Originally from additudemag.com (LINK)
Stop
Procrastinating
How to
Finish What You Start
By Beth Main
1.
Do Not Attempt While Under Pressure
Often,
adults with ADHD only try new organizational and time management strategies
when they feel immense pressure — at work, at home, in social situations — that
makes them feel they need to change something, right away. But, organizing
under pressure can't be done. You need to disconnect from feelings of, "If
I screw this up..." and take some quiet time to do the organizational
thinking.
2.
Keep a Paper To-Do List
Staying on
task starts with knowing what you're going to do, and then being intentional
about how you spend your time. You can't make choices about how to spend your
time until you figure out what absolutely, positively must get done. A good
task management system starts with a to-do list. Write absolutely everything on
it.
3.
Maintain a Master List
Make one running
list of everything you need to accomplish. You might want to consider having a
separate list for work and home tasks. Then, each day you should make a plan.
Think of your master list as a buffet table. You're not going to eat everything
today, but each day you are filling up your plate, making your daily to-do
list. If you have a child with ADHD, you can encourage kids to follow a daily
checklist, and put an item on yours to check in with them.
4.
Prioritize Your Tasks
Choose the
most important and most urgent tasks for your plate first, and then the second
most important and urgent. You'll need to learn the difference between
important and urgent. Important is something that carries you closer to your
long-term goals. Urgent tasks are time sensitive. Sometimes you'll need to pick
projects that are important but not urgent, like working on a new website
project, so you can make progress toward your dreams.
5.
Know Your Limits
You can't do
it all, and you definitely can't do it all in one day. Knowing when to say no,
and delegating tasks to others are important ADHD time-management strategies.
Some things don't need to be done at all. Make peace with the fact that you're
not going to do it, and drop it from your list. Pick one thing that you can
accomplish without stress, like finishing all the dishes each day, and make
sure you complete it daily instead.
6.
Prevent Procrastination
The Number
One barrier to success for individuals with ADHD is procrastination. There are
two reasons why you put things off: disorganization — you aren't clear on what
you need to do — and disinterest — you don't feel like doing it. Combat them by
breaking tasks into tiny pieces so you know where to start, and finding ways to
make tasks interesting in the moment. Remind yourself why the task is important
by using rewards and consequences. Or alternate "shoulds" with
"wants" on your list so you have motivation to get through onerous
tasks.
7.
Practice Mindfulness
You have
ADHD, so you're going to get distracted. Often, we don't even notice that email
and Facebook are taking up enormous amounts of time and energy. Mindfulness is
being aware of what you're doing in the present moment, and trying to correct
it if you're not on course. Jot down the time you think each task should take,
and set a timer when you begin. If you're not pacing well, figure out if a
distraction is keeping you from your goal and shut it down.
8.
Stop Abandoning Tasks
Tell us the
truth: Do you leave tasks unfinished? When you notice yourself doing this, use
a drag and drop "To-Do</a" solution like Google Calendar to help
you re-prioritize and move unfinished tasks. Then, put a limit on the number of
unfinished tasks you leave open. Make a conscious effort to start and complete
tasks. When you have too many, try working on tasks in 15-minute bursts and
rotating through several until some are finished.
9.
Invest in Good Prep Work
You can
speed up tasks that seem to take forever by planning ahead. Work on your
organization — having the tools and information you need to start before you
get started. If it's grocery shopping, make sure you have recipes planned and a
list of ingredients. Then, set a time you'll do it and block out distractions
during that time.
10.
Schedule Backwards
To stop
being late, you'll need to think backward. Don't plan based on when you need to
be there; plan based on the time you need to walk out the door. Start with your
arrival time. Then subtract time to get from the car to the door, your travel
time, and time to get in the car with everything you need. Make sure you have
gathered the items you'll need well in advance so you're not doubling back to
get things. Be aware that you don't have time to squeeze in one more thing
before you leave. That thing will make you late. Add buffer time to your
estimates in case you hit every red light. If you know it takes you a while to
start getting ready, build that extra time into your estimate.
11.
Feed Your Brain
You can't
get stuff done if you can't focus, and you can't focus if you're tired, hungry,
or haven't moved all day. To improve your ADHD management, feed your brain by
improving sleep, eating well, and exercising. Be intentional with your time,
avoid distractions, and practice self-care. Then you'll be on the road to
task-management success.
