Anyone that has been diagnosed with ADD-ADHD has tried numerous organizational strategies already. Many of those ideas are based around the ability to schedule and keep appointments. Often, these organization tips come from sources unrelated to ADD and, thus, unfortunately, often end up ultimately failing to provide any better organization for ADHD individuals. However, that doesn’t mean that all organizing methods are doomed to fail for people with ADD.
Examples of ADHD-ADD Organizational Issues and Strategies
Consider a guy named Jeff. Jeff has ADD. Jeff was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and initially found great relief in finally having a name for the chronic problems he always seemed to be dealing with. As most newly diagnosed people with ADD do, Jeff went through several phases of ADHD once he had been diagnosed. First, he was relieved. Then, he wondered what he could do. Next, he went into research mode. Finally, he moved on to acceptance. (Hopefully, he did not continue onto reluctance, self-pity, or hopelessness.)
Somewhere in the what-to-do phase and research phase, Jeff turned, as many ADDers do at one time or another, to electronic time management gadgets. Electronic organizers, or Personal Information Mangers, also known as PIM, like Palm Pilots or Blackberrys have long seemed like the perfect solution to difficulties with organization and planning, for both adults with ADD and for people without ADHD alike. Since Jeff works in an office environment, he also turned to task manager and planning software installed on his computer, such as Microsoft Outlook.
While, everyone with ADHD responds differently to specific organizational tactics and strategies, there is a frequent hiccup for people with ADD trying to use electronic solutions to organization and planning. That issue is that successfully using organizational software for ADHD or using a PDA to help with ADD involves several different steps, each of which must be completed successfully for improving organizational skills. Students with ADD and adults with ADD typically have difficulty initiating or completing one of these critical time management steps.
Using Blackberry, Palm Pilots, iPhones, and Computer Software to Help With ADHD-ADD
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to see where the step-by-step organization or steps of time management break down. That leads to frustration. All to often, that frustration ends up causing the entire process to be considered unsuccessful, when in fact, there may be just a single step that needs more focused attention to make the entire process more efficient.
Let’s say that our ADHD worker, Jeff, gets a Blackberry through his company. Most ADDers love trying out new things and Jeff is no exception. Jeff is also a technology buff and good with things like electronics and computers, so he is particularly excited about his new PDA phone. He spends hours setting up his Blackberry and connecting it to the company network and email systems. Ironically, he ends up neglecting other more important, but less interesting tasks. Jeff tells himself that it is all fine, because once he has the Blackberry setup, he will be so much more efficient, that it will be worth any delay caused in getting to important items on his to-do list.
For a few days after Jeff gets his Blackberry programmed with everything he needs to overcome ADHD traits or ADD issues that have plagued him in the past, the Blackberry does as promised. He is more organized, using his time better, and planning and scheduling better. Events are on his calendar and he can see at a glance what he needs to do each day. In short, Jeff feels like he has made a huge stride forward.
Unfortunately, Jeff, like many ADHD-ADD students and adults, has been here before. Often when something is new and novel, the ADD mind pays great attention to it, sometimes too much attention. However, as the newness wears off and the novelty of the new organization tips goes away, something happens. Jeff reverts to old patterns and the Blackberry, new ADD planner, computer software, notebook, note cards, journal, or whatever else is being tried out, fades into the background noise like so many items before it. Soon, Jeff’s Blackberry isn’t helping at all and he decides that the Blackberry is not helping his ADD-ADHD traits. He returns to his old methods, or he seeks out a new "better" way to help manage his time.
Steps For Time Management, Organization, and Planning Success With ADD-ADHD or Not
In order for a time management system, scheduling gadget, or calendar utility to actually help keep Jeff on track for more than a short period of time, he needs to break down the individual steps that go into using the device or program. Then, he can concentrate on which one of the steps is breaking down. Only, then, can he figure out what the real issue is and work on fixing it.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Using ADHD Planners or ADHD Software for Time Management (coming Wednesday…)
Otherwise, Jeff will be back in his bosses office, office supply store, or department store, in six months looking to buy something to help with ADD-ADHD again. And, chances are, if he buys something new, he will use if for a week and it will stop being helpful.
(I’m going to have to re-write this article to sound like the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. That would be fun. – I’m so proud of myself for not doing it right now instead of moving on to the next critical items on my task list!)
shame there is never a software to download and try in sight…
Kudos to you for putting up with us. 😉
Previous comments are kind of odd to me…I have severe ADHD and I can get completely lost in an article like this. It was fun and informative and the storygiven as an example helps me picture what you mean and committ what I’m reading to memory, rather than just breezing through it and not remembering any of it–which is what I generally do with simple “straightforward” information.
It’s not good to generalize all people with ADHD, especially considering there are multiple types.
Anyway…everything you described here was painfully familiar. I have a sorely neglected planner i bought just a bit ago that I was so very excited about when I first got it. I haven’t written in it in months now.
I’m just about to get an iphone and was excited to use its planner…but I realize I am risking the same outcome. You said that you would have more in-detail tips for us for this process, but you seem to have never gotten aroudn to writing them!
Just a reminder. 😉 Hopefully you’ll do that at some point…I would be very happy to read them.
It’s never totally accurate to generalize any group of people. As humans we are all unique. However, there are also many things that make us alike, especially within subgroups. There will be those who have ADD and don’t experience one or more of the things I write about, but there will be many more who do. I hope that everyone is smart enough to take what applies to them and ignore that which doesn’t (after thinking about it first, because it is often hardest to see what is going on with ourselves, so be really sure before dismissing any ideas).
You are right that I haven’t gotten around to it, YET. I am working on developing both my own ADD planner as well as a methodology for using it, or another planner. Hopefully, I’ll have it ready soon.
I find these articles tedious also. I keep looking for the point and concrete recommendations in a succinct format. But the effort is appreciated.
Being ADD myself, I find the articles on this site or any other to be tedeous to read, ADD need straight to the point access to all INFO needed to function. Show me and I’ll do it, that’s what it is all about. But it’s really hard to find that kind of info on the net. Thanks for you great effort though, it was interesting to read from a non ADD point of you 🙂
It appears that you’ve put a solid amount of effort into your article and I need to see a lot more of these on the Internet these days. I really got a quetch out of your post. I do not have a bunch to to say in reply, I only wanted to register to say grand work.