Organizing Your Life With ADHD

Tip #1) Label, label, label! If you do not have a label maker in your household, it would definitely be worth the investment. Making labels for containers, cupboards, and closet shelves helps ensure that your hard-earned organizing work stays in place in the future. It's also helpful for households with multiple family members so that everyone can easily identify where an item belongs. For younger children's items, consider making picture labels printed on cardstock on your computer instead. nnTip #2) Color, color, color! Using different colored file folders or containers for different categories of items creates a mental and visual shortcut to the location of what you're looking for. Consider grouping your files by category using five or six different colored folders. For example, all your financial files could be in green folders, all your medical records in blue folders, and so on. Or, each of your kids could have a different colored stackable basket for their toiletry items in the bathroom cabinet. nnTip #3) If you have a habit of scribbling notes on random pieces of paper only to lose track of them later, it's time to try a new system. One option is to have a basket or bin where you place all your notes, so you'll at least know where to go to find them. Another option is to try switching to a small spiral bound notebook that fits in your handbag or work tote. That way you'll always have it at home, at work, or in the car. The trick is to re-train yourself to walk and get your notebook from wherever you happen to be when you need to jot that note down. It takes much less time and effort than trying to locate that small scrap of paper with your friend's new email on it! Target and office supply stores even have notebooks with divided tabs in them so you can have different sections for your notes like phone calls, errands, to-do's, and so on.nnTip #4) How many times have you thought of something important while sitting in traffic or getting ready for work in the bathroom, only to promptly forget it again a few moments later? Keep a Vis-a-Vis Wet-Erase marker in the medicine cabinet and/or the center compartment of your car. You can write your note right on the glass and then use a wet paper towel to remove it later after you've taken care of it. nnTip #5) When you're housecleaning, carry a basket or bin along with you. As you come across an item that belongs somewhere else in the house, drop it in the basket instead of returning it right away. Once you leave the room, you may never make it back to the task you were in the middle of. nnTip #6) Turn off the instant email delivery alert on your computer. Because the notice of the incoming message will distract you, you'll experience a 20-40% loss in productivity in getting back to your initial task.nnTip #7) Tuck your important bills into a transparent poly pocket folder. That way you can be sure they won't be misplaced under a pile of advertising circulars, and you'll have everything you need in one place if you tuck in some address labels and stamps too. Even better, sign up for automatic bill payment systems so you never have to pay a late fee again. nnTip #8) Keep an "out" basket near your entrance so you can place your keys, your sunglasses, your mail to be sent, etc. in a convenient and consistent spot each time you need to head out the door. nnTip #9) Do you find that a trip to the mall or grocery store takes twice as long as you anticipated? Distraction is often the culprit, with all the sights, smells, and sounds that overstimulate your brain. Consider switching to online shopping as much as you can; you can find just about anything you need. Sites like Simon Delivers even save your shopping purchases from previous orders so all you need to do is click on the item you want instead of having to do a search every time. You may also find that you cut down on your monthly spending because you're not impulse buying on sale items you randomly pass by in the store. nnTip #10) Cleaning and organizing are some of the most dreaded activities to an ADHDer. Use a timer to set a specific length of time you'll commit to working on a task. You'll be more willing to tackle a project if you know it won't drag on forever.