One of the many challenges faced by individuals diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) involves determining how to improve productivity. Efficiently organising your living space can enhance focus and reduce procrastination, which can improve productivity. Here are some ADHD friendly strategies to help make your home a more organised and productive environment.
1. Designated Areas for Specific Tasks
You’ve likely heard the saying, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” This principle is especially important for those with ADHD. Clear distinctions between relaxation and work zones in the home can promote concentration and provide a focus for attention, improving productivity. To illustrate, try to avoid working in spaces within the home that are designated relaxation areas, such as bedrooms, that may promote relaxation rather than focus on work.
2. Reduce Clutter and Simplify
It is very easy for unnecessary clutter in work zones to become overwhelming and distracting. Ensure that your designated work zone within the home is free from clutter and piles of paperwork, as this can be distracting and will feel disorganised. Instead, removing the clutter and adding free space will reduce stimulation and stress while making your work tasks more doable.
3. Minimise Problem Situations
To minimise distraction and prevent problems arising that can adversely impact your productivity, Consider the placement of frequently used items within your designated workspace. Ensuring all the supplies you need for a task are easily accessible, reduces distraction, improves focus, and facilitates smooth task completion.
4. Task Chunking and Time Blocking
For many people with ADHD, tasks that require thinking involve more mental effort. People with ADHD have trouble concentrating adequately to complete tasks so even everyday tasks require substantially more effort to complete. Because of this, people with ADHD may try to avoid doing tasks they perceive as overwhelming for them. Breaking down tasks, especially time-sensitive ones, into smaller chunks can enhance productivity. Break the task down into smaller chunks that you can imagine completing, and once you have accomplished one part, reward yourself. The rewards can be small, such as taking a walk, having a cup of tea, or downloading a new song.
In addition, allocating specific blocks of time to each task can help you remain focused. The amount of time you allocate to each part of the task does not have to be considerable. Even multiple five-minute sessions can be effective. Task chunking helps you to feel less overwhelmed by all there is to do, minimises stress and anxiety about the task, reduces procrastination, and improves overall productivity.
5. Other Useful ADHD Friendly Items to Promote Organisation
There are several tools and resources available that can help with building habits that promote productivity. People with ADHD often have difficulty remaining organised. Consider some of these simple tools that can assist with being organised:
- Apple Air Tags: Keep track of important items like your wallet or keys easily.
- Colourful Items: Brightly coloured items are more difficult to misplace. Using colourful tags for your keys, carrying a colourful wallet, and using colourful sticky notes as reminders can create a visual cue to help you remember where things are.
- Clocks Throughout the House: Having clocks throughout your home can facilitate an awareness of time and improve time management, leading to enhanced productivity. The clocks may serve as a visual reminder to keep you on track with time-sensitive tasks.
- Whiteboards: Placing a whiteboard in a high-traffic area like the living room, kitchen, or bedroom is a simple way to keep track of tasks and serve as a visual reminder to stay on top of responsibilities. A whiteboard may be more effective than a planner as you are more likely to see it and use it, and there’s no risk of misplacing the board.
- Create a “Launch Pad” near the front door: This is the place to store things that you and your family members need each time they leave the house, such as handbags. school backpacks, keys, jackets, etc. The launch pad can have baskets, hooks, pegs, or anything else that makes it easy to find and grab the things you need as you head out the door.
All of these strategies can be beneficial for individuals with ADHD. If you would like to book a formal ADHD assessment or need further support, contact Brainworks Psychology Perth.
