Getting Things Done with ADHD
When someone in your household has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, with or without hyperactivity), it changes the way your family functions. ADHD lives with you, whether or not it lives in you, and it changes the way you work. Here are a few ground rules for getting things done when ADHD is around:
Shorten the task list. When ADHD is present, tasks take longer. This is one of the hardest truths to accept, both for people with ADHD and those without. Setting goals that are too big for the time allotted creates frustration and conflict, so take that task list and cut it in half*.
Go all in. Set a time and place for the task and do nothing else during that time. For parents, that means doing the task with your child until he/she is ready to do it alone. Keep your smartphone out of your hands, unless you’re using an app to structure the task.
Build in movement. Tasks that can be done while walking, swinging, running, or jumping should be. Exercise balls, fidgets, gum chewing, or wobble chairs can help integrate movement into tasks without drawing focus away from the task. (A fidget that requires attention is not a good fidget.)
Make it fun. Turn the task into a game whenever possible. Add a silly song (or movement) and bring your enthusiasm to boost motivation and make the task fly by. Remember that with ADHD motivation depends on how inherently interesting the task is to the individual. Timers can be part of this process, but use them carefully. Timed tasks can create anxiety for some.
Use productive breaks. Breaks should be a part of any task that takes 15 minutes or longer to complete (5 minutes or longer for young children). A productive break refreshes the body and brain to prepare for another burst of effort. Exercise breaks that use full body movement tend to be most helpful. Avoid break activities that cause the brain to go offline completely or are difficult to transition off of.
*BONUS: Tips for shortening your task list.
Rank today’s goals in order of importance and only keep the top 1 or 2.
Relax your attention to detail. Allow something to be messy but complete or neat but partially done.
Schedule things you absolutely can’t cut for another day or time.
Shorten your time horizon. Look at what needs to happen in the next hour, day, or week rather than striving for the long term goal.
Remember that every journey is made up of single steps. Focus on the next step, and resist the temptation to add another step if this one is achieved quickly or easily.
