get yourself in order
I want to live in an ASMR video.
The desire to move really fast through things is one I know but to be successful, you need to slow down. Make things simple and don’t spike your anxiety for no reason. I use fidget toys to keep me focused, and I love using the YouTube videos called pomodoro that break down working sessions and breaks. Meditation is also very helpful, and I use the app called Mo for guided sessions and sleep, but there are plenty of guided meditations on YouTube. When I read a book, I take out all my highlighters and sticky notes to annotate it and it really makes reading easier and enjoyable. But these are just a few ideas for anyone with ADHD or other mental illnesses or ANYONE IN GENERAL.
First, get yourself a planner. ADHD people are known for buying but never using a planner, but I want you to stick to one. Start small by writing in it for five minutes a day, increasing it over time. I was scared at first to schedule my days because what if that’s not how it went or what I wanted to do later? But scheduling makes sure you get it done. And you get extra time if the task doesn’t take up the allotted time! Always make your days a little flexible depending on how you feel! It’s important not to cram them up when you know you don’t have the energy to do it. Stay calm and be realistic. Now, I want this planner to be where you put everything- JUST THIS ONE. Get one with storage for loose paper like to do lists and make sure there’s a note section. Put all your dates in it and work yourself up to making it part of your routine (morning for me but maybe night for you). And NEVER leave notifications sitting there- open them always.
I’m also obsessed with project plans on Etsy. If you are really excited about a project, lay it out that way. Now, I have a corkboard in my office where I also list all my jobs, duties, and projects so I can see them all in one place. Below that, I have a weekly chalkboard where I assign projects or jobs to certain days. And then I have another cork board that to do lists for each of the projects. The whole system is set up to help you use your planner. Now, schedule everything in realistic time chunks and use timers to meet the plan. If you’re more of an electronics person, I suggest the app called structured. It makes planning really easy. Assign tasks like ‘clean your room’ to certain days. For example, I clean my room every Monday.
Now, for high achievers, I suggest having a home binder, medical binder, and even a therapy binder! Keep everything in one place so that you can easily access it. Have a separate space where your important documents are protected. Keep your everyday documents on the home screen of your laptop but put the rest of the documents in EASILY UNDERSTOOD folders. You also need to keep a budget (I’m still working on this) but not having money or spending too much money is an unnecessary stressor in people’s lives (SOMETIMES). When you get groceries, plan out your meals and stick them on your fridge. This helps you to shop and find direction, but the meals can also be moved around if you want to. For an extra bonus, do some meal prepping! It’s all about removing the stress of everyday life.
That’s it for now.
xoxo
