Technologically Challenged with ADD ADHD
I’m technologically challenged. That’s just part of my ADD ADHD. But I’m finding some apps very helpful. Of course, the iPhone is both a gift and a challenge. It pretty well solves the problem of impatience and boredom while waiting, but it can be frustrating at times.
My favorite apps:
iPhone alarm clock – can be set to ring one time, or every day at a certain time (to remind me to take my Daytrana patch off).
Brainscape– love it! Can download quizzes on many different topics. Right now I’m focusing on Spanish irregular verbs past tense. Can scale it back to only ask five questions at a time, limit of my attention span.
Note – That’s the name of it. Thanks to my wonderful cousin Martha-lets me dictate a note and then it retains it on the phone in text.
Dragon Speak – You dictate into the mike and it prints the text on your computer document. I use the free version. Takes a while to set up and learn your vocabulary and can be frustrating at times, but much easier than typing when I have a lot to input. I used it for this.
I also like the calculator, weather, camera, Google, Guitar Chords, Fretboard and Guitar NAV (to learn the guitar fretboard), Epocrates, 3-D Brain, Star Walk, and Virtuoso Piano.
Unfortunately, I also like the poker and chess games, but so far I’ve been able to keep control of them.
doug
Just one of the many ADHD problems with cell phones.
Quote O the Day:
— that moment when you look in the mirror and say,”Oh, no, that can’t be right!”
Links to technology:
Better Sleeping Through Technology – also from Jerry
@addstrategies #adhd #add @dougmkpdp
ADDadultstrategies 
I’m still learning from you, as I’m trying to reach my goals. I absolutely liked reading all that is posted on your site.Keep the information coming. I loved it!
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hold – tech savvy. wow!
i would love for you to share.
if you want me to see about using it as a post, send to me at mkpdp@live.com please
otherwise, please put it here in a comment.
thanks
doug
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Hey doug,
I apologize. In classic ADHD fashion I’m a week late in seeing this and being able to respond.
The apps I use that help me cope day-to-day with my ADHD:
Google Keep (free)
I love this app. It’s very similar to your Note app on your iPhone, except it can also sync with https://keep.google.com/. This is very, very powerful because typing a bunch of notes on my phone isn’t always my preferred way of remembering things. Keep is basically a note taking application developed by Google that features color coded notes, labeling said notes, creating lists, inserting images, reminders, voice recording notes to yourself, the list goes on. Sounds pretty complicated! But it’s not, once you play around with it it’s one of the easiest tools ever. There are many decent youtube videos explaining what it is and does, but here is a very short one (48 seconds) that caters to our ADHD brains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbvkHEDvw-o
How do I use it, specifically? Primarily, like this: http://imgur.com/iH7S8dE
As inspiration I used Doug’s great notecard system that allows him to prioritize his to-do lists–the red card of 5, the orange card, and the yellow card.
Those cards are always at the top and are always easily accessible. I can add and edit on-the-go on my phone or computer. Yes, any computer, it doesn’t have to be on my personal laptop. Cool, right? Even cooler is that every little thing I want to remember, I can add it to a different notecard in Keep and can always search for it as long as I remember a keyword from it.
Daily inspirational quotes that motivate me? Check. Grocery list? Check. Early start for Christmas present ideas? Check.
It’s all with me all of the time, everywhere I go. I love Google Keep.
Google Calendar (free)
Any calendar app will do, but I particularly like Google Calendar because it syncs so seamlessly with https://www.google.com/calendar. This is very powerful. Trying to get organized with the weeks or months ahead is much easier on a desktop with a keyboard than on a phone on-the-go. Plan and type in your engagements in the simple-to-use interface and it magically syncs with the app on your phone, iPad, etc. You can edit or add to this with any computer or device, anywhere at any time with your Google login credentials.
Pocket
This application is very unique to me because when I discovered it, it solved a problem of mine I never even realized I had. Have you ever found an article online somewhere that you’re interested in reading but don’t have the time at that moment in time? Most people would just email it to themselves so they would remember to read it later.
After sending myself dozens of these emails daily, I soon started to realize that this is actually a terrible system from an organizational standpoint. I routinely lost track of what was what and what was where. But I kept doing because I wanted to read ALL OF THE THINGS!
This is where Pocket comes in. See an article on the internet you like and want to read later? Maybe it’s a long one, or maybe you know once you start reading it you’ll get off task and use it as another way to procrastinate. Save it to Pocket! It saves all of the websites/articles for you and makes it easy to view them later (while removing ads!)
Scanbot
I just recently discovered this app, and one day it may very well become my most important tool in combating ADHD. You know that fine line between being a hoarder and being a responsible adult who keeps track of important documents? Nobody told me about that line, so my whole life I’ve hoarded useless pieces of paper while losing important documents all of the time. I’ve read suggestions to scan everything, but come on! Who’s really going to do that? Scanbot is amazing, because you just snap a picture of the document with the app and it auto-uploads it as a pdf in Google Drive (or whatever cloud service you prefer) to be found later. The magic this is app, however is its use of OCR. What that means for you: every document you scan will become searchable. Search for “Honda” and every document you uploaded from the dealership (oil changes, repairs, etc.) or the DMV will be found if it had the word “Honda” somewhere in there. Cool, right?
Headspace
There is a lot of emerging research on mindfulness and meditation, particularly concerning its effects on individuals with ADHD. I’ve tried to meditate before. It was impossibly hard. I didn’t know what to do, how do you just not think?
Headspace is a guided meditation app that is supposed to essentially guide you throughout the process. I’ve found it helpful, and it appears to calm me down a bit after using it for ten minutes.
Honestly haven’t used this much, but I think it’s important enough to include.
Tangibly related to keeping me organized with ADHD:
Feedly (free)
I’m interested in many different topics, and as a result like to regularly visit hundreds of websites to stay current on them. This app helps me keep the topics organized. Works really well with Pocket.
Google Photos (free)
Keeps all of my pictures backed up for free. I have it set up so that every picture I take with my phone gets immediately backed up onto Google’s cloud. Unlimited backups, for free!
Pocket Casts ($4)
I’ve always known about podcasts but just recently discovered how cool they are. I can learn fun facts about very random subjects while driving? Improve my vocabulary while laughing? Listen to interesting stories about real people? Pocket Casts does a great job of helping me discover new podcasts while keeping the ones I’m interested in well organized.
Google Maps (free)
I never know where I’m going as I’m very geologically challenged. Not sure if related to ADHD or not.
Paprika ($5)
I recently got interested in cooking. There are so, so many recipes out there that I had no way or keeping them organized until I discovered this app. It’s fantastic and worth every dime.
That’s it for now, will add to this list later if I think of anything new that may be meaningful.
Oh, one more thing. I’ve proven myself not to be trusted so I’ve only got one real rule: no games on the phone. Games are for the iPad. At home. Not for when I get bored at the red light.
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hold – this is great, lots of apps, will need to check. Thank you for your contribution.
Doug
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hey doug, loved this post as I’m a little “tech savvy” myself and like seeing other people use modern technology as a tool to empower their lives. particularly when dealing with adhd.
these cellphones can do a lot of damage to us and our attention spans. but then again, given our need for constant stimulation, if a phone won’t do it something else will right?
i use a ton of apps as part of my strategy in dealing with my struggles in organization and “life”
if there’s any interest, i would love to share my system/process/strategies
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