ADHD and Time-Blocking: How does it work?!

#adhd #timemanagement #timeblocking
You've probably heard that there is research showing that time-blocking helps for people with ADHD. And it does, but in order to be sustainable, you need to tweak it a bit.
😌 I stopped coaching, but I wanted to create some 'replacement'. In this 'course' I walk you through different coaching questions and I ask you to write the answers down so that you can reflect, think, heal.
Writing Therapy Course:
evieran.onlinecoursehost.com/...
📽️ Video Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:39 - Visualization
1:14 - Memory
2:15 - Classical way
3:18 - The ADHD way
5:05 - Daily vs Weekly
6:26 - Story Time + Healthy Productivity
8:18 - Color Grading
10: 26 - Personalize
10:53 - Always Something Fun
12:25 - Example
13:13 - Time of the Day
15:36 - Outro

[@apoorvasharma8147]

I feel 10% of my ADHD getting healed whenever I watch your videos. You are a cool person to be around.

[@Evieran]

Awww I’m happy to know that I’m helpful :) I feel like making those videos heals me a little bit as well as I go through realizing all those things yet again, and hopefully a little better :)

[@dandy5687]

I cried watching your video bc I feel so validated, restored and healed. i literally just had a fight with my partner who was trying to get me to plan and schedule the neurotypical way and he couldn't understand why I can't do it and I had difficulty explaining why too. you've given me why my challenges happen, what to do and how to teach him to understand me. thank you so much

[@loganskiwyse7823]

I give you six years at most where this approach will work. Nearly 60 and used this long before I even knew I had ADHD.

[@Evieran]

This works for you for 6 years straight? Oh damn, I’m probably too kind on myself then, because I know it works, but I sort of motivate myself to do it but telling myself “it’s temporary, it’s only until we achieve the goal”. Hm.. thanks for the comment! I should work on my mindset then :)

[@loganskiwyse7823]

I would not say straight. Intermittently at best. Biggest issue I had was giving the right amount of time. I am far worse gone now and could not manage for a few months. Too much time you get bored between tasks and lose focus. too little time and your frustrated not being able to get the list done. And since product workflow is not consistent with our conditions doing that part, I found to be the hardest. Note I was giving an estimate before you thrown the approach out the window. I have gotten to the point I don't need to force myself to function within society, so I just stopped trying.@@Evieran

[@Evieran]

What you're saying about the right amount of time between tasks is quite important. There is surely the benefit of momentum. If you get distracred, or a bit lazy, and you sit down 'for a minute', it's all gone. ADHD life is almost entirely a string of opposing behaviors. You get used to you, and yeah, at some point you might stop trying to be 'functional' within a society built for different type of behaviors. I don't know, I think a lot of tiredness comes with age. Living with ADHD for 10 years isn't the same as living with it for 50 years. Let's see how I feel at your age :D

[@shynn5827]

I also started this 6 years ago. I have one week on two pages with one page as time schedule for thinks like appointments, picking up the kids from school, work schedules, etc. and the other page: to do, to eat, to buy, done, spent and sport. For the details. 😊

[@loganskiwyse7823]

sorry misread which post I was responding too. See I couldn't ever manage that. Especially fiancés. Though I didn't have help, and no one knew what was really going on either. The real troubling thing for me is even without any diagnosis I knew what I was and was not able to manage on my own. Just no one would believe it was really that difficult for me to do what they took to be simple tasks.@@shynn5827

[@killymxi]

Time to tweak my daily notes in Obsidian. There is a constant conflict between the necessity to have important things in front of my eyes and them accumulating to the state where everything blends into noise. I will outright ignore any time blocking. But simply having lose list of tasks, even color graded, is deceptive - they will accumulate. Need more flexible tools. There are mobile app(s) for flexible time blocking - they are like sliding windows, starting when you're ready. But even those I don't find working for me. May think how I would like to see it as a possible Obsidian extension... For a time being, I may try to limit daily notes by the number of slots per category. One of the roots of procrastination: the brain tends to think there is always more interesting task buried somewhere in the list, compared to the one I decided to put up front for today.

[@Evieran]

I’ve never tried Obsidian, but I can’t exist without Notion ;D And I don’t even use its full capacity.

[@cmarkd1]

Thank you, Evie! In the experience of coming to grips with my ADHD, I'm learning to be kind to myself. My greatest obstacle has always been the guilt of not achieving what someone else expected. I loved what you said about making the practice your own and make it interesting. I also enjoy hearing how similar your dopamine impulses are to mine.😅 Keep up the great content!

[@risaiswright]

Yes, the negative self talk is the biggest challenge for me too. It is a hard pattern to change, but each time you talk kinder to yourself you strengthen that neural network :)

[@Daniel-ng8fi]

The biggest benefit I got from being diagnosed with ADHD was that once I actually believed it was a real thing and that I had it, all the things in my life that I was so hard on myself for and felt like such a failure about and had so much shame over, became things I could be compassionate and kind to myself about, because there was a reason for it that wasn't just that I sucked. Seeing how much I benefited from that made it much easier and more natural to be kind to myself in other areas as well, because it's so stupid not to be. Self compassion is the biggest blessing.

[@WillN2Go1]

Great tips. I'd like to try the color coding. The best for me is to start on what I want to do tomorrow before I go to sleep tonight. If it's writing then read something similar, make a few notes, or go over my outline, sketch out the scene. Maybe do some trial writing in my paper journal. I find it's then a lot easier to wake up and get started. And I've done a lot of my best writing this way. But absolutely write down a TO DO list that you will see first thing in the morning. Sometimes if I miss the list I can just start on something else, a distraction... and only later, 'Oh, that's what I meant to do.' When I travel I carry a small, usually cheap, notebook in my pocket. I write down notes of places, schedules, etc. What always needs to happen: Write the day and date at the beginning of each day, then jot down times when you are supposed to do things The ToDo, but also when you do things. It's too easy to get lost or create a too confusing schedule/'diary of your trip. This works at home and supports Time Blocking as well. (Tip. If you use the really cheap notebooks that the pages fall out of? Poke holes near the binding and sew them. They work just the same, look cool and last forever. I do this with the little blue notebooks I buy in convenience stores in Japan and other parts of Asia.) And of course I keep larger journals with more depth. (I learned that in about 2005 someone asked all the silicon valley guys how they kept notes, to dos, appointments, results, etc... Many of them used one word processing document, entered everything into it and then did a search for various items. For almost twenty years now I make a list of all the days, dates for the year in a spreadsheet, then copy and paste them in my word processor, Nisus Writer Pro, (I also indent the various days of the week) then I select all put them in the Navigator window, where the days cascade in sets of seven days.. makes navigation easier. Then I just start writing after the date. Things I need to do that day, things I've done, thoughts, journal entries, things I've read and want to remember, etc... I think what would really be helpful would be an alarm that quietly pings every two hours to signal that you have to write down what you've done for those two hours. Intentional, productive work can really sap energy, watching 15 KZbin videos and carefully writing long comments? Effortless. But if that ping goes off and you're off task? It's a hint to get back on task. Also I mentioned on one of Evie Ran's videos in I think November, that I was finding writing (intentionally) for more than two hours a day was exhausting. This made me remember that physical fitness is critical to creative output. I've seen more that a few very aged people experiencing dementia. Put them on oxygen and their old self suddenly reappears. So I've been fast walking 30 miles a week on my treadmill. I've been writing for longer and longer periods. (I also put a TV in front of the treadmill. Action movies? Only on the treadmill.) If you are a successful person with ADHD you will be the most disciplined procrastinator you'll ever know. You get a lot of things done, but you will likely always feel like you're off task too often. Never give up.

[@mrandisg]

I like the idea of setting a reminder to write things down every 2 hours. Thanks for the tip! 😊

[@mlandry491]

I really learned from this... thank you♡ I've known about my adhd since both of my sons were diagnosed 20+ years ago when their dr told me that "clearly, the apple didnt fall far from the tree". Before then, I thought I was just lazy messy in my own world etc. Fast forward to now looking back on a life of leaving jobs right before getting fired for being late, changing my major 5 times resulting in 12 years of college but not even a bachelors etc... to do lists became the only way to get anything done, but the prioritizing is all over the place. I never thought of the category "involving another person" that would have saved me alot of grief over the years. I am 52 this year and was only just diagnosed last year. combined type... I do things that are cute / pretty rather than fun, but I so resonate with this. The Dr asked me why I waited so long to get help, I told her that I was afraid if anyone actually tinkered in this mind, I'd be straight for the soft cell. The courage mustered to get diagnosed was the best move I've ever made in my life. Validation salves the soul... well mine, anyway.

[@TorontoNeurospicyGirl]

Im gonna try this. I tried the regular way. I set up a whole week of time blocks... and then abandoned it halfway through the 1st day. 😂 Did it many gimes though oit the years and every time felt like so lazy pos who cannot follow a schedule I made.

[@Evieran]

I tried regular time-blocking more than 10 times, always failed. But I’m gonna try to explain my approach again some time down the road, with more visual examples. I think I could’ve been clearer but my mind wasn’t so well ;D

[@BuckeyeRutabaga]

Thank you! Great advice from someone who gets what it's like to strive to be productive through your ADHD maze.

[@cecirimi]

I worked as a music specialist with 500 students a week so my job changed every hour regarding, grade level, activities, behaviors and curriculum and performances, logistics, choreography, rehearsals, and the most difficult admins changing things on me last minute all the time. I was on the run for 8 hours lets not talk about traffic to and from work. I didn't realize what was happening until I retired. I could not concentrate on one page of a book. mY mind would drift as I re-read the page 4 times, movies the same, videos I put on speed...not yours! LOL Well I took a test online similar to the ones we administer to students being evaluated for adhd. Well lo and behold, there it was. I score high. I did not max out because I keep a bullet journal detailed and it helps me stay on top of tasks and ahead of the game. But I couldn't read a darn book or enjoy a movie. Thats another thing, I figured out the ending and annoy the crap out of everyone. I learned all this at 62. I like how you explain things and set them up for success and not tied down to it. I need flexibility and time blocking for me does...not...work. Unless I'm online tutoring. Thank you so much I will take some pointers here. It was very helpful.

[@risaiswright]

Thanks! I think flexibility is definitely key. I like the idea of color coding things. I have never tried that, and that will help me make sure that I am finding time to do a variety of things (like self care) each day. One thing I find helpful to keep me on task is to pause and write down one or two things that I want to be focusing on right now. I call these my "focused tasks." I write them on a sticky note and carry it in my pocket. If a thought or another task tries to distract me, then I can write it down on the back of the sticky note. Knowing that I can go back to that distraction later and won't forget it really helps me stay focused enough to complete the task I set out to accomplish. I also think you bring up a good point that it is important to keep on trying different things. Conventional time blocking may not work for most people with ADHD, but some aspects of it may be beneficial :)

[@Evieran]

The 'focused tasks' is what coaches often call 'highligh of the day' - having this one thing that if you achieve, it means you had a productive day evn if you didn't do much else. So yes, it's a great technique as well! :) And writing this reminded me that I should mention this in a video as well :D

[@Jaquobes]

Great tips. I feel like I could implement several in my life. I especially like how you encourage flexibility when it comes to daily/weekly planning.

[@jakobrosenberg2008]

Love your videos, Evie. I can't tell if I'm suffering from burnout and I just need to give myself space or if I should apply new techniques like time blocking to regain my productivity.

[@pcanarsky]

Very, very helpful. Thank you!

[@bethbrown8249]

I am so grateful your channel was recommended to me today. I’m having a very difficult day due to chronic illness and I needed the reminder you pointed out about “healthy” vs harmful. I feel so much lighter than I did just a few minutes ago, thank you!!

[@Evieran]

I’m so happy to read this and also happy for you that you feel better ✨🤗

[@tomipetteri4881]

Perhaps consider creating an updated video featuring images and examples at a future date? Your intended audience may find it challenging to understand your message.

[@Evieran]

Can you elaborate on this, please? I’m not sure I understand what you mean :)

[@Taurus_hun14]

@@Evieran the person means pictures of a to do list with a ✅ and a time block schedule with a ❌ as an example. Have pictures (🌆🌠🌁)to illustrate what you are saying ( 🗣️)

[@cyana5867]

I didn’t understand it either

[@theoryfish3491]

Excellent advice. I've personally tried all kinds of 'to do' lists, both digital and pen and paper. Right now I have 7 pieces of paper blu tacked to my wall in my line of sight (one for each day in case you haven't guessed). I last updated them in...maybe 6 months. Which is when I first pinned them there. All my to-do lists remain on my phone, uncompleted. I figured out that the reason I don't do them is because I absolutely don't care about them. As a Gen Xer moving into late middle age, I find myself struggling to conform to anything, especially other people's expectations of me... So my personal cure for this dilemma is to just withdraw from the obligations inherent in these lists. In other words withdraw from this world to which I have zero connection. So that's my grumpy old git rant over. Great videos Evie, keep up the good work!

[@lynettejwhite]

Oh I so relate! I'm tired, swamped with things to do from present and past commitments. It's a cognitive load to ignore it all. But I feel like the right way forward is to learn to go with the flow and let things drop. After decades of keeping all the balls in the air, it's a very freeing experience. I no longer wear a watch. I have a couple of alarms on my phone to ground me to the passing of the day, they just remind me it's time to make lunch/dinner or stop work. I'm happiest when I allow myself to follow my interests for the day, and match it to my energy level.

[@Evieran]

That’s so relatable. I’ve been ready for my grandma era since I turned 30 😄 Seriously, withdrawing from the world feels fantastic most of the time 👀 I like to think about time as an opportunity - I’m here with a functional body, I have the ability to do stuff, so let’s do stuff! And I create lists; reminders; I get to dopamine hit from achieving stuff… Then I get extremely drained, and I don’t do anything at all. The balance between the two extremes is my biggest challenge.

[@Evieran]

Love this for you!!! That’s goals right there ✨

[@theoryfish3491]

Ha ha functional body. Your 'grandma era' (ouch!😅😅) and your functioning body are two entirely different concepts. I'm reasonably fit but this year I've noticed my left hand is finally rebelling from holding my phone for 12 hours per day (I swear) and is attempting to join the Marvel cast as 'The Claw'. As for withdrawing as a goal, unfortunately I need to keep on working so my non strategy of reclusiveness doesn't help me at all and my 'can't teach an old dog new tricks' mentality means my ADHD/ quiet BPD brain has triumphed and continues to do whatever the hell it likes, whenever it likes. And I continue to flit between 8 different tasks at any one time. You just have to give up and respect the master at my age. I'm so cynical of the world that I just let my compulsivity have free reign. Oh. Those luxury triple choc muffins are 30% off....go on then! Yes they were bloody nice! 😅😅

[@drywallsurgeon]

Evie, love your choice of background decor, Gorgeous ❤

[@8bit_misfit]

I love the color coding ideas, especially since it highlights the importance of relationships and being a person of integrity and dependability. Definitely gonna try that one out, thank you!

[@Evieran]

That’s an amazing way to interpret it! Love it, thanks for sharing 😊✨

[@rufionijverdal]

Great tips with smooth execution in explanation and encouragement. Chapeau! Keep up the good work :)

[@Evieran]

Thanks for the positive and encouraging feedback 😊

[@dantarradellas7351]

Fantastic. ❤

[@alexpointon784]

The quote about our brains being good at having ideas but not keeping them is David Alan from the getting things done method

[@Burzumsable]

Thank you so much for continuing this work even though engagement is tough to come by in this niche. Since you have ADHD and it can get frustrating when the rewards aren't on par with your efforts. I applaud your dedication and help. I hope you hit big. Carry on!

[@Evieran]

I have been quite inconsistent too which isn’t appreciated by the algorithm, but I get bored if I make the same type of content regularly.. it’s a challenge to find the right balance ;D But thank you so much for your encouragement! You described my situation quite well, thanks for the relatable comment ✨

[@steadycompsltd.]

Thanks. I find this series of videos incredibly useful. I wish they were around when I was young. :-)

[@Evieran]

Thank you! And I wish the same :D I was born in the 90s, so we were the last generation to have a childhood without internet, and there are many benefits of that, yes, but I surely felt very alone and confused. I like how seeing other people's struggles very often reminds me how similiar we all are.

[@steadycompsltd.]

I was born in the 70's so I went through school and most of my life wondering whyI was so compelled to do things - and why I took to things I liked with complete obsession. (Including partying, which quieted my mind). My young daughter has the same so it's invaluable now being armed with this kind of knowledge. Thanks again. @@Evieran

[@rogueerised979]

Only posted this a month ago? I could have sworn I watched a similar video of yours a year ago. Either way, super helpful! Still use it. I'm curious to see if you can do a video on a yearly review for adhd folks. To see what was Iearned & happened over last year & where time & energy was spent. Good productive year & if we got side tracked & why. Was it a good reason? If not, how to avoid it this year. I know it's a lot.

[@Evieran]

You’re very observant! I had a similar video a year ago but recently I thought that it’s not done well, I restructured it and tried to improve it. Hopefully it worked :) Yearly review.. Hmm to make some sort of guide on how to reflect on the yearly progress? Is that what you mean?

[@rogueerised979]

@Evieran oh so you did. Thanks! Really liked that video & this one. Yes, something like that. To reflect on yearly progress & kinda overview what was done. As adders tend to forget lots quickly. So a look back on if month was used wisely and had a good productive year and included fun/rest or year lost to a lot of sidetracks and not achieved main goals.

[@olliestudio45]

During stressful / cre ative periods I have to plan and will never do everything, sometimes anything. When following well worn routines one can just sort of cruise along, get bored but maybe chill.

[@MindfulMorningReflections]

I actually have used time blocking for years and it really does work.

[@Evieran]

It does work, and another person here also commented that they can keep it up for longer periods of time. I wonder whether the type of ADHD has some effect on that.. (haven’t seen such a research but worth checking)

[@MindfulMorningReflections]

@@Evieran definitely worth checking. I worked as a researcher for years so i'm always interested in learning more.

[@voyaswi]

Allah bless you. Very helpful thank you I has severe weak focus that I just be like hopeless and don't know what task to do

[@larra07]

HI Evie, ok good thank you for your advise, but what about person with 9 to 5 job or 8 to 6 job with ADHD can do - not to be all the time on survive mode.

[@ThePrimeMetric]

I have two questions. I am diagnosed as being on the spectrum for Autism but as far as I know I don't have ADHD. I have executive functioning issues, so I struggle with planning and sticking to plans. It seems like there is a lot overlap with ADHD in this area, so I was wondering if this method is likely to work for me even if I don't have aDHD? My second question is if you use the morning, afternoon, night system do you take into account when you wake up? Because if I wake up at like 10:00 am, for example, I have only 2 hours I can dedicate to morning tasks whereas if I wake up at 6:00 am I have 6 whole hours for morning tasks. Maybe it would be better to just pick three time blocks everyday? Because it kind of bothers me not having an equal amount of hours for each of them depending on my erratic sleep schedule.

[@justavideodiary]

Sorry but how is this any different from regular daily/weekly planning? It's literally the same tips and rules.

[@Evieran]

You should watch a video by Ali Abdaal, who will tell you to time-block every hour of every day for the entire week in advance, and then you'll see a difference. But the point of this video is exactly this - to encourage you to take an existing technique and make it yours. Introducing some flexibility is one way to do so which is what I'm showing here.

[@shakthi9524]

I can't feel fear under critical situations sometimes i do not feel shame too like when i couldn't score good in my exams. Is this related to adhd in any way?

[@sunnycurtis3236]

A brain is for processing, not for storage.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

Except good luck processing without the storage and the same executive functioning challenges that lead people to want to have it down on paper also make it harder to get it down on paper in a way that is easily managed. If you can reliably predict what you're going to need, then you're probably not going to need it written down in the first place. References are things that you'd want to write down and you'd likely want an automated calendar reminder for appointments. But, most of the rest of things really do need to be in your head as a practical matter. The human brain can store a lot of information, the usual issue is ensuring that you can find it again later on when you need it.