Priorities and ADD ADHD: Incompatible? – – – ADD Tip O the Day 583

Dysprioritiologica?

Setting priorities is an executive function and with ADD ADHD we tend to not be very good at it.

I sit here looking at a long to do list. Where do I start?

Do you see how this can lead to procrastination? Maybe I’ll just give up and play some computer games.

Homey’s great strategy:

“If I could only do one thing today, what would I do? That is your priority!”

My Efforts:

One of my strategies is to make a list of three off the long list, but – that requires prioritizing.

I can number the items one to whatever down the left-hand side of the list, based on how important they are. i.e. prioritizing. – I ask: What is the payoff for doing this task or the penalty for not?  How does the payoff correlate with the time and effort that would be involved?

If I  do the numbering quickly, don’t get bogged down in thinking, maybe the numbers  aren’t accurate but at least I’m starting to do something.

But what if I also put numbers down the right-hand side, indicating how pressing the thing is, depending on deadlines?

If a task has  a one on both sides,  it’s important and urgent, so that’s  a priority. But what if the deadline is tomorrow, a one, but it doesn’t seem very important? If it’s really not important, what if I don’t do it at all? Just cross it off? There’s plenty of other things still on the list.

If I get too caught up in this, will I just wind up stuck, paralyzed,doing nothing? Or will I drive myself crazy?

Sometimes it’s more about how important the task is and sometimes more about how urgent. Getting my taxes done is really, really important, but right now doesn’t seem very urgent (sometimes we work better at the last minute).  Getting this blog done is moderately important, a little urgent. But it’s what I’m doing.

My usual strategy:

My strategy is to just  get a feeling of importance and urgency and make a short list and just do it. Sometimes I just guess,  almost close my eyes and pick a task at random, just so I can start moving.  Eventually things get done.

Maybe you can offer a good strategy for handling this?  Please.

doug

Bonus Tip O the Day:

If you open a bottle or jar, put the lid back on as soon as possible, preferably before trying to do anything else.

Bonus Tip O the Day # 2:

Do not set the bottle or jar down near the edge of a counter.

Note: these tips are from personal experience.

Bonus Links:

My Worst ADD ADHD Problem

Dr Marx ADD ADHD videos and posts

There’s still a little controversy.