(see part one of our series here)
Keep important items together
Place a bowl or basket in your hallway near your front door and use it for storing important items such as keys, wallets, glasses and phones. This should help you keep track of these items and will also prompt you to pick them up before leaving your house. You can use this area to place anything you wish to remember for the day, this could include lunchboxes, important paperwork or outgoing mail.
Stay on top of your mail
Create a space for your mail and sort it into piles when it arrives, for example – bills, junk, personal. Review these piles on a weekly basis and file away important documents. To stop receiving junk mail, look to remove your name from mailing lists.
Make a note of your spending
Adults with ADHD can often have difficulty with money management, especially if they have a tendency to impulse buy. To curb this habit, try carrying a notebook or use your phone to write down everything you buy and how much it set you back. This includes small purchases like a morning coffee or a lunchtime sarnie. Seeing how much you spend per month and on what, will help you to take control of your finances.
Utilise electronic reminders
If you find that deadlines, meetings and various other responsibilities tend to slip your mind, creating issues in your work and personal life, reminders could help you to keep on top of everything. Many email clients, computer calendars and smartphones now give you the option of setting yourself reminders so that you get an alert 5, 10, 15 minutes or even the day before the event so you won’t be caught short.
Prepare for and manage boredom
Many individuals with ADHD find they are distracted easily and get bored quickly, especially during routine tasks such as filing or paperwork. If you struggle to concentrate at work try to:
- Break down large tasks into small chunks
- Take regular breaks to get up and walk around or to go outside and take in some fresh air
- Make comprehensive notes in meetings to keep your attention focused.
If you have any further tips for ADHD management, please do share them with us in the comments below.
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