Dealing with
executive dysfunction and ADHD becomes so much easier when you stop trying to
do things the way you feel like you should
be able to do them (like everyone else) and start finding ways that
actually work for you, no matter how “silly” or “unnecessary”
they seem.For
years my floor was constantly covered in laundry. Clean laundry got
mixed in with dirty and I had to wash things twice, just making more
work for myself. Now I just have 3 laundry bins: dirty (wash it
later), clean (put it away later), and mystery (figure it out later).
Sure, theoretically I could sort my clothes into dirty or clean as
soon as I take them off and put them away straight
out of the dryer, but
realistically that’s never going to be a sustainable strategy for me.How
many garbage bins do you need in a bedroom? One? WRONG! The correct
answer is one within arms reach at all times. Which for me is three.
Because am I really going to
get up to blow my nose when I’m hyperfocusing? NO. In
allergy season I even have
an empty kleenex box for “used
tissues I can use again.”
Kinda gross? Yeah. But less gross than a
snowy winter landscape of dusty germs on my
desk.I
used to be late all the time
because I couldn’t find my house key. But it costs $2.50 and 3
minutes to copy a key, so now there’s one in my backpack, my purse,
my gym bag, my wallet, my desk, and hanging on my door. Problem
solved.I’m
like a ninja for getting pout the door past reminder notes without noticing. If I really don’t want to forget something, I make a
physical barrier in front of my door. A
sticky note is a lot easier to walk past than a two foot high
cardboard box with my wallet on top of it.Executive dysfunction is always going to cause challenges, but often half the struggle is trying to cope by pretending not to have executive dysfunction, instead of finding actual solutions.
would anyone be willing to make this easier to read?
@thatpunk-rockkid here’s a TL;DR version. Let me know if another format would be better.
MAIN POINTS:
- Executive dysfunction makes some tasks hard to do the “normal” way.
- Don’t worry about how you “should” be able to do something.
- Find solutions that work for you, even if they seem silly.
- “Try harder” is not a solution.
EXAMPLES:
- Extra garbage bins: If you can always reach one without getting up, you won’t throw trash on the floor.
- Extra House Keys: Copies are cheap. Keep one in every bag and coat. No more time wasted desperately searching.
- Impassible Reminders: Make reminders that physically block your exit so you can’t ignore them. Like a note on a big cardboard box in the doorway. Or putting items you need to bring inside your shoes.
- 3 Laundry Bins:
- Dirty: If you know it needs washing.
- Clean: So they stay clean even if you don’t finish putting them away.
- Mystery: Keep clothes off the floor by having a specific bin for “deal with it later.” If it gets too full, dump it in the “dirty” bin.
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