Organization can be tough to tackle; it can seem overwhelming and at times, too intimidating to even begin. Having many years of professional organizing experience, we’ve learned that this is especially prominent in clients with ADHD. Today we’re going to discuss tips on office organization with a special focus on ADHD to help you overcome those daunting tasks!
Reduce Clutter
First, reduce clutter. A cluttered space = a cluttered mind, so let’s fix both! Start by removing everything from your drawers, file cabinets, etc. and create toss/keep piles. It’s much easier to create an organized space if you have a clean slate. Use labels when placing items back into folders or drawers so everything has its own place (and to avoid forgetting where items are down the road). Check out this article for more work-related organization tips.
Color Coding System
Meet your new best friend: color-coding. Colored tabs can be used to label items/sections, serve as reminders and also help with prioritizing. Try a red-yellow-green system (or ombre, if you’re into aesthetics) for priorities, and another set for reminders. For example, red tabs are your urgent “to-dos” and blue will symbolize tasks that you have more time to work on. Try utilizing these in your calendars, on your whiteboards, and in your filing system. We suggest keeping a legend of these colors somewhere handy (top drawer of your desk, sticky note on your computer, or a note in your phone are all good options) to ensure you don’t forget what they stand for; if you can’t remember what each color means then the whole system becomes pointless.
Prioritize
One of the best things you can do for peace-of-mind and organization is to prioritize your tasks. Sure, everything has to be done at some point, but be realistic with yourself. What items need to be done ASAP, and which ones can wait? Daily and weekly priority lists are incredibly beneficial for clients, especially those with ADHD. Be consistent with updating it and adjust as needed. If you’re someone who is a master of procrastination, create artificial deadlines for yourself so that you’re completing tasks a few days ahead of schedule, ensuring success but also building in flex time should you need it.
ONE Calendar
Finally, set a schedule. When it comes to calendars, it’s important to stick to ONE. It’s very common for folks to have a hand-written calendar at work but use their phone for personal items, or vice versa. Our ADHD clients have had the most success when using one single calendar, so determine what works best for you and stick to it. Having it prominently displayed somewhere is crucial so you can review what’s coming up the next day before you call it a night.
Get Help. Hire a Professional!
If organization makes your head hurt or has you feeling overwhelmed, hire a professional to help you!
Here at Sorted Out we specialize in this field – we hold certificates through the Institute for Challenging Disorganization in Chronic Disorganization and ADHD, so we really do know how to help. You can reach us any time at info@sortedout.com. For more tips relating to ADHD organization, check out this blog post.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Tonia
