Every day at Sorted Out brings a new adventure and hurdle to overcome, which is one of the reasons why we love our job – no day is ever the same! Nowadays we see more and more clients with a unique set needs, amongst the most common are our clients with ADHD. Organization can seem daunting to anyone, but especially to our clients with ADHD. Although we are not doctors or therapists, we know how to deal with these special needs because of our experience and certificates with ICD, The Institute for Challenging Disorganization. Over the years we’ve helped these clients achieve a much easier, happier way of life by utilizing some of our tips and techniques for ADD/ADHD organization below.
Planners
Surely you’ve heard the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.” While many can relate, those with ADHD struggle with this much more. Creating spaces where you can write down and keep track of ideas, goals, schedules etc. has proven to be of great benefit, but in our experience we’ve found personalized planners to be one of the best tools for conquering ADHD organization.
Plum Paper is one of our favorite planner designers. There you can customize your planner by which month it begins and ends on, by theme, by the number of pages in your planner, and the visual layout (we know that visualization is a big part of managing ADHD – more on this here). You can separate the planner into sections to include work, home, school, etc. which is helpful for those of us who are always misplacing things when there’s too much to juggle. Plus, you can customize the cover, and we all like visually pleasing things, don’t we? I could go on and on about Plum Paper’s customized planner options, so feel free to check out their website for more.
The reason designing a personal planner is so important for ADD/ADHD clients is because it allows you to create a layout that fits your own unique needs. Keeping a planner provides the opportunity to write everything down, which minimizes forgetfulness or the feeling of being. Having a physical copy also helps with the visualization mentioned before, as well as tackles the tactile needs so many with ADHD have. Everyone is different – ADHD or not – so why should our planners look and function in the same way? (Hint: they shouldn’t!)
Digital Planning Apps
Surely you’ve heard the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.” While many can relate, those with ADHD struggle with this much more. Creating spaces where you can write down and keep track of ideas, goals, schedules etc. has proven to be of great benefit, but in our experience we’ve found personalized planners to be one of the best tools for conquering ADHD organization.
Some ADHD clients don’t have as serious of needs for physical paper planners, in which case apps can be helpful. Regardless, your planner (whether digital or physical) should be utilized and with you at all times in order to be beneficial.
Some of our favorite planning apps for ADHD clients are:
This is the best, all-encompassing app for anyone who needs to organize and save schedules, to-do lists, links, etc. With Evernote you can set task reminders, schedule alerts, take photos of notes, write things down, and also save websites, videos, etc. You can easily find these items later on by categorizing them into folders or using the search function, which is great because now you’re able to keep everything in one place.
This app is especially great for group projects or team management. You can assign tasks to others, keep tabs on what has been completed, and see what’s coming up, which helps everyone stay on top of deadlines.
Similar to setting reminders on your native phone calendar, Todoist helps keep your tasks in order by allowing you to set reminders and recurring reminders. This is helpful for every type of task from taking your daily medicine to delivering your final presentation. It’s very quick to use, which helps you dedicate more time to accomplishing the actual task instead of creating it.
Almost like a one-step-deeper version of Todoist, Wunderlist allows you to add tasks, set reminders, but what we love is that it allows you to set subtasks. Many times our to-do lists require multiple steps to achieving the goal, and Wunderlist accommodates that need. It’s also visually similar to an email inbox, so the learning curve is minimal – great for our ADHD clients!
Time Management & Goal Setting
Time management and goal setting are two of the most crucial things one can do for productivity, but also the most challenging for our ADHD clients. We’ve found that when you don’t have a plan, overcommit yourself, don’t get enough rest, or have poor time management skills, it contributes to the overwhelming feeling of disorganization (whether you have ADHD or not). So when we sign on with a new client we coach them through setting practical, achievable goals and time management training, giving them the tools needed to be successful with future goal planning on their own.
What are the specific tips and tricks we give our clients? Well, we have plenty and we tailor each one to our client’s specific needs. But overall, we really hone in on making sure goals are organized in a timely and realistic manner by creating a step-by-step guide to goal setting. We don’t stop there, though; we also offer step-by-step support. We aren’t going to plan it out for you and send you on your way. No – we are here to encourage you and make adjustments as needed until you’re so confident with these steps that they become second-nature. Time management and goal setting go hand-in-hand, so when we tackle them together, our clients really feel like they’re getting stuff done!
As you can see, Sorted Out is so much more than a one-stop organization service. We’re prepped, certified, and ready to help any client achieve the perfect organization solution that suits their needs. Reach out to us any time if you have questions or are interested in a consultation at info@sortedout.com!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Tonia
