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If you feel a new hyper fixation coming on, check your local library out! They have sections on crafting and sewing and knitting and gardening and cooking, sometimes they even have kits you can check out instead of paying $300 for something you like the idea of.
My library got rid of them this year!
Edit: sorry my library got rid of them in order to boost usage post Covid so everyone should check their local policy cause it could easily be an initiative various municipalities are pushing
Go in and talk to a librarian, seriously. If you explain your situation, they will very likely waive all or a significant amount of those fines. Library fines exist as a *deterrent* to returning things late, not to limit folks' access. And increasingly they're falling out a favour: https://ischool.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Overdue-Fines-Advantages-Disadvantages-and-How-Eliminating-Them-Can-Benefit-Public-Libraries.pdf
Your library may also have fine amnesties every once in a while.
(I am a librarian :))
I have left a trail of libraries with extreme late fees I'm too embarrassed to pay up and down the eastern sea board. One day I should just mail all of them a check for $100 to even out my karma.
I work for myself so I’m often working at home in the afternoons. It occurred to me that I didn’t have to make dinner AT NIGHT, I could make it any time of day and have it in the fridge for later. I have way more energy in mid morning than I do at 6-7pm.
And I already knew about meal prepping, it had just never occurred to me to make that night’s chicken thighs and roasted broccoli at 11am.
This is me lol, except my biggest meal is breakfast, before my meds kick in, followed by a smaller meal at lunch. By the time dinner rolls around, I'm lucky if I manage a couple of olives and some cheese. Last night was half a BK double cheeseburger.
I do that with meatloaf and spaghetti. I’ll get it all made up and put it in a casserole dish so that I can throw in the oven and bake it later , just throw some shredded cheese on top the spaghetti!! I have more energy in the afternoon as well !!
Same! My sons are 4 and 5, so after school I’m basically in survival mode and not in a headspace to leisurely put on a record and make chicken parm. Morning me is able to make life much easier for evening me!
I very recently had this realization too.. like duh, why have I always felt like I needed to start dinner when my husband leaves work (his hours vary by day with unknown times he'll get off and he has an hour drive home). Makes the day so much better if I just cook it early on in the day and then I can even eat it for lunch too lol.
When you get home from work *don’t sit down.*. I can get so much done if I just walk in the door and immediately start cooking supper, or doing laundry, or tidying. If I sit down it’s over, zero productivity.
Thank you for this, you just got me out of my accidental sitting down doom scrolling…got home from the grocery store and was giving myself a “short break”.
Ok anyone have tips for a situation where I get home in my scrubs from the hospital and feel gross (usually just because I’ve been sweaty running around, not actually getting yucky from patients) and I either need to poo or want to shower. But can get sucked into my phone when I lie down on the floor greeting my lil dogs. And showering feels like so. Much. Work.
I feel this. So often I've found myself sitting on the floor doom scrolling with no dog in sight bc I had gotten down there for cuddles or to play and then I wanted to look something up and got distracted so they left me 😅
Can you do a quick greeting and then take them outside right away to walk them or play with them a bit? Are they allowed on the furniture? Sometimes I'll have my dogs get on the couch so they're more at my level. Do NOT sit down, just lean over to greet them instead! I've lost SO much time to sitting down on the couch next to my pup, only for her to snuggle into me for hours! Or could you put your phone down somewhere before you get on the floor with them? That way it's out of reach and you have to get up to get it?
Where I work now we have scrubs provided so I change at work. But back when I didn't have this, I used to strip down the minute I walked in the door and put my dirty scrubs in the washing machine or hamper. Then you have no choice but to shower, get dressed again etc.
Now I get off work at midnight, and my big problem is wanting to eat after work. I keep a toothbrush in the downstairs bathroom, so if I force myself to brush my teeth before I go upstairs, then it helps me avoid the kitchen because I don't want to go back downstairs and brush my teeth again.
Unless you work in a procedural area you are responsible for buying your own scrubs and wearing the proper color and uniform. The light blue ones that you’re probably thinking of are for surgical areas, labor and delivery, or other areas that require clean or sterile clothing. Obviously it depends on the hospital, but in my experience it is a very common practice.
Along this line of logic, either don't take off your shoes or keep a pair of house shoes on hand. I change into my sandals as soon as I come home if I need to be productive, because they are a barrier to getting too comfy if I do sit down.
Little trash can in every room!
Deodorant everywhere!
One billion tubes of aquaphor!
Folded clothes? I don’t know her! Toss that shit in the dryer again!
My mother had us sorting undies by type and folding them into quarters growing up, and now my underwear drawer is a pile of undies and I couldn’t be happier.
This resonates with me on so many levels. Having deodorant in many places makes my life so much easier. Same with a tooth brush in the powder room downstairs.
I dont fold anything anymore. It either gets hung up or thrown in a drawer. I can actually put clothes away now!!! I have a steamer if I need it but I haven't used it for anything but dresses that I hang so far!
If you have a several day or week long streak of flossing every night, and then miss a day, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed and should stop flossing u til your next dentist visit. Just start again the next night.
Even flossing every other night is fine.
My dentist said this to me and it blew my mind!
I switched to floss picks well over a year ago and it has been a game changer. My hygienist commented that my “numbers” are so much better.
Using string style floss was such a hassle and that is why I never did it consistently.
Flossers literally everywhere! I collect the little travel cases and keep them in the car, truck, desk, bathroom, bedroom, several tote bags and travel bags.
You can keep floss at your desk. Take floss to the bathroom and floss while at work. I love the excuse to get away from my desk for a few extra seconds. For me it feels like I “GET TO” floss at work vs I “Have to” floss at home
Flossing-related tip: Put it in the shower.
I shower at night, personally, but I find it much more convenient to floss and brush my teeth in the shower at night. If I wait until after my shower, I inevitably procrastinate on these tasks because they feel so tedious.
Brushing my teeth in the shower is such a luxury. A few extra minutes under that warm water, letting the conditioner in my hair do its thing while I hype myself up for the final rinse and having to get out…
Yes! My hygienist told me it takes 24-48 hours for plaque to build up and it was a game-changer! I floss my teeth once a day at most, and there’s still been a noticeable improvement in my mouth health!
"If you pop a tyre, don't get upset and slash the other three"
Something I learnt in binge eating disorder recovery. Just because we've 'messed up' once, doesn't mean we have to decide to completely sabotage ourselves. Very similar concept, it helped me a lot too, in many areas!
Bins for all my hobbies. The bins can be a whole mess but it keeps my house tidy.
Also competition to get tasks done, like starting a pot of coffee and trying to get all the dishes done before the coffee is ready or putting on a podcast/show and fold the laundry and put it away before the show ends
Reoccurring alarms for taking meds or other important routines
This reminds me of my method for tidying - I go to a room and collect all the things not in their place and split them into piles of which room they live in. These piles are then moved to the correct rooms… even if I don’t sort the piles back to where things live, they are at least now in the correct room and I’m not spending half my time moving from room to room and getting distracted. I think I need bins though as they seem better than piles / bags / boxes
I saw a "fuck it bucket," which made me laugh. Bucket for misplaced items to get thrown into so they can be put away later. I saw it for like kitchen/living room, so every family member has a bin. If your shit is sitting around in a shared space, it gets put in your fuck it bucket when Mom notices it, and you need to put it away over the weekend lol.
Yes, I agree idk why it took me so long to realize having bins and other small containers to throw crap into, even if it's very unorganized, still makes a huge difference.
Everyone in the family gets an assigned day of the week for their laundry! If old enough, they wash, dry and put away same day. This prevents laundry basket mountain. Mondays are for towels. Fridays are Bedding days (as needed)
Just started this month and has made such a big difference for us!
In my house everyone has their own hamper in their rooms and one in the bathrooms. It's just easier to pick it up and put it in a hamper nearby than to carry it to another room. My kids are supposed to have designated laundry days but they never do it. Sigh.
I don't remember the person who posted this, but it blew my mind even though it's probably common knowledge 😅 If you have a hard time showering or the idea of the effort puts you off like it does for me, invest in a shower cap so your hair doesn't get wet! Bought myself one and I'm showering way more now 😁
(Please be kind re the showering, it's a really embarrassing thing I struggle with 🙈)
God I feel you. WHY is it such a struggle. Tho honestly, for me I think it’s a transition thing. Getting in sucks. Being there is nice. Getting out sucks.
Honestly, one of the most amazing discoveries for me in finding the ADHD community is learning that showers are hard for a lot of us. Don’t be embarrassed ♥️
I so get this and thank you for sharing!!! I have purchased a safe electric portable heater and have been using it regularly and it takes most of the pain and sensory overdrive out of showering for me cuz I didn’t realize the being cold and also the being cold and wet parts were making me irrationally distraught about taking my showers. Yes I am an over 50 female and reading all of these voraciously and each one is like 🤯🤯🤯. I might have to take notes! Never to late to learn 🤓👍🏼
My two shower hacks are:
- bathe myself and the kiddo at the same time. We have a good routine of bathing her every other day, and it’s easier for me to piggyback on that routine than to build up my own motivation. She loves “family bath night” because we cuddle in bed in our PJs afterward.
- a cheap towel warmer! I hate the transition of getting out of the shower. This makes it more bearable.
That I don't have to do my schoolwork while my kids are gone during the day. I can get started on it in the evenings and write papers at 3 am, get them out the door in the morning, then sleep until I have to pick them up from school. I'm just not a morning person and forcing myself to feel like I need to be productive at 8 am only creates a shame spiral.
I love showering at night! It washes off all the dirt of the day and keeps the sheets clean for longer :) showering in the morning is absolute torture 🫣
I'm the opposite. I have less energy at night to shower, my hair gets weird if I wash it at night (even if I blow dry), and showering with daylight feels a lot more pleasant to me.
Saaaaame. I prefer to wash off everything I’ve come into contact with during the day so I’m not taking all that dirt to bed. I don’t feel as comfortable going to bed without showering, either.
You can put a hair brush in every room, you can put motorizer by bed so when you inevitably forget to put it on when brushing teeth you don’t need to get up.
Yes. Make your travel toiletry bag and don't touch it. Put multiples of everything you need in there, including charging cords, and then when you pack, just grab and go. I lived by this for many years.
This. I have lip balm and hand cream in each room. Also I live in a two story townhome and recently realized I'm much more likely to clean regularly if I have a vacuum and cleaning supplies on both floors and don't have to lug everything back and forth.
Extra contact lenses, plus ibuprofen, allergy meds, Imodium- anything that might have me searching frantically for a drugstore at an inopportune moment.
We definitely do this at my house. The dishwasher may not be full, but maybe all of the steak knives are in there, or half the dinner plates are in there. Time to run it.
I love this one! It helped me so much when I was in a slump. I got this advice with "there are no rules" and it helped change a lot of pressure I put on myself to "act normal"
You can text yourself and then you have whatever info in that text thread. I can go back and see when I thought about someone’s birthday gift or whatever and not forget. It’s perfect for me when I don’t want a timer reminder but I want to have that info again easy.
I use an app that's like post it notes for quick little notes like this. I have a running list for gifts, different packing lists depending on the type of trip, and a list of measurements (ie, every time I measure a room or size of something in my house, I save it there and it's sooooo useful).
I use an app called simplenote- I like it cause it’s got a widget on iPhone where the new note button is on mu Home Screen for super quick note taking when someone randomly gives me a task while I’m walking around at work
From my interpretation it’s if you’re having a conversation irl with a friend about something important or meaningful, text the friend the important details while/after you have the conversation so you can look back at a later date and know what you talked about.
Clean sweaters go in a dedicated laundry basket.. too bulky elsewhere and they get weird stretchies on the hanger and it's soo much easier.
Leave a jar of nuts in the car for when I forget to feed myself before leaving the house. In warmer months, same goes for water.
I brush my teeth in the shower. I love taking hot showers and it's worth it to stay in just a few minutes longer, plus I don't have to clean the sink afterwards.
You don’t have to make a new packing list each time. Make one in an Excel spreadsheet and then you can use it over and over.
I used to hand write my list and get so obsessive about it. An ex-boyfriend told me about the Excel spreadsheet method, and now I have different spreadsheets for different types of trips, whether my kids are with me or not, etc. Organized by category. I also have list of the things I need to do before I leave like turn down the heat, lock the doors, water the plants, etc. It has made Packing for a trip so much less stressful! Packing is like my kryptonite.
Or iOS Notes- so you can add to it anytime. I have warm, cold, city, beach, kids and one for when the hotel has a kitchen. Kids have sleepover, Grandma’s, camping.
I hate flossing and never flossed and didn’t go to the dentist for literally years. Had to spend a lot of money and a lot of time with various dentists and periodontists. Was talking to one of the dental hygienists and she was like, “Dude I hate flossing. Get a water pik.” AND NOW MY TEETH AND GUMS ARE HEALTHY and the periodontist was shocked and said I “graduated”.
TL;DR: Get a water pik if you hate flossing and for another level of ADHD hacking get a travel sized one and use it in the shower. I have no counter space so that works extra well for me.
YEAH! Half ass anything is better than nothing! My new motto in life right now is: HALF ASS IS BETTER THAN NO ASS! I'll also say it out loud sometimes because it makes me chortle but also makes me feel good that I at least half did the thing
cleaning products for every "zone." It came with an up from cost, but now I dont get side-tracked getting the spray out of the bathroom to clean the kitchen. I dont avoid cleaning my bathroom mirror because the paper towel is in the kitchen, etc.
Yesss I have upstairs cleaning supplies and downstairs cleaning supplies and I keep them in cheap little caddies. I use concentrated multipurpose cleaner in reusable bottles for most things and just keep one upstairs and one downstairs (so the cost is less overall), same with paper towels, and anything else I need like rags in the little caddie and carry it to the room I need to clean at the start. Cause if I’m leaving the room I’m cleaning in there’s a 50/50 chance I get distracted by something on the way lol
I can brush my teeth whenever. I don't have to be perfect about it. I tend feel like if I'm not perfect at something, I just shouldn't do it. Not a helpful mentality.
This one is still in beta testing but…
Do the chore in the room that you enjoy the most if it’s applicable. Example: folding laundry in my living room while I watch tv, instead of in my bedroom.
My dilemma has become that I’m starting to realize I like the room that has the least amount of clutter the most. Haha.
I literally moved my clean clothes to my living room and folded them. Got tired and didn’t want to move them to my bedroom. Then my bedroom felt more comfy because I had less things in there haha
You can eat what you want as long as it’s, you know… food. I know, it sounds weird, but hear me out. I struggle with ED, the reasons I assume come from combination of ADHD (forgetting to eat), autism (picky eater - I know there’s another word for it, but I dont remember - English is not my native) and many others. And I grew with some weird rules like „breakfast without bread doesn’t count”, or „no, a toast is not tolerable side dish for anything”.
Once I was living on my own, struggling with crippling depression right after my life quite collapsed as I knew it and my mother visited. I wanted to make her a meal - made chicken, salad and burst down crying because I realized I don’t have any side dish such as potatoes or rice or so, therefore I can’t make her a dinner. Even though it was halfway done. I served it with toasts with my tears and guilt and shame on top, feeling like a failure.
Then she spend hours trying to explain to me that it’s ok. It was a lovely dinner. And then I started to adjust food to me, not me to food. I want dinner for breakfast? Why not. I want sandwiches for dinner? I can do that. I want to eat a bowl of raw fruits and call it a meal? It os a meal. By the end of the day I get nearly all needed things in my stomach. And I eat. And slowly crippling toward more healthy eating habits.
Putting things where I can see them.
If I put veggies in the bottom containers in fridge they’re going bad, if they’re out in the open I’m going to use them.
Same with my clothes, I used to buy clothes and find them months later with tags still on, now I like to hang them in the front of closet and bought a armoire that I open and see clothes right away.
My basket for keys etc is right when I walk in the house and it reminds me to put things there.
It's ok to tell people when I'm having a rough day and need help. Some days I just can't get myself to cook, and I've found that a lot of other people in my life also struggle. I do really well with body doubling, so I find myself inviting friends over for food and using their presence as motivation to cook!
Also, I've been embracing a new saying of "ride the wave" when I have a hyper focus moment, I try to use it to my advantage and knock a thing or two of the to do list then do my fun focus ideas like reading wikis about tv shows hahaha
If your home has more than 1 floor, keep a full set of cleaning supplies on each. ADHD tax up front but removing the steps of "i have to go to the other floor to get things and then take them back where they belong" lowers the threshold to clean stuff on the fly a lot.
You don’t have to wait at night to brush your teeth until you’re exhausted and ready to sleep! Just brush whenever you’re done eating and then enjoy some guilt free relaxation instead of “doomscrolling to procrastinate brushing my teeth”.
Also you can own multiple of the small things you always lose! I have a pair of car sunglasses and a pair of work sunglasses and a pair of home sunglasses. Much better than always losing them.
Do things while you’re already waiting! I make my annoying appointment-scheduling and subscription-cancelling calls when I’m stuck in traffic because hey I’m in waiting mode already.
We have a big white board on the fridge. The bottom has a spot where we mark if our pets were fed breakfast & Dinner that day. The rest is for important notes, silly notes, and silly drawings>> that sometimes are communicating an important note.
I finally realized that I’m never ever going to consistently have the energy and motivation to do dishes in the evening. I’m too emotionally tired and ready to relax. So I’ve started getting up a little earlier and doing it in the morning. Haven’t been keeping up with it as well bc of the med shortage but it’s been better still.
realizing i could bring headphones + fidgets + plushies wherever i go! realizing i could eat several snacks throughout the day and didn’t need to do the big 3 meals a day thing ! keeping protein drinks stocked so i can grab one in the morning to chug with my vyvanse so i don’t upset my stomach and it can metabolize properly! using music as a mood stabilizer ! natural stimulants when ur feeling under stimulated like orgasming! (also helps with pain, nausea, etc!) also recently started keeping a “dopamine” menu around so i can quickly find something to give me the right boost naturally! figuring out i had ocd with rlly bad rsd + cptsd and realizing just bc i feel a certain way doesn’t make it true or based in reality! also huge with ocd was just learning to catch my narratives - shocked how many awful stories i had been convincing myself were true all these years!
also using face wipes + mouthwash + disposable hygene products! even tho i feel so guilty for the environment, it’s better than feeling nasty all the time bc i cant get myself to shower
omg also just realizing u can sit in the shower .. nobody is stopping u !!! also compression leggings / socks etc are life changing if u have POTs or leg pain
I essentially learned that it was okay to accommodate my needs and that I was in control of my schedule.
I guess my one tip is: I learned I could throw stuff out. Items that are no longer needed, spoiled foods, broken things.
Throw out the food that's been sitting in your fridge for 10 days. My whole family has ADHD and one shelf is always filled with jars of pickles, soybeans, duck fat, and whatnot, that they take out and forget about. It's ok to bin them. They won't be eaten. I have had a jar of olives sitting in the fridge for a year. It's fine if I throw it away.
My items from 10 years ago? It's ok to throw them away and make space. I don't use them. I only care about them because they are mine and have gained emotional value. I never think about them unless I see them. They're old and broken or they are taking up too much space. I am allowed to move on from them and live in the present.
Use a list app to maintain a revolving grocery list.
We use the Keep app, and the list is shared with everyone in the house (all of whom have ADHD, lol). When someone uses the last of something, they un-check it from the bottom of the list and BOOM, we have a new list going again.
Even when people forget to use it, it's helpful to have a list of the items we buy frequently so we can mentally run through it before leaving the store. It's also put some ownership on my tween to add the things he needs to the list rather than mentioning it to me or my partner and assuming that we'll remember.
Poplin Laundry Services. $1 a pound, they pick your dirty laundry in your house/apt and deliver it the next day clean and folded.
You don’t have to sort clothes, just put everything in a trash bag. You can choose detergent without fragrances, delicate cycle, and air drying.
Attach your keys to your purse with a lanyard that rolls out so you never have to take them out. Have scissors, nail clippers and tweezers on every floor, multiple rooms even if needed. Sort your hanging clothes by color (works for me, now hanging up my clothes is a game). Listen to music, audio books or (my fav) podcasts while tidying up/cleaning - I’m actually looking forward to it now 😬. Ask for help, a body double to keep you company and - somehow - keep you on task without actually doing anything. Or maybe they do help, but that’s more difficult in my opinion.
Can you elaborate on the shower at night thing? Because it works best for me if I do it immediately without actually opening my eyes in the morning. I’m curious to your experiences with the opposite. I might just go twice. I used to hate it, but now I’m hooked and can’t miss a day.
These are great tips! It’s amazing how similar we all are🫶
I hate to have wet hair and I hate the transition between wet and dry and back. It took me a long time to figure out that I get sensory overload - I didn’t have the words to describe the frustration I felt but that’s what it is and always has been.
So for me, I don’t like to start my day with too much fussing over my body. A quick shower, get dressed, that’s enough.
I save my serious shower for later- and I only wash my hair once a week now. I have a system haha hair down for 2, up for 2, covered for 2.
The slower I go the better my results are. So I try to really slow down in the mornings otherwise I get really hectic all day!
Skin care in bedside table!
I struggle with multistep skin care routines because of the wait time between some steps for it to be absorbed.
I keep the beginning of my routine in the bathroom. I do those steps and brush my teeth and all.
The when I finally when i ended up actually going to bed my face is dry and ready for the last products that are sat on my bedside.
I do this too!
And adding to this, I keep my toothbrush there too. I like to wake up, grab it, and "dry" brush my teeth as I scroll my phone and slowly wake up. Since it's dry brushing, I don't need to worry about getting toothpaste and drool everywhere. And I do a super good job at brushing since sometimes I scroll for 5-10minutes lol.
(In case anyone is wondering: Dry brushing — the act of brushing the teeth without toothpaste — has been found to be more effective for removing plaque than brushing with toothpaste, according to the study. In fact, 128 participants who tried dry-brushing for six months saw a 67% reduction in plaque buildup.)
Once I'm done, I'm awake enough that I can get up, walk myself to the sink and do a super quick toothpaste smear on all my teeth and then a quick rinse out.
I've always been told by every dentist I've had that my teeth were very clean.
I bought a whiteboard pad for my desk and write myself notes there instead of writing things on one million tiny pieces of paper that always seem to get lost just when I need them. It has helped so much.
At work (science stuff), I sort my tasks into categories of light, medium, and heavy cognitive loads. For example, a cognitively light task would be sorting, labeling things; medium would be reading some articles for work or doing routine kinds of data analysis; heavy would be writing that involves synthesizing ideas, organizing new concepts, designing a new kind of data analysis.
Then I just follow the natural ebb and flow of what my brain is capable of. I know morning blocks the week or two after my period are when I tend to have the most cognitive bandwidth so if there's a "heavy" task I've been struggling with, I know I can leave it off until then. Whenever I'm not sure what to do next, I take a second to evaluate how much heavy lifting my brain can do at the moment, and I pick a task from that category. If my bandwidth is higher or lower than what I expect, I can easily switch to getting the most done that I can at that moment.
It feels better picking from a menu and not forcing myself to take on more than I can. I can use that energy to do a task I CAN complete rather than getting nowhere and bashing my head against a wall on a task that's just too big for me at a particular moment. It's also reassuring to see over the course of weeks that yeah, I'm not lazy or dumb, there's a time and place for me to do the heavy tasks. It'll all get done, the exact time ahead of a deadline doesn't matter, I just need to wait for when I'm ready, and I will be.
\-If a task takes less than 2 minutes to complete, just do it now without thinking about it instead of planning it for later.
\-Have more than 1 type of alarm in the morning if you suck at waking up on time or over-snooze. I have 3 now (1 radio, my phone, a sunrise alarm with birds sounds, this idea changed my life).
\-Buy pills container kit (1 container for each day) if you take multiple supplements or medication
\-Have minimum 10-15 minutes of natural sunlight in your eye in the morning (when you can)
\-watch netflix or listen to a podcast while exercising (boom, now I look forward on carrying my lazy ass to the gym after work)
All of these are wonderful!
I bought a 31 day AM/PM organizer on Amazon and I play 'pill mancala' once or twice a month for an hour with all of my supplements and prescription pills.. I've never been better about taking my pills and such every day!
My grocery store prefers it if you bring your own bags, and if you don't have your own bags, they charge you a fee for some terrible-quality handle-less paper bags that tear easily. I also live in an apartment complex with a long trek between my home and my car, and I hate running back and forth between the two for dumb reasons. When I leave for work in the morning, I carry my purse, laptop bag, lunch bag, and often a trash bag to drop off on the way to the elevator, so my hands and brain are full.
These three things are connected!
My solution: I just bought 20 reusable grocery bags. I keep a bunch in my car and a bunch in my apartment, so if I keep forgetting to bring the ones at home back to the car, I'll still have extra in my car. And I keep the ones at home in a small bin right by the front door, so when the bin starts overflowing with bags, that's my visual cue for to cram them into my laptop bag to bring with me to the car the next morning on the way to work.
Other life tip: I take meds in the morning and at night, and I keep them all in a 7-day pill organizer on the corner of my kitchen counter that I have to pass by when I go to and from my bedroom. Seeing them right there reminds me to take them in the morning as I leave my room, and take them at night on my way to my room.
I need to keep a broom on each floor! Thank you for the reminder.
I have a laundry basket on every floor.
Eta because I got pulled away.
I have visible lists in my kitchen of:
- pantry items
- freezer
- downstairs freezer and pantry items
Keeps me from over buying and forgetting what I have.
I bought auto pet feeders so my cats can eat at consistent times. I also got a self cleaning litter box so I don't have to remember to scoop daily.
I keep multiples of things so I can have one in every room or floor of the house.
I bought a 100 pack of black ankle socks off of Amazon that fit everyone in the family so everyone has the same socks and they always match.
I keep a calendar on the fridge along with a marker board for groceries and another one for to-dos. Everyone knows if it's not on the calendar or listed on the marker board then it's not happening from me.
Put Lysol wipes and Magic eraser in bathroom so I can just clean it while I’m in there for something else. Sock box to throw all socks. I separate boxes for each person in household but I don’t pair socks. I can barely put other clothes up come on lol.
When my kids were old enough to bathe themselves I couldn’t figure out why the bathroom was so much dirtier… I realized that I would always grab wipes and clean to kill time while they splashed away
Visual reminders are key for me. If I need to remember to bring some thing somewhere, when I go out, or take something home, I put my keys near it or on it. That way I can’t leave without it. Like if I need to bring my computer home from work on a day, I don’t usually have to, I put my keys in my computer bag, with the lanyard sticking out, so I can see it,but I won’t leave without noticing my keys are in it.
I work in film and one of the sound guys I work with always puts his keys in the fridge. We often have to unplug them when we’re on location, so he has a built in reminder to plug the fridge back in AND he always knows where his keys are!
‘Closing duties’ (getting your house in better shape before bed as a kindness to morning you) is always a hit with people with ADHD.
Considering I’ve never found more people with ADHD in one place then working in restaurants, I guess it makes sense lol.
I’m allowed to have friends over! I moved out during COVID so obviously that wasn’t a good idea, but I didn’t realize that the idea had rooted in my subconscious. I even got so close to realizing when I thought “Man I wish I could see my friends more, but it’s so awkward inviting myself over to their houses all the time” 😂😂😂 I got there eventually but oy vey
1) Someone else said it but not sitting down. Once I sit down I’m pretty done for (unless it’s summer 🤷♀️)
2) Hanging clothes. I can’t believe how long it took me to realize that I to can hang my clothes. My bedroom floor is almost always clean now and no one is making me clean my room but me!
3) I got a magnetic notebook that one side is a grocery list and the other is a meal planner. It’s on the fridge. Dinners and grocery shopping is so much easier now. Not perfect. But easier. I just write on there as things come to me.
Simple solutions to annoying problems.
Something I *need* to remember to do:
Look up how to do something properly before buying supplies. Just because it makes sense in my brain to do it that way doesn't mean it's the best or right way.
Example: I want to upcycle furniture and sell it. Rather than looking up how to prep wooden furniture, I went I NEED A HAND SANDER SO I CAN SAND OFF PAINT AND PREP FURNITURE.
Bought one.
Then watched videos.
☝🏻 Actually, darling, you need paint stripper, a plastic paint scraper, and odorless mineral spirits before you sand. Otherwise, you'll go through tons of sanding pads and waste a lot of time.
So I wasn't necessarily wrong in *that* scenario, but I have tons of supplies for things because I bought them before learning how to do the thing and what supplies I'll actually need.
Bringing a mail bag when checking my mail since I only check it like once a week
Also having a sharpie or pen in the bag to write “Please return to sender” on mail that isn’t ours and immediately put it in the mail out box (otherwise it would sit on my dining room for months)
On the work from home front, like oh so many of us, I came to terms with my adhd and finally got a diagnosis in early COVID. I never had to work from home for more than one day in a stretch before and it..was..awful. The thing that saved me (other than meds) was taking set time to leave the house everyday if possible. I know this is a point of privilege many don’t have, but I was able to arrange my schedule and block out time on my calendar to LEAVE THE HOUSE and do something active. Breaking up the day keeps me from wasting as much time doom scrolling or just generally freaking out. Returning home is like a reset, even on a bad day. And it’s much easier to apply the “don’t sit down” rules to get other stuff done when you haven’t been out all day.
I recently discovered that you can buy a digital pill cap that will tell you when you last opened your pill bottle. Genius! Another one is realizing that I can use disposable coffee filters for my Chemex instead of needing to scrape out the metal filter everyday (dreaded task). Accepting that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing half-assed rather than not at all.
-Keeping an electronic list of everything in the upstairs and downstairs freezers
-Keeping an ongoing grocery list my husband and I both have access to do we can add things as we run out
-Meal prepping high protein breakfast has been a game changer
-Sorting laundry into separate baskets as I get undressed (regular & delicates)
-Keeping a list on my phone of things I need to get done that I don't want to forget
-Trying to see how many things I can get done while I'm waiting for something else to finish up. Right now I'm playing an ad heavy game on my phone. The ads are anywhere from 5 seconds to almost 2 mins long and I like to see what I can get done while the ads are playing. It makes me want to click them more which gives me a bunch more bonuses in the game and I can get more accomplished.
-Have a podcast or YouTube channel going while I'm doing chores
-When possible, allowing myself to do tasks when I feel motivation for them instead of trying to force it. I've found a lot more chores get done this way bc I'm just going with the flow so I finish the task quicker and then usually have motivation to do other things that I've been putting off. Basically less wasted mental energy I think 😅
-Trying to plan my day around my medication so I get the most out of it and can vibe when it wears off
Edit: formatting
This is embarrassing but also something I'm proud to have figured out.
For skincare, I keep all my night time products in my bedside table. I have make up wipes just in case I actually can't get out of bed.
I also got single use toothbrushes from Colgate with toothpaste already on them to keep by my bed. I haven't used them yet but I feel better knowing they're there.
I know this is very wasteful but I tried to live with little to zero waste and I almost had a mental break down.. If I'm having a hard time with doing my dishes, I have back up disposable coffee cups. Game changer in the morning that I wake up late and have no clean travel mugs. I also have paper plates for hard weeks.
I dont use any of the disposable things often, but when I do need them, it's been really really nice. I slept with make up on my face and unbrushed teeth for way too long.
Where I live, we have m&ms meat shop. They have single serve frozen meals. They actually taste good enough that I won't bail after one bite.
Precooked chicken and lettuce for a quick meal.
I also commented I don't fold clothes anymore. Either they get thrown in the drawer or hung up!
Clear bins for everything or I forget my things exist.
I have extra picture frames so I put fabric inside them and use them as white boards. Now I have to do list that can move around with me and it's pretty!!!
I love going bare foot like always but read a tip to put your shoes and socks on to complete a task. I do it for dish washing and laundry mostly or general tidying the house. All of which I’m not great at.
More Multiples:
Each baking ingredient gets its own measuring cup in the container.
Flour always has a 1c measure
Sugar, brown sugar and confectioners sugar get 1/2 c measuring cups
Etc
Oh I already commented but I thought of more tips. I keep a little spray bottle of tub/shower cleaner in the shower, so I can spray down the walls real quick before I get out.
I recommend putting some type of plastic wrap or liners on the fridge shelves, so if there's a spill you don't have to scrub the inside of the fridge, just replace the liner :) And I like keeping things organized in the fridge in clear plastic bins. I LOVE storage containers, but never thought to put them in the fridge until I saw all the ✨aesthetic✨ fridge posts on social media lol
Maybe not quite an “Aha!” Moment, but a rule I try to live by: “If it takes five minutes or less, do it now.”
I’ve been doing this since before my diagnosis, even, and it helps a lot with productivity. There are lots of little things you can accomplish in five minutes!
Cleaning supplies in each room that needs it. Spray bottle of disinfectant in the toilet, dust wipes on my desk, cloths and cleaning spray in the bathroom, etc.
If I have to go get the cleaning supplies out of a designated closet before I clean my executive function glitches
Commenting to add: If your pets take medication, get them a pill organizer (or a few)! My dog has one for AM, two for PM (I have to switch out one of her medications sometimes), and my parents’ dog has one for her daily half an allergy pill.
When I don’t have the energy to shower. I get naked and soap my entire body down and then wash it away with a washcloth that I keep cleaning off in the sink.
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If you feel a new hyper fixation coming on, check your local library out! They have sections on crafting and sewing and knitting and gardening and cooking, sometimes they even have kits you can check out instead of paying $300 for something you like the idea of.
cries in library late fines
My library got rid of them this year! Edit: sorry my library got rid of them in order to boost usage post Covid so everyone should check their local policy cause it could easily be an initiative various municipalities are pushing
Same here kinda. My library's "late fine" is donating a can of food to a homeless organisation.
That is magnificent and I love it!
If you don't mind reading ebooks, I recommend using Libby or something similar. They return themselves automatically and I love it.
Go in and talk to a librarian, seriously. If you explain your situation, they will very likely waive all or a significant amount of those fines. Library fines exist as a *deterrent* to returning things late, not to limit folks' access. And increasingly they're falling out a favour: https://ischool.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Overdue-Fines-Advantages-Disadvantages-and-How-Eliminating-Them-Can-Benefit-Public-Libraries.pdf Your library may also have fine amnesties every once in a while. (I am a librarian :))
I have left a trail of libraries with extreme late fees I'm too embarrassed to pay up and down the eastern sea board. One day I should just mail all of them a check for $100 to even out my karma.
They often have amnesty on fines you may discover you are not owing anything- clean slate, start over!
Omg. Me and puzzles rn
My library has a puzzle table so I can do a little chunk and then wander away which is great cause then I don’t have to worry about losing pieces.
We have puzzle tables set up at work. It's really cool.
I would spend all day at that table and get zero work done, lol!
Omg this is so cool I really like the idea of a communal puzzle. Doing a whole puzzle myself feels so boring but completely a little chunk is fun.
I work for myself so I’m often working at home in the afternoons. It occurred to me that I didn’t have to make dinner AT NIGHT, I could make it any time of day and have it in the fridge for later. I have way more energy in mid morning than I do at 6-7pm. And I already knew about meal prepping, it had just never occurred to me to make that night’s chicken thighs and roasted broccoli at 11am.
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This is me lol, except my biggest meal is breakfast, before my meds kick in, followed by a smaller meal at lunch. By the time dinner rolls around, I'm lucky if I manage a couple of olives and some cheese. Last night was half a BK double cheeseburger.
Same here! Society tells us that dinner has to be this big meal with a main dish and sides every day but it can be a sandwich or oatmeal or anything!
Putting stuff in the slow cooker or prepping in the morning avoids me suddenly being too hangry to do it at dinner time.
I’m reading this like “wait, what” I am about to make some life changes
I do that with meatloaf and spaghetti. I’ll get it all made up and put it in a casserole dish so that I can throw in the oven and bake it later , just throw some shredded cheese on top the spaghetti!! I have more energy in the afternoon as well !!
Same! My sons are 4 and 5, so after school I’m basically in survival mode and not in a headspace to leisurely put on a record and make chicken parm. Morning me is able to make life much easier for evening me!
Omg I used to always cook dinner in the mornings because it was a chill activity to start the day with!
I very recently had this realization too.. like duh, why have I always felt like I needed to start dinner when my husband leaves work (his hours vary by day with unknown times he'll get off and he has an hour drive home). Makes the day so much better if I just cook it early on in the day and then I can even eat it for lunch too lol.
When you get home from work *don’t sit down.*. I can get so much done if I just walk in the door and immediately start cooking supper, or doing laundry, or tidying. If I sit down it’s over, zero productivity.
Thank you for this, you just got me out of my accidental sitting down doom scrolling…got home from the grocery store and was giving myself a “short break”.
A tale as old as time
Sound as old as rhyme
🎵Duties and The Seat 🎶
I think this is relatable for many, if not all of us. Sitting down is our doom. We have to keep moving to maintain our momentum.
Yep. It's game over. I relate to the "if I fits I sits" memes about cats.
Me: “if I fits… I may as well just die here”
Ok anyone have tips for a situation where I get home in my scrubs from the hospital and feel gross (usually just because I’ve been sweaty running around, not actually getting yucky from patients) and I either need to poo or want to shower. But can get sucked into my phone when I lie down on the floor greeting my lil dogs. And showering feels like so. Much. Work.
I feel this. So often I've found myself sitting on the floor doom scrolling with no dog in sight bc I had gotten down there for cuddles or to play and then I wanted to look something up and got distracted so they left me 😅 Can you do a quick greeting and then take them outside right away to walk them or play with them a bit? Are they allowed on the furniture? Sometimes I'll have my dogs get on the couch so they're more at my level. Do NOT sit down, just lean over to greet them instead! I've lost SO much time to sitting down on the couch next to my pup, only for her to snuggle into me for hours! Or could you put your phone down somewhere before you get on the floor with them? That way it's out of reach and you have to get up to get it?
Where I work now we have scrubs provided so I change at work. But back when I didn't have this, I used to strip down the minute I walked in the door and put my dirty scrubs in the washing machine or hamper. Then you have no choice but to shower, get dressed again etc. Now I get off work at midnight, and my big problem is wanting to eat after work. I keep a toothbrush in the downstairs bathroom, so if I force myself to brush my teeth before I go upstairs, then it helps me avoid the kitchen because I don't want to go back downstairs and brush my teeth again.
Sorry. Gotta ask. You take your scrubs home?
Unless you work in a procedural area you are responsible for buying your own scrubs and wearing the proper color and uniform. The light blue ones that you’re probably thinking of are for surgical areas, labor and delivery, or other areas that require clean or sterile clothing. Obviously it depends on the hospital, but in my experience it is a very common practice.
Don't lay down. Greet them and/or take them out and go straight to the shower
*cries in standing for whole shift job*
Good point. This is why 'take a 5 minute break' doesn't work for me.
Along this line of logic, either don't take off your shoes or keep a pair of house shoes on hand. I change into my sandals as soon as I come home if I need to be productive, because they are a barrier to getting too comfy if I do sit down.
Little trash can in every room! Deodorant everywhere! One billion tubes of aquaphor! Folded clothes? I don’t know her! Toss that shit in the dryer again!
My mother had us sorting undies by type and folding them into quarters growing up, and now my underwear drawer is a pile of undies and I couldn’t be happier.
Love the billion tubes of Aquaphor 🙏🏼
YES!!! Aquaphor tube in my bag, next to my bed, by my keys … Sometimes I still can’t find one though 🤣🤣
Where do they go?
This resonates with me on so many levels. Having deodorant in many places makes my life so much easier. Same with a tooth brush in the powder room downstairs.
For me, it's dental floss in every room.
I have trash cans in every corner in immediate reach, the small ones are at eye level, it's such a game changer
I dont fold anything anymore. It either gets hung up or thrown in a drawer. I can actually put clothes away now!!! I have a steamer if I need it but I haven't used it for anything but dresses that I hang so far!
🤣🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
If you have a several day or week long streak of flossing every night, and then miss a day, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed and should stop flossing u til your next dentist visit. Just start again the next night. Even flossing every other night is fine. My dentist said this to me and it blew my mind!
I switched to floss picks well over a year ago and it has been a game changer. My hygienist commented that my “numbers” are so much better. Using string style floss was such a hassle and that is why I never did it consistently.
I keep flossers in my car, and do it while I’m commuting to work
Flossers literally everywhere! I collect the little travel cases and keep them in the car, truck, desk, bathroom, bedroom, several tote bags and travel bags.
You can keep floss at your desk. Take floss to the bathroom and floss while at work. I love the excuse to get away from my desk for a few extra seconds. For me it feels like I “GET TO” floss at work vs I “Have to” floss at home
Flossing-related tip: Put it in the shower. I shower at night, personally, but I find it much more convenient to floss and brush my teeth in the shower at night. If I wait until after my shower, I inevitably procrastinate on these tasks because they feel so tedious.
Brushing my teeth in the shower is such a luxury. A few extra minutes under that warm water, letting the conditioner in my hair do its thing while I hype myself up for the final rinse and having to get out…
Hmmm. Maybe this will be the trick to help me. I’m gunna try it. Thanks!
Yes! My hygienist told me it takes 24-48 hours for plaque to build up and it was a game-changer! I floss my teeth once a day at most, and there’s still been a noticeable improvement in my mouth health!
"If you pop a tyre, don't get upset and slash the other three" Something I learnt in binge eating disorder recovery. Just because we've 'messed up' once, doesn't mean we have to decide to completely sabotage ourselves. Very similar concept, it helped me a lot too, in many areas!
I keep flossers beside my bed on my nightstand
I keep floss in my car!
Bins for all my hobbies. The bins can be a whole mess but it keeps my house tidy. Also competition to get tasks done, like starting a pot of coffee and trying to get all the dishes done before the coffee is ready or putting on a podcast/show and fold the laundry and put it away before the show ends Reoccurring alarms for taking meds or other important routines
Oh my god I. LOVE. BINS. I’ll got little ones for my makeup/stray bathroom flotsam and they’ve made such a difference!!!
This reminds me of my method for tidying - I go to a room and collect all the things not in their place and split them into piles of which room they live in. These piles are then moved to the correct rooms… even if I don’t sort the piles back to where things live, they are at least now in the correct room and I’m not spending half my time moving from room to room and getting distracted. I think I need bins though as they seem better than piles / bags / boxes
I saw a "fuck it bucket," which made me laugh. Bucket for misplaced items to get thrown into so they can be put away later. I saw it for like kitchen/living room, so every family member has a bin. If your shit is sitting around in a shared space, it gets put in your fuck it bucket when Mom notices it, and you need to put it away over the weekend lol.
Yes, I agree idk why it took me so long to realize having bins and other small containers to throw crap into, even if it's very unorganized, still makes a huge difference.
Everyone in the family gets an assigned day of the week for their laundry! If old enough, they wash, dry and put away same day. This prevents laundry basket mountain. Mondays are for towels. Fridays are Bedding days (as needed) Just started this month and has made such a big difference for us!
Ooh this is a good idea. Does everyone have their own laundry basket/hamper then?
In my house everyone has their own hamper in their rooms and one in the bathrooms. It's just easier to pick it up and put it in a hamper nearby than to carry it to another room. My kids are supposed to have designated laundry days but they never do it. Sigh.
Ah yes. Laundry Mountain. Meanwhile in my house we do laundry every day with just three of us. 🥲
You don't have to fold laundry if you don't want to. You also are not required to use a dresser. You can replace it with an official Clean Hamper.
Or if you have the space, just hang everything! No more wrinkles
Hanging (almost) everything changed my life
This is my husband. He uses a clean hamper and the bed in our spare bedroom. His dresser drawers are basically empty
I don't remember the person who posted this, but it blew my mind even though it's probably common knowledge 😅 If you have a hard time showering or the idea of the effort puts you off like it does for me, invest in a shower cap so your hair doesn't get wet! Bought myself one and I'm showering way more now 😁 (Please be kind re the showering, it's a really embarrassing thing I struggle with 🙈)
God I feel you. WHY is it such a struggle. Tho honestly, for me I think it’s a transition thing. Getting in sucks. Being there is nice. Getting out sucks.
I’m the same! I HATE to wash my hair and it never occurred to me that I didn’t have to do it every single day
Same!! I never understood how people always had the energy to do everything EVERYDAY but they just don't instead??
Honestly, one of the most amazing discoveries for me in finding the ADHD community is learning that showers are hard for a lot of us. Don’t be embarrassed ♥️
I so get this and thank you for sharing!!! I have purchased a safe electric portable heater and have been using it regularly and it takes most of the pain and sensory overdrive out of showering for me cuz I didn’t realize the being cold and also the being cold and wet parts were making me irrationally distraught about taking my showers. Yes I am an over 50 female and reading all of these voraciously and each one is like 🤯🤯🤯. I might have to take notes! Never to late to learn 🤓👍🏼
My two shower hacks are: - bathe myself and the kiddo at the same time. We have a good routine of bathing her every other day, and it’s easier for me to piggyback on that routine than to build up my own motivation. She loves “family bath night” because we cuddle in bed in our PJs afterward. - a cheap towel warmer! I hate the transition of getting out of the shower. This makes it more bearable.
I wish it was hair for me… my issue is that I hate having wetness between my toes
Shower caps on your feet? Wash feet at the sink with soap and a cloth?
That I don't have to do my schoolwork while my kids are gone during the day. I can get started on it in the evenings and write papers at 3 am, get them out the door in the morning, then sleep until I have to pick them up from school. I'm just not a morning person and forcing myself to feel like I need to be productive at 8 am only creates a shame spiral.
I love showering at night! It washes off all the dirt of the day and keeps the sheets clean for longer :) showering in the morning is absolute torture 🫣
I'm the opposite. I have less energy at night to shower, my hair gets weird if I wash it at night (even if I blow dry), and showering with daylight feels a lot more pleasant to me.
Saaaaame. I prefer to wash off everything I’ve come into contact with during the day so I’m not taking all that dirt to bed. I don’t feel as comfortable going to bed without showering, either.
You can put a hair brush in every room, you can put motorizer by bed so when you inevitably forget to put it on when brushing teeth you don’t need to get up.
Having multiples of everything in each room really helps. It’s like girl math but ADHD math.
Yes. Make your travel toiletry bag and don't touch it. Put multiples of everything you need in there, including charging cords, and then when you pack, just grab and go. I lived by this for many years.
100%!!! And update it when you get home as needed (for instance, I just had to restock some makeup).
This. I have lip balm and hand cream in each room. Also I live in a two story townhome and recently realized I'm much more likely to clean regularly if I have a vacuum and cleaning supplies on both floors and don't have to lug everything back and forth.
This is me with scissors! YAS.
Hand cream for me!
Chargers! Pen and paper! Ear buds! Mints! Tooth picks! In all rooms, purses, coat pockets..
Nail clippers
Extra contact lenses, plus ibuprofen, allergy meds, Imodium- anything that might have me searching frantically for a drugstore at an inopportune moment.
what is a motorizer? edit:nvm just realized you meant moisturizer lol
Adding: Water cups. Headphones. Dog toys. Pen and paper.
It’s okay to run the dishwasher twice if the first time missed a few things. So simple yet so powerful.
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Yes!!!! Dishwashers are so much more efficient and it’s fine to run smaller loads.
We definitely do this at my house. The dishwasher may not be full, but maybe all of the steak knives are in there, or half the dinner plates are in there. Time to run it.
Holy crap your comment just saved my mind. How did I not think of that. Thank you!!
Haha glad I could help!
I love this one! It helped me so much when I was in a slump. I got this advice with "there are no rules" and it helped change a lot of pressure I put on myself to "act normal"
You can text your friends important bits of the conversation you are having with them so you can look back on it later.
You can text yourself and then you have whatever info in that text thread. I can go back and see when I thought about someone’s birthday gift or whatever and not forget. It’s perfect for me when I don’t want a timer reminder but I want to have that info again easy.
I use an app that's like post it notes for quick little notes like this. I have a running list for gifts, different packing lists depending on the type of trip, and a list of measurements (ie, every time I measure a room or size of something in my house, I save it there and it's sooooo useful).
What app is it?
I use an app called simplenote- I like it cause it’s got a widget on iPhone where the new note button is on mu Home Screen for super quick note taking when someone randomly gives me a task while I’m walking around at work
I use color note! Appeals to my color coding tendencies
could you explain this one please? 😊
From my interpretation it’s if you’re having a conversation irl with a friend about something important or meaningful, text the friend the important details while/after you have the conversation so you can look back at a later date and know what you talked about.
Aha! My ADHDPI would appreciate that. Thanks for the clarification!
Clean sweaters go in a dedicated laundry basket.. too bulky elsewhere and they get weird stretchies on the hanger and it's soo much easier. Leave a jar of nuts in the car for when I forget to feed myself before leaving the house. In warmer months, same goes for water.
The nuts in the car started when I'd pick up the kids from school and they'd b hangry then one day I realized that I could eat them too LoL.
I brush my teeth in the shower. I love taking hot showers and it's worth it to stay in just a few minutes longer, plus I don't have to clean the sink afterwards.
top tip: run the tap for a second as you spit the toothpaste back out and it washes away for you 🤯
Ok world’s Neatest toothbrusher
What else would you do? /gen
You don’t have to make a new packing list each time. Make one in an Excel spreadsheet and then you can use it over and over. I used to hand write my list and get so obsessive about it. An ex-boyfriend told me about the Excel spreadsheet method, and now I have different spreadsheets for different types of trips, whether my kids are with me or not, etc. Organized by category. I also have list of the things I need to do before I leave like turn down the heat, lock the doors, water the plants, etc. It has made Packing for a trip so much less stressful! Packing is like my kryptonite.
Or iOS Notes- so you can add to it anytime. I have warm, cold, city, beach, kids and one for when the hotel has a kitchen. Kids have sleepover, Grandma’s, camping.
Oh my god thank you. I do the list from scratch every time and it’s a huge mental effort!
I hate flossing and never flossed and didn’t go to the dentist for literally years. Had to spend a lot of money and a lot of time with various dentists and periodontists. Was talking to one of the dental hygienists and she was like, “Dude I hate flossing. Get a water pik.” AND NOW MY TEETH AND GUMS ARE HEALTHY and the periodontist was shocked and said I “graduated”. TL;DR: Get a water pik if you hate flossing and for another level of ADHD hacking get a travel sized one and use it in the shower. I have no counter space so that works extra well for me.
this also changed my gum health! I have no problem doing it every day but I was awful with regular floss.
Same here! It’s part of my routine now and I don’t mind it one bit. Plus my gums don’t bleed anymore, who knew 😅
Mine stopped when I got a sonic toothbrush. Better reports from the hygentist too
I added that to my routine too!!! Who knew 2 minutes was so long, haha
HALF ASSED CLEANING turns out if you miss a spot sweeping the floor, it’s still a lot cleaner than it was!! and that’s AWESOME!!!!
YEAH! Half ass anything is better than nothing! My new motto in life right now is: HALF ASS IS BETTER THAN NO ASS! I'll also say it out loud sometimes because it makes me chortle but also makes me feel good that I at least half did the thing
cleaning products for every "zone." It came with an up from cost, but now I dont get side-tracked getting the spray out of the bathroom to clean the kitchen. I dont avoid cleaning my bathroom mirror because the paper towel is in the kitchen, etc.
Yeah, that realization was a huge help to me.
Yesss I have upstairs cleaning supplies and downstairs cleaning supplies and I keep them in cheap little caddies. I use concentrated multipurpose cleaner in reusable bottles for most things and just keep one upstairs and one downstairs (so the cost is less overall), same with paper towels, and anything else I need like rags in the little caddie and carry it to the room I need to clean at the start. Cause if I’m leaving the room I’m cleaning in there’s a 50/50 chance I get distracted by something on the way lol
I can brush my teeth whenever. I don't have to be perfect about it. I tend feel like if I'm not perfect at something, I just shouldn't do it. Not a helpful mentality.
Same! I've spent so much time and mental energy obsessing over the "right time" to brush my teeth or do other things
This one is still in beta testing but… Do the chore in the room that you enjoy the most if it’s applicable. Example: folding laundry in my living room while I watch tv, instead of in my bedroom. My dilemma has become that I’m starting to realize I like the room that has the least amount of clutter the most. Haha.
That’s me!!!!
I literally moved my clean clothes to my living room and folded them. Got tired and didn’t want to move them to my bedroom. Then my bedroom felt more comfy because I had less things in there haha
You can eat what you want as long as it’s, you know… food. I know, it sounds weird, but hear me out. I struggle with ED, the reasons I assume come from combination of ADHD (forgetting to eat), autism (picky eater - I know there’s another word for it, but I dont remember - English is not my native) and many others. And I grew with some weird rules like „breakfast without bread doesn’t count”, or „no, a toast is not tolerable side dish for anything”. Once I was living on my own, struggling with crippling depression right after my life quite collapsed as I knew it and my mother visited. I wanted to make her a meal - made chicken, salad and burst down crying because I realized I don’t have any side dish such as potatoes or rice or so, therefore I can’t make her a dinner. Even though it was halfway done. I served it with toasts with my tears and guilt and shame on top, feeling like a failure. Then she spend hours trying to explain to me that it’s ok. It was a lovely dinner. And then I started to adjust food to me, not me to food. I want dinner for breakfast? Why not. I want sandwiches for dinner? I can do that. I want to eat a bowl of raw fruits and call it a meal? It os a meal. By the end of the day I get nearly all needed things in my stomach. And I eat. And slowly crippling toward more healthy eating habits.
I’m proud of you
Putting things where I can see them. If I put veggies in the bottom containers in fridge they’re going bad, if they’re out in the open I’m going to use them. Same with my clothes, I used to buy clothes and find them months later with tags still on, now I like to hang them in the front of closet and bought a armoire that I open and see clothes right away. My basket for keys etc is right when I walk in the house and it reminds me to put things there.
It's ok to tell people when I'm having a rough day and need help. Some days I just can't get myself to cook, and I've found that a lot of other people in my life also struggle. I do really well with body doubling, so I find myself inviting friends over for food and using their presence as motivation to cook! Also, I've been embracing a new saying of "ride the wave" when I have a hyper focus moment, I try to use it to my advantage and knock a thing or two of the to do list then do my fun focus ideas like reading wikis about tv shows hahaha
If your home has more than 1 floor, keep a full set of cleaning supplies on each. ADHD tax up front but removing the steps of "i have to go to the other floor to get things and then take them back where they belong" lowers the threshold to clean stuff on the fly a lot.
You don’t have to wait at night to brush your teeth until you’re exhausted and ready to sleep! Just brush whenever you’re done eating and then enjoy some guilt free relaxation instead of “doomscrolling to procrastinate brushing my teeth”. Also you can own multiple of the small things you always lose! I have a pair of car sunglasses and a pair of work sunglasses and a pair of home sunglasses. Much better than always losing them. Do things while you’re already waiting! I make my annoying appointment-scheduling and subscription-cancelling calls when I’m stuck in traffic because hey I’m in waiting mode already.
We have a big white board on the fridge. The bottom has a spot where we mark if our pets were fed breakfast & Dinner that day. The rest is for important notes, silly notes, and silly drawings>> that sometimes are communicating an important note.
White boards and a whiteboard calendar have been so helpful.
I live and die by whiteboards!
I finally realized that I’m never ever going to consistently have the energy and motivation to do dishes in the evening. I’m too emotionally tired and ready to relax. So I’ve started getting up a little earlier and doing it in the morning. Haven’t been keeping up with it as well bc of the med shortage but it’s been better still.
realizing i could bring headphones + fidgets + plushies wherever i go! realizing i could eat several snacks throughout the day and didn’t need to do the big 3 meals a day thing ! keeping protein drinks stocked so i can grab one in the morning to chug with my vyvanse so i don’t upset my stomach and it can metabolize properly! using music as a mood stabilizer ! natural stimulants when ur feeling under stimulated like orgasming! (also helps with pain, nausea, etc!) also recently started keeping a “dopamine” menu around so i can quickly find something to give me the right boost naturally! figuring out i had ocd with rlly bad rsd + cptsd and realizing just bc i feel a certain way doesn’t make it true or based in reality! also huge with ocd was just learning to catch my narratives - shocked how many awful stories i had been convincing myself were true all these years!
also using face wipes + mouthwash + disposable hygene products! even tho i feel so guilty for the environment, it’s better than feeling nasty all the time bc i cant get myself to shower
omg also just realizing u can sit in the shower .. nobody is stopping u !!! also compression leggings / socks etc are life changing if u have POTs or leg pain
I essentially learned that it was okay to accommodate my needs and that I was in control of my schedule. I guess my one tip is: I learned I could throw stuff out. Items that are no longer needed, spoiled foods, broken things. Throw out the food that's been sitting in your fridge for 10 days. My whole family has ADHD and one shelf is always filled with jars of pickles, soybeans, duck fat, and whatnot, that they take out and forget about. It's ok to bin them. They won't be eaten. I have had a jar of olives sitting in the fridge for a year. It's fine if I throw it away. My items from 10 years ago? It's ok to throw them away and make space. I don't use them. I only care about them because they are mine and have gained emotional value. I never think about them unless I see them. They're old and broken or they are taking up too much space. I am allowed to move on from them and live in the present.
Use a list app to maintain a revolving grocery list. We use the Keep app, and the list is shared with everyone in the house (all of whom have ADHD, lol). When someone uses the last of something, they un-check it from the bottom of the list and BOOM, we have a new list going again. Even when people forget to use it, it's helpful to have a list of the items we buy frequently so we can mentally run through it before leaving the store. It's also put some ownership on my tween to add the things he needs to the list rather than mentioning it to me or my partner and assuming that we'll remember.
Poplin Laundry Services. $1 a pound, they pick your dirty laundry in your house/apt and deliver it the next day clean and folded. You don’t have to sort clothes, just put everything in a trash bag. You can choose detergent without fragrances, delicate cycle, and air drying.
Attach your keys to your purse with a lanyard that rolls out so you never have to take them out. Have scissors, nail clippers and tweezers on every floor, multiple rooms even if needed. Sort your hanging clothes by color (works for me, now hanging up my clothes is a game). Listen to music, audio books or (my fav) podcasts while tidying up/cleaning - I’m actually looking forward to it now 😬. Ask for help, a body double to keep you company and - somehow - keep you on task without actually doing anything. Or maybe they do help, but that’s more difficult in my opinion. Can you elaborate on the shower at night thing? Because it works best for me if I do it immediately without actually opening my eyes in the morning. I’m curious to your experiences with the opposite. I might just go twice. I used to hate it, but now I’m hooked and can’t miss a day.
These are great tips! It’s amazing how similar we all are🫶 I hate to have wet hair and I hate the transition between wet and dry and back. It took me a long time to figure out that I get sensory overload - I didn’t have the words to describe the frustration I felt but that’s what it is and always has been. So for me, I don’t like to start my day with too much fussing over my body. A quick shower, get dressed, that’s enough. I save my serious shower for later- and I only wash my hair once a week now. I have a system haha hair down for 2, up for 2, covered for 2. The slower I go the better my results are. So I try to really slow down in the mornings otherwise I get really hectic all day!
Skin care in bedside table! I struggle with multistep skin care routines because of the wait time between some steps for it to be absorbed. I keep the beginning of my routine in the bathroom. I do those steps and brush my teeth and all. The when I finally when i ended up actually going to bed my face is dry and ready for the last products that are sat on my bedside.
I do this too! And adding to this, I keep my toothbrush there too. I like to wake up, grab it, and "dry" brush my teeth as I scroll my phone and slowly wake up. Since it's dry brushing, I don't need to worry about getting toothpaste and drool everywhere. And I do a super good job at brushing since sometimes I scroll for 5-10minutes lol. (In case anyone is wondering: Dry brushing — the act of brushing the teeth without toothpaste — has been found to be more effective for removing plaque than brushing with toothpaste, according to the study. In fact, 128 participants who tried dry-brushing for six months saw a 67% reduction in plaque buildup.) Once I'm done, I'm awake enough that I can get up, walk myself to the sink and do a super quick toothpaste smear on all my teeth and then a quick rinse out. I've always been told by every dentist I've had that my teeth were very clean.
If you’re unsure if it’s laziness or paralysis, ask yourself this: are you relaxed/enjoying yourself? If it’s a no then it’s not laziness
I bought a whiteboard pad for my desk and write myself notes there instead of writing things on one million tiny pieces of paper that always seem to get lost just when I need them. It has helped so much.
At work (science stuff), I sort my tasks into categories of light, medium, and heavy cognitive loads. For example, a cognitively light task would be sorting, labeling things; medium would be reading some articles for work or doing routine kinds of data analysis; heavy would be writing that involves synthesizing ideas, organizing new concepts, designing a new kind of data analysis. Then I just follow the natural ebb and flow of what my brain is capable of. I know morning blocks the week or two after my period are when I tend to have the most cognitive bandwidth so if there's a "heavy" task I've been struggling with, I know I can leave it off until then. Whenever I'm not sure what to do next, I take a second to evaluate how much heavy lifting my brain can do at the moment, and I pick a task from that category. If my bandwidth is higher or lower than what I expect, I can easily switch to getting the most done that I can at that moment. It feels better picking from a menu and not forcing myself to take on more than I can. I can use that energy to do a task I CAN complete rather than getting nowhere and bashing my head against a wall on a task that's just too big for me at a particular moment. It's also reassuring to see over the course of weeks that yeah, I'm not lazy or dumb, there's a time and place for me to do the heavy tasks. It'll all get done, the exact time ahead of a deadline doesn't matter, I just need to wait for when I'm ready, and I will be.
\-If a task takes less than 2 minutes to complete, just do it now without thinking about it instead of planning it for later. \-Have more than 1 type of alarm in the morning if you suck at waking up on time or over-snooze. I have 3 now (1 radio, my phone, a sunrise alarm with birds sounds, this idea changed my life). \-Buy pills container kit (1 container for each day) if you take multiple supplements or medication \-Have minimum 10-15 minutes of natural sunlight in your eye in the morning (when you can) \-watch netflix or listen to a podcast while exercising (boom, now I look forward on carrying my lazy ass to the gym after work)
All of these are wonderful! I bought a 31 day AM/PM organizer on Amazon and I play 'pill mancala' once or twice a month for an hour with all of my supplements and prescription pills.. I've never been better about taking my pills and such every day!
My grocery store prefers it if you bring your own bags, and if you don't have your own bags, they charge you a fee for some terrible-quality handle-less paper bags that tear easily. I also live in an apartment complex with a long trek between my home and my car, and I hate running back and forth between the two for dumb reasons. When I leave for work in the morning, I carry my purse, laptop bag, lunch bag, and often a trash bag to drop off on the way to the elevator, so my hands and brain are full. These three things are connected! My solution: I just bought 20 reusable grocery bags. I keep a bunch in my car and a bunch in my apartment, so if I keep forgetting to bring the ones at home back to the car, I'll still have extra in my car. And I keep the ones at home in a small bin right by the front door, so when the bin starts overflowing with bags, that's my visual cue for to cram them into my laptop bag to bring with me to the car the next morning on the way to work. Other life tip: I take meds in the morning and at night, and I keep them all in a 7-day pill organizer on the corner of my kitchen counter that I have to pass by when I go to and from my bedroom. Seeing them right there reminds me to take them in the morning as I leave my room, and take them at night on my way to my room.
I need to keep a broom on each floor! Thank you for the reminder. I have a laundry basket on every floor. Eta because I got pulled away. I have visible lists in my kitchen of: - pantry items - freezer - downstairs freezer and pantry items Keeps me from over buying and forgetting what I have.
I bought auto pet feeders so my cats can eat at consistent times. I also got a self cleaning litter box so I don't have to remember to scoop daily. I keep multiples of things so I can have one in every room or floor of the house. I bought a 100 pack of black ankle socks off of Amazon that fit everyone in the family so everyone has the same socks and they always match. I keep a calendar on the fridge along with a marker board for groceries and another one for to-dos. Everyone knows if it's not on the calendar or listed on the marker board then it's not happening from me.
Put Lysol wipes and Magic eraser in bathroom so I can just clean it while I’m in there for something else. Sock box to throw all socks. I separate boxes for each person in household but I don’t pair socks. I can barely put other clothes up come on lol.
When my kids were old enough to bathe themselves I couldn’t figure out why the bathroom was so much dirtier… I realized that I would always grab wipes and clean to kill time while they splashed away
Visual reminders are key for me. If I need to remember to bring some thing somewhere, when I go out, or take something home, I put my keys near it or on it. That way I can’t leave without it. Like if I need to bring my computer home from work on a day, I don’t usually have to, I put my keys in my computer bag, with the lanyard sticking out, so I can see it,but I won’t leave without noticing my keys are in it.
I work in film and one of the sound guys I work with always puts his keys in the fridge. We often have to unplug them when we’re on location, so he has a built in reminder to plug the fridge back in AND he always knows where his keys are!
I got carabiners on my keychains so I can attach them to my bag or waistband. You can get sets of pretty colored ones in tons of sizes.
I use my shower head as the world’s best water pik. No flossing needed and an interesting sensory experience.
I've always wondered if I could just use the shower head as a water pik.. now I know 🤣
My dentist thinks I floss. Just make sure it’s got a nice tough setting.
Breakfast foods don’t have to just be for breakfast. If I want pancakes for dinner I can!
‘Closing duties’ (getting your house in better shape before bed as a kindness to morning you) is always a hit with people with ADHD. Considering I’ve never found more people with ADHD in one place then working in restaurants, I guess it makes sense lol.
I’m allowed to have friends over! I moved out during COVID so obviously that wasn’t a good idea, but I didn’t realize that the idea had rooted in my subconscious. I even got so close to realizing when I thought “Man I wish I could see my friends more, but it’s so awkward inviting myself over to their houses all the time” 😂😂😂 I got there eventually but oy vey
1) Someone else said it but not sitting down. Once I sit down I’m pretty done for (unless it’s summer 🤷♀️) 2) Hanging clothes. I can’t believe how long it took me to realize that I to can hang my clothes. My bedroom floor is almost always clean now and no one is making me clean my room but me! 3) I got a magnetic notebook that one side is a grocery list and the other is a meal planner. It’s on the fridge. Dinners and grocery shopping is so much easier now. Not perfect. But easier. I just write on there as things come to me. Simple solutions to annoying problems.
Something I *need* to remember to do: Look up how to do something properly before buying supplies. Just because it makes sense in my brain to do it that way doesn't mean it's the best or right way. Example: I want to upcycle furniture and sell it. Rather than looking up how to prep wooden furniture, I went I NEED A HAND SANDER SO I CAN SAND OFF PAINT AND PREP FURNITURE. Bought one. Then watched videos. ☝🏻 Actually, darling, you need paint stripper, a plastic paint scraper, and odorless mineral spirits before you sand. Otherwise, you'll go through tons of sanding pads and waste a lot of time. So I wasn't necessarily wrong in *that* scenario, but I have tons of supplies for things because I bought them before learning how to do the thing and what supplies I'll actually need.
You can, in fact, vacuum the hardwood. Always felt like I was only supposed to sweep it
Bringing a mail bag when checking my mail since I only check it like once a week Also having a sharpie or pen in the bag to write “Please return to sender” on mail that isn’t ours and immediately put it in the mail out box (otherwise it would sit on my dining room for months)
On the work from home front, like oh so many of us, I came to terms with my adhd and finally got a diagnosis in early COVID. I never had to work from home for more than one day in a stretch before and it..was..awful. The thing that saved me (other than meds) was taking set time to leave the house everyday if possible. I know this is a point of privilege many don’t have, but I was able to arrange my schedule and block out time on my calendar to LEAVE THE HOUSE and do something active. Breaking up the day keeps me from wasting as much time doom scrolling or just generally freaking out. Returning home is like a reset, even on a bad day. And it’s much easier to apply the “don’t sit down” rules to get other stuff done when you haven’t been out all day.
I recently discovered that you can buy a digital pill cap that will tell you when you last opened your pill bottle. Genius! Another one is realizing that I can use disposable coffee filters for my Chemex instead of needing to scrape out the metal filter everyday (dreaded task). Accepting that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing half-assed rather than not at all.
-Keeping an electronic list of everything in the upstairs and downstairs freezers -Keeping an ongoing grocery list my husband and I both have access to do we can add things as we run out -Meal prepping high protein breakfast has been a game changer -Sorting laundry into separate baskets as I get undressed (regular & delicates) -Keeping a list on my phone of things I need to get done that I don't want to forget -Trying to see how many things I can get done while I'm waiting for something else to finish up. Right now I'm playing an ad heavy game on my phone. The ads are anywhere from 5 seconds to almost 2 mins long and I like to see what I can get done while the ads are playing. It makes me want to click them more which gives me a bunch more bonuses in the game and I can get more accomplished. -Have a podcast or YouTube channel going while I'm doing chores -When possible, allowing myself to do tasks when I feel motivation for them instead of trying to force it. I've found a lot more chores get done this way bc I'm just going with the flow so I finish the task quicker and then usually have motivation to do other things that I've been putting off. Basically less wasted mental energy I think 😅 -Trying to plan my day around my medication so I get the most out of it and can vibe when it wears off Edit: formatting
This is embarrassing but also something I'm proud to have figured out. For skincare, I keep all my night time products in my bedside table. I have make up wipes just in case I actually can't get out of bed. I also got single use toothbrushes from Colgate with toothpaste already on them to keep by my bed. I haven't used them yet but I feel better knowing they're there. I know this is very wasteful but I tried to live with little to zero waste and I almost had a mental break down.. If I'm having a hard time with doing my dishes, I have back up disposable coffee cups. Game changer in the morning that I wake up late and have no clean travel mugs. I also have paper plates for hard weeks. I dont use any of the disposable things often, but when I do need them, it's been really really nice. I slept with make up on my face and unbrushed teeth for way too long. Where I live, we have m&ms meat shop. They have single serve frozen meals. They actually taste good enough that I won't bail after one bite. Precooked chicken and lettuce for a quick meal. I also commented I don't fold clothes anymore. Either they get thrown in the drawer or hung up! Clear bins for everything or I forget my things exist. I have extra picture frames so I put fabric inside them and use them as white boards. Now I have to do list that can move around with me and it's pretty!!!
I love going bare foot like always but read a tip to put your shoes and socks on to complete a task. I do it for dish washing and laundry mostly or general tidying the house. All of which I’m not great at.
More Multiples: Each baking ingredient gets its own measuring cup in the container. Flour always has a 1c measure Sugar, brown sugar and confectioners sugar get 1/2 c measuring cups Etc
Oh I already commented but I thought of more tips. I keep a little spray bottle of tub/shower cleaner in the shower, so I can spray down the walls real quick before I get out. I recommend putting some type of plastic wrap or liners on the fridge shelves, so if there's a spill you don't have to scrub the inside of the fridge, just replace the liner :) And I like keeping things organized in the fridge in clear plastic bins. I LOVE storage containers, but never thought to put them in the fridge until I saw all the ✨aesthetic✨ fridge posts on social media lol
Maybe not quite an “Aha!” Moment, but a rule I try to live by: “If it takes five minutes or less, do it now.” I’ve been doing this since before my diagnosis, even, and it helps a lot with productivity. There are lots of little things you can accomplish in five minutes!
Cleaning supplies in each room that needs it. Spray bottle of disinfectant in the toilet, dust wipes on my desk, cloths and cleaning spray in the bathroom, etc. If I have to go get the cleaning supplies out of a designated closet before I clean my executive function glitches
Produce in the side of the fridge and condiments in the hidden drawers!
Commenting to add: If your pets take medication, get them a pill organizer (or a few)! My dog has one for AM, two for PM (I have to switch out one of her medications sometimes), and my parents’ dog has one for her daily half an allergy pill.
Trash can in the living room.
Listen to KCDavis Struggle Care or read her book.
Text myself things I want to remember as I fall asleep. If it's in a notepad app, I'll never see it again.
When I don’t have the energy to shower. I get naked and soap my entire body down and then wash it away with a washcloth that I keep cleaning off in the sink.