3 Productivity Tips for People With ADHD

This post was updated on May 1, 2016.

Are you struggling with a looming list? Overwhelmed by all you have to accomplish?  Is it especially difficult to know that to do first?
There are things you can do to get  more accomplished and feel less stressed. If you have Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), it can be helpful to create an easy-to-follow process to help you get more done. These three ADHD productivity tips will help you get started.

Three ADHD Productivity Tips

1. Pause for a Moment

There may be many thoughts and ideas swirling in your head.  And, you may not be sure of the first step or where to start.  So, give yourself permission to pause.  A pause gives you the opportunity to do your best work. A pause can be a few minutes of time just sitting, taking a few deep breaths, or it can be a physical activity like taking a walk.
A pause can be part of your regular routine, like writing down the next day’s list the night before or  a weekly meeting with a partner. Creating space for reflection can help you take stock of your present situation and give you some time to make a plan.

2. Record Your Thoughts

With many simultaneous thoughts in your head, it can be hard to focus and get clarity.  Take the opportunity to record all of your ideas so that you don’t forget them.
There are lots of ways to record:

• You can write down all your thoughts, ideas, and tasks on paper.
• Write on Post-It Notes (affiliate link) and attach these to a table or wall.
• Write on a dry erase board.
• Or, you can enter them in your phone using your notes app.  Or, use Evernote.

Whatever your tool, recording it all can help you clear out your brain. It will likely release you to do real work, rather than ruminate on all you have to do and feel paralyzed as a result.  You may need to talk it out as  you write it out too! Recording gives you a strategy to process all you are thinking.
Consider having only one spot to review and see everything, compare it all, and then be ready to decide what to act on.

3. Prioritize Your Tasks

Task  lists can be overwhelming just by the sheer quantity on the list.  But, the list is the place to prioritize.
You may want to choose the three Most Important Tasks (MITs) for the day to work on.  How do you decide what’s  a priority? A deadline may be the reason a task is a priority.  You may feel instinctively what should be completed first.  You might also prioritize what will give you the most return on investment of energy that day. Choosing just three MITs gives you the opportunity to finish the most important things on your list.
Try out this Pause-Record-Prioritize strategy. Let me know if it works for you!
 
 
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