5 Keys to Stay on Schedule When You Have ADHD

I’m on my way. Just running a few minutes late.

I don’t know a person with ADHD who hasn’t sent that message at least once a week. Maybe you even have it as a short code on your phone because you send it so much.

For people with ADHD, time blindness can be a challenge. Even if we’re not tempted by distractions on our way from point A to point B, we can get lost in our own heads.

We may see a “2-minute task” that needs handling and not realize that “2-minutes” is really 10 minutes. And then that task leads to other tasks that we need to do.

Before we know it, “putting away one thing” has turned into “I just cleaned the entire house from top to bottom.”

Fun fact: this is often why we don’t “just put away” that one thing or “just start” that project. There’s often no middle ground between “just start” and “stick with it until you’ve thoroughly completed it.”

So how do you stay on schedule when you have ADHD?

Here are 5 tips to help you stay on schedule if you have ADHD

(1) Get Specific

Make sure you know exactly what you have to do, with as specific details as possible.

For example, when it comes to warming up for a workout, there’s a huge difference between:

Warm-up with some light cardio and

Row 500 meters. Bike 2500 meters. Ski 250 meters.

Or consider the difference between activate your glutes and do 3 sets of 10 glute bridges.

Specifics include the specific activity and the specific duration, or number of repetitions.

When we have specifics, there’s no room for uncertainty and little room to get off-track.

(2) Be Realistic

If a task feel beyond our capacity in the moment, we’ll procrastinate or avoid it.

It’s important to start with the easy, low-friction stuff and then work our way up, in order to build confidence. It can also be helpful to have alternatives at the ready so we don’t get stuck considering different options if we are struggling.

For example, rather than knowing only the top set you’re aiming for in a lift, actually plot out every weight that you’ll do to build, so that there’s no question of what you’re going to do.

If you feel like you might need a back-up, plant it in advance.

(3) Set Limits

It helps to set limits as an outside framework. Limits can be time-based or any other metric.

In a workout, it might be reps and sets.

If you’re writing, it might be a word count.

If you’re creating something that isn’t so easily measured, you might need to resort to a time limit.

Often, however, that’s not enough. We often need someone to enforce those limits for us. Sometimes, we need someone to pull us away from a task if we get absorbed in it, and force us to move on.

(4) Set Timers

Set timers to keep you on track. You don’t need to restrict yourself to clock-based timers. One of my favorite ways to keep track of time is by using songs and playlists.

Create a playlist of a certain length that matches the mood you need for the task. When the playlist is done, or restarts at the beginning, you know you’re done.

(5) Have Anchors in Your Day

One way to self-enforce time limits is to set up many anchors in your day, so you force yourself to move on.

When possible, physically move to a new space — even within the same general location — to start your next task.

For example, in my workouts, I try to do my warm-up in one location, then move on to my lifting in a different location.

If you work from home, you might have designated spaces for different types of work.

Any time you can move to a different location it creates an environmental break for your brain to reset and focus on the next task.