“The one thing we ADHDers never have enough of is time. So one thing we should never be doing is…wasting it!” -Crusher
A while back I posted a blog with some less-than-typical ADHD time management hacks. I talked about the time-saving benefits of popping protein, reeling in rumination and rewiring waiting time.
I’ve got tons of these in my Arsenal of Crush, and this Part 2 post will share a few more of them. What they all have in common is that they’re easy to implement and, if made into a habit, can save you gads and gads of time every day. Here ya go…
Obey Your Strong and Weak Times
You gotta know your mental strong and weak times. We all have ‘em – some of us are total bad-asses in the morning, then overcooked spaghetti in the afternoon (that would be me). Some are zombies in the morning and vampires-on-steroids at night. The trick is to identify your up- and down-times, and try to focus on easy-vs-brutal tasks accordingly, e.g….
- If your best mental firepower is in the morning, focus on the tough stuff then, and don’t squander that power on easy stuff, or especially on BS – like repeatedly checking your social media feeds or “cleaning up” your photo album.
- Likewise, don’t try to engage tough tasks in your weak times – you’ll just feed the perception that you can’t do the tough stuff!
This one’s nicely explained via video – here’s a Crusher snippet on YouTube with this simple ADHD time management tip.
Stop the Screensucking
This one’s very, very simple. The phrase, “screensucking”, was coined by Dr. Ned Hallowell to refer to the amount of time we all waste in front of electronic screens. I’ve blogged on this topic specifically because it is such a massive time-wasting conspirator, especially for us easily screen-addicted ADHDers.
Needless to say, it’s not just about watching too much TV. It’s about spending inordinate amounts of time with all our gadgets – laptops, tablets, phones, video games. These are some of the most abused “drugs” in ADHD Land. Beware them all! And if you can find just half an hour of needless screenscucking in your average day – and then cut it the hell out – you give yourself the gift of over three hours a week in badly needed breathing room.
Put Things In Motion First
If you have to do two things today – let’s say, write a speech and do laundry, which do you start first? Or how about this one: two of your to-do’s in the next hour are to finish writing a key memo and to brief a subordinate on a time-sensitive task – both being due by end of day. Which to start first?
The laundry and the subordinate briefing, of course.
Why? Well, if you haven’t yet figured out what they have in common, it’s that both the laundry and the briefing are things than can be “put into motion”. Meaning that you can get them going and let them “do their thing” while you then embark on your speech or memo.
Chances are, if you had written the key memo first, you’d have found yourself scrambling toward end of day begging the subordinate to, “Please, can you get this done in the next hour?!” Not good management of people…nor of your own time.
If you really want to put some of this advice into action, I suggest you pick ONE and zero in on it. Identify the one that made you nod your head the most, or that had you mumble, “Boop. That’s so me!” That’s the one you’ll have the best chance of turning into a habit that actually makes a difference in the days and weeks and years to come!
Yours in Happy Habit-Formation,
-Alan
Alan P. Brown, an internationally recognized Productivity Coach, TEDx Speaker and #1 Best Selling Author of Zen and the Art of Productivity: 27 Easy Ways to Have More Time, Earn More Money and Live Happier is the host of Crusher™TV, where he and his Guest Experts share simple ways to get more done in less time with less stress. Follow Alan on Twitter and on Facebook.
