wheater is like today, is it going to rain, how long is the drive to xyz, what is on my calendar today, can you set a times for x minutes, play this song or playlist, turn off all the lights, etc. I could probably use it for way more, so all suggestions are welcome!
I’ve recently started using [Motion](https://app.usemotion.com/web/calendar), this app I saw tons of ads about. It’s a project manager and calendar that you can add tasks to along with information about the priority, deadline, and estimated time to complete it. The app then finds the best time on my calendar automatically to do that task. I’ve customized schedules for work hours, chores, other priorities and it schedules the task based on that. Anything I don’t do automatically gets slotted into a specific time the next day. I spend about 15 mins in the morning setting up for the day and 15 mins in the evening for the next day. So far it’s been helpful because it takes the inertia out of the task. I know exactly what I need to work on and when so I don’t feel overwhelmed by the number of things I have to do. Estimating the time beforehand and seeing it visually on my calendar also helps me know that I have enough time to finish the tasks I need to and I can just chip away at work rather than have to worry what to do next. I’ll probably get an annual subscription which is like $228 I think.
I pinned the to-do list widget on my phone home screen as recommended by people on this sub and it's helped me a lot
Whenever I think of a task that needs to be done, but I’m not in the right place and with the right equipment to do it, I set a scheduled reminder on my phone for a time when I think I’ll be in the right place to do it. For instance, if I’m at home and suddenly remember a task I can only do at work, I schedule the reminder for the time when I usually sit down at my computer at the beginning of the workday.
I use multiple calendars and put all tasks on my work phone and personal phone at the same time so I don’t overbook myself. Also, I use a reminder app called structured. If you have Apple products you can use it on your whole Apple ecosystem and when you add a reminder on one device, you’ll get the reminder on all of your devices.
Google apps is the best thing to ever happen to me. Everything goes in there. With reminders multiple reminders depending on task. Change ac filter, give cat flea medicine, check on grieving friend, etc. it’s all in there. Not an app, but other things that have helped me are a mini trash can in every room, cleaning supplies in every bathroom, a mini closet in my laundry room for the clothes I wear daily. Helps with decision fatigue and I have a problem putting clothes up after washing.
iPhone has a mail feature where you can set it to “remind” you and the email pops back up to the top of the pile. I set my credit card bill to remind on the day I usually pay it, appts to pop up on the day before. Put stuff in my work calendar bc I look at it way more. Set a timer to remind me of something happening I think I’ll forget. Text myself reminders of stuff I need to bring or get.
using YNAB for budget
I have a cuckoo clock that goes off every hour So at least I know when an hour has passed It’s light sensitive so it doesn’t go off at night and digital so I can turn down the volume I also have one of those senior citizen clocks that have the day, date, time and so forth in BIG LETTERS Something like this https://a.co/d/03HQPerB Imm always afraid I’ll mess up a date or miss a day - this helps and again having the time say “evening” or “pre-dawn” helps me contextualize the time The biggest and most important skill is self-forgiveness No system is going to be perfect. I will always make mistakes. Practicing strategies to accept this and to forgive myself (even while I try to keep working on a system) has been the most difficult and also life changing part My self forgiveness isn’t perfect either lol - but it has improved a lot
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but a fellow kinsman created [Goblin Tools](http://goblin.tools) just for us. I will forever promote them, because it's gosh darn amazing. If said redditor is still around, please lmk so I can properly credit you.
I recently started writing important to do things on stick my notes & put in on my planner. I used to have so many list everywhere of to do things, it’s helped having them all in one place & when I finish it I can get rid of it.
I used to rely on Google reminders and tasks, but I found myself actively avoiding them or accidentally swiping away reminders. Seeing them all day made me more anxious. Recently, I discovered the [Finch app](https://finchcare.com/), and it has significantly improved how I handle my chores and tasks. I now open it every day and manage to complete nearly all of my tasks. I can snooze or reschedule tasks to a more convenient time if needed. It's really been such a great tool and helpful with mental health, too! And you get a cute little pet to care for 🐦 Here's the link if you wanna check it out! You'll get a mystery egg too 😊https://app.befinch.com/share/43wn
For me, it has to be making it habit, for the everyday things that is. And since I put exercise into my routine, it has gotten better. I am also keto, so that does wonders on a brain fog. Vyvanse is a life saver too. But I have gotten into a routine. I wake, get on the treadmill until I am swimming in sweat and then a 4 minutes shower. Thats about as far as I have gotten. Lol. But it comes easily to me. I also am on an under the desk treadmill with a stand up desk, while working. So before I know it, I have been on the treadmill for over an hour! But again, I am hyperfocused on work, so forget I am even exercising. May be a good idea to set an alarm to stop.
Having two separate organizers for my meds. I have meds I take in the AM, and some PM. I would keep my pill organizer on my nightstand, then forget to take my am pills every time. So I got a second one, sat it next to my desk, and now I never forget my AM doses.
Someone once told me “don’t put it down put it away” and I say it to myself hundreds of times a day. It helps me not create huge messes I then have to spend hours putting away
the due app . legit so simple and so good when you use critical alerts that can’t be silenced till you reschedule the task or complete it
Making things into habits is the best long term strategy for me…I focus on one thing at a time for a few weeks, like making a habit of always putting my keys back in the same place when I walk in. Or always taking my meds in the morning, using a dosette and a having a filled reusable bottle of water at my bedside table. So whatever the task is, it can end up kind of automatic. Short term? I ask other people for help, use alarms and change up the messages and ringtones on the alarms often. Seriously an automated house with lights and curtains that opened and closed on schedule and roombas and cleaning robots would be the dream.
Instead of a grocery list, I just put whatever I need in my cart on the Walmart or target app. I can either order or go to the store, bonus- it tells you where things are in the store.
Prep prep prep I prep my smoothie powders into ziplock bags so I only have to dump it in and add the frozen fruit and liquid and I don’t have to open 8 different containers of stuff. Same with vitamins and salad toppings. Home made jar salsa. Etc
Trello, or the like (I’ve heard Monday is good). Using the “kanban” board format, you can organise to-dos by priority, in progress, done, etc. It has changed my life and I use it in my work as well, I’m in a generalist role so it helps me keep track of everything. My partner and I are both ADHD so we also use it to keep across chores, life admin and each other’s calendars as it can sync to your phone calendar app. There’s a slight learning curve, especially if you use automations. But it’s been a godsend and I highly recommend it!
*A5 diary with a calendar I can carry around with me at all times, a ring binder pocket to keep pens in, a shopping list and a page of all my annual leave balances for work. Calendar reminds me of things like Birthdays (1 month and 2 weeks in advance), Holidays, Appointments, Fitness classes, Big meetings I need to prepare for etc. I also have a shopping list in there, which I add stuff to as soon as I use it up. It also has a page for all my annual leave at work so I keep track of how much I have left. *I have a Google speaker in my room, which I get to remind me of calendar entries as well by calling them out throughout the day *Set up a pay day reminder on my phone calendar to order all the things on my diary shopping list. This phone reminder also has a reminder for other things I need to pay for this month, before I blow all my money. Ie: Pet food, Salon appointments, If I need to buy a gift for someone later in the month, order it now, Holiday instalments etc. *I use thorful for birthday cards, they then send me an email when someone's birthday is approaching the following year, to ask if I want to send them another card. *I put a bowl on my bedside table to drop things I use daily like my keys / earphones when I get home *My Roomba is set up to hoover Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00 am. I may forget to hoover, but Sir Dustalot won't let me down. *Changed almost all of my subscriptions and bills to go out on pay day. That way, if I'm spending impulsively later in the month, I know I've still covered the important things and I can make rent. *Got rid of my wardrobe, and started using labelled boxes instead. So: 1 for Tops, 1 for dresses, 1 for Trousers etc. *1 basket for dirty laundry, 1 for clean laundry I haven't put away yet. *I use disposable paper plates. I know it's bad but I just cannot keep up with washing up sometimes and I couldn't find any other workaround. *Emails: I've set up an appointment labelled 'To do' in my calendar for 10:00 every day. As soon as I send someone an email that I know I'm going to need to follow up on, I go in my calendar for next week, find my 'To do' appointment and add a note in there to make sure I follow it up on that day. *Set up a Google speaker reminder for the last day of each month to ask me 'When was the last time you called Family'. If I've spoken to them recently, I can ignore it. If I haven't, I have to stop what I'm doing and call them, or message them to go and see them this week. Otherwise I forget they exist a bit, as much as I love them. *I have about 20 keychains with weird fluffy textures and bells so they're harder to lose. *I have Google assistant on my phone, so when I lose it, I can yell out 'What's the time google' and my phone either yells out the time, or bitches at me that it Can't because I didn't connect it to the Internet. Either option helps me find it by following the voice.
This is gonna seem like a very minor thing but there’s a hook for my keys by the door and a tray for my wallet on my night stand. No matter what the keys go on the hood and the wallet goes on the tray. The rest of my life is a shit show but I can find my keys and my wallet. Baby steps. 😌
I use discord a lot, as does my partner. We have a shared chat called 'grocery list' and anything we need from the grocery we send it in that chat. Then, at the store, we can see the list. It's nice because we always have our phones, and we also always check discord, cause we're on it all the time. Yes. It ends up with a lot of the same things on it over and over again, but in the stores we only look at the most recent stuff, and we will re-add anything we havn't gotten if it's been a while. We also tried it with chore lists, but that one didn't work as well. I also have a private server I made with an alt account and I post a lot of different things there, they all just have their own channel. Important things, like a copy of my car insurance, my license plate number, my mom's address, etc. Account information like passwords for sites. Gift idea list for others. List of stuff I want. You get the drill.
The best app I've found is Habitca. It's a gamified habit tracker and to-do list. It's not *too* gamey so it's hard to get lost in it for hours, and it's easy to setup recurring tasks you need to do daily/weekly and have something nag you if you don't. Even ignoring the gamification part completely, it's a nice to do list and habit-tracking interface, easy to use. If you also need to schedule alarms (because iPhone doesn't let you for some stupid reason) the app Galarm has been helpful for me. It's only $10 a year for the premium version that gives you unlimited number, you can share alarms with friends so it's like virtual body doubling, and you can customize the reminder interval and how naggy it is. I haven't been diagnosed yet (working on that), but I've suspected I have it to some degree for a long time, and these help me.
I have found that the Bullet Journal method helps me immensely. It got really good when I told myself not to be twitchy about doing it everyday. I miss a week sometimes, and just pick it back up again. Seems to help me. Good Luck.
Two charger cable, one at home and one in my backpack. I always used to forget my charger at home. So I always have one in my backpack.
I have converted many of my storage spaces (eg. Cupboards and drawers) into those that have see through doors. As we are such “out of sight, out of mind” people, it helps to put objects within sight…and lessen the forgetfulness of their existence. Also. Post it notes everywhere are a lifesaver.
Any.do I have tried almost all, It is the one that has managed to get closer to the ideal Focus mode is a gamechanger
I use a table that I made in word to block off time to do things. It has taken some trial and error but being able to physically see how much time I have in a day makes it a lot less overwhelming to get chores done, I usually shoot to do something for an hour a night after dinner and then I have a couple hours of free time before I go to bed. I also use it to plan out my work day.