Whether you have ADHD or not, chances are you have a few time management challenges. I would like to share a few ideas with you to help you overcome your time management challenges. (Thank you to everyone who has submitted your questions ideas on the blog and through LinkedIn!)
Let me start by asking you a few questions…
- Are you missing deadlines?
- Do you need help with prioritization?
- Is a new project overwhelming you?
- Do you feel like there are not enough hours in the day?
- Are you already worried about managing next school year with your child?
Implementing time management strategies can help you overcome these and other time management challenges.
Plan
While it may seem trivial, we don’t typically accomplish what we don’t plan. If you don’t have time to plan, that is a sure sign that you need to do it. It is very difficult to achieve your goals, big or small, if you don’t have a plan to get there. Just imagine going to a new place without a map. If it seems overwhelming, start small.
- This Sunday, spend fifteen minutes planning your week.
- Check your plan each day. Start with 5 minutes each day.
- If the the calendar or planner you are using seems to have stopped working, change it! The same system doesn’t work for everyone or for every situation.
- Planning is also a great tool to teach your children. Start small with them over the summer to help get them ready for school in the fall.
Use Alarms and Timers
Often people who struggle with attention challenges like ADHD need time reminders. Alarms and timers help us get going in the morning, remind us of important appointments, make sure we don’t spend too much time on any one task and keep us moving throughout the day. There are many options on the market now to meet various needs. Try different types to see what works for you.
Prioritize
When planning your week and day, make sure you are working towards your top priorities. Ask yourself a few questions regarding each meeting and task to help you decide what are the highest priorities in a given day or week…
- How will this task or meeting move me towards my goals?
- Is this task or meeting important?
- Does this task feel important just because it is urgent?
- Is there another way for this task to get accomplished?
A coach can help you establish your plan, help you prioritize and keep you accountable to your plan. Contact me if you are ready to move forward and overcome your time management challenges!
There are more things you can do and I will share more in future blog posts. In the meantime, give at least one of these strategies a try and let me know how it goes! Let me know what other questions and issue you are experiencing as well.