Managing ADD (Adult Attention Deficit Disorder)

Adult attention deficit disorder (ADD) can have a significant impact in productivity, work and family life. The following strategies can help you manage ADD symptoms and improve these areas of life. Determine which ones might be most appropriate for you and give them a try!

Productivity:

– Break down tasks into smaller tasks. Write them down and determine a deadline for each small task.

– Prioritize your tasks. Know what needs to be done first and what is less of a priority. Check tasks off your list as you complete them.

– Keep track of your tasks through a technology-based organizational system so you won’t end up with multiple sticky notes. Find an app that will sync online if you have a productivity phone or use your email to do task list.

– Refocus yourself if you get off task. Catch yourself and get back to the task as soon as you realize you’ve gotten distracted.

– Use a stopwatch or set a timer when you start working on a task so you’ll know how long it actually takes.

– Keep a neat work area so you’ll be less likely to get distracted.

Organization:

– Get the next day’s items ready the night before. Set items out by the door so you won’t have to look for them in the morning.

– Keep routine items in the same place so you’ll never have to look for them. Create a special location for keys, checks, etc.

– Don’t let things pile up. Put away items once you are through with them. Open mail over your trash or recycle bin so you can toss unnecessary items immediately. Handle papers only once as much as possible. Take action on the task or toss it!

Establish Routines:

– Make a consistent bedtime routine each night that is non-stimulating. Start winding down at the same time each night. Read, take a bath, listing to calming music.

– Wake up at the same time each day.

– Do not start a new task until you have completed the current one.

– Complete undesirable tasks first vs. procrastinating. Tackle the most difficult task first and find a way to reward yourself for completing them.

Want to learn more about Adult Deficit Disorder (ADD)?

Read more about our Adult ADHD treatment. Contact one of our counselors in Houston about Managing ADD at 832-559-2622 or schedule an appointment online. Our therapist are available for face to face sessions as online therapy sessions in limited areas. 

Recommended Reading:

Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood

Through vivid stories of the experiences of their patients (both adults and children), Drs. Hallowell and Ratey show the varied forms ADD takes — from the hyperactive search for high stimulation to the floating inattention of daydreaming — and the transforming impact of precise diagnosis and treatment.