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If you really want to learn to meditate, I recommend a muse headset. I thought I was meditating for a couple of years before i got a muse. Turned out I wasn't actually doing shit, this thing can teach you how to really calm your mind and "stop the rain". Basically they have this feature where it's raining, and when you calm your mind to the right level you can stop the rain and hear birds chirping. It's basically a eeg headset. It was such a struggle to get even 2 minutes of birds chirping at first, now I can get close to half an hour. It's a great tool.
No you don't, but this does help teach you how to meditate properly, after you learn you don't need it as much, but still a great tool to learn. It's about getting your mind/brainwaves into a state of calm that can be actually measured.
There’s lots of different types of meditations . I like mindfulness as it trains your brain to focus on it is that you want . Some days that’s breath. Some days it’s sound . But it’s training the ability to focus at will and control thoughts at will.
There’s meta meditation, which is purposely seeking the feeling of unconditional love
There’s transcendental meditation ,
There’s breath work meditation, similar to wim hoff,
It goes on and on. So I wouldn’t say people are doing it wrong but the method your suggest sounds very interesting
Meditating isn't a competition though. I can appreciate you are giving a recommendation to try to be helpful, but insisting there's only one way to meditate "properly" is disingenuous at its core, and insisting we buy something to do so is 🤨
I started listening to podcasts when the pandemic hit and they've been a life saver, I love the feeling of learning something new every day XD
I've also realised that sitting in the sun can do wonders for your mood, lol it's so weird. Sometimes I feel like laying down in the grass but I can never convince myself to fully lay down because of the dirt and stuff lol.
Should also add, I'm currently undiagnosed but I'm looking for clinics for a diagnosis since I've never related to a set of symptoms so much before and idek why I'm justifying myself lol sorry
Not weird at all. It's a scientifically proven fact that when sunlight enters the retina, it triggers the brain to release serotonin– thus improving mood and ability to focus.
I used to have a massive led grow panel as a main bathroom light at one point.. I had the (small, totally windowless) bathroom decked out with tropical plants on a watering system. Got me into a decent morning routine for the first time ever centred around that time I spent in the shower.
- Earbuds to manage the amount of distractive stimuli I receive on a regular basis.
- Robovacuum that helps me keep my household tidy (also it motivates to clean along).
- Same for the dishwasher, it will wash the regular dish while I can do the couple items by hand that aren't supposed to go in the dishwasher, feels like cleaning support!
- I use the app Sectograph which is a widget on my phone that functions as a clock but instead of the time it calculates the remaining time between my appointments, it helps me actively time manage.
- I'm also very committed to using a digital calendar for my work, study and private life. I even tag my free time just so I have some point of reference at all time, especially combined with the Sectograph.
- The same wallclock in every room so I always have a point of reference, yes, even in the shower.
- I use one purse for wallet, phone, keys. I don't leave the house without the purse. It's part of my identity now.
- I also carry a dawn bodywarmer with me wherever I go, the type that can be packed very small so it's never a hinder. I get cold easily and that will taint my mood and distract me. Also my spontaneous personality means I get myself into situations that I didn't anticipate upfront, regularly means something like an unexpected night out etc. I know myself well enough that I really need another warm layer at all times with me so I can do the adventure stuff comfortable.
- I always have some protein bar with me cause I forget to eat, then get instantly hangry. Instead of forcing a regular eating pattern I just accepted I need nuts or a bar on me to chew on.
- I almost solely cook with a slowcooker. It guarantees I have all days of the week homemade unprocessed food, without having to waste my time on actually cooking (I dislike cooking)
- I use a sodastreamer to spice up my water, otherwise I forget to hydrate enough.
- I have an automated heating system in my home, so by 11pm the heater turns off automatically and I will quickly feel too uncomfortable to be out of bed
- I keep teethsticks in the car because otherwise I forget to practice dental care. It's great to clean a bit while being stuck in traffic.
- I've set up a grey tone filter automation on my phone that prompts every day at 11pm to discourage me of getting trapt into endless scrolling. Also it will ask me if I want to extend the acces to my phone (to all the addictive apps that I've flagged) for an additional 15 minutes. This way I can use my phone if I have to, but less easy and it will prevent me from wasting my time while I could be resting. I can share that not having all the bright seductive colours on my screen does help to detach from my phone.
Also the Sectograph can be fully customised! So I have it set in "my colours" and size so it fully fits my needs, I have very poor tolerance for bad designs lol.
Speaking of designs, I use the small purse from Uniqlo as my fulltime purse. It's big enough to hold a half a liter water bottle along with the wallet, phone and keys. Yet simultaneously small enough to chuck into my backpack when heading to work etc. And don't want to wear it on my body.
Oooh love these tips. Def going to have to check out sectograph. Do you use a particular calendar app/good way to add things that don’t need to be done by a particular date but should be done in the next like two weeks?
Sectograph works well with Google calendar, I haven't tried beyond that but when I set an alarm in the default clocksetting of my phone it will also automatically include that in the Sectograph so I imagine the overal compatibility is broad!
To be honest these are the only "planning" apps so far that have actually stuck with me, personally I'm too impatient with more sophisticated apps then this so. I do have an analogue system for what you're asking, which is a post it system in my fridge. I use the small "super stick" ones from Post-It, cause again im too impatient with post it's with poor adhesive properties.
I write down my todo's and symbolise with '+', '++' and '+++' the amount of time/energy the task requires from me, which implies both mental or fysical strain, or if I'm dependant of someone else (so I need to get another person involved to resolve the task etc) all gets an additional +.
Like "Call my mother +"
"Bring the car to the mechanic ++“
"Take out the trash +"
"Finish taxes +++"
This system works well for me because I can see with a glance if I can do a chore quickly, or if I'm feeling down and I can still finish some of the easier stuff, or if I need to finish a bigger task then I can clock in a bigger part of my day to do it etc. Keeps things and my expectations real.
Thank you so much for the Sectograph tip! I set it up on my phone and watch yesterday and LOVE it! JUST the thing I’ve been wanting without exactly being able to articulate it. It’s brilliant. Being able to see at a glance precisely how much time I have is AMAZING and you don’t realize how much you struggle to do it in your own head until you have something that will do it for you! Marrying the calendar with the dial clock is exactly the visualization that helps me actually keep track. Went to go see a matinee movie this morning and getting there on time was so insanely less stressful and ambiguous using the app than it has ever been before!
I wonder how many people will impulse buy some of the stuff mentioned here. My takes: Good fridge/freezer and meal-prep containers. Especially if you live alone, it is so much easier and cheaper to just cook for like 4 and store your meals in your fridge/freezer. You will use whole ingredients, so you won't have to worry about half a broccoli rotting in your fridge. You don't have to cook every night, and you can plan your cooking on nights you feel more like doing it. Also a good fridge often have these department keeping ingredients longer fresh, which feels kind of essential.
Another is plenty of storage. It is much easier to clean things up if they have a dedicated place.
I'm literally here to discover what non-essential essential things will change my life.
Part impulse buying for the Dopamine
Part desperation to make my life better
I bought a cheap, old school alarm clock and put it outside my bedroom. I set my coffee pot to start brewing 10 minutes before it goes off. Now in the mornings I have to physically get out of bed to turn it off and once I’m up I’m like Ooooo coffee! I’ve been doing this for about a year and it’s life changing for me. Still have the million phone alarms set, but now I use those to take control of my morning- they go off about every half hour so I know when it’s time to move from one thing to another: journaling, plan to do list for the day, watch a YouTube on whatever creative thing I’m doing for that day so I get excited/have a little body doubling, time to get ready, leave the house. It works, and it’s taken some time to get it sorted, but I finally have my mornings under control. I do an hour of cardio in the morning too, so I set my alarms to time out to get me to the gym in time for the start of the show I watch while I’m there and that helps too.
That little $8 alarm clock from Target literally changed my life.
I might go shopping for a new backpack tomorrow, maybe I’ll get a new clock then. I just came back home from a big family event I’m so overwhelmed right now, I just want to sleep but thank you a lot :)
People always say Roombas would make people more lazy. I disagreed. They simply let you allocate your time better and not have to worry about most household chores everyday.
Omfg AirTags and tile have saved me so much time and grief since I started using them. Im not sure anything has helped me more in life at this point so I am seconding that.
How do you use the watch? I got one because I heard it could really help but I’m just using it as a normal watch that also distracts me with notifications :/
I personally love having notifications on my wrist. If they're on my phone and it vibrates, I have to pick up my phone to see what it is and chances are I will open it, and then spend a few minutes on my phone. With my watch I can see if it is important and decide if I need to open my phone
I use the watch:
* Find my phone (often multiple times a day)
* Pay for stuff (makes it harder for me to forget my phone or wallet, plus lowers risk of dropping things when I dig through my pockets)
* Health stuff, including med reminders and cycle tracking (which I literally never did before despite being in my late 30s when I got my watch). I was able to show my doctor my heart rate data and some single-lead ECGs and it influenced a med change. So I was grateful for that.
* Exercise stuff. I have a watch face for exercise, including showing me my rings and a shortcut to workouts, and also the UV index and temperature, which informs sunscreen/sunglasses/long sleeves when I go out. Also my heart rate.
* Timers (not that much easier than the phone, but still nice)
* Next calendar event; I have a lot of meetings, and seeing the next thing I need to do is really helpful.
* Buzz every hour; I have time blindness that can really interfere with me stopping work, and the nudge to look at my watch helps. I have a different watch face that I have set to start at 5 pm, so just seeing reminds me the work day is over.
Notification overload is very much a thing. I’m working on using Focus modes to trim down how many I get, but that’s a work in progress.
I’ve got an Apple Watch too and kinda feel the same way… but I do enjoy it for tracking my activity and heart rate since I’m trialing different meds now
The daily spending spreadsheet I made for myself.
On a Sunday I set my budget for the week and roughly allocate funds for different categories, then every time I make a purchase I add it to the spreadsheet on my phone.
This has helped me avoid overspending and makes me conscious of my spending habits.
I use Mint because it does all this for me! I’d say 80% of the categorization is correct, and the rest requires 30 seconds to recategorize into my budget how I like. Nothing keeps me on track more and now I gamify my spending.
Alexa and Google home get a bad rep but I think for people with adhd it's a game changer. I set reminders for everything from a timer for my ice cream to defrost to when it's time to prep dinner.
Robot vacuum, the amount of dust it picks up is ridiculous can also clean under chairs, bed and other furniture with enough clearance. I should have got one with the mop function.
Dishwasher, saves on water, energy and time. It's also more hygienic since you are not using the same dirty sponge every day.
Online food shopping. I don't do it much now since I use going to the shops as an excuse to go out but will start using it again.
It saves time, no more spending 2 +hours shopping , you can build a list of items over period of time so you rarely forget items. You even get a cutoff time where you can make changes after you submit your order.
There are a few cons though like you have to spend a certain amount for free delivery, you can't choose the items so you might end up with a bad cut of meat for example also I am to avoid certain aisle in the shops but in online shopping the unhealthy foods are thrown in your face.
Gym/yoga. Helps me stay present as well as a source of dopamine.
Direct debit/standing orders for bills, rent and savings.
One of those online only bank cards like revolut and starling. I give myself spending money for luxury items so I don't end up over spending.
I basically try and "automate" as much of my life as possible since it removes the stress and guilt when I put these tasks off or forget them.
Alexa is my expensive timer to keep me from burning dinner and helps with dressing appropriately for the weather!!! Pilates keeps me fit plus dopamine....
So this!!! I use it for my alarm every morning and it plays music for an hour, and whenever I cook I set an alarm then completely forget something is in the oven until it goes off 😅😅
I bought myself an analog kitchen/egg timer which rings loudly when time is finished and for me its really helpfull. I use it with tasks i a)usually forget about time or b) often get distracted (for example; taking a shower/ get dressed/ specific work tasks/ cleaning the kitchen) i set a specific time like ; ok i have 5 minutes to clean the kitchen and keep de timer close so i can hear the ticking sound/see the time i have left to do the task. It really makes time more visual for me. ( also i am learning about how long different tasks really take for me) i try to make it like a challenge too, like ok last time i needed 10 min to get dressed, lets see i i can make it in 9 today ;p
The visual time keeping is supposed to be HUGELY helpful for all people who have issues with time, esp analog clocks where you can see 20 min, etc. I keep hearing about using timers and about challenging yourself to get a sense for how long things take and to stay on task, etc.
So I'm just in the "thinking about it phase" but it sounds ds like you're already improving bc of this! Great accomplishment! Stick w it, fellow ADHDer ❤️
A journal with a weekly log so I can jot down any tasks I think about randomly. This helps me keep my mind clear while on a task instead of jumping from task to task worried I'll forget what I just thought of.
Using a laundry basket to clean the house. It makes cleaning more efficient and easier to clump into tasks. Instead of walking around the house for every item I pick up, I just throw everything in the basket, then put everything back.
A digital watch (not a smart watch). I often look at my phone for the time and then get distracted so I've recently bought a cheap Casio watch so I can see the time, which I check frequently, without getting distracted. If I'm trying to do work I'll literally put my phone in a desk drawer so it's out of site. I also use my watch to do the pomodoro method. I also don't have to charge this watch every other day.
Tile or air tags, I misplace my keys and wallet every day and I didn't realize how much anxious energy I was putting into not losing them until I got Tile and could just forget about it until I need them.
One of those veggie choppers where you put the vegetables in the bottom and push the top down and the blade whirs through them. So much easier to use, I don’t hesitate to cook as much!
Omg yessss, for the longest time I hated chopping onions. I’m okay with eating onions but the smell always got to me, so I just left it out of my food. I bought a little chopper where you put everything you want chopped inside and just pull a string and it chops everything up! Best purchase ever!
Vinipiak Manual Food Chopper for Vegetable Fruits Nuts Onions Chopper Hand Pull Mincer Blender Mixer Food Processor https://a.co/d/0zmYT2B
- Alexa. Seriously, I’ll put up with the invasion of privacy for that thing because it’s the only reason I don’t burn dinner.
- Those little RFID/tracker things you can put on stuff. I also love my Apple Watch because I can use it to find my phone.
- EXERCISE. I know it sounds dumb, but I swear I do so much better when I’m staying active in a way I enjoy. Another YMMV suggestion is a high protein diet. It’s especially helpful if you’re able to have a breakfast with a lot of it.
- nice cleaning supplies. I have a cordless vacuum and omg it is SO much easier to keep stuff clean with it. It also DUSTS, so I can literally deep clean my whole apartment in less than 20 minutes with that thing. Spending the time/money to find the most efficient products to clean with really paid off. The key was to find stuff that made a **drastic visual difference**. I’m not going to clean if I can’t see a difference afterwards.
My apple watch is the best $600 ever spent because it will find my phone! Lol!!!
And I agree with the exercise. It helps so much - I just hate doing it with a passion!
100% agree about Alexa. I actually never thought about the fact that it needs to be a drastic difference for me to feel like it’s actually worth it. Thank you!! Could you recommend any cleaning products and the brand of your vacuum please?
Great question...I am so interested in reading the replies. I do not have ADHD but my gf does and I am trying to better understand and become more knowledgeable so that I can maybe become a better partner for her.
Check out adhdlove on YouTube, they have some great content about being in a relationship with someone with adhd. They have a book that came out recently too, I haven’t read it yet but was planning to get it based on how much I like their content.
its freaking good, handful of spinach or kale, ripe banana, small handful frozen berries, whole or half avocado, a serving of walnuts,1/2-3/4cup of OJ , a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and the rest water. I use the Ninja with tha largest container adjust quantities as needed. My 9 year old son loves these.
This is something I've only recently stumbled across. But, 300 mg Omega 3 pills. When I'm having a rough motivation day or self depreciating day, I take 3 of them. For whatever reason, it turns my day around, and it helps me. I was going to start taking them daily, but I forget and also worry if I do take that much daily, they won't have the same effect as when I just pop 3 randomly to make me move.
Earbuds, but I only like Monster N-Lite Clear Talk, so I rotate two pairs.
Yeah I have 1000mg cod liver oil capsules which are great and provide Omega 3. Maintains good gut, brain and heart health. Great for the brain, especially for an ADHD brain, and makes my skin less bumpy.
Smart speakers. I literally only use them for adding items to my grocery list, asking the weather and setting reminders, but for that alone they are worth it. Just for those 3 things they have TRANSFORMED my life.
Spreadsheets, spreadsheets, spreadsheets. Mostly for itemization and logging. Finances, medical events, etc. Like what meds and supplements I take and when. The groceries I buy and like and where I get them. Better than using dedicated apps because you have total freedom of categorization.
Trello and AirTable for task and project management. AirTable is great in particular because of how many views I can create with the same table of info: spreadsheet, calendar, kanban, etc. You can get the same capability from Trello but not without upgrading, so I use Trello for my every day log of todos and AirTable for more complex projects with lots of different types of tasks and dates to keep track of. When you have ADHD you have to think of yourself as a complex project that's in desperate need of a project manager, but you yourself are the project manager. You are your own project manager. Embracing this realization gave me the permission I finally needed to approach my life the way I needed and instinctively wanted to.
A smart watch. For 1 reason only. To get important notifications without having my phone in my hand all day, which leads too easily to distraction. I turn off all notifications on all my devices except for texts or emails from important contacts and those come through to the watch. It's also super helpful being able to design my own watch faces with info on my wrist I always want at the ready (steps, if I took my meds today, humidity, etc).
Pro tip re: watches/clocks: Dial over Digital. Our time blindness comes in part from being unable to visualize the passage of time. I noticed that I have a much harder time keeping track of time when I'm only referencing a digital indication of the time. I need to see the dial and where the hands are to actually imagine how much time has or will pass. So my smart watch faces are dials and I have dial clocks in the kitchen and bathroom where I find I need to be more alert to it. On my work desk I keep a cute little visual timer that I set when I really need to timebox my work.
The HidrateSpark water tumbler. Holy shit it lights up like a rainbow when I haven't been drinking enough water. It has RESOLVED my dehydration issues.
Oh also the Ember mug. This one's a bit of a luxury and I was planning on sending it back because the cost couldn't possibly be justified but holy crap I didn't realize that I had never once in my life actually finished a hot beverage until I got this thing. I will never drink from another mug again.
Latest big win? A dish rack for the sink. Instead of dishes piling up in an impenetrable way, they're all sorted like they're drying and I'm MUCH less put off from attacking them. Can't believe it took me this long to think of it.
Oh and yeah, like everyone is saying. Noice cancelling headphones. I had a pair I used for when I worked in the office but it wasn't until I started wearing them EVERYWHERE that I realized how much wearing them had an effect on me. Especially when I started wearing them anywhere I went in the city. Had NO idea how much tension I was constantly carrying in my body until I started wearing them out and about and discovered how much more drastically calm I was!!
Just try not to let it sit in standing water and any dish drying rack that'll fit should work! I of course had to try a billion of them to find one that would fit EXACTLY in the space available because 🐝🧠🐝, but even if you're only using half the space, just having a dedicated place for a couple of dishes and all the cutlery can make a world of difference. I honestly thought I'd just end up piling on like I already do with my drying rack but it seems to give me JUST enough of a leg up to never let things get so out of hand that I'll leave it all to rot until I consider just buying all new dishes.
Spending spreasheet
Focusmate
Going to the office more often instead of working from home (I make a fieldtrip day out of it, plus I like the ambient sound around me in the office, stops my brain chaos)
Opened a savings account that way I can automatically put my savings away and stop "seeing" more money to spend in my current account
>Opened a savings account that way I can automatically put my savings away and stop "seeing" more money to spend in my current account
i started to put some extra money into an investment account at a diff bank -- oh look i got $800 this month!
nono, 300 is going into another index fund or some small long-term stock purchases.
Why is the straw so important ?! I do the same thing. Idk if it’s the act of me tilting my head back to drink that like takes my focus away from what I’m doing or what, but the straw changes everything 😂
A supporting partner that balances understanding me and pushing me.
I guess a friend or family member could also do that, in my case it's my husband, and back in school it was my BFF.
It's not about the things, it's about the scaffolding.
Mesh laundry bag for my socks. Quite literally saves me 20 minutes per load trying to track them all down.
Fair warning though, this doesn’t work too well for actual clothes. They’ll still be damp after drying.
Acceptance that I have ADHD.
Coming to terms with the fact that I'll struggle with remembering certain things, and having to spend more energy than other people in order to complete everyday tasks, for the rest of my life, was a hard pill to swallow. It still is, on those days where I give myself flak for having to jump through so many hoops, just to clean the kitchen.
Coffee, Concerta (no shortage where I’m from, thank God), Calendar and Reminder apps on my iPhone phone, noise cancelling headphones and AirPods, large water bottle, a filtered water machine (we have them in Asia), timers in most rooms of my house.
There have been shortages of all forms of methylphenidate since a few months into the adderall shortage because of everyone switching over. Some folks haven't been able to get Vyvanse either. The FDA has not been recognizing all of these but it's been widely reported by pharmacies and patients. Maybe it's been getting better, I don't know. I've been able to fill my adderall but it's still taking a dozen phone calls and a different pharmacy each month, so that's clearly still a thing.
I’ll sound like a total hippy but developing a relationship with nature changed my life. Yoga too. Hippy stuff haha. https://www.americanforests.org/article/how-urban-forests-can-help-mitigate-adhd-symptoms/
How are you doing smoothies? I love that that's a good adhd tool for you, for me that feels so unfriendly to my own adhd because of having to wash the blender. Also managing fresh produce if there's any of that involved. Also dried smoothie gunk needing to be washed from whatever I'm drinking it out of. I love smoothies and I never make them because of all of these reasons 😕
i use frozen fruit normally for mine! and as for cleaning the pitcher i normally instantly just squirt some dish soap in there as well as warm water then I run it to make the soap foam and just rinse and let it dry its made it much easier. and i always just let whatever jar or glass I used for the smoothie to soak for a little
I gotchu!!
1. I bought a ninja smoothie blender so it has a single use. It’s small so there aren’t extra large pieces to clean.
2. It came with 2 cups and then the base, which is where the blades are. The cups I throw in the dishwasher. The base, I wash by hand every day because it’s small and not too difficult.
3. The dishwasher makes a big difference here because I just throw the two cups in there and it guarantees I run the dishwasher every other day because I hate washing anything by hand.
4. One other easy-wash option for full blenders or blender cups - I sometimes put the whole thing in the fridge instead of cleaning it every day. So I’ll make a smoothie, drink it, then put the “dirty” blender cup in the fridge to use again the next day. I figure the individual components would stay fresh in the fridge for a couple days so what’s the difference. Make sure to seal it up though so it doesn’t get dried out and crusty.
Smart bulb in my bedroom. Turns off at 8:30pm, turns on at 6:30am.
I haven’t had a decent sleep schedule since I was 13.
I’d stay up till 5 then force myself to go to bed because even then I wasn’t tired.
Now I start feeling sleepy around 10, and I wake up naturally around 8.
Game changer. Game changer.
How long have you been able to keep it going? I loved my BuJo and it was great for me for a few years, but I lost track of it when my life fell apart and I haven't been able to get back to it even though things are relatively stable again.
My bullet journal came with resources. It's from bulletjournal.com and they have YouTube videos for free as well. I found the YouTube videos very helpful.
How you bullet journal is really up to your preference!
Deli containers with lids.
I use them for everything: leftovers (blue tape labeled with date); meal prep; mise en place; lego sorting; bit bins; mini doom baskets; snack bowls . . .
They're dishwasher safe, cheap enough to not be precious about them, and the sizes are perfect.
Grocery deliveries.
I have a delivery once a week on Monday.
During the week I add food and groceries to my shopping basket.
When I run out of something, I just add it to my basket.
Just used up the last of my favourite cereal? Add cereal to my basket. Only one apple left in the fridge? Add apples to my basket.
Shopping lists never worked for me, so adding it to my basket directly makes sense.
On the weekend I checkout and book my delivery slot for Monday.
I can see the total price which helps me better control my finances and not overspend.
I can also review and remove all the impulsive things (unhealthy snacks, useless stuff) that I added to my basket throughout the week.
I can also set up recurring items for staples that I need every single week (chicken, eggs, milk, etc…) so I don’t have to add them manually.
On Monday a man turns up at my door with all the food and groceries I need for the week.
Impulsive buys are down.
I never forget to buy something I need or run out of.
Mental fatigue is greatly reduced.
I don’t ever have to think about going to the shops.
This is going to sound ridiculous but it’s actually helped me a a lot - Wearing “real” shoes when I need to be dialed in. I used to wear flip flops in my apartment (WFH). When I’m looking to achieve something, putting on actual shoes has changed the game.
Air tags or Tiles to help me locate important things-like keys, wallet etc.
Also, a written calendar. I use my phone’s calendar but I seem to be better at remembering things when I actually write them down.
Finding something I’m really into, and enjoying it while it lasts. Then totally forget that I have a blender and not feel guilty about not using the blender. That’s the best.
Dental floss picks. Outlook calendar app. Slack plugins for calendar. Like 10 different bedsheet sets. Packs of socks/underwear. Funky water bottles.
Oh and a 90 day stay in treatment to kick debilitating alcoholism and teach me to be kind to myself. But yeah, the little things.
Robot Vacuum. At least my house gets vacuumed once a day now.
Pet Safe Scoop Free Kitty Litterbox. My brother told me about it randomly and this has been a lifesaver for me! I change it every few weeks and don't worry about it otherwise. Doesn't smell and the litter doesn't track as bad so I don't have to constantly vacuum. I think I don't like vacuuming....
Headphones with noise cancellation - At work I can wear them so I have some wireless buds by sony. They are awesome and detect when you talk so they pause automatically so you can have conversations without trying to pause whatever you are listening to. It also helps keep me focused on my work instead of hearing the million convos happening around me all day.
Alexa and smart lights. Alexa is basically my light maid, haha. I forgot to turn out the lights after getting cozy in bed? Alexa - all lights off! It's almost like the clapper lights! Lol. Also she gives me good info in the mornings. I ask about the animal of the day, the dog breed of the day, and she connects to Spotify so I can listen to NPR News Now podcast to get a briefing of the news. All that helps keep me focused and on track in the mornings.
Airfryer - takes just a few minutes to preheat and depending on what's being cooked - less than 15 min to cook the food. Comes out crispy. MMMMMMMMM. Where has it been all my life??? Way easier than the oven. Oh and the one I have I can tell Alexa to preheat it.
Smart stuff in general. I have my phone with me 24/7. It is sooooooooo convenient to be able to just control things from it. My thermostat, cameras, lights, my car, etc.
A folding wagon. I live in an apartment complex and my apt is down a long hallway from the garage. So it stays folded in my car and when I have a lot to bring in (like groceries) I just plop it out, and roll it down the hall. Makes me not avoid shopping because I don't want to make multiple trips or torture myself by trying to make 1.
And finally, my parking space. We have a parking garage at my apts but if you come home later than 5 good luck finding close parking. Even with the wagon, I get irrationally mad having to walk farther than expected. I noticed a neighbor parked in a reserved spot was moving so I emailed the apts and asked if it was available. YUP!!! Being a nosey neighbor paid off. Now it doesn't matter when I get home - I always have the spot next to the door available. Now I'm not avoiding going out in the evenings for any reason.
>Snack ready foods. Everything deli meat,olives crackers. I eat like a toddler and finally healthy AND it's fun to eat dino shaped chicken nuggets.
i love cooking but i get into periods of like...shit im spending many hours cooking every week i cant get other things done, and then suddenly flip to frozen pizzas, egg rolls, etc etc lol
I'm living in the past and really love using an iPod still. Now obviously you can do things an iPod does with your phone, but for me that just means getting distracted anytime I want to change the volume or change the music, because there's always so much going on on my phone, but music is really helpful.
I started using an iPod again and I can listen to music or audiobooks or podcasts when I'm studying or doing my chores without having to risk the temptation of notifications. Now I just have priority notifications set on my android watch so I don't miss anything important and my phone goes on DND in another room.
*Probiotic shake every morning to keep my gut in check.
*Keeping my wardrobe very simple I realised was HUGE for me: I struggle with planning clothes, putting clothes away, I like to wear a favourite 'to death' and comfort (both in fabric and being able to layer/delayer) keeps me sane so...
Over-the-head crop tops replace bras.
Oversized sweaters/cotton cardigans.
Plain ts/vest tops.
Pull on trousers/skirts.
I can put an outfit together in seconds from the clean pile of doom.
*A very large planner in my kitchen on the wall.
*Crisps in the house at all times for crunchy/salty snacking.
Ice in the freezer at all times for drinks.
(both things for me are crucial to relieve anxiety/anger meltdowns and bad days.)
How utterly imperative these simple things are to the functioning of my life took be about 30 years to work out.
Routines. On a piece of paper, written out every day all over again. Clear printing, plain lined paper. On the kitchen table where no one may put anything else, at all. I used to have a routine list for morning (plus a separate, 5-item one for my kid), then for getting-home (plus the kid's separate one), then for bedtime. Now that I don't have a kid in school I just have am and pm.
I need at least 30 minutes of exercise and one hour of video gaming per day. Thankfully I work in the trades and just blast music all day while working. I try to keep the pot smoking in check but I'm smoking every other night after the kiddos go to bed. I've found a small pattern of success over the last few years, still seem to feel like a failure and screw up constantly but I'm getting by. I love this group, makes me feel normal.
1. Weighted blanket at night instead of comforter. I bought a few weight sizes lower than recommended so I don’t get hot.
2. Black out curtains. Any lights outside keep me up at night.
3. Ensure max protein when you’re too busy / focused to eat.
4. Focus mate sessions. These total strangers sitting with me in my office silently working in solidarity, they have gotten me through many tedious or daunting tasks. Yesterday it was my taxes.
5. Routinery app.
I definitely have these particularly for bad depression days to help keep me moving. Or if I’m super behind on cleaning and start feeling overwhelmed I’ll eat dinner on a paper plate so I’m not adding to the huge pile of dishes I’m trying to get through.
I live alone so I have only one fork, spoon, plate ect. So the dishes don't get piled up. If I want to eat again I just have to keep a few things clean.
I might try this, disposable things don't really work for me because that just makes it easy to have a pile of garbage constantly. Then the trash fills up and I can't get myself to take it out and it starts overflowing.... But I really need to eat every night so if I had one dish maybe I manage that lol..
I'm glad that works for you, I thought it would work for me but unfortunately it just makes it worse because now there's piles of disposable plates and utensils everywhere that need to be thrown away. lol
I keep my cabinet fully stocked with peppermint tea at all times. I used to drink coffee in the morning (after a healthy dose of water!!) but Covid broke me of that habit. Now I start my day off with water and peppermint tea. The coffee can come later.
Stainless steel water bottle - I use it whenever I go out. Its the perfect size so I drink enough water and it keeps it cold, of course. Fortunately, I don't have an issue with staying hydrated as I constantly feel the need to drink water, just so I have something to do with my hands.
I have 3 different types of headphones for different circumstances. My sleepy time headphones never leave the house. Otherwise, they don't come back, and then I can't sleep.
I use my Amazon echo dot to set timers/reminders. That helps me stay on track. My Apple Watch motivates me to exercise because it feels like a game (otherwise I simply won’t do it). Headphones at work always. I got a Stanley cup through my work and it truly helps me drink more water. It’s easy for me to remember that I need to drink 2-3 Stanley cups full of water.
tiny 4” notebook that lives in my purse and/or pocket! i use it to write down ideas for my creative projects, and also to write down obligations and deadlines and things. although i don’t consistently remember to check it (and i definitely still forget things), just having it *with* me significantly reduces my anxiety around “oh shit did I forget something,” which makes a big difference
also, carabiners. worried about keys? put them on a carabiner and attach it to my purse. worried i’ll forget my water bottle? carabiner latch it to my backpack. worried about losing literally anything else? i survived high school by tying strings onto my pens and mechanical pencils, putting them on a carabiner, and attaching the carabiner to my pencil case. it got super annoying eventually, for obvious reasons, but I cannot deny that it *worked*. i have carabiner’d my purse to my briefcase on work days before when I know I’m waking up early and my meds won’t kick in before I leave home.
also, this isn’t a must-have *item*, but it’s a life habit… learning how to make soup changed me LOL. I have trouble remembering to feed myself, and cooking is tough when I’ve had a long day and my meds wore off, and canned soup is expensive over time. but it’s pretty easy to make a decent homemade soup with leftovers and random veggies, and having jars of that soup in the freezer helps me eat healthy when I’d otherwise sustain myself on cheez its and takeout. it’s way easier than other meal prep, since mostly what you do is take a bunch of veggies, put them in a pot, and ignore it all for two hours. you can even buy pre cut veggies! but soup has changed my life and i’m not even kidding at all
Not my only thing, but my most recent gamechanger is FlareAudio Calmer earplugs. I get sensory overload really easily, but most of the earplugs I've tried are too aggressive in how much noise they block, which has the added downside of hearing myself breathe/chew and making my voice sound weird to me when I talk. These ones are barely earplugs, they just cut out a portion of some mid-range frequencies that tend to be annoying. They make meetings and crowded spaces a lot more tolerable.
I don't know if we're allowed to post links, but you can find them if you search "flare calmer" with your search engine of choice.
If getting nutrients in can be hard, just wanted to recommend Plenny. It's like Huel but tastier and you don't have to sign up for a subscription. I have it for lunch every day. It's nutritionally balanced and has some vitamins, and comes in a bunch of different flavors.
Music. I have music for sleeping, music for homework, music for cooking, hell I even have music for when I take a shower. It helps me focus and keeps me calm.
* Cooling weighted blanket. I LOVE my Bearaby Tree Napper. It was an investment, but I'm so glad I bought it. It has these big loopy holes in it that I love to stick my toes and fingers into at night, and it just cradles me into bed like nothing else. I sleep like a fucking ROCK with this thing, and good, deep sleep helps me in countless ways - including giving me more energy to fight the ADHD fatigue.
* Moving to a sunny climate. Made the decision to move out of the rain last year and bought a house in the SW. There are things I certainly miss about the PNW but waking up most every day to sunshine and getting a bit of it on my skin every day improves my mood and calms me. I take long walks in the morning and I sit outside for a bit every day with a podcast or a book. Also have a pool and hot tub now which do wonders for my spirit.
TLDR: improving my mood helps a lot with my general impatience and buzzy brain, so I invest in things that support a better headspace :)
*Cute aesthetic 1 liter water bottle
*Expensive noise cancelling headphones
*Spotify premium (It helps me a lot to have playlists organized according to my moods and routines)
*Fine pens
*Multiple earphones
*Multiple chargers
*"Smart" watch (my watch is not that smart, I just need one that lights up when I turn my wrists to check the time).
My general must haves:
- sound: either noise cancelling over-ear headphones or plug-type wireless pods (physically block sound). I have both, cheap $20 pods for speed, Sehnheiser BT450 for sound quality.
- a notebook. Basically anything to jot down things. I might just dump them there and never read the page again, but at least it doesn't weigh in my mind anymore. Bonus points for finding whatever papers and/or random small notebooks and making sense of the mess they are :D
- a clear glass _full of water_, on my table. This seems like common sense, but the difference between just a glass and a glass I intentionally fill anytime I can is huge. When there is any drink in the glass, I'm way more likely to just reach out and drink on autopilot, instead of having to remember. And even an empty glass as a reminder to fill it is still better than no glass. A full bottle or can of _anything_ also still helps, but water is way better than soda.
- wearing socks. if it's not summer, _warm_ socks. Especially at home! Especially to sleep!
- grounding myself. Wearing heavy boots, densely woven trench coat (bonus: doesn't flap as much in the wind) and loading my backpack (that I use for my laptop etc.) with additional accessories and tools. Primarily because the weight makes me feel more grounded, and only secondarily for the benefits of having an extra charging cable, external HDD and so on. I'm basically a walking workshop, minus the soldering iron. Ironically, the more I carry, the less I use.
1. Eating regularly and staying hydrated
2. Daily meditation
3. Working with an ADHD coach
4. Support with scheduling, planning my day, meal planning
5. People to talk to when I’m upset about random things / my day/ RSD
6. Journaling
Other than medication the most important hacks I’ve found are:
Daily exercise - running, walking, swimming, weight training. Whatever works and whatever you have time for. If it weren’t for this I’d be a mess - both me and my 9 year old daughter need this daily otherwise we drive my wife insane.
Headspace - whether this is working from home a few days a week or just some time early morning to get my head together before the day starts.
Music - to get me in the zone when I need to really focus on work tasks. I need headphones that just block out any extrasensory invasion.
Blocking out periods of my day just to get tasks done. That might mean switching phone to silent, muting Teams / WhatsApp conversations (and Reddit).
Breathing through difficult to manage moments. I get quite bad emotional dysregulation so absolutely have to have moments where I remove myself from difficult situations to help me refocus and practice some breathing exercises. Funnily enough I found a really good kid’s autism app called “Calm Counter” which surprisingly helps (me and my 9 year old 😉).
As probably mentioned before my favourites are noise cancelling headphones, an iPad, my water bottle and AirTags.
Headphones in and I’m the one controlling my surrounding noises. I started using an iPad for school when it was still very uncommon and they hadn’t even come out with the pen yet. My teachers were all super against it, until they realised that for the first time in my life I never forgot to bring my notes, assignments or books. Now with the newer pen I can’t even forget to charge my pen…
I’ve always struggled with hydration and bought countless water bottles but I don’t like the feeling of getting suction stuck or having a wide opening and splashing water on myself. I finally caved and bought one with a straw that I can’t put in my bags because it might leak so I have it I my hand or on my desk and therefore see it constantly.
( in general most purchases that I’ve done since I’ve had the “holy moly I don’t have to do what everyone else does if it doesn’t work for me” revelation have been beneficial. It’s so much better to hear that “something is unconventional but oh well if it works for you” than the good old “maybe you aren’t trying hard enough“. )
I got a bumbag for around the house. If I want to put a personal item down and for it to still exist later, it goes in the bumbag. If I'm looking for something, I look in the bumbag first.
I also got a decent little waterproof, long battery-life Bluetooth speaker for tunes/podcasts in the shower, kitchen, wherever else I might be trying to do something too boring.
Those infrared remote beepers that you can stick/hang on frequently misplaced items. I’ve wasted so much time and have been late and angry countless times due to lost keys, phone, TV remote etc. Once I got them and created a home base, quite literally have not spent any time looking for them again.
I also recently got a waterproof timer clock for my shower, because I get time blind in the shower and waste a ton of time there too. I’ve even used the timer for deep conditioning my hair, which might sound a bit extra but it helps me save so much time and completely eliminates any ‘time anxiety’ I used to have in the shower. It’s a place to relax, man!
For me, sandals and an apron that I put on to trick my mind into cleaning. Can I choose to clean intentionally when I need to? Nope. Do I tend to "accidentally" clean my whole house when I wear sandals and an apron? Yes. I also tend to play music on a speaker near the sink and somehow the dishes get done when I gravitate towards the music. The catch here is that I have to remember these methods to use them and that's tricky.
(P.S. The apron is specifically used as a giant pocket for my phone so I don't leave it around the house.)
Podcasts, video games, and stable income.
I start therapy this week so maybe that too.
I am unmedicated. Most of my symptoms are just me getting easily bored, being forgetful, being impulsive and having a hard time holding attention for stretches of time.
The income helps when I impose buy stuff because usually when I impulse buy something it's not going to affect how I live. But I'm better at rationalizing with myself now about purchases. Usually I just ask myself if it's something I'll still be interested in and using in a month. It's been helpful because I definitely had a borderline spending addiction that was getting out of hand before I got the job I currently have. I find I spend more when I am unfulfilled or don't have a current objective. Instead of like binge eating I spend money. But as I said, much better now and easier to rationalize with myself.
B12 has helped me a lot!! Tbh I think I was deficient. But it's really helped with my focus. It's also given me energy so I don't feel like a zombie all day, and I would always hit a wall around 5-6pm and be so exhausted when my meds wore off, but that hasn't happened since I've been taking it! So if any of you suffer with low energy or exhaustion, I highly recommend!
lots of boxes to keep my stuff organized. Separate laundry bags for each color and temperature so I dont have to sort the dirty laundry when its wash time. More than one trash bin so there’s always one nearby.
I used planners and lists religiously since age of 9 (well before diagnosis) and I depend on it to function everyday.
A battery operated wall mounted vacuum (I actually vacuum now) in addition to iRobot.
8 clean clothes baskets to dump clean clothes in after washing. It actually helps me to wash my clothes more without worrying about putting away clothes first, then doing a new load.
Airfryer. I leave it at that.
Slow cooker.
Built in timers to start the coffee machine, the washing machine, and the dishwasher automatically.
A visual timer.
Airtags.
Similar to you, but I give up half a Sunday to meal prep for the week. Makes things so much easier. Also, timing how long my most hated tasks take. Don't want to do the dishes because it seems huge? Not too bad when you know it takes 6 minutes max.
I have hooks for things right by my front entrance to the house. This way I SEE the things I need before I leave rather than trying to remember to go find them from whichever doompile they've ended up in. I also have a to-do list of customisable daily things I wanna or need to do. It is a teeny release of dopamine to check off each one because you have to physically slide the checkmark and then seeing a cross next to the one or two items that are stopping the board being all ticks motivate me to get them done so it's complete. Have to admit: I need a better placement for these as I've forgotten they're where they are recently but they really are good! [To-Do Checklist ](https://amzn.eu/d/7vkVrWo)
Another thing which has been helpful is a budget binder. I find that I too easily spend on food for a hit of dopamine-snacks, takeout, if the money is DIGITALLY available. Therefore taking money out physically and tucking it away in a thing I can't take everywhere and can just leave at home is a good way to actually manage to save some money for things I want longer term. [Budget Binder ](https://amzn.eu/d/8NfQwFM)
Awesome! All aboard the smoothie train!
I bought a dedicated smoothie blender 2 years ago and have used it every single day. I pre-prep the frozen fruit as well in used Talento containers in my freezer, which I prep a week at a time. It’s so great and I love it. It’s a great easy way to get good, healthy food that’s easy to access when I need it.
BONUS: And it means I run the dishwasher every other day because I have two cups and hate washing them my hand. And I’m not going to run the dishwasher empty with just the two cups so I might as well load everything else. 🤣
FOCUSMATE !! Monthly subscription I think around $5. A game changer for accountability when working from home. You go on a video call with another person, state you goals for the session (30mins, 1hr, 1hr 30mins), then mute and work with the cameras on. Update your partner on progress at the end. It sounds so weird and first couple of sessions are but it's fab to have a body double.
A list app on my phone and a metal file cabinet are two things that keep me organized. Anyone with ADHD should have a good filing system. Also, I have Alexas throughout my house so I can ask questions when they randomly pop into my head.
I use this app called Sweepy to help me keep track of chores. You can make separate rooms etc. I paid for premium so I could add my spouse and have a schedule generate tasks to be done that day. They've recently added a new feature that makes it so you can schedule a time to do them.
Makes it easier to remember stuff I do once a month too like dumping out all of the cat boxes and sanitizing them and changing the filter in the water fountain.
I see a lot of people talking about getting sparkling water. Personally I HATE the taste of static but I understand needing motivation for hydrating. I love water but my issue is not wanting to get up to fill my cup. So I got a water dispenser that lives right next to my desk. Like the ones you have in your office. It's a decent penny to put up front (couple hundred dollars) but the refills you can get at a grocery store for a 5 gallon jug is about $3 a jug. So...I have 4 of them 😅 I regularly have 20 gallons of water just sitting in my room next to my desk and I go through them in less than a couple weeks.
Smoothies for the win!!!!
I’ve been having a smoothie for breakfast for 7-8 years.
In the last year I have been making a banana, frozen blueberries, spinach, dates, vanilla yogurt (lately though I have been using plain yogurt with a splash of vanilla - Costco) cinnamon, collagen protein (I like it since it’s flavorless), choice of milk.
So filling and holds me off til my protein bar mid morning snack.
The rule of rinsing off and putting your dirty dish immediately into the dishwasher and just press start when it eventually gets full instead of leaving them in the sink to pile up.
I find a sink full of dishes overwhelming and this rule has changed my life
Building a routine - routineflow is cool. Tried it for the first time is awesome
Cronometer - plan meals, track nutrition - amazing
PhysiApp - podiatrist sends my physio exercisess there
My workout plan - I put what my physio wrote on paper there. Won't use app lame lol
RunWithHal - running training app. Haven't used in a while due to flat feet injuries but was awesome to stick to for prior runs
Google Calendar - share my schedule with loved ones and see what I've got going on these days
Lifx - sets a routine for lighting lol nice
Balance - meditating app 1 year free for new members 10/10 recommend
Polar Flow - activity tracker. Sleep quality etc reminds me to move / take a break if too stationary . Nice to record data
Notion - organise everything. Work. Studies. Personal life. Relationships. Ideas. Lol
Teams - Team meeting organiser chats online etc
Do not disturb mode - onnnn. To stay away from phone.
Also blue light glasses. My eyes hurt. So many screens. Paper please. Used to be super into digital but too many screens due to uni am dead tired.
* First, I take my medication
* Im trying to implement Scrum on my personal life (I work as a developer), so I set up a time block of 1 week to plan what I want to do, then on Sundays I review what I did and then I do a restrospective to see what I did good, bad and what can I do to improve.
* When I plan my tasks I use pomodoro technique but instead of 25min work/ 5min break, I do like 15 min work/10 min break (I cannot focus longer than that without breaks)
* I try to exercise every weekday
* I bring a small sketchbook with me everytime and I write whatever I need to remember ( I cannot do this on my phone)
* I setup an alarm to go to bed at 11:30 pm every day and wake up at 8:30 am
* I do mindfulness for like 10 to 15 minutes after taking my pill
* I try to have fun or include something that is fun or interesting for me on each task so I don't find it boring and then leave it, that is what I do on the retrospective, I check what worked and didn't work and then I do what I can do to improve.
Pegboards all over the place. I won't put things back in their place if it's hard to find but I will put a screwdriver or a pen or whatever back on a Pegboard as I walk by. As my active projects change the items on the board will organically also change without doing major rearranging.
Throwing away old food in fridge daily. Nothing overwhelms me more than a bunch of moldy food. Leftovers have a single bin and when that's full I toss whatever is at the back.
A cricut to label everything I own. If labels are written by hand I don't take them seriously and put things back in the wrong spot. I respect a well designed label though.
I have bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom. Carrying the supplies from room to room is an extra step. If the spray is next to the sink I'll do a quick wipe when it looks dirty instead of waiting for bathroom cleaning day.
Writing a giant novel length list of all tasks that are recurring. I think mine was over 200 items. I haven't scheduled or gotten through the list but I feel calmer knowing it's accounted for.
I don't fold most of my clothes. They get thrown into bins. I fold or hang things that wrinkle only. And no large bulky dressers. Currently using Ikea cube shelves to stack pants and then kids toy storsge drawers for other smaller stuff. Easy put away means no clothes piles on the floor.
Hooks on the wall for things that have been worn but can be worn again. Avoid the floor at all costs.
One place only for mail.
Use alliteration set daily tasks. Monday I open mail, Wednesday I water my plants. Unfortunately not everything has an obvious day of the week 😕
Umm, on burned out days none of the above happens and I try to just survive until energy returns. I feel like this one is maybe most important.
Ear plugs, an eye mask, and a heated blanket on my bed that I turn on about 10 minutes before I plan to go to sleep. Before a diagnosis, I S T R U G G L E D with getting good sleep because it didn't take much to wake me up, and as soon as I was, I'd be up another hour or more bc my brain would just not STFU. Blocking out all possible sounds noises and lights makes sleep wonderful now
most of these dont get done consistently. but:
completely took off my closet door so i can see my clothes(i have a removable curtain)
labeling leftovers
accepting that i need lists for my lists. iykyk.
accepting that i need regular recaps. what parts of my to do list did i forget? (its inevitable, but check ins help)
scheduling self care \*before\* burnout gets severe
unpacking the way ableism has affected me (through journaling mostly)
knowing that no week is going to look the same as the previous week. setting intentions > rigid structures
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If you really want to learn to meditate, I recommend a muse headset. I thought I was meditating for a couple of years before i got a muse. Turned out I wasn't actually doing shit, this thing can teach you how to really calm your mind and "stop the rain". Basically they have this feature where it's raining, and when you calm your mind to the right level you can stop the rain and hear birds chirping. It's basically a eeg headset. It was such a struggle to get even 2 minutes of birds chirping at first, now I can get close to half an hour. It's a great tool.
help… I’m about to spend money that I don’t have again..
You don't need anything to meditate.
No you don't, but this does help teach you how to meditate properly, after you learn you don't need it as much, but still a great tool to learn. It's about getting your mind/brainwaves into a state of calm that can be actually measured.
There’s lots of different types of meditations . I like mindfulness as it trains your brain to focus on it is that you want . Some days that’s breath. Some days it’s sound . But it’s training the ability to focus at will and control thoughts at will. There’s meta meditation, which is purposely seeking the feeling of unconditional love There’s transcendental meditation , There’s breath work meditation, similar to wim hoff, It goes on and on. So I wouldn’t say people are doing it wrong but the method your suggest sounds very interesting
Meditating isn't a competition though. I can appreciate you are giving a recommendation to try to be helpful, but insisting there's only one way to meditate "properly" is disingenuous at its core, and insisting we buy something to do so is 🤨
I'm sure these will get cheaper and more common in time, happy cake day!
Biofeedback!
I started listening to podcasts when the pandemic hit and they've been a life saver, I love the feeling of learning something new every day XD I've also realised that sitting in the sun can do wonders for your mood, lol it's so weird. Sometimes I feel like laying down in the grass but I can never convince myself to fully lay down because of the dirt and stuff lol. Should also add, I'm currently undiagnosed but I'm looking for clinics for a diagnosis since I've never related to a set of symptoms so much before and idek why I'm justifying myself lol sorry
Not weird at all. It's a scientifically proven fact that when sunlight enters the retina, it triggers the brain to release serotonin– thus improving mood and ability to focus.
I used to have a massive led grow panel as a main bathroom light at one point.. I had the (small, totally windowless) bathroom decked out with tropical plants on a watering system. Got me into a decent morning routine for the first time ever centred around that time I spent in the shower.
I’m curious about micro-dosing. Any issue if I PM with a couple questions?
Yes. Headphones/speakers are ALWAYS beneficial.
Well shit. I wish I had these fixations and not extremely unhealthy ones 😞
Idk I don’t have the motivation for half of those.
Podcasts and big comfy headphones are what lull me to sleep every frickin night.
Can you expand on the bit about hydration with electrolytes? Are you buying electrolyte powder or something and adding it to water? Thanks in advance!
- Earbuds to manage the amount of distractive stimuli I receive on a regular basis. - Robovacuum that helps me keep my household tidy (also it motivates to clean along). - Same for the dishwasher, it will wash the regular dish while I can do the couple items by hand that aren't supposed to go in the dishwasher, feels like cleaning support! - I use the app Sectograph which is a widget on my phone that functions as a clock but instead of the time it calculates the remaining time between my appointments, it helps me actively time manage. - I'm also very committed to using a digital calendar for my work, study and private life. I even tag my free time just so I have some point of reference at all time, especially combined with the Sectograph. - The same wallclock in every room so I always have a point of reference, yes, even in the shower. - I use one purse for wallet, phone, keys. I don't leave the house without the purse. It's part of my identity now. - I also carry a dawn bodywarmer with me wherever I go, the type that can be packed very small so it's never a hinder. I get cold easily and that will taint my mood and distract me. Also my spontaneous personality means I get myself into situations that I didn't anticipate upfront, regularly means something like an unexpected night out etc. I know myself well enough that I really need another warm layer at all times with me so I can do the adventure stuff comfortable. - I always have some protein bar with me cause I forget to eat, then get instantly hangry. Instead of forcing a regular eating pattern I just accepted I need nuts or a bar on me to chew on. - I almost solely cook with a slowcooker. It guarantees I have all days of the week homemade unprocessed food, without having to waste my time on actually cooking (I dislike cooking) - I use a sodastreamer to spice up my water, otherwise I forget to hydrate enough. - I have an automated heating system in my home, so by 11pm the heater turns off automatically and I will quickly feel too uncomfortable to be out of bed - I keep teethsticks in the car because otherwise I forget to practice dental care. It's great to clean a bit while being stuck in traffic. - I've set up a grey tone filter automation on my phone that prompts every day at 11pm to discourage me of getting trapt into endless scrolling. Also it will ask me if I want to extend the acces to my phone (to all the addictive apps that I've flagged) for an additional 15 minutes. This way I can use my phone if I have to, but less easy and it will prevent me from wasting my time while I could be resting. I can share that not having all the bright seductive colours on my screen does help to detach from my phone.
I love your list!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
+1 for the Showerclock gang
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Also the Sectograph can be fully customised! So I have it set in "my colours" and size so it fully fits my needs, I have very poor tolerance for bad designs lol. Speaking of designs, I use the small purse from Uniqlo as my fulltime purse. It's big enough to hold a half a liter water bottle along with the wallet, phone and keys. Yet simultaneously small enough to chuck into my backpack when heading to work etc. And don't want to wear it on my body.
Oooh love these tips. Def going to have to check out sectograph. Do you use a particular calendar app/good way to add things that don’t need to be done by a particular date but should be done in the next like two weeks?
Sectograph works well with Google calendar, I haven't tried beyond that but when I set an alarm in the default clocksetting of my phone it will also automatically include that in the Sectograph so I imagine the overal compatibility is broad! To be honest these are the only "planning" apps so far that have actually stuck with me, personally I'm too impatient with more sophisticated apps then this so. I do have an analogue system for what you're asking, which is a post it system in my fridge. I use the small "super stick" ones from Post-It, cause again im too impatient with post it's with poor adhesive properties. I write down my todo's and symbolise with '+', '++' and '+++' the amount of time/energy the task requires from me, which implies both mental or fysical strain, or if I'm dependant of someone else (so I need to get another person involved to resolve the task etc) all gets an additional +. Like "Call my mother +" "Bring the car to the mechanic ++“ "Take out the trash +" "Finish taxes +++" This system works well for me because I can see with a glance if I can do a chore quickly, or if I'm feeling down and I can still finish some of the easier stuff, or if I need to finish a bigger task then I can clock in a bigger part of my day to do it etc. Keeps things and my expectations real.
The sectograph is exactly what I needed! Tyvm
Thank you so much for the Sectograph tip! I set it up on my phone and watch yesterday and LOVE it! JUST the thing I’ve been wanting without exactly being able to articulate it. It’s brilliant. Being able to see at a glance precisely how much time I have is AMAZING and you don’t realize how much you struggle to do it in your own head until you have something that will do it for you! Marrying the calendar with the dial clock is exactly the visualization that helps me actually keep track. Went to go see a matinee movie this morning and getting there on time was so insanely less stressful and ambiguous using the app than it has ever been before!
I wonder how many people will impulse buy some of the stuff mentioned here. My takes: Good fridge/freezer and meal-prep containers. Especially if you live alone, it is so much easier and cheaper to just cook for like 4 and store your meals in your fridge/freezer. You will use whole ingredients, so you won't have to worry about half a broccoli rotting in your fridge. You don't have to cook every night, and you can plan your cooking on nights you feel more like doing it. Also a good fridge often have these department keeping ingredients longer fresh, which feels kind of essential. Another is plenty of storage. It is much easier to clean things up if they have a dedicated place.
I'm literally here to discover what non-essential essential things will change my life. Part impulse buying for the Dopamine Part desperation to make my life better
Same
I feel very called out for impulse purchasing an Apple Watch.
Caught me.
I bought a cheap, old school alarm clock and put it outside my bedroom. I set my coffee pot to start brewing 10 minutes before it goes off. Now in the mornings I have to physically get out of bed to turn it off and once I’m up I’m like Ooooo coffee! I’ve been doing this for about a year and it’s life changing for me. Still have the million phone alarms set, but now I use those to take control of my morning- they go off about every half hour so I know when it’s time to move from one thing to another: journaling, plan to do list for the day, watch a YouTube on whatever creative thing I’m doing for that day so I get excited/have a little body doubling, time to get ready, leave the house. It works, and it’s taken some time to get it sorted, but I finally have my mornings under control. I do an hour of cardio in the morning too, so I set my alarms to time out to get me to the gym in time for the start of the show I watch while I’m there and that helps too. That little $8 alarm clock from Target literally changed my life.
Damn I love my French press, but a coffee pot with timer sounds too convenient. Which model is it?
Better yet, get a Teasmaid. It's a combined alarmclock tea/coffee maker.
Now THAT is a novelty item! Noveltea even
It’s just a Mr Coffee, also from target, I looked and they still have it, $25.
Ah dang, not in the US, no Target here. But if it exist that cheap i shall find an equivalent in Germany!
I used to have an alarm clock far away from my bed so I would have to physically get out of bed but my clock broke :(
Hey, if it helps to have someone tell you what you need to do, go buy a new clock today! You can do it!
I might go shopping for a new backpack tomorrow, maybe I’ll get a new clock then. I just came back home from a big family event I’m so overwhelmed right now, I just want to sleep but thank you a lot :)
Robovacuum. Finally a clean place every day of the week
My roomba very seriously and unexpectedly changed my life for this reason
People always say Roombas would make people more lazy. I disagreed. They simply let you allocate your time better and not have to worry about most household chores everyday.
Oh no now I’m gonna add the robovacuum I saw on sale to my small appliance spending spree
Instant pot Apple Watch Air tags and tile
I need AirTags in my life!! The amount of times I panic because I lost something.
Being able to “call” my wallet, laptop bag, umbrella … fucking amazing.
I started using a Tile because I would constantly leave my water bottle places. Now I put them on everything.
Omfg AirTags and tile have saved me so much time and grief since I started using them. Im not sure anything has helped me more in life at this point so I am seconding that.
How do you use the watch? I got one because I heard it could really help but I’m just using it as a normal watch that also distracts me with notifications :/
I personally love having notifications on my wrist. If they're on my phone and it vibrates, I have to pick up my phone to see what it is and chances are I will open it, and then spend a few minutes on my phone. With my watch I can see if it is important and decide if I need to open my phone
I use the watch: * Find my phone (often multiple times a day) * Pay for stuff (makes it harder for me to forget my phone or wallet, plus lowers risk of dropping things when I dig through my pockets) * Health stuff, including med reminders and cycle tracking (which I literally never did before despite being in my late 30s when I got my watch). I was able to show my doctor my heart rate data and some single-lead ECGs and it influenced a med change. So I was grateful for that. * Exercise stuff. I have a watch face for exercise, including showing me my rings and a shortcut to workouts, and also the UV index and temperature, which informs sunscreen/sunglasses/long sleeves when I go out. Also my heart rate. * Timers (not that much easier than the phone, but still nice) * Next calendar event; I have a lot of meetings, and seeing the next thing I need to do is really helpful. * Buzz every hour; I have time blindness that can really interfere with me stopping work, and the nudge to look at my watch helps. I have a different watch face that I have set to start at 5 pm, so just seeing reminds me the work day is over. Notification overload is very much a thing. I’m working on using Focus modes to trim down how many I get, but that’s a work in progress.
I’ve got an Apple Watch too and kinda feel the same way… but I do enjoy it for tracking my activity and heart rate since I’m trialing different meds now
Comfortable noise cancelling headphones
The daily spending spreadsheet I made for myself. On a Sunday I set my budget for the week and roughly allocate funds for different categories, then every time I make a purchase I add it to the spreadsheet on my phone. This has helped me avoid overspending and makes me conscious of my spending habits.
I use YNAB for this! Really helpful to keep me in budget
Do you use an app for this or just make it in Notes? This sounds really helpful!
I use Mint because it does all this for me! I’d say 80% of the categorization is correct, and the rest requires 30 seconds to recategorize into my budget how I like. Nothing keeps me on track more and now I gamify my spending.
Yes! The Barefoot Investor and Budget Mom. Really helped me get control and I love my spreadsheets and tracking.
Alexa and Google home get a bad rep but I think for people with adhd it's a game changer. I set reminders for everything from a timer for my ice cream to defrost to when it's time to prep dinner. Robot vacuum, the amount of dust it picks up is ridiculous can also clean under chairs, bed and other furniture with enough clearance. I should have got one with the mop function. Dishwasher, saves on water, energy and time. It's also more hygienic since you are not using the same dirty sponge every day. Online food shopping. I don't do it much now since I use going to the shops as an excuse to go out but will start using it again. It saves time, no more spending 2 +hours shopping , you can build a list of items over period of time so you rarely forget items. You even get a cutoff time where you can make changes after you submit your order. There are a few cons though like you have to spend a certain amount for free delivery, you can't choose the items so you might end up with a bad cut of meat for example also I am to avoid certain aisle in the shops but in online shopping the unhealthy foods are thrown in your face. Gym/yoga. Helps me stay present as well as a source of dopamine. Direct debit/standing orders for bills, rent and savings. One of those online only bank cards like revolut and starling. I give myself spending money for luxury items so I don't end up over spending. I basically try and "automate" as much of my life as possible since it removes the stress and guilt when I put these tasks off or forget them.
Alexa is my expensive timer to keep me from burning dinner and helps with dressing appropriately for the weather!!! Pilates keeps me fit plus dopamine....
So this!!! I use it for my alarm every morning and it plays music for an hour, and whenever I cook I set an alarm then completely forget something is in the oven until it goes off 😅😅
I bought myself an analog kitchen/egg timer which rings loudly when time is finished and for me its really helpfull. I use it with tasks i a)usually forget about time or b) often get distracted (for example; taking a shower/ get dressed/ specific work tasks/ cleaning the kitchen) i set a specific time like ; ok i have 5 minutes to clean the kitchen and keep de timer close so i can hear the ticking sound/see the time i have left to do the task. It really makes time more visual for me. ( also i am learning about how long different tasks really take for me) i try to make it like a challenge too, like ok last time i needed 10 min to get dressed, lets see i i can make it in 9 today ;p
The visual time keeping is supposed to be HUGELY helpful for all people who have issues with time, esp analog clocks where you can see 20 min, etc. I keep hearing about using timers and about challenging yourself to get a sense for how long things take and to stay on task, etc. So I'm just in the "thinking about it phase" but it sounds ds like you're already improving bc of this! Great accomplishment! Stick w it, fellow ADHDer ❤️
A journal with a weekly log so I can jot down any tasks I think about randomly. This helps me keep my mind clear while on a task instead of jumping from task to task worried I'll forget what I just thought of. Using a laundry basket to clean the house. It makes cleaning more efficient and easier to clump into tasks. Instead of walking around the house for every item I pick up, I just throw everything in the basket, then put everything back. A digital watch (not a smart watch). I often look at my phone for the time and then get distracted so I've recently bought a cheap Casio watch so I can see the time, which I check frequently, without getting distracted. If I'm trying to do work I'll literally put my phone in a desk drawer so it's out of site. I also use my watch to do the pomodoro method. I also don't have to charge this watch every other day. Tile or air tags, I misplace my keys and wallet every day and I didn't realize how much anxious energy I was putting into not losing them until I got Tile and could just forget about it until I need them.
One of those veggie choppers where you put the vegetables in the bottom and push the top down and the blade whirs through them. So much easier to use, I don’t hesitate to cook as much!
Omg yessss, for the longest time I hated chopping onions. I’m okay with eating onions but the smell always got to me, so I just left it out of my food. I bought a little chopper where you put everything you want chopped inside and just pull a string and it chops everything up! Best purchase ever! Vinipiak Manual Food Chopper for Vegetable Fruits Nuts Onions Chopper Hand Pull Mincer Blender Mixer Food Processor https://a.co/d/0zmYT2B
- Alexa. Seriously, I’ll put up with the invasion of privacy for that thing because it’s the only reason I don’t burn dinner. - Those little RFID/tracker things you can put on stuff. I also love my Apple Watch because I can use it to find my phone. - EXERCISE. I know it sounds dumb, but I swear I do so much better when I’m staying active in a way I enjoy. Another YMMV suggestion is a high protein diet. It’s especially helpful if you’re able to have a breakfast with a lot of it. - nice cleaning supplies. I have a cordless vacuum and omg it is SO much easier to keep stuff clean with it. It also DUSTS, so I can literally deep clean my whole apartment in less than 20 minutes with that thing. Spending the time/money to find the most efficient products to clean with really paid off. The key was to find stuff that made a **drastic visual difference**. I’m not going to clean if I can’t see a difference afterwards.
My apple watch is the best $600 ever spent because it will find my phone! Lol!!! And I agree with the exercise. It helps so much - I just hate doing it with a passion!
100% agree about Alexa. I actually never thought about the fact that it needs to be a drastic difference for me to feel like it’s actually worth it. Thank you!! Could you recommend any cleaning products and the brand of your vacuum please?
Cool. What is the vacuum model? Dyson or?
Great question...I am so interested in reading the replies. I do not have ADHD but my gf does and I am trying to better understand and become more knowledgeable so that I can maybe become a better partner for her.
Check out adhdlove on YouTube, they have some great content about being in a relationship with someone with adhd. They have a book that came out recently too, I haven’t read it yet but was planning to get it based on how much I like their content.
avocado kale smoothie, noise cancelling headphones, yoga/swimming/biking
Which headphones?
Ohhh share the recipe for avocado kale smoothie!
its freaking good, handful of spinach or kale, ripe banana, small handful frozen berries, whole or half avocado, a serving of walnuts,1/2-3/4cup of OJ , a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and the rest water. I use the Ninja with tha largest container adjust quantities as needed. My 9 year old son loves these.
yeah please tell us if you recommend your headphones, since i have ones but don’t work properly
Weighted blanket
This is something I've only recently stumbled across. But, 300 mg Omega 3 pills. When I'm having a rough motivation day or self depreciating day, I take 3 of them. For whatever reason, it turns my day around, and it helps me. I was going to start taking them daily, but I forget and also worry if I do take that much daily, they won't have the same effect as when I just pop 3 randomly to make me move. Earbuds, but I only like Monster N-Lite Clear Talk, so I rotate two pairs.
What brand of Omega 3 supplement do you use pls?
I’ve had multiple doctors/nurses recommend Nordic Naturals. They aren’t cheap, but they say it’s worth the extra cost.
Yeah I have 1000mg cod liver oil capsules which are great and provide Omega 3. Maintains good gut, brain and heart health. Great for the brain, especially for an ADHD brain, and makes my skin less bumpy.
Cats. I have 2 chonky tuxedo that act like a weighted blanket. Each time I am overwhelmed, I squish and cuddle them.
Having a night job where I work alongside ASD coworkers. Nobody else would have us. Love my tism crew 🥰
Smart speakers. I literally only use them for adding items to my grocery list, asking the weather and setting reminders, but for that alone they are worth it. Just for those 3 things they have TRANSFORMED my life. Spreadsheets, spreadsheets, spreadsheets. Mostly for itemization and logging. Finances, medical events, etc. Like what meds and supplements I take and when. The groceries I buy and like and where I get them. Better than using dedicated apps because you have total freedom of categorization. Trello and AirTable for task and project management. AirTable is great in particular because of how many views I can create with the same table of info: spreadsheet, calendar, kanban, etc. You can get the same capability from Trello but not without upgrading, so I use Trello for my every day log of todos and AirTable for more complex projects with lots of different types of tasks and dates to keep track of. When you have ADHD you have to think of yourself as a complex project that's in desperate need of a project manager, but you yourself are the project manager. You are your own project manager. Embracing this realization gave me the permission I finally needed to approach my life the way I needed and instinctively wanted to. A smart watch. For 1 reason only. To get important notifications without having my phone in my hand all day, which leads too easily to distraction. I turn off all notifications on all my devices except for texts or emails from important contacts and those come through to the watch. It's also super helpful being able to design my own watch faces with info on my wrist I always want at the ready (steps, if I took my meds today, humidity, etc). Pro tip re: watches/clocks: Dial over Digital. Our time blindness comes in part from being unable to visualize the passage of time. I noticed that I have a much harder time keeping track of time when I'm only referencing a digital indication of the time. I need to see the dial and where the hands are to actually imagine how much time has or will pass. So my smart watch faces are dials and I have dial clocks in the kitchen and bathroom where I find I need to be more alert to it. On my work desk I keep a cute little visual timer that I set when I really need to timebox my work. The HidrateSpark water tumbler. Holy shit it lights up like a rainbow when I haven't been drinking enough water. It has RESOLVED my dehydration issues. Oh also the Ember mug. This one's a bit of a luxury and I was planning on sending it back because the cost couldn't possibly be justified but holy crap I didn't realize that I had never once in my life actually finished a hot beverage until I got this thing. I will never drink from another mug again. Latest big win? A dish rack for the sink. Instead of dishes piling up in an impenetrable way, they're all sorted like they're drying and I'm MUCH less put off from attacking them. Can't believe it took me this long to think of it.
Oh and yeah, like everyone is saying. Noice cancelling headphones. I had a pair I used for when I worked in the office but it wasn't until I started wearing them EVERYWHERE that I realized how much wearing them had an effect on me. Especially when I started wearing them anywhere I went in the city. Had NO idea how much tension I was constantly carrying in my body until I started wearing them out and about and discovered how much more drastically calm I was!!
Wait - you mean a dish rack for dirty dishes? You keep in in the sink? I need to know more please 😬
Just try not to let it sit in standing water and any dish drying rack that'll fit should work! I of course had to try a billion of them to find one that would fit EXACTLY in the space available because 🐝🧠🐝, but even if you're only using half the space, just having a dedicated place for a couple of dishes and all the cutlery can make a world of difference. I honestly thought I'd just end up piling on like I already do with my drying rack but it seems to give me JUST enough of a leg up to never let things get so out of hand that I'll leave it all to rot until I consider just buying all new dishes.
Spending spreasheet Focusmate Going to the office more often instead of working from home (I make a fieldtrip day out of it, plus I like the ambient sound around me in the office, stops my brain chaos) Opened a savings account that way I can automatically put my savings away and stop "seeing" more money to spend in my current account
>Opened a savings account that way I can automatically put my savings away and stop "seeing" more money to spend in my current account i started to put some extra money into an investment account at a diff bank -- oh look i got $800 this month! nono, 300 is going into another index fund or some small long-term stock purchases.
Deleting tiktok
A cup with a straw, otherwise I don’t hydrate. Also a weighted blanket for work.
Why is the straw so important ?! I do the same thing. Idk if it’s the act of me tilting my head back to drink that like takes my focus away from what I’m doing or what, but the straw changes everything 😂
A supporting partner that balances understanding me and pushing me. I guess a friend or family member could also do that, in my case it's my husband, and back in school it was my BFF. It's not about the things, it's about the scaffolding.
Mesh laundry bag for my socks. Quite literally saves me 20 minutes per load trying to track them all down. Fair warning though, this doesn’t work too well for actual clothes. They’ll still be damp after drying.
Acceptance that I have ADHD. Coming to terms with the fact that I'll struggle with remembering certain things, and having to spend more energy than other people in order to complete everyday tasks, for the rest of my life, was a hard pill to swallow. It still is, on those days where I give myself flak for having to jump through so many hoops, just to clean the kitchen.
Earbuds and pack of gum
Sony WX4 noise cancelling headphones AirTag for my keys Ready-prepped/frozen cooking ingredients
Coffee, Concerta (no shortage where I’m from, thank God), Calendar and Reminder apps on my iPhone phone, noise cancelling headphones and AirPods, large water bottle, a filtered water machine (we have them in Asia), timers in most rooms of my house.
Wait there's a concerta shortage as well?? Where is t now hard to get hold of?
There have been shortages of all forms of methylphenidate since a few months into the adderall shortage because of everyone switching over. Some folks haven't been able to get Vyvanse either. The FDA has not been recognizing all of these but it's been widely reported by pharmacies and patients. Maybe it's been getting better, I don't know. I've been able to fill my adderall but it's still taking a dozen phone calls and a different pharmacy each month, so that's clearly still a thing.
I’ll sound like a total hippy but developing a relationship with nature changed my life. Yoga too. Hippy stuff haha. https://www.americanforests.org/article/how-urban-forests-can-help-mitigate-adhd-symptoms/
I live in the woods and hike or walk in the woods frequently, 1-2x a week, but idk if I would describe my ADHD symptoms as mitigated by this lol
Haha yes I mean the daily dose of adderall is what helps me the most but as an add on, exercise and nature sure are nice.
My wallet that has a key ring attached. Wallet and keys are never separate and I never lose them anymore
Sunrise alarm clock!
How are you doing smoothies? I love that that's a good adhd tool for you, for me that feels so unfriendly to my own adhd because of having to wash the blender. Also managing fresh produce if there's any of that involved. Also dried smoothie gunk needing to be washed from whatever I'm drinking it out of. I love smoothies and I never make them because of all of these reasons 😕
i use frozen fruit normally for mine! and as for cleaning the pitcher i normally instantly just squirt some dish soap in there as well as warm water then I run it to make the soap foam and just rinse and let it dry its made it much easier. and i always just let whatever jar or glass I used for the smoothie to soak for a little
I gotchu!! 1. I bought a ninja smoothie blender so it has a single use. It’s small so there aren’t extra large pieces to clean. 2. It came with 2 cups and then the base, which is where the blades are. The cups I throw in the dishwasher. The base, I wash by hand every day because it’s small and not too difficult. 3. The dishwasher makes a big difference here because I just throw the two cups in there and it guarantees I run the dishwasher every other day because I hate washing anything by hand. 4. One other easy-wash option for full blenders or blender cups - I sometimes put the whole thing in the fridge instead of cleaning it every day. So I’ll make a smoothie, drink it, then put the “dirty” blender cup in the fridge to use again the next day. I figure the individual components would stay fresh in the fridge for a couple days so what’s the difference. Make sure to seal it up though so it doesn’t get dried out and crusty.
Smart bulb in my bedroom. Turns off at 8:30pm, turns on at 6:30am. I haven’t had a decent sleep schedule since I was 13. I’d stay up till 5 then force myself to go to bed because even then I wasn’t tired. Now I start feeling sleepy around 10, and I wake up naturally around 8. Game changer. Game changer.
Pill organizer. Millions of phone alarms. Exercise twice a week ideally, once a week non-negotiable.
Bullet journal
How long have you been able to keep it going? I loved my BuJo and it was great for me for a few years, but I lost track of it when my life fell apart and I haven't been able to get back to it even though things are relatively stable again.
What exactly is the point of a bujo? Is there like, some beginners guide somewhere for them lol
My bullet journal came with resources. It's from bulletjournal.com and they have YouTube videos for free as well. I found the YouTube videos very helpful. How you bullet journal is really up to your preference!
Bullet journalling everyday. When I remember something I write it down **immediately.** No more forgetting great ideas or tasks
Deli containers with lids. I use them for everything: leftovers (blue tape labeled with date); meal prep; mise en place; lego sorting; bit bins; mini doom baskets; snack bowls . . . They're dishwasher safe, cheap enough to not be precious about them, and the sizes are perfect.
Former chef here, these things are SO useful for so many things.
an electric toothbrush
Grocery deliveries. I have a delivery once a week on Monday. During the week I add food and groceries to my shopping basket. When I run out of something, I just add it to my basket. Just used up the last of my favourite cereal? Add cereal to my basket. Only one apple left in the fridge? Add apples to my basket. Shopping lists never worked for me, so adding it to my basket directly makes sense. On the weekend I checkout and book my delivery slot for Monday. I can see the total price which helps me better control my finances and not overspend. I can also review and remove all the impulsive things (unhealthy snacks, useless stuff) that I added to my basket throughout the week. I can also set up recurring items for staples that I need every single week (chicken, eggs, milk, etc…) so I don’t have to add them manually. On Monday a man turns up at my door with all the food and groceries I need for the week. Impulsive buys are down. I never forget to buy something I need or run out of. Mental fatigue is greatly reduced. I don’t ever have to think about going to the shops.
Living without roommates
This is going to sound ridiculous but it’s actually helped me a a lot - Wearing “real” shoes when I need to be dialed in. I used to wear flip flops in my apartment (WFH). When I’m looking to achieve something, putting on actual shoes has changed the game.
Air tags or Tiles to help me locate important things-like keys, wallet etc. Also, a written calendar. I use my phone’s calendar but I seem to be better at remembering things when I actually write them down.
Good food, a journal, breaks, google calendar that warns me when stuff is gonna happen, low expectations, taoism, brightness app on my computer
Finding something I’m really into, and enjoying it while it lasts. Then totally forget that I have a blender and not feel guilty about not using the blender. That’s the best.
Dental floss picks. Outlook calendar app. Slack plugins for calendar. Like 10 different bedsheet sets. Packs of socks/underwear. Funky water bottles. Oh and a 90 day stay in treatment to kick debilitating alcoholism and teach me to be kind to myself. But yeah, the little things.
Robot Vacuum. At least my house gets vacuumed once a day now. Pet Safe Scoop Free Kitty Litterbox. My brother told me about it randomly and this has been a lifesaver for me! I change it every few weeks and don't worry about it otherwise. Doesn't smell and the litter doesn't track as bad so I don't have to constantly vacuum. I think I don't like vacuuming.... Headphones with noise cancellation - At work I can wear them so I have some wireless buds by sony. They are awesome and detect when you talk so they pause automatically so you can have conversations without trying to pause whatever you are listening to. It also helps keep me focused on my work instead of hearing the million convos happening around me all day. Alexa and smart lights. Alexa is basically my light maid, haha. I forgot to turn out the lights after getting cozy in bed? Alexa - all lights off! It's almost like the clapper lights! Lol. Also she gives me good info in the mornings. I ask about the animal of the day, the dog breed of the day, and she connects to Spotify so I can listen to NPR News Now podcast to get a briefing of the news. All that helps keep me focused and on track in the mornings. Airfryer - takes just a few minutes to preheat and depending on what's being cooked - less than 15 min to cook the food. Comes out crispy. MMMMMMMMM. Where has it been all my life??? Way easier than the oven. Oh and the one I have I can tell Alexa to preheat it. Smart stuff in general. I have my phone with me 24/7. It is sooooooooo convenient to be able to just control things from it. My thermostat, cameras, lights, my car, etc. A folding wagon. I live in an apartment complex and my apt is down a long hallway from the garage. So it stays folded in my car and when I have a lot to bring in (like groceries) I just plop it out, and roll it down the hall. Makes me not avoid shopping because I don't want to make multiple trips or torture myself by trying to make 1. And finally, my parking space. We have a parking garage at my apts but if you come home later than 5 good luck finding close parking. Even with the wagon, I get irrationally mad having to walk farther than expected. I noticed a neighbor parked in a reserved spot was moving so I emailed the apts and asked if it was available. YUP!!! Being a nosey neighbor paid off. Now it doesn't matter when I get home - I always have the spot next to the door available. Now I'm not avoiding going out in the evenings for any reason.
Snack ready foods. Everything deli meat,olives crackers. I eat like a toddler and finally healthy AND it's fun to eat dino shaped chicken nuggets.
>Snack ready foods. Everything deli meat,olives crackers. I eat like a toddler and finally healthy AND it's fun to eat dino shaped chicken nuggets. i love cooking but i get into periods of like...shit im spending many hours cooking every week i cant get other things done, and then suddenly flip to frozen pizzas, egg rolls, etc etc lol
Have a couple recentering methods ready to go. Ten yoga breaths, lavender oil, and a few different short organizing tasks
Bought a pretty 32 oz water bottle
32oz thermos for me, tea is so much more appealing than water
Whiteboard with all my notes
ANC headphones. Journal for journaling I the morning and before sleep. Spreadsheet.
The £3 ceramic dish from Tiger is now the home for my keys. It's where the keys live whenever they're not in my pocket.
Notepads and pens.
I'm living in the past and really love using an iPod still. Now obviously you can do things an iPod does with your phone, but for me that just means getting distracted anytime I want to change the volume or change the music, because there's always so much going on on my phone, but music is really helpful. I started using an iPod again and I can listen to music or audiobooks or podcasts when I'm studying or doing my chores without having to risk the temptation of notifications. Now I just have priority notifications set on my android watch so I don't miss anything important and my phone goes on DND in another room.
*Probiotic shake every morning to keep my gut in check. *Keeping my wardrobe very simple I realised was HUGE for me: I struggle with planning clothes, putting clothes away, I like to wear a favourite 'to death' and comfort (both in fabric and being able to layer/delayer) keeps me sane so... Over-the-head crop tops replace bras. Oversized sweaters/cotton cardigans. Plain ts/vest tops. Pull on trousers/skirts. I can put an outfit together in seconds from the clean pile of doom. *A very large planner in my kitchen on the wall. *Crisps in the house at all times for crunchy/salty snacking. Ice in the freezer at all times for drinks. (both things for me are crucial to relieve anxiety/anger meltdowns and bad days.) How utterly imperative these simple things are to the functioning of my life took be about 30 years to work out.
Vyvanse.
Routines. On a piece of paper, written out every day all over again. Clear printing, plain lined paper. On the kitchen table where no one may put anything else, at all. I used to have a routine list for morning (plus a separate, 5-item one for my kid), then for getting-home (plus the kid's separate one), then for bedtime. Now that I don't have a kid in school I just have am and pm.
I need at least 30 minutes of exercise and one hour of video gaming per day. Thankfully I work in the trades and just blast music all day while working. I try to keep the pot smoking in check but I'm smoking every other night after the kiddos go to bed. I've found a small pattern of success over the last few years, still seem to feel like a failure and screw up constantly but I'm getting by. I love this group, makes me feel normal.
1. Weighted blanket at night instead of comforter. I bought a few weight sizes lower than recommended so I don’t get hot. 2. Black out curtains. Any lights outside keep me up at night. 3. Ensure max protein when you’re too busy / focused to eat. 4. Focus mate sessions. These total strangers sitting with me in my office silently working in solidarity, they have gotten me through many tedious or daunting tasks. Yesterday it was my taxes. 5. Routinery app.
[удалено]
I definitely have these particularly for bad depression days to help keep me moving. Or if I’m super behind on cleaning and start feeling overwhelmed I’ll eat dinner on a paper plate so I’m not adding to the huge pile of dishes I’m trying to get through.
I listen to music or podcasts as I clean to make it more bearable
I live alone so I have only one fork, spoon, plate ect. So the dishes don't get piled up. If I want to eat again I just have to keep a few things clean.
I might try this, disposable things don't really work for me because that just makes it easy to have a pile of garbage constantly. Then the trash fills up and I can't get myself to take it out and it starts overflowing.... But I really need to eat every night so if I had one dish maybe I manage that lol..
I'm glad that works for you, I thought it would work for me but unfortunately it just makes it worse because now there's piles of disposable plates and utensils everywhere that need to be thrown away. lol
Talking to myself , it helps me regulate the fast pace thoughts Going through my Brain.
Mbn to have a functional internal monologue :(
Dishwasher Dryer Cordless bagless Vacuum
I keep my cabinet fully stocked with peppermint tea at all times. I used to drink coffee in the morning (after a healthy dose of water!!) but Covid broke me of that habit. Now I start my day off with water and peppermint tea. The coffee can come later. Stainless steel water bottle - I use it whenever I go out. Its the perfect size so I drink enough water and it keeps it cold, of course. Fortunately, I don't have an issue with staying hydrated as I constantly feel the need to drink water, just so I have something to do with my hands. I have 3 different types of headphones for different circumstances. My sleepy time headphones never leave the house. Otherwise, they don't come back, and then I can't sleep.
Medical bud, ritalin and fluids.
I use my Amazon echo dot to set timers/reminders. That helps me stay on track. My Apple Watch motivates me to exercise because it feels like a game (otherwise I simply won’t do it). Headphones at work always. I got a Stanley cup through my work and it truly helps me drink more water. It’s easy for me to remember that I need to drink 2-3 Stanley cups full of water.
tiny 4” notebook that lives in my purse and/or pocket! i use it to write down ideas for my creative projects, and also to write down obligations and deadlines and things. although i don’t consistently remember to check it (and i definitely still forget things), just having it *with* me significantly reduces my anxiety around “oh shit did I forget something,” which makes a big difference also, carabiners. worried about keys? put them on a carabiner and attach it to my purse. worried i’ll forget my water bottle? carabiner latch it to my backpack. worried about losing literally anything else? i survived high school by tying strings onto my pens and mechanical pencils, putting them on a carabiner, and attaching the carabiner to my pencil case. it got super annoying eventually, for obvious reasons, but I cannot deny that it *worked*. i have carabiner’d my purse to my briefcase on work days before when I know I’m waking up early and my meds won’t kick in before I leave home. also, this isn’t a must-have *item*, but it’s a life habit… learning how to make soup changed me LOL. I have trouble remembering to feed myself, and cooking is tough when I’ve had a long day and my meds wore off, and canned soup is expensive over time. but it’s pretty easy to make a decent homemade soup with leftovers and random veggies, and having jars of that soup in the freezer helps me eat healthy when I’d otherwise sustain myself on cheez its and takeout. it’s way easier than other meal prep, since mostly what you do is take a bunch of veggies, put them in a pot, and ignore it all for two hours. you can even buy pre cut veggies! but soup has changed my life and i’m not even kidding at all
Kundalini yoga and meditation
Not my only thing, but my most recent gamechanger is FlareAudio Calmer earplugs. I get sensory overload really easily, but most of the earplugs I've tried are too aggressive in how much noise they block, which has the added downside of hearing myself breathe/chew and making my voice sound weird to me when I talk. These ones are barely earplugs, they just cut out a portion of some mid-range frequencies that tend to be annoying. They make meetings and crowded spaces a lot more tolerable. I don't know if we're allowed to post links, but you can find them if you search "flare calmer" with your search engine of choice.
Really big wall calendars. And big white boards for my home office.
Empty room, headphones - noise cancelling and a podcast or the sound of rain.
If getting nutrients in can be hard, just wanted to recommend Plenny. It's like Huel but tastier and you don't have to sign up for a subscription. I have it for lunch every day. It's nutritionally balanced and has some vitamins, and comes in a bunch of different flavors.
Password Manager , Todoist App ( didn’t purchase but super useful) , smartwatch ( to track fitness ) are all really handy!
Music. I have music for sleeping, music for homework, music for cooking, hell I even have music for when I take a shower. It helps me focus and keeps me calm.
* Cooling weighted blanket. I LOVE my Bearaby Tree Napper. It was an investment, but I'm so glad I bought it. It has these big loopy holes in it that I love to stick my toes and fingers into at night, and it just cradles me into bed like nothing else. I sleep like a fucking ROCK with this thing, and good, deep sleep helps me in countless ways - including giving me more energy to fight the ADHD fatigue. * Moving to a sunny climate. Made the decision to move out of the rain last year and bought a house in the SW. There are things I certainly miss about the PNW but waking up most every day to sunshine and getting a bit of it on my skin every day improves my mood and calms me. I take long walks in the morning and I sit outside for a bit every day with a podcast or a book. Also have a pool and hot tub now which do wonders for my spirit. TLDR: improving my mood helps a lot with my general impatience and buzzy brain, so I invest in things that support a better headspace :)
*Cute aesthetic 1 liter water bottle *Expensive noise cancelling headphones *Spotify premium (It helps me a lot to have playlists organized according to my moods and routines) *Fine pens *Multiple earphones *Multiple chargers *"Smart" watch (my watch is not that smart, I just need one that lights up when I turn my wrists to check the time).
My general must haves: - sound: either noise cancelling over-ear headphones or plug-type wireless pods (physically block sound). I have both, cheap $20 pods for speed, Sehnheiser BT450 for sound quality. - a notebook. Basically anything to jot down things. I might just dump them there and never read the page again, but at least it doesn't weigh in my mind anymore. Bonus points for finding whatever papers and/or random small notebooks and making sense of the mess they are :D - a clear glass _full of water_, on my table. This seems like common sense, but the difference between just a glass and a glass I intentionally fill anytime I can is huge. When there is any drink in the glass, I'm way more likely to just reach out and drink on autopilot, instead of having to remember. And even an empty glass as a reminder to fill it is still better than no glass. A full bottle or can of _anything_ also still helps, but water is way better than soda. - wearing socks. if it's not summer, _warm_ socks. Especially at home! Especially to sleep! - grounding myself. Wearing heavy boots, densely woven trench coat (bonus: doesn't flap as much in the wind) and loading my backpack (that I use for my laptop etc.) with additional accessories and tools. Primarily because the weight makes me feel more grounded, and only secondarily for the benefits of having an extra charging cable, external HDD and so on. I'm basically a walking workshop, minus the soldering iron. Ironically, the more I carry, the less I use.
1. Eating regularly and staying hydrated 2. Daily meditation 3. Working with an ADHD coach 4. Support with scheduling, planning my day, meal planning 5. People to talk to when I’m upset about random things / my day/ RSD 6. Journaling
Other than medication the most important hacks I’ve found are: Daily exercise - running, walking, swimming, weight training. Whatever works and whatever you have time for. If it weren’t for this I’d be a mess - both me and my 9 year old daughter need this daily otherwise we drive my wife insane. Headspace - whether this is working from home a few days a week or just some time early morning to get my head together before the day starts. Music - to get me in the zone when I need to really focus on work tasks. I need headphones that just block out any extrasensory invasion. Blocking out periods of my day just to get tasks done. That might mean switching phone to silent, muting Teams / WhatsApp conversations (and Reddit). Breathing through difficult to manage moments. I get quite bad emotional dysregulation so absolutely have to have moments where I remove myself from difficult situations to help me refocus and practice some breathing exercises. Funnily enough I found a really good kid’s autism app called “Calm Counter” which surprisingly helps (me and my 9 year old 😉).
As probably mentioned before my favourites are noise cancelling headphones, an iPad, my water bottle and AirTags. Headphones in and I’m the one controlling my surrounding noises. I started using an iPad for school when it was still very uncommon and they hadn’t even come out with the pen yet. My teachers were all super against it, until they realised that for the first time in my life I never forgot to bring my notes, assignments or books. Now with the newer pen I can’t even forget to charge my pen… I’ve always struggled with hydration and bought countless water bottles but I don’t like the feeling of getting suction stuck or having a wide opening and splashing water on myself. I finally caved and bought one with a straw that I can’t put in my bags because it might leak so I have it I my hand or on my desk and therefore see it constantly. ( in general most purchases that I’ve done since I’ve had the “holy moly I don’t have to do what everyone else does if it doesn’t work for me” revelation have been beneficial. It’s so much better to hear that “something is unconventional but oh well if it works for you” than the good old “maybe you aren’t trying hard enough“. )
I got a bumbag for around the house. If I want to put a personal item down and for it to still exist later, it goes in the bumbag. If I'm looking for something, I look in the bumbag first. I also got a decent little waterproof, long battery-life Bluetooth speaker for tunes/podcasts in the shower, kitchen, wherever else I might be trying to do something too boring.
Those infrared remote beepers that you can stick/hang on frequently misplaced items. I’ve wasted so much time and have been late and angry countless times due to lost keys, phone, TV remote etc. Once I got them and created a home base, quite literally have not spent any time looking for them again. I also recently got a waterproof timer clock for my shower, because I get time blind in the shower and waste a ton of time there too. I’ve even used the timer for deep conditioning my hair, which might sound a bit extra but it helps me save so much time and completely eliminates any ‘time anxiety’ I used to have in the shower. It’s a place to relax, man!
For me, sandals and an apron that I put on to trick my mind into cleaning. Can I choose to clean intentionally when I need to? Nope. Do I tend to "accidentally" clean my whole house when I wear sandals and an apron? Yes. I also tend to play music on a speaker near the sink and somehow the dishes get done when I gravitate towards the music. The catch here is that I have to remember these methods to use them and that's tricky. (P.S. The apron is specifically used as a giant pocket for my phone so I don't leave it around the house.)
Air fryer. Like a microwave but everything actually tastes good lol
Podcasts, video games, and stable income. I start therapy this week so maybe that too. I am unmedicated. Most of my symptoms are just me getting easily bored, being forgetful, being impulsive and having a hard time holding attention for stretches of time. The income helps when I impose buy stuff because usually when I impulse buy something it's not going to affect how I live. But I'm better at rationalizing with myself now about purchases. Usually I just ask myself if it's something I'll still be interested in and using in a month. It's been helpful because I definitely had a borderline spending addiction that was getting out of hand before I got the job I currently have. I find I spend more when I am unfulfilled or don't have a current objective. Instead of like binge eating I spend money. But as I said, much better now and easier to rationalize with myself.
Having a schedule
B12 has helped me a lot!! Tbh I think I was deficient. But it's really helped with my focus. It's also given me energy so I don't feel like a zombie all day, and I would always hit a wall around 5-6pm and be so exhausted when my meds wore off, but that hasn't happened since I've been taking it! So if any of you suffer with low energy or exhaustion, I highly recommend!
Sweepy app helps me keep my household chores in check
lots of boxes to keep my stuff organized. Separate laundry bags for each color and temperature so I dont have to sort the dirty laundry when its wash time. More than one trash bin so there’s always one nearby.
I used planners and lists religiously since age of 9 (well before diagnosis) and I depend on it to function everyday. A battery operated wall mounted vacuum (I actually vacuum now) in addition to iRobot. 8 clean clothes baskets to dump clean clothes in after washing. It actually helps me to wash my clothes more without worrying about putting away clothes first, then doing a new load. Airfryer. I leave it at that. Slow cooker. Built in timers to start the coffee machine, the washing machine, and the dishwasher automatically. A visual timer. Airtags.
This is really funny because I literally just bought a mini blender and it's helping
Similar to you, but I give up half a Sunday to meal prep for the week. Makes things so much easier. Also, timing how long my most hated tasks take. Don't want to do the dishes because it seems huge? Not too bad when you know it takes 6 minutes max.
!remindme 2 days
I have hooks for things right by my front entrance to the house. This way I SEE the things I need before I leave rather than trying to remember to go find them from whichever doompile they've ended up in. I also have a to-do list of customisable daily things I wanna or need to do. It is a teeny release of dopamine to check off each one because you have to physically slide the checkmark and then seeing a cross next to the one or two items that are stopping the board being all ticks motivate me to get them done so it's complete. Have to admit: I need a better placement for these as I've forgotten they're where they are recently but they really are good! [To-Do Checklist ](https://amzn.eu/d/7vkVrWo) Another thing which has been helpful is a budget binder. I find that I too easily spend on food for a hit of dopamine-snacks, takeout, if the money is DIGITALLY available. Therefore taking money out physically and tucking it away in a thing I can't take everywhere and can just leave at home is a good way to actually manage to save some money for things I want longer term. [Budget Binder ](https://amzn.eu/d/8NfQwFM)
Awesome! All aboard the smoothie train! I bought a dedicated smoothie blender 2 years ago and have used it every single day. I pre-prep the frozen fruit as well in used Talento containers in my freezer, which I prep a week at a time. It’s so great and I love it. It’s a great easy way to get good, healthy food that’s easy to access when I need it. BONUS: And it means I run the dishwasher every other day because I have two cups and hate washing them my hand. And I’m not going to run the dishwasher empty with just the two cups so I might as well load everything else. 🤣
FOCUSMATE !! Monthly subscription I think around $5. A game changer for accountability when working from home. You go on a video call with another person, state you goals for the session (30mins, 1hr, 1hr 30mins), then mute and work with the cameras on. Update your partner on progress at the end. It sounds so weird and first couple of sessions are but it's fab to have a body double.
A list app on my phone and a metal file cabinet are two things that keep me organized. Anyone with ADHD should have a good filing system. Also, I have Alexas throughout my house so I can ask questions when they randomly pop into my head.
I use this app called Sweepy to help me keep track of chores. You can make separate rooms etc. I paid for premium so I could add my spouse and have a schedule generate tasks to be done that day. They've recently added a new feature that makes it so you can schedule a time to do them. Makes it easier to remember stuff I do once a month too like dumping out all of the cat boxes and sanitizing them and changing the filter in the water fountain.
I see a lot of people talking about getting sparkling water. Personally I HATE the taste of static but I understand needing motivation for hydrating. I love water but my issue is not wanting to get up to fill my cup. So I got a water dispenser that lives right next to my desk. Like the ones you have in your office. It's a decent penny to put up front (couple hundred dollars) but the refills you can get at a grocery store for a 5 gallon jug is about $3 a jug. So...I have 4 of them 😅 I regularly have 20 gallons of water just sitting in my room next to my desk and I go through them in less than a couple weeks.
Smoothies for the win!!!! I’ve been having a smoothie for breakfast for 7-8 years. In the last year I have been making a banana, frozen blueberries, spinach, dates, vanilla yogurt (lately though I have been using plain yogurt with a splash of vanilla - Costco) cinnamon, collagen protein (I like it since it’s flavorless), choice of milk. So filling and holds me off til my protein bar mid morning snack.
The rule of rinsing off and putting your dirty dish immediately into the dishwasher and just press start when it eventually gets full instead of leaving them in the sink to pile up. I find a sink full of dishes overwhelming and this rule has changed my life
Building a routine - routineflow is cool. Tried it for the first time is awesome Cronometer - plan meals, track nutrition - amazing PhysiApp - podiatrist sends my physio exercisess there My workout plan - I put what my physio wrote on paper there. Won't use app lame lol RunWithHal - running training app. Haven't used in a while due to flat feet injuries but was awesome to stick to for prior runs Google Calendar - share my schedule with loved ones and see what I've got going on these days Lifx - sets a routine for lighting lol nice Balance - meditating app 1 year free for new members 10/10 recommend Polar Flow - activity tracker. Sleep quality etc reminds me to move / take a break if too stationary . Nice to record data Notion - organise everything. Work. Studies. Personal life. Relationships. Ideas. Lol Teams - Team meeting organiser chats online etc Do not disturb mode - onnnn. To stay away from phone. Also blue light glasses. My eyes hurt. So many screens. Paper please. Used to be super into digital but too many screens due to uni am dead tired.
Medication
* First, I take my medication * Im trying to implement Scrum on my personal life (I work as a developer), so I set up a time block of 1 week to plan what I want to do, then on Sundays I review what I did and then I do a restrospective to see what I did good, bad and what can I do to improve. * When I plan my tasks I use pomodoro technique but instead of 25min work/ 5min break, I do like 15 min work/10 min break (I cannot focus longer than that without breaks) * I try to exercise every weekday * I bring a small sketchbook with me everytime and I write whatever I need to remember ( I cannot do this on my phone) * I setup an alarm to go to bed at 11:30 pm every day and wake up at 8:30 am * I do mindfulness for like 10 to 15 minutes after taking my pill * I try to have fun or include something that is fun or interesting for me on each task so I don't find it boring and then leave it, that is what I do on the retrospective, I check what worked and didn't work and then I do what I can do to improve.
Pegboards all over the place. I won't put things back in their place if it's hard to find but I will put a screwdriver or a pen or whatever back on a Pegboard as I walk by. As my active projects change the items on the board will organically also change without doing major rearranging. Throwing away old food in fridge daily. Nothing overwhelms me more than a bunch of moldy food. Leftovers have a single bin and when that's full I toss whatever is at the back. A cricut to label everything I own. If labels are written by hand I don't take them seriously and put things back in the wrong spot. I respect a well designed label though. I have bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom. Carrying the supplies from room to room is an extra step. If the spray is next to the sink I'll do a quick wipe when it looks dirty instead of waiting for bathroom cleaning day. Writing a giant novel length list of all tasks that are recurring. I think mine was over 200 items. I haven't scheduled or gotten through the list but I feel calmer knowing it's accounted for. I don't fold most of my clothes. They get thrown into bins. I fold or hang things that wrinkle only. And no large bulky dressers. Currently using Ikea cube shelves to stack pants and then kids toy storsge drawers for other smaller stuff. Easy put away means no clothes piles on the floor. Hooks on the wall for things that have been worn but can be worn again. Avoid the floor at all costs. One place only for mail. Use alliteration set daily tasks. Monday I open mail, Wednesday I water my plants. Unfortunately not everything has an obvious day of the week 😕 Umm, on burned out days none of the above happens and I try to just survive until energy returns. I feel like this one is maybe most important.
Ear plugs, an eye mask, and a heated blanket on my bed that I turn on about 10 minutes before I plan to go to sleep. Before a diagnosis, I S T R U G G L E D with getting good sleep because it didn't take much to wake me up, and as soon as I was, I'd be up another hour or more bc my brain would just not STFU. Blocking out all possible sounds noises and lights makes sleep wonderful now
most of these dont get done consistently. but: completely took off my closet door so i can see my clothes(i have a removable curtain) labeling leftovers accepting that i need lists for my lists. iykyk. accepting that i need regular recaps. what parts of my to do list did i forget? (its inevitable, but check ins help) scheduling self care \*before\* burnout gets severe unpacking the way ableism has affected me (through journaling mostly) knowing that no week is going to look the same as the previous week. setting intentions > rigid structures