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ADD and Organizing -- Tips, Tricks & Helpful Resources
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GENERAL INFORMATION
ADD and organizing tips may sound awkward or over-simplified. Many people with ADD struggle with organizing. Organizing tips for everyone else do not seem to work for those with ADD.
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In addition to getting help, spend some time looking for ways to work with your natural tendencies. Many of the traits of the condition are actually positive when used according to directions!
Not everything works for everyone, so ...
Try these ADD and organizing tips to see what you find useful:
ADD and Organizing -- Tips
Many people who suffer from the condition say that typical organizing tips don't work for them. They have special needs that need special attention.
The ADD organizing tips below were created based on responses to concerns from those who have been diagnosed with the condition:
- Organize for reasons that matter to you. People with the condition don’t get inspired by the mundane. Organizing in and of itself tends to have negative ideas attached to it (e.g. tedious, boring, etc.).
Find a way to motivate yourself. Find a reason that inspires you to get organized.
If you value helping others, think about donating your clothes to a women’s shelter – that outfit might help a battered woman land a job.
- Fight the tendency to over-commit. Don’t make a new commitment until you’ve identified one you can give up. This will help you keep your commitments to a minimum.
- Set time limits for decision-making. You probably have trouble making decisions. Give yourself a time frame or budget limit. Limit the information you research on a topic. This will help minimize distractions.
Identify what is most important to you: price, practicality convenience? Focus only on the things that are important to you when making a decision.
- Take advantage of organizational moments. Take advantage of the spontaneous moment. Clean out your wallet while sitting at a red light. Empty out your car’s glove box when stuck in backed-up accident traffic. Flip through files and throw out outdated coupons and junk mail while paying your bills.
- Fight the tendency to hyper focus. If you tend to get lost while absorbed in a project, set an alarm on your computer to remind you with an alert; set a clock or kitchen timer to go off to bring you back to reality. You could ask someone to call you to give you a reminder.
- Clear as soon as you've cluttered. Don’t view clean up as something you do separately. It can be something you dread and avoid while things pile up. Straighten as you go. Hang up your shirt instead of tossing it on the bed or the bottom of the closet.
Perform a clean sweep when inspired (and ask others to help). By doing this more regularly and with someone, it’s a more user-friendly approach that can get and keep you organized and living in a less cluttered environment.
It has the added advantage of clearing your mind for more creativity!
- Keep your to-do lists brief. Make a list and limit it to no more than 5 items. Use big/bold lettering (get colored Sharpies!). Write your list on a colorful index card and post it on the Fridge.
Once those five things are completed, rinse-and-repeat -- create a new list
- Find a Chore Chum. Have a friend or family member come over and help you tackle the mundane/routine chores (checkbook balancing, reviewing financial statements, etc.)
- Join an ADD support group. They provide much more than emotional support. You can even do it online!
ADD and Organizing
Helpful Organizing Activity Planner
A Franklin Planner is just too much for the majority of people with ADD/ADHD. That's why these simple ADD and organizing planners activity planners can help. They are simple, creative (and less expensive) ways to help manage your activities:
ADD and Organizing
Letter Folder Organizer
Supplies:
- 2” X 2”Post-It Notes (get fun colors and/or shapes)
- Scissors
- Colorful letter-size folders
- Colorful sharpies
Directions:
- Get out your favorite color folder and open it.
- Mark one side as a your daily To-Do list
- Divide the other side into 2 equal sections
- Mark the upper one as Need to Accomplish
- Mark the lower half as Completed
- Write down everything you can think of that you need to accomplish during the next week.
- Only do one week at a time
- Use one Post-It per item (Color code them if you feel inclined -- Pink/Personal; Blue/Auto; Green/Financial, etc.
- Place all of them under the Need to Accomplish section
- Add to it as you think of things that need to be done
- Move the things you decide you want to do first into the daily To-Do section
- Once the task is accomplished, move it to the Completed section
- You can find fun pictures to help you visualize – cut them out and place them with the Post-It
ADD and Organizing
Bulletin Board Organizer
Same idea as above, only utilizing a bulletin board.
Supplies:
- 2” X 2”Post-It Notes (get fun colors and/or shapes)
- Scissors
- Bulletin Board
- Colorful sharpies
Directions:
- Divide your bulletin board in half
- Mark one half as your daily To-Do list
- Divide the other side into 2 equal sections
- Mark the upper one as Need to Accomplish
- Mark the lower half as Completed
- Write down everything you can think of that you need to accomplish during the next week.
- Only do one week at a time
- Use one Post-It per item (Optional: Color code them if you feel inclined -- Pink = Personal; Blue = Auto; Green = Financial, etc.
- Place all of them under the Need to Accomplish section
- Add to it as you think of things that need to be done
- Move the things you decide you want to do first into the daily To-Do section
- Once the task is accomplished, move it to the Completed section
- You can find fun pictures to help you visualize – cut them out and place them with the Post-It
ADD and Organizing
White Board Organizer
Same idea as above, only utilizing a white board.
Supplies:
- 2” X 2”Post-It Notes (get fun colors and/or shapes)
- Scissors
- White Board
- Colorful sharpies
Directions:
- Divide your white board in half
- Mark one half as your daily To-Do list
- Divide the other side into 2 equal sections
- Mark the upper one as Need to Accomplish
- Mark the lower half as Completed
- Write down everything you can think of that you need to accomplish during the next week.
- Only do one week at a time
- Use one Post-It per item (Optional: Color code them if you feel inclined -- Pink = Personal; Blue = Auto; Green = Financial, etc.
- Place all of them under the Need to Accomplish section
- Add to it as you think of things that need to be done
- Move the things you decide you want to do first into the daily To-Do section
- Once the task is accomplished, move it to the Completed section
- You can find fun pictures to help you visualize – cut them out and place them with the Post-It
NOTE: You could even get one that is magnetic and place it on the refrigerator, stove or filing cabinet!
LAST THINGS ABOUT ADD AND ORGANIZING
These systems allow you:
- The flexibility to change your mind and easily
- Allows you to change your mind
- Add and subtract from the list at you desire
- Gives you a visual record of your accomplishments
- Going through this process will help you get ready for the next day
- Try to be realistic about what you can achieve on any given day.
I hope this information on ADD and organizing was helpful.
Here are some links to other useful information:
Web MD page on
Link to About.com
Link to Wikipedia Information
For other helpful information, click Start Here or on one of the links below.
Know Of a Good Tip or Suggestion To Assist Those With ADD or ADHD?
Do you know of a good tip or suggestion that might benefit someone suffering from ADD or ADHD or their families? Do you know of good websites or forums for further information? Have you read good books or watched helpful videos? Do you have words of encouragement to share? Don't be shy . . . Share It!
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