Strategies for adults with ADHD
First and foremost
Research the condition
Understanding how your condition affects you can massively improve your ability to cope, not to mention your mental health.
Make sure to stick to trusted information resources, like the ones listed in our Guidelines and Information Resources section. Be aware that there is plenty of misinformation out there.
Let those around you know that you have the condition
Those moody moments, the zoning out of conversation, the self-isolation… it can only begin to make sense to your friends and family if they understand you better.
If your friends and family are sceptical about ADHD, don’t let this put you off. ADHD is a complicated thing to understand; help them!
Seek support
Don’t underestimate the extent to which support can help you. Those with ADHD are often dealing with mental health problems as a result of comorbid psychiatric conditions, regret, social isolation, guilt, or even trauma related to their ADHD.
We have seen lives turn around simply through attending one of our adult ADHD group information sessions and hearing others talk about their own lives once a month.
Consider counselling (Harbour and Mindspace offer free counselling and mental health services) or cognitive behavioural therapy (link to NHS guidance) for mental health support.
Organizational strategies
Set aside time every morning for organization
Clear your desk, write out a to-do list and make sure everything you need for the day is readily available. It may feel like this isn’t achieving anything but it can make a big difference to the rest of your day!
Delegate or find an organizational tool for you
Sooner or later all of us with ADHD have to come to terms with the fact that we struggle to organize things in our mind, We forget things, become overwhelmed, struggle to break down tasks into smaller tasks.
If you are lucky and have someone to help you, a family member or personal assistant, ask them to help set up an organizational system for you. If not, there are thousands of tools out there, from phone apps that organize your tasks and give you reminders, to day planners and paper lists. It is worth putting in a bit of time to try different things. Finding the right one for you could make the difference between your dream job and unemployment and could save you a lot of stress!
Set yourself incremental, realistic goals
There is no point in creating a task list full of things that will be a stretch to complete. This can make you feel overwhelmed and avoid doing anything! Start every day with small, easy-to-complete tasks, such as making your bed, and tick them off your list. If you are really struggling with academic work, break the task down into as small tasks as possible and start with the easiest one - it might be simply sitting down at the desk and getting rid of any distractions, writing a broad outline, or reading the first page from one of your sources.
Prioritize
Make sure that you are dealing with the most urgent and important tasks first, where possible. If you are avoiding these, start with a small, easy-to-finish task to warm up.
Managing Hyperactivity
Exercise
Numerous studies have shown that regular physical activity can reduce ADHD symptoms (including figeting, restlessness and an inability to concentrate). Make sure that you factor in DAILY exercise - this is extremely important!
Allow yourself to fidget
Perhaps contrary to what you were told in school, fidgeting can sometimes be an essential part of managing restlessness and concentration. Try to find things to fidget with. These may be a piece of blu-tac, a paper clip, a stress ball, or anything that works for you! Some people simply tap their feet or tense certain muscles. The crucial thing to remember is that, certainly for those sitting down to a task, if you are able to manage the restlessness where you are (rather than getting up and moving about) then you are more likely to complete the task at hand.
Restrict larger movements
This one may not work for everyone but some adults with ADHD have reported that a strategy they use to make sure they finish a task is to physically (and safely) restrict their movements (e.g. by tying themselves to their chair), making it a more demanding process to walk away from the task at hand. One study participant explained that, “it helps you remember why you were sitting down in the first place”.
Overcome inattention
Find your attention “comfort zone”
This can be completely different for different people. Some people need to be sitting on a hard-backed chair, others need to recline; some need complete silence, others need music. Try different set-ups and don’t get frustrated if some don’t work! It’s a process.
Ask for instructions to be delivered in a way that you can refer back to
Those with ADHD, particularly with the inattentive subtype, will often find that verbal instructions simply don’t work. Distractions, poor short-term memory and an inability to focus for a long period of time can mean that you run the risk of forgetting important tasks. Make sure you have something to refer back to!
Tidy up your work area!
Minimise the clutter in your work area. This can reduce stress, allow you to spread your notes out and focus better on the task at hand.
Find somewhere for your big ideas to go
The ADHD mind wanders, and sometimes it stumbles on an idea that really excites us. The problem is that this can distract us from the task at hand. Make sure you have some way of recording these ideas for later. This will help get it out of your head for now and help you focus on the things that you need to do straight away.
Manage your time
Become a clock-watcher
The internal clocks of those with ADHD can often be a bit… unpredictable. Make sure that you are always able to see the time. It can help to make a note of the time that you started the task.
Use timers
For longer tasks consider setting up an alarm that alerts you when periods of time has passed. This can give a sense of accomplishment for sticking with a task.
Give yourself more time than you think you need
Give yourself a “time cushion”, so if you think a task will take thirty minutes, allow for forty. Adults with ADHD can really struggle to estimate how long a certain task can take - if you over-run this can have knock-on impacts on your day and can increase stress and anxiety.
Be early
Those with ADHD can be really impatient and so tend to avoid situations in which they have to wait for a long period of time. Despite this, it is important to plan to arrive early for appointments and meetings. Punctuality is a hugely important trait to develop as an adult and can make a huge difference to your professional and personal life.
Learn to say “No”
The impulsive trait within ADHD, along with an underappreciation for how long tasks can take, can lead adults with the condition to agree to taking on too many tasks at once. Some adults with ADHD enjoy feeling extremely busy and feel that they do their best work when under pressure. Nonetheless no one wins if you take on too much at once. It can be a process but make sure you learn how much is “too much” as soon as possible.
Improve your physical and mental health
Get into a regular sleep routine
Those with ADHD can really struggle with their sleep, which can exacerbate their symptoms. There are plenty of things you can do to improve your sleep, including making sure you establish and stick to a routine, avoiding caffeine, sugary foods and screen time later at night, and, perhaps most importantly, making sure you get enough exercise during the day.
Eat healthily
The jury is still out on the extent to which diet can impact ADHD symptoms. Nonetheless, it is best to hedge your bets and take control of your diet.
Take time out from stimulating activities
Give your mind room to breath, to process what has happened today, and to wander into imaginative areas. Practices like mindfulness have been shown in some studies to reduce distractibility and impulsivity, improve focus and help you better control your emotions. You may prefer to meditate or doze - whatever it is, give yourself a mental break!
Manage your money
Get help
Financial mismanagement leading to debt is strongly associated with ADHD. You may need to accept that you will need help to take control of your finances. Fight the embarrassment of approaching a trusted friend or family member.
Set up online banking
Online banking nowadays makes it much easier to keep track of you money. Banking apps are increasingly easy to use, allowing you to know exactly what’s going on with your money. Some can even send you reminders for when you need to pay certain bills.
Set up direct debits or reminders to pay bills
If you don’t like setting up automatic payments like direct debits, a system of reminders can really help. Whether its on a physical or electronic calendar, make sure you’ve got something other than your own memory to rely on!
Make use of technology
There are lots of free services out there that can help you keep a track of your finances and accounts. Sometimes they can take a little bit of time to set up, but can be automatized afterwards, so that the hard work is out of the way.