Get Things Done On Time!
Everyone has occasional trouble getting things done on time,
but for people with ADHD time management is often particularly
difficult. Whether you have time management issues at home,
at work or everywhere you might want to try some of these
tips. Work on one part of your day at a time. Consider what
part of the day would benefit most from a time management
makeover. Work on that first and then move on to other parts
of your day. And consider the following tips to help you deal
with specific difficulties.
Don’t know what to tackle
next? |
- To help you prioritize, ask yourself, “What’s
important NOW?”
|
Late getting home every night? |
- Have your husband/wife/friend/kids call you 5 minutes
before quitting time & keep you on the phone while
you pack up & walk out the door.
|
Late getting to meetings? |
- Have a co-worker pick you up on their way. Tell
them that you get so involved in your work that you
lose track of time.
- Have meetings come to you, schedule them in your
workspace.
- Try to schedule meetings during your down time.
|
Late getting everywhere? |
- Set timers on your computer or PDA
- Wear a watch & look at it.
- Make sure the clocks in your home/office/car are
set accurately – or at least the same.
|
Don’t know if your
schedule is realistic? |
- Keep a time log for a few days. Guess at where
you spend your time and then really track to see if
what you thought is right.
|
Everyday tasks keep falling
through the cracks? |
- Decide if you really need to do those tasks.
- Create routines & habits to work for you.
|
Not enough energy to tackle
the task? |
- Figure out your strongest time of day, morning,
late night, etc. schedule tasks that take most of
your energy & concentration then.
|
Can’t keep track of
it all? |
- Create to-do lists with beginning and end times
refer to your lists and stick with the time.
|
Always missing appointments? |
- Get any ONE calendar and use it!
|
Get sucked into a task &
can’t pull yourself away? |
- Schedule transition times--- set an alarm or have
someone call you 5 or 10 minutes BEFORE you need to
stop. Calculate clean up time separately!
|
Always getting interrupted? |
- Interruptions tend to occur in identifiable patterns,
plan to do large projects during times when there
are fewer interruptions.
|
by Carrie Greene, ACC, CarrieThru, LLC, ADHD Coaching
& Organizing Services.
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