Working with ADHD Clients

mind map

Many of my clients either have diagnosed ADHD or call themselves people with attention deficits.

Not everyone living with ADHD has organizational problems but the ones who search out Professional Organizers recognize that they do need help in that area.

Because ADHD is a neurological disorder it affects the frontal lobe of your brain. The frontal lobe is responsible for executive functioning. This affects your memory, ability to plan, time perception, and motivation. Hence, difficulty with organization.

A couple of my clients received an actual diagnosis of ADHD late in their lives.  For both of them, having the diagnosis helped them to normalize some of the behaviors that they had been fighting most of their lives. Now that they better understood what was going on, they were better able to work with their doctor and a Professional Organizer to develop organizational strategies to improve both their personal life and their professional life.  

While these tips and strategies are for adults with ADHD, they really are helpful to anyone struggling with organization.

Tips:

·        Get rid of the old self-talk and focus on what you can do right – stay positive

·        Gather everything you think you might need for this one task/project before setting the timer and beginning

·        Start small – work on one small area or task and complete it

·        At the end of each organizing session, put everything away – don’t leave out trash bags or boxes of things to put away

·        Store items in logical places near where you will use them – then label the shelf/cabinet/container

·        Keep storage containers simple and for often used items very accessible

·        Create a launch pad near the door you use

·        Ruthlessly get rid of items you aren’t using or wearing – the less you keep the less to maintain

·        Set up a shopping area for items that you aren’t using now because of over purchasing but just can’t let go of yet – don’t buy anything new without checking your “shop” first

·        Establish as many routines and habits as possible to minimize making daily decisions

Strategies:

·        When planning out a project, break it down into very small manageable tasks that you can do in less than an hour – know how long you can reasonable concentrate on an organizing task – it may be different for organizing a pantry and a box of old papers

·        Use a calendar and start and end each day with reviewing it – not only use the calendar for appointments but also write in when you plan to go to the donation center or make an important call

·        Set timers for tasks that are important – and set that timer for time before the actual task so that you are prepared to execute it when the time comes

·        When planning your day not only list the important tasks you plan on working on but also how long you think each task will take to complete – then time them to see how accurate you were

·        Become aware of the best time of day for doing organizational work and then plan on utilizing that time for your projects

·        Set up automatic bill pay and invoicing but at the same time schedule times on your calendar to check that they are still functioning and what you expect

·        Outsource responsibilities when possible – having a housekeeper, lawn care person, or dog walker will save your energy for other tasks

·        Delegate chores to others in your household – if other people live in the house, they should also help with the household chores

·        Avoid over committing your time – if you already have trouble keeping up with your commitments don’t take on another one unless you drop one that your already have

When working with our clients we certainly don’t throw all of this at them at once. They are already overwhelmed. Start with one small project and bring in these tips or strategies when they make sense.

Celebrate each small win and use lots of positive reinforcement.

I love working with my ADHD clients!

If you are ready to work on any specific organizing project and want some tips, encouragement, or accountability join Diane Quintana and me in our Clear Space For You virtual clutter support group. The group will offer ideas, support, and gentle accountability for working on developing plans or projects.

Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.