Little ADD Tricks

Sometimes, all it takes is a little tweak to make your life with ADD more successful and easier to manage. Unfortunately, we ADDers often spend all of our time looking for those big life adjustments. While it is true that having ADHD can require big lifestyle changes, the little day-to-day things that get lost are actually the ones that can have the greatest immediate impact on our lives.

Small ADHD Tricks and Adjustments

As you go through your day, think about little things you could do to help you remember, focus, and manage your daily life just a little better. Today’s tip from yours truly is on the tip of my brain because I’m heading to the grocery store.

Of course, no ADDer gets through the grocery store without some distraction. I find a list to be very helpful. I actually have two lists. One list contains the ingredients that I need for the meals I’ve planned out. The other list contains all of those little lifestyle things that you end up needing, things like batteries, shampoo, coffee filters, and so on. The second list, I keep on a whiteboard in the kitchen where I can write those things down right away so I don’t forget them between when I think of it, and when I end up with a piece of paper. I just take a picture of the list on the whiteboard when I head out. That way, whether I end up at Target or Safeway, or whatever, I can be sure to remember the toilet paper.

Today’s ADD trick is about coupons. I have one of those educational coupon books you buy from your kids as a fundraiser at school. Some of the most valuable coupons in the book are for $5 off of groceries. Each one is good for a certain two month time period. The problem is that I always forget to use them. First, I leave them at home. Then, when I finally put them in my wallet, I forget to give it to the cashier. After a while, I forget it is even in my wallet at all, and I find it months later after it is already expired.

ADD Tip for Coupons

Fortunately, a little ADHD tip occurred to me not too long ago. I always use the same credit card to pay for my groceries. This is both habit and it helps with money management. Now, when I remember the coupon and head to the store, I fold it around the card I use to pay. That way, I CAN’T forget it. It is in the way when I go to pay.

The result?

I actually use the $5 off coupon every two months and end up saving $30 over the course of the year, more than offsetting the $10 I paid for the coupon book. Everything else in there ends up just being money saving gravy!

What little tips do you use in your daily life?