Schedules that work for ADHD brains with Dr. Sharon Saline

Manage your time and energy efficiently
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[@chaunteseturner7818]

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." - Stephen Covey (as cited in Quotefancy, 2023) This quote changed my life.

[@RemyNas24]

I don't get it

[@The_Pisces_Poet]

@@RemyNas24 I don’t get it either. They still sound like the same thing 😂

[@DesertRose4]

Maybe it looks like a list of what you need to do vs a hard rigid "sxhedule" with a million time blocks and a million things Or whats important to you might be adding a guilty pleasure. Adding it to schedule and putting time limit on it kinda remives the guilt and rhe boredom of not having that distraction. Idk im only an expert in tardiness...

[@RemyNas24]

@@The_Pisces_Poet 😭😭 this is why I get nothing done

[@chaunteseturner7818]

It means that you should figure out what is most important for you to get done and schedule that. For example, I have class at 5:30 pm today. That is the most important thing on my schedule for today. Anything else I do today must be scheduled around my class to ensure it gets done. Maybe nothing else gets done today. That's ok as long as I go to class on time. I have had adhd for a long time, and one of my biggest issues is being time blind. This quote and the ABCDE method helped me a lot.

[@derosa195]

Transition. .i drive to gym but end up look youtube for an hour

[@JenAmigo]

lol!!! 😂 I can relate!! You’re honest!

[@sookiebyun4260]

Holy crap, I’m not the only one who does that! 😂😂😂

[@maleem4421]

lol same!!

[@aarwood1]

So me

[@ms2506]

So true.

[@artandcard]

A helpful choice I made has been setting phone alarms to sound on the :45 of each hour. The alarms prompt me to transition into whatever task is scheduled at the top of the hour, and if there isn't anything scheduled, the alarms still benefit me by shaking me out of any lallygagging distractions I may be doing.

[@Ebot001]

Thank you 😊

[@smurfette6499]

This a great tip

[@guildedbutterfly]

That's an awesome idea!

[@WeRNthisToGetHer]

​@@Ebot001when I discipline myself to do this and remember to set my timers this really works! Thank you! It's just down to whether or not I take the time to do this...😅

[@derosa195]

Overtalking over sharing has always caused big problems at work

[@DaveE99]

In what types of ways?

[@Rash2oush]

Same

[@simritjitkaur3322]

Started to see it as betraying my own self to buy their friendship or attention it something or curry favor and I’m hoping that helps me stick to things now

[@sarahfaith6531]

My son is the same way. He talks sooooooooooo much it’s distracting to himself and everyone else. It’s fine if he’s in charge and doesn’t need to accomplish anything in particular order!!

[@angrageous]

I don't know how I ended up here, but this video was absolutely handed to me by the universe as a gift. Thank you for uploading this session here

[@happycampers7889]

Block schedules have worked very well for my family. The rule is that only one thing is scheduled during that block. At first we used timers to transition between blocks but now it’s just routine. Anchors help too. Meals are an anchor. Bedtime…things we do every day no matter what. Ex: Every day at breakfast we do our read aloud and take meds. The anchor of breakfast is our cue.

[@BH-qs7vo]

I try to start my day with a morning routine I developed which involves stretching, walking, praying, meditation. I treat it like a daily spa each morning.

[@steeldove4333]

I used backwards design for many many years before finding out I had ADHD. It just makes sense to me.

[@guildedbutterfly]

Me too. I didn't find out into my late 40's.

[@spiralflash6169]

I have tried to do backwards design because my late husband used to do it for me and it worked great. But I have NO clue how long anything takes, and no idea how many things I have to do first. I plan ALL this extra time which I end up filling with ALL these things that aren’t in the plan, and I’m always late anyway.

[@BH-qs7vo]

I learned to use 'backwards design' in a warranty department. Where each job is allotted to specific amount of time in 15 minute increments for the purposes of billing. It makes life so much easier. Clearer! Post-it notes help keep me organized and are too small to overwhelm myself. I try to keep myself limited to three maybe four items on my to-do list per day. And those are things that I want to get done. Not my boss, not my spouse, not my kids, etc. I'm in charge of my day. Phone alarms, calendar reminders, placing objects in my way so that I run into them when I need to remember something, are all tricks I use to win the day.

[@shellym9657]

It took me forever to realize I underestimated time. Once I started rounding up it was a game changer!!! Anything under 30 = 30. Anything over 30 mins = 60

[@shellyflanders9283]

I like to use a Trello board (which is free) and use the following categories: To Do - FUN, To Do - MISC, Shopping List, Doing, Done. I move the cards in order of priority and I can drag multi step things into the Doing board and when completed I can move them in my DONE column. I can use Trello both on my cell phone and work laptop. I also use big sticky notepads both upstairs and downstairs so I can dump my thoughts when something pops in my head. I take pictures of my list on my cell phone before I leave for shopping so I don't forget.

[@louisbar5734]

I downloaded the app because of your comment. I hope it will be a game changer. It really looks like it could be!

[@nikkireigns]

Is that like a Kanban Board? Will check it out, thanks!

[@shellyflanders9283]

@@nikkireigns In some ways, yes. You can use it like that.

[@sarawithoutanh8302]

My biggest challenge these days is the usual struggle of this plus being a mom of 2 year old twins and AuDHD 6 year old. None of my previous coping mechanisms seem to help anymore because it all ends up going out the window. So then I have paralysis with schedule at all bc it feels impossible to do anything.

[@nashaskabyrd6505]

Same, I only have one child and feel this too. You’re doing a good job mama, we’ll figure it out

[@SophieSoSo]

Same here. My twins are five and I still can't get a handle on a good routine.

[@Masi-vk5kz]

Thanks for sharing. I felt this way when my kids were young and had so much shame around it.

[@nikkolyn1122]

I’m still having major issues with parenting myself as well as my Adhd teenager

[@stacyhogan3026]

Oh wow!! You described that perfectly about the buffet plate of life and over pilling it. So many times I have so many different interests or projects and I dabble in all of them but rarely will complete the project or be able to devote the time necessary. Being spring now I get these grand ideas to garden and plant flowers. I spend way more than I should on those things and then after a month or 2… I end up neglecting it because I have moved on to something else of interest OR I was just too overwhelmed with that much upkeep that I give it up all together

[@Zonkotron]

I feel your pain. But i also think that a lot of this overwhelm comes from a neurotypical world forcing certain norms on us. Like. Gardening ordinances that mean you HAVE to garden in a specific way. More of a US HOA problem i guess. Vehicle registration laws that are impossibly strict and mean you have to have even modest flaws fixed quickly (thats a Germany problem). Bosses who'd rather work everybody 10 hour overtime and pay more for less productivity than hire another employee and fix the situation. Because with some discipline, you can do it, y know. Houses that have huge living rooms and tiny personal rooms. Ya sure, i need a couch island so much more than shelving and a 5 meter office desk. ***** that. I hope to buy an abandoned factory etc. in the next 10 years and make an ADHD proof home. Yeah. I like to have 5-10 -20 projects going. And if i have the space for it (one time in a company i had) its actually fine. I was crunching unsolved technical issues for them and simultaneously testing some 40 linear feet of equipment. Oh that was good. None of it was urgent, all of it was important. A lot of it either took a long time for technical reasons or was so difficult that it took weeks of searching to find the issue. All of it was fascinating. So i was 100% justified in letting my brain just run and jump. Got a stellar review for that episode. There gotta be a way to duplicate that in life. Imagine your kitchen was large enough that you can have ALL your dishes dirty and still space to cook. Thats kinda how well run industry does it. Have a dedicated space for everything. You just can't get stuck in a mess if your facilities are the size of a small city.

[@Dan1ell]

Backwards design was called the reverse schedule when I started using it. I use it to be my version of "on time". I usually plan out to arrive half an hour early. I might just walk around the block until it's actually time, because depending on the type of appointment, being early can also be annoying. By planning to be half an hour early, I will either arrive half an hour early like I planned or later which becomes exactly on time. But certainly no more than 10 minutes late.

[@MrEpsilonZero]

Yay! NEW SCHEDULE 😂

[@SoCalG310]

I appreciate how many of these livestreams Dr. Sharon posts. I have been struggling to function for years, now. Finally diagnosed at 45. I am desperate for tools to help me navigate and complete basic tasks -- and to help me *switch gears* to the NEXT task. I have yet to figure out HOW to *transition* from one task to another. My brain seems to fixate on the first task... even when my body moves on to the second. And then I get stuck in my thoughts and emotions... and can't seem to FOCUS on the next task. In school, I knew I was smart, creative, capable. And yet, I felt SO slow, SO far behind everyone else, even those who were poor students. At least they got to class and got their homework done on *time!*

[@Askingly]

This was such an interesting to hear. Backward design was what I started using long before I was diagnosed. I was just so stressed from always being late. I didn't know what it was called, it was just a process I started. I timed how long things actually took me & write it down & then I would work back to my start time to get ready time. I also stacked “have to do” at the start so if I ran out of time, I could still leave. Anything that I might procrastinate on like choosing an outfit I would prep night before. Anything where “remembering” required like packing handbag done night before. I then used the timing for the tasks written down to create

[@Askingly]

new stacks of activities each day. I used timers to remind me & I always write down times I should be finished a task if leaving on time is important. I am going to play around with using music transitions for my son & I as a more gentle approach eg: song x or music style x is breakfast eating time, changes to music means next task.

[@kathryncainmadsen5850]

I also set alarms for each hour so I check in and move my body. I tend to ONLY do what's interesting and do that for hours without a break if I'm not careful.

[@aliabobalia]

I do this too! Maybe I'll try the alarm. I'll sit so long in the same position that my body will hurt.

[@derosa195]

I think you however are very very very kind in addressing all these things

[@derosa195]

Taking suppkement Life Seasons MoodStabl-T. With Theanine & 5 HTP and paradise magnesium formula With Saffron. .helped to be very CALM at work. Therefore i wasnt over sharing

[@SoCalG310]

Thank you. I used to take 5-HTP. I just started taking Magnesium.

[@sparklemotion8377]

You take these in the morning?

[@ADHDGirl-jv7cw]

Deadlines aren’t even a big enough incentive for me anymore 😢

[@Metqa]

I cant schedule my life outside of work because so many bad things throw monkey wrenches into my daily petsonal time. However, i have used what you call " backwards time" in my workplace. I have to schedule my colleagues to go out to different cities. I need to plan so they arrive at their appointments and ket them know what time to leave. I asked them how long it takes them to prep for their visit, abd how long it takes them to complete the process. Then rounded each estimate up to 15 minute increments. Then i took the travel time and moved it up to the next 15 min and add another 15 for unusual events. Then I stack all the blocks of time together and pin the arrival time to whatever the appointment time is, whatever the time at the top of the nlicks is the latest they need to leave to achieve that arrival time. I use this for any travel. And ive used something similar when my boss asked me for a long term project. She asked me an end date. I asked her the absolute final date. Then I calculated how many workable days i had left starting from now. I then timed how long it took me to do a part of the task, but forced myself to do it leisurely, not in a fast panic. I then did the math about how many files i could complete , how many hours i would need to work to complete it. Then i told my boss I'd be finished the next monday after my estimate. That way, i could work fast if i could hyperfocus on it, but if something got in my way it wouldn't ruin my time line because i added extra days and extra room within each session. Then i gave myself a reward for each day that i was able to work for that session. I like stickers. I finished a week before yhe deadline, and before she even expected it done. This is what i had to do to hide how stressed i was all the time doing my job, and forced myself to be kinder to myself if i had the chance to.

[@2ndpersondancing]

Thanks for sharing. The reminder of how effective a small reward can be to myself and others is something I completely underestimate.

[@mistypfitzer111]

Im the same way lol i hate that i can't ever seem 2 get things done in time, cuz i subconsciously self-sabotage via procrastinating or getting too caught up in the details of things & hyperfocus on insignificant things, or my brain like literally just craps out on me & goes blank. I get frustrated from not being able to gather & organize my thoughts, which results in me just giving up all together & disassociate lol

[@ProfessorDesiree]

Love the Annie Dillard quote. As a brand new ADHD coach, I'm working on my own routine and how to help clients with theirs. This video comes just in time. Thank you!

[@sneakysideeye]

I'm a natural night owl (a dna test showed this as well). I was able to work around this a bit pre-covid days, but now post covid- later options to get things done have disappeared. Before if I had a AM appointment I could stay up and go to that and sleep all day after, being able to go to the store etc. There are only one or two 24 hr stores now, and a lot of other businesses close even earlier than they used to. Has anyone else had this issue?

[@shawntoriawilliams921]

Thank you ❤

[@lillyrose9785]

I generally know what is urgent and important, I dont need an Eisenhower list for that. But knowing that doesn't change the absolute dread to start the work and the crushing fatigue once I sat down and try to open that damn envelope.😢 😢😢

[@ttul]

From my experience, trying to put things on a calendar is pointless, except for meetings where synchronization is obviously crucial. Instead, I have blocks of open working time and I put these blocks during period when I am more likely to have the ability to focus. I then use the Getting Things Done framework loosely to maintain a hit list of important stuff that I can chip away at. When it’s not a focused work time, I let myself off the hook and flit between all sorts of things randomly.

[@Mel-xk8pe]

It’s definitely motivated by interest

[@mj-ls7qr8xp3n]

Definitely get overwhelmed so i fill up time with projects or yard work. I think id like to move, but then im too afraid of not having a "home" and a safe place to decide to do it. I dont even know where to go. So i muddle thru the days with chores , but don't do things i enjoy because there seems to be no point.

[@RemyNas24]

I love my monthly additude mag, helped me lots

[@victorrivas2350]

I'm an elementary teacher and am almost always overwhelmed with assigned professional tasks outside of the classroom, then layered with in classroom instruction w/ behavior management w/ active monitoring and modifying for learner needs, then back to professional tasks that have to be done ...I'm always overwhelmed. And I also forgot about the next layer involved with people interaction.

[@TheSweetLondonLife]

This is excellent! So helpful ❤

[@sohoyankee66]

I haven’t been diagnosed with ADHD yet but I felt like you were talking about me this entire video. it is nice to know that my behavior is more than me being lazy or undisciplined. Right now I am trying to find out how one goes about testing for ADHD. Thank you so much for creating and posting this video. I found it very helpful.

[@victorrivas2350]

I enjoyed how matter of fact and the context that you provide helps me grasp your ideas!

[@baeconater8]

Oh man, it took me yearssss to figure out what works. I now work from home, so I had to change my career to make things work. I have 2 calendars on my phone and work laptop in addition to a paper calendar and hundred of alarms for everything. I mean everything. Post it’s and notes galore. Voice memos. I text myself constantly. The list goes on and on. This makes me a great employee and leader though tho. I have so many tools in my belt from years of painful experimentation.

[@mercurialbird1]

I use backwards design in teaching! this makes so much sense!

[@BG-pl5im]

I made an agenda (that I need to use better, I still fall into random paper note chaos) but each page is a category in my life - “personal, work, house, art” and on each page I have “today, this week, this month”. I try to put the things I need to get done in today area, anything not immediate but upcoming or I would like to do soon goes in “this week”, and anything a week or more out, and a total wish of a task, get put in “this month”. I also have a full blank page on the other side for notes to be organized later. I have a page for productivity tracking to give myself and idea of how I’m doing/what’s working. And everything is dry erase, so I can easily move things around as my plans change or things become available/ unavailable for me. The one downside Is it’s a big binder and I end up moving it away to make room! I also find binders clunky and annoying lol. It’s important that it stays in my field of vision and be easy to handle, so I may make a mini one eventually. Hope this helps someone! :)

[@cherriledbetter1120]

I’m late to work right now watching this lol

[@user-vh1rm1ye7z]

Hey your videos are very helpful 🙏🏾 i would like to suggest you have some kind of notes on the the side of the screen that we can see what the subject is about and what the tip or tool is about cause it really hard for us adheres to keep up ❤🙏🏾

[@Investigativebean]

So funny that you say to flip it on its head. I always begin my planning by charting my route through Waze, and go backwards from there. I always give myself excess time too. I also make sure that I begin readying where I can the evening before. I have time blindness like you would never believe. People laugh at that, but they have no idea how it feels on this end. It feels like the time is getting stolen right out from under you while you struggle to get things finished. It’s the worst. Lateness makes me very anxious. Working an appointment based business helped some, but I my family and friends know to tell me a time at least 30 minutes sooner.

[@82vickyM]

I make great plans to get places on time but I ALWAYS plan to arrive at the time the event starts. That's not early enough! I need to remember to arrive ten minutes before so I can go to the toilet /find me seat etc.

[@melissahood2960]

I've been diagnosed by two different doctors with ADHD as an adult. It's funny that's exactly how I plan and I'm still always 10 minutes late. I find 10 minutes to be acceptable.

[@gamergoo123456778897]

Thank you so much for this informative video! I struggle with time management and find that I will self gravitate towards things that bring me pleasure rather than staying on task to complete those things that have a bit of stress around them such as, I have the task of putting my winter or summer clothes away which will take a couple hours but I find myself outside planting or listening to another video on my KZbin. It almost seems like there's an autopilot that clicks in when something stressful is under task or something that will take a lot of time that I'm not efficient in. I can often end up switching tasks that are all on my to do list it's just like my brain goes "now we're going to go this way and not finish this other project," so I end up with several unfinished projects at all times. Hope that makes sense. Is there a mantra that I could say before I begin a challenging task to assist me in completing the task and not allowing my autopilot pleasure button to push itself? Thank you!

[@laviolist]

I use my computer calendar, where I list all of my tasks that I want to do as all-day events. I delete a task as I complete it, or I move it to the next day if I didn’t do it. This way nothing falls through the cracks

[@lesliepalmer7407]

I’ve never heard of backward design that I know of. It sounds like it could help me.

[@janethomas78]

I have to schedule and Atomoxetine or Strattera. This is essential for me. I use a phone to keep schedule.

[@mishmash2136]

I have alerts for Straterra on phone and ipad, for backup, that don't stop. Even if I'm about to go take it, I still snooze the alerts and dismiss later, because I have experienced walking into the kitchen to take it, and sipping the water, thinking that's all I went for, and then going about my morning, no medication. I'm 55 though, 9 years post menopause, and under a lot of prolonged familial stess, and waking several times at night. Plus only reached minimum dose a couple of months ago. So, there's that all contributing to working memory loss and dissociation. A friend suggested leaving it at my bedside and taking first thing. That worked except that in summer its way to hot in that room to store the meds. I hear you.

[@mishmash2136]

How is the transition done between tasks? Have I missed something? Or is this where she spoke about doing an easier task to lead into ickier ones? Or someone said that in the live comments.

[@SM-jw5si]

Will someon please take this woman's content and make it into a well-produced video essay. Watching a long run-on thing filled with extraneous comment crap makes the meat of it inaccessible. Just tell me the thing.

[@videoettaceo8900]

You could've started with a "thank you" to the creator.

[@carriemartin7727]

I use backwards design but i cant estimate. Or i get distracted or forget. And it seems even when i try really really hard theres always something unexpected. Also on rare occasions i am early i feel like I wasted time i couldve used doing something else.

[@derosa195]

I have a strong desire to just drink coffee or caffeine all day. .eat snacks as reward

[@Metqa]

AS a reward for what?

[@sandrabritt8679]

Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow! Lol

[@stormychrista7594]

Maam how are people sitting and watching this

[@kittydebs]

♥

[@derosa195]

Or you can flip it all DO WHAT YOU DONT WANT TO DO DAVE GOGGINS

[@artandcard]

Urgent and important, not urgent and not important, these terms confuse me because they deal with prioritizing. This and that, more often than not, appear to weigh the same amount.

[@CW12190]

Urgent: is there a negative, impactful consequence if I don’t do this task *right now* ? For example renewing your passport before your trip. if your trip is in 2 weeks, it’s urgent. If your trip is in 4 months, then it’s important. Another example: you’re working on a really important report that’s due soon (important) but your kid fell on the playground and broke their arm (urgent). So now you have to switch from an important thing to an urgent thing. Hope this helps 🙏💜

[@artandcard]

@@CW12190 As I wrote, "these terms confuse me", so I am the wrong person to ask.

[@kathryncainmadsen5850]

I can't assign times or I won't do it. I can write the order of what I want to do. I keep trying to keep it to 1-3 things even if one of the things would take several hours.

[@Teachingtea]

Lol😢, it took me so long to watch this video. ADHD is a mother lol!!

[@BG-pl5im]

Not me “multi-tasking” while “listening” to this 👀

[@sookiebyun4260]

I couldn’t even make it through the video. Will try again later … illustrations would have helped.

[@rachellemckeown3332]

I didn't realize this was a strrategy haha, my mom just taught me how to do this to some degree when I was a kid. Do neurotypical people not have to do this?

[@anastasiapapanicolaou9906]

This video is absolutely excruciating to watch as someone with ADHD. There are no time stamps on the video, no structure.. the intro is way too long.. I have no idea what exactly is being discussed because I don't have the patience to wait for her to get to the point. I tried skimming through the video to get to the meat and the helpful tips but could never find a spot where I could catch on to what the concrete advice was .... it's ironic that this is produced by ADDitude ... because it's way too long and unorganised for even a neurotypical person.

[@melissaduncan675]

Backwards design Is the only thing that helps when I have to be on a strict schedule

[@derosa195]

Nothing is wrong with us. .God didnt make a mistake in me

[@SoCalG310]

I like that. Thank you. 🙏

[@Ebot001]

❤️

[@derosa195]

Someone elses syructure works but not my structure

[@derosa195]

Any decisions and planning list making is quickly abandoned always . Lose it forgot it. Dont care

[@derosa195]

Get stuck in car looking videos impulse control. .check out of reality

[@BH-qs7vo]

All of these 'productivity' aps are distractions that will possibly add years to recovery. Don't bother. Use what you already have and know.

[@louisbar5734]

There was certainly a lot of great information here, but the presentation was so jumbled (unclear structure, going back and forth between points almost randomly, *lots* of incomplete sentences) that it was almost painful to try to absorb it. While I sympathize at the difficulty of creating and giving a clear and easy-to-follow presentation, particularly for people with ADHD, a presentation directed to people with ADHD needs to be much more structured and organized.

[@cathyreed538]

Backwards design as...I want to stop avoiding things because that feels worse than facing things head on.

[@nishamack586]

I have to admit that I'm too distracted by her constant stops in the story. The repeating of words she's displayed when distracted. 😮

[@batchelerjr]

Why dont you solve the problem rather than get attention from a work around that dirs not address the issue?

[@lorrainewilson4002]

Sorry doc ..content was ok , delivery ..nt good ,,ummm emmm, ummmm .. ummmm ..a nightmare for us ..wel l I can only speak for this brain .. to listen to or watch ...

[@simplexone6686]

Anyone else think this was Kwebbelkop

[@KainBaker]

12 seconds in and I’m ready to move on to something else 🫣

[@oliverrojas3185]

Some tasks are harder to schedule . There are occasions where I’m writing something or doing something where l may get triggered and therefore I’ll have to decide at that time to either carry on or take a break . Yes, I use the backwards method. . I find it does help.. if I haven’t done something before and it’s only a physical task then I’ll do some inspecting to verify what timeframe is needed to complete it.

[@derosa195]

Overtalking over sharing has always caused big problems at work

[@winedoesthetrick4387]

you need to stop “over sharing” here.

[@sp123]

​@@winedoesthetrick4387stop being mean 😢