If you are like many of my ADHD coaching clients who have told me that they make a to do list but have trouble following through or even remembering where you put it, you are definitely not alone. Difficulty following to do lists is common for adults with ADHD and there are many other psychological, neurological, learning styles and even genetic reasons why people are not good at following through on their to do lists. However, I am not going to bore you with the theories but promise me that you will stop over whelming yourself. It’s not that you are lazy or a procrastinator, it is just the way your ADHD brains are wired. Even though this may not be easy for you, here are some tips you can try when you have a to do list and following through.
See It As A Goal list – Lets begin with your mindset, don’t think of your to do list as just something that lists your tasks and chores. Instead see it as a list of your goals for the day. This perspective is a lot more powerful and changes the way you view you approach your tasks and chores.
Set Priorities – Productivity isn’t about getting things done it is about accomplishing tasks/chores that actually matter. Always number your to do list according to the most important task first. When you don’t get you priorities straight can lead to decreased levels of productivity. You could end up procrastinating and not end up doing nothing. Here is a tip for writing your to do list, write down all the tasks/chores that you need to do, but don’t number them quite yet. Number the items after you have written down all the tasks and read them through. This gives you an overview of the tasks that you need to do for the day and it also gives you time to prioritize them properly.
Hide The Tasks – The key to getting things done on your to do list is to just focus on one task/chore at a time and don’t do anything else until that task or chore is done. It takes a certain amount of time to transition from one task to another. To help you keep focus “hide” the tasks/chores on your list that you are not working on. Cover them up with a post it or another piece of paper, doing this will keep you from being distracted with other things and it will allow you to finish the task/chore more efficiently.
Feel The Emotion When Your Cross Things Off Of Your List – Whenever you finish a task or a chore, make it a point to cross it off of your list and focus on the accomplish and productivity as you do it. This will give you adrenaline that will pump you up for the next task or chore which allows you to be more productive. When you let yourself feel that productivity adrenaline, it doesn’t just help you be more efficient, it boosts your overall well being.