Daily planning is certainly not something only for those with ADHD. There are cases where an excess of order in daily life seems to be the problem, but far more common is a lack of structure and order to all the daily, weekly, and yearly tasks that we are obliged to complete.
For people with ADHD though, daily planning can become more of a challenge. Accordingly, there are no shortage of planning tools out there specifically for ADHD sufferers. Next Level Daily, creators of a unique daily planner for ADHD, say that planning almost anything – on any timescale – can often be a challenge for those with ADHD, and this takes a certain bespoke response in order to help.
Table of Contents
What is ADHD?
Learning more fully what ADHD is will make it very clear just why planning is important for those with the condition. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a condition that affects people’s daily behavior. Those suffering from ADHD often appear restless, impulsive and have a fervent desire to order their liveslest they suffer a great feeling of being overwhelmed.
ADHD can affect anybody of almost any cognitive ability, but it is more commonly seen amongthose with learning difficulties. Indeed, if it does not go treated, the ADHD itself can be the very cause of those learning difficulties, as a lack of concentration is one of the commonly attested symptoms.
Why is Planning Important for ADHD Brains?
When an ADHD sufferer has a lot to do – and any fulfilling life will always be made up of a set of daily and otherwise regular tasks that need to be seen to – ADHD sufferers can become overwhelmed with the question “what first?” Specifically, it is organizing these tasks and then seeing to them in a methodical way that is difficult for those suffering from ADHD – and many without the condition too.
A common thing reported by ADHD sufferers is that a task needs to come with a severe consequence for not seeing to it right now before an ADHD sufferer can get to (very stressfully) work on it. Given that anxiety is a common side effect of ADHD, this is not an optimal way to work through the day. Planning therefore becomes particularly important for ADHD sufferers.
Tips for ADHD Planning
So, here follows two fundamental tips for daily planning when you suffer from ADHD:
Prioritizing is the Most Important Thing
Listing all your tasks is a great start and arranging them according to deadlines or times of completion is even better. However, where ADHD brains benefit the most from planning is when it creates a clear hierarchy of importance. It is precisely an inability to prioritize which leads to many ADHD planning woes. By using the right planning tools, you can put to the front of the queue those tasks that will offer the biggest relief when completed. After that, when thetime needed to complete a task can also be factored in,this could have a calming effect on ADHD sufferers.
Do a Brain Dump
Many ADHD sufferers will attempt to hold all their to-dos in their heads and become paralyzed when all those tasks seem to form an insurmountable work load. Before you can do anything about this, however, it is wise to get these tasks out of the brain. Simply writing everything out makes for a great first stage in the process.
Living a productive and well-organized life is perfectly possible for ADHD sufferers of all stripes. Get the right tools, arrange things by importance, and never try to keep it all in your head.