ADHD significantly impacts the brain’s executive function, affecting time management skills, focus, organization, and emotional regulation. It makes even the simplest tasks difficult and chaotic.
A strict daily routine can help you overcome the challenges of ADHD. So, let’s know how to build one here.
1. Create a Framework, Not a Schedule
While creating an ADHD-friendly routine, most people tend to overplan, scheduling every hour. Strict timelines can become difficult to follow, and eventually, people tend to give up.
Instead, anchor a few loosely defined but important parts of your life. For instance, note your wakeup time, meal time, and napping or sleeping times. This will help you create a stable lifestyle and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Once you start following these consistently, you can delve further into the details of each task.
2. Use Visual Cues
Individuals with ADHD can follow visual schedules better than mentally self-regulating time and planning. For instance, you can create your visual schedule using paper charts, a handwritten, colorful table on a whiteboard, sticky notes, or smartphone apps.
You can also create step-by-step checklists for complicated tasks. For instance, break your morning routine into smaller tasks, such as brushing your teeth, showering, dressing, eating, and packing a bag. Write all of them down in a column and tick them off after completing each task.
Place your visual schedule in a high-traffic area, such as a bedroom wall, desk, or refrigerator, so you don’t forget to refer to it.
3. Seek Professional Help
If none of these tactics help in tackling your ADHD, it’s better to find a reliable executive skills coaching centre that has been helping students and young adults with their ADHD issues.
The right professionals will guide you on how to meet deadlines and avoid feeling overwhelmed. They will have unique strategies to overcome all challenges that you may not learn at school or at home.
With regular practice and the support of coaches, you can transform yourself and lead an extraordinary life.
4. Plan Routines Around Energy Peaks
Every individual has a unique time when they feel the most energetic. Monitor your energy and focus levels for an entire week and identify your peak and slump hours.
Schedule the most strenuous tasks around the energetic hours. Keep the errands, tasks involving movement, and desk tasks for the low-focus hours.
If you follow the lead of your energy’s rhythm, you will become more productive and procrastinate less.
5. Follow Transition Rituals
Switching from one task to another is extremely challenging for individuals with ADHD. You’re more likely to get distracted during transition, leading to doom-scrolling the internet or being lost in your thoughts.
Add short rituals to your routine to smooth transitions and improve focus. For instance, play a song that signals you to shift your focus. Stretch or walk for 5 minutes before beginning the next task. Take 3-5 deep breaths after ending one task to reset your brain and prepare your body for the next focus. These tasks can help you feel engaged in the following tasks without resistance.
6. Make Self-Care a Habit
For individuals with ADHD, self-care is a must every day. This is because it enhances mood and attention, supporting executive function. If you diligently follow self-care steps, you can make the most out of it.
A simple habit is drinking water as soon as you wake up in the morning. Another option is to dance, practice yoga, or engage in any other form of movement you prefer for 15 minutes.
You can also schedule breaks using the Pomodoro method, where you work for 25 minutes and rest for 5 minutes. Add reminders every 25 and 5 minutes, alternatively, to ensure you don’t overdo it.
7. Build a Distraction-Free Environment
ADHD gets triggered by even the smallest distractions. So, make your study or work space completely free from distractions.
For instance, organize your space, keep playful items out of the room, use website blockers to cut access to distracting websites, sit in a comfortable chair, bring all necessary materials for your task and water to the desk, and use noise-canceling headphones.
8. Prepare for Mess Up Days
Sometimes, your routine won’t work, and that’s completely normal. You may miss a task or your ADHD might overpower your focus, leading to poor productivity.
The greatest mistake during those days was overthinking the mess or giving up altogether. You must calm yourself and accept the situation with a moment to reset your rhythm.
Take a shower, walk for a few minutes, or tidy your space. After completing it, resume your schedule. Forgiving yourself will make you more resilient.
Conclusion
Building an ADHD-friendly routine isn’t about discipline. Try to craft a flexible schedule that feels comfortable and not overwhelming. If a specific routine doesn’t work, adjust it according to your needs until it suits you.
