Comments About ADD ADHD — ADD Tip O the Day 672

I keep worrying that you may not read the comments.  If you don’t, you’re missing a lot.  Here are some fine examples:

Homey– — I’ve been enjoying the pomodoro technique of time management. I only do something for 25 minutes and then I do something else. I know I’ll get to everything eventually but I can pick one thing for now and then do something else. Otherwise I’m the same as you – paralyzed and overwhelmed!!!

The pomodoro technique is great.  Uses a timer.  So I can do this task which I dread because I know it’s only for 25 minutes.  And I remind myself that I survived the army for two years, so 25 minutes of hell is nothing.  doug

Betsy – Here is my new way to handle tax preparation. I am behind by more than one year. I can not get it sorted. I have all the information I need but I cannot get it to the accountant in any form. I asked her to please send me, by email, a list of three things she needs as she assembles the information. When she sends me the list of three, I send her what she needs. Then, she sends me a new list.

Sometimes the list is easy, like looking up numbers; sometimes it is hard, like figuring out my office P and L for a calendar year. Or scanning a 1099 into my computer and emailing it to her.

But three are do-able. She just waits until she has the three things. No reminders, no admonitions, her mailbox is open to me and when I get the three things ready, I send them.

There is no way in the world that eventually the tax returns will not get done. And I will continue to do them this way forever and not be behind.

This is a brilliant application of the strategy, break it into small steps.  So you don’t need to think, “I have to do my taxes.” You just think “I need to add up the office checks.”  doug

Scott -I have lists of what needs to be done, projects I would like to do if I have extra time, a work list, a “today” list, and even a “project security list” where I put all of the projects so I don’t have to look at them on my normal list until I choose to put them there, when I am ready to start doing them.

It seems complicated, but it is working more and more. I used to just spin and wonder why even though I thought I was busy I wasn’t getting the right things done. I’m finding shorter lists work better for me, so sometimes just choosing a couple of things off the bigger list and writing them down on a short list really helps. That is basically from Doug’s book.

This is like my long to-do list, my short to-do list, and my list of five.  But Scott’s brilliant approach is putting the projects on a separate list, so you don’t have to be see them when you look at your other lists.  Then when you decide to tackle one of the projects, remember to break it into small steps. doug

Thank you to all you contributors.  I love the comments.

doug            

Bonus Link O the Day:

Homey – By the way, I started a new blog called www.pattygardner.com/. I’ll be posting whenever I want and about whatever I want – mainly stuff that happens in my crazy life – definitely ADHD related things.

I hope you had a blessed and healthy Thanksgiving.  More coming on “healthy.”  Watch for it.  doug

@adhdstrategies @dougmkpdp #add #adhd

Happens to me all the ti