How Do I Keep My SH*T Together?
If I could sum up almost every conversation I have with adults with ADHD and Executive Function Disorder, they would come down to “How do I keep my sh*t together?” I am not here to sugarcoat it for you, there is no easy solution to make your life more structured, organized, and stress-free. I am here to say that your feelings are valid and I hear you.
‘Adulting’ is really hard and having a disorder that inhibits your ability to create structure and order makes it feel like a truly impossible hurdle to climb. People get frustrated with you because you show up late or forget something important. I’ve been there…felt that! But I am also here to help you and remind you that you are not alone and you are not doomed. After years of experimenting with what works best in my life, I’m here to share the tools that help me daily that I quite frankly couldn’t live without.
Here are 3 categories with tools to help you keep your sh*t together!
Calendar and/or Planner:
A digital calendar can be a life-changing way to keep up with important events/dates/appointments and prevent you from overbooking yourself. You have the ability to set up alerts to remind you when to leave to give you enough time to go somewhere.
My added tip is that you can also share it with a spouse, partner, friend, family member to help keep you accountable with reminders!
Printable worksheets for shopping, cleaning, meal planning. I’ve found several on Etsy that are tailored to adults with ADHD that are pretty awesome. Try TheminiADHDCoach Shop and IngriDesgins!
Note-taking and to-do lists are taken to a whole new level with Evernote you can write notes, use digital notes, create priorities and tasks...and the best part is that it’s all in one place. What a dream. They have free and paid versions.
Prefer a physical planner? Here are a few amazing Black-owned businesses that made beautiful, thoughtful planners! @lavishlifebrand, @cloth_and_paper, @ivorypaperco, @notiqbrand
Paying bills and managing your money:
You can set up automatic payments for rent/mortgage, utilities, car payments and insurance, credit card bills, etc.
If you struggle with managing your money knowing what is coming in/out and the thought of budgeting makes you nauseous try using Mint.com this site helps you connect your bank accounts, helps you create budgets, identify spending habits and trends, and gives you updates about your credit score.
Habit and accountability trackers:
Create your habits and to-do lists and maybe even save the environment while doing it. Flora Green Focus reminds you to keep up with your to-do lists by growing digital trees. If you accomplish everything on the list you can plant real trees! Win, win.
Procrastinating a lot? Set yourself up for success and do a little bit at a time. With Focus Keeper you can set timers and plan out your breaks to help you get back on track.
These tools are just a start in keeping everything together! The next step is working on making the structure of your personal and work life manageable. A coach (like myself) might be a great option in helping you build new strategies for feeling more at ease in your life. By strengthening your skills you will have the ability to not just keep your sh*t together, but have the ability to truly thrive.
