Picking Up the Pieces
In last week’s article, I discussed pattern planning as a way to become more efficient and save some energy for decision making by scheduling regular activities like laundry, grocery shopping and work outs. Now, we’re ready to tackle some projects. Remember those balls rolling on the floor? It’s time to scoop them up and put them where they belong.
Coming up with ideas for projects is kind of fun, isn’t it? We all like to imagine the things that we’ll accomplish. Then there are the projects that we might not be that excited about, like cleaning out the garage or designing a presentation at work, but we have to do them. This requires a different sort of planning.
My first suggestion for project planning is, as Steven Covey puts it, to begin with the end in mind. Have a clear picture of what the finished project will look like. In the example of the slide presentation, make sure you are clear on the objectives before you begin. What exactly should the audience learn? This may sound like common sense and it is. However, I would ask that you write those objectives out and put them in a visible spot so you can refer back to them each time you work on that slideshow. This will keep you on track and out of the proverbial weeds.
Once you’ve envisioned the final product, you can break the process down into very manageable chunks. Some chunks may be more interesting to you than others. You may really enjoy creating the visual elements of the slides, but hate to do the text. So, when you’re chunking that project, make those tedious pieces a bit smaller. For example, work on the text for only 2 or 3 slides at a time. A study (link provided at the end of this article) conducted on both adults with and without ADHD found that the adults with ADHD had difficulty with motivation for tasks that were considered boring or mundane because of disruptions in the dopamine pathways in their brains. Simply put, there is less activity in the reward center of their brains, so it’s harder to find the motivation to pursue chores or projects that aren’t that interesting or rewarding. I’m going to come back to this later.
Now give yourself a deadline for each chunk. You may want to be a little more aggressive with some of the deadlines as a way to increase your motivation. I’m not suggesting that you put yourself under continual pressure to get things done. But sometimes, for folks with ADHD, a little pressure helps drive action.
Most importantly, you need to build in rewards. I mentioned this in my last article but it bears repeating. Remember those smaller chunks of tedious or boring tasks? Make the rewards for those stronger to help get you over the hump. If you reward yourself by ordering your favorite take out for lunch when you finish the visuals, reward yourself with something even better for the text pieces, like dinner with a group of friends.
Finally, I’d like to encourage you to keep your plans and reminders external. By that I mean to make them visual or auditory. If you work better in the tactile realm, take those steps in your project plan and write each on a piece of paper or sticky note and post it physically on the wall or calendar. Make use of reminders, lists, alarms, etc to jog that memory. Many of us have smart phones so we don’t have to be as smart all the time. Make sure you don’t schedule too many or your phone will become a major distraction.
Obviously, project planning is a much more complex process than what is referenced here. These are just a few tips to make it easier if you struggle with ADHD.
The most important take away from this article is that you don’t have to give up on getting things done. It takes time to form new habits and every one of us on the planet is struggling to improve in one way or another. It just takes that first step.
Suzanne Leon is a Certified Professional Coach who works with people affected by ADHD/ADD. Visit her website to learn more about the services she provides.
Chris A. Ziegler Dendy, M.S. Teenagers with ADD,ADHD & Executive Function Deficits A Guide for Parents and Professionals (3rd ed.)