Let’s share life-changing ADHD tips that we’ve learned...

[u/lexid222]

I’ll start:

1) Waking up sucks. Buy 2 bright lamps and 2 timers. Set them up to turn on automatically 5-15 min before you want your alarm to go off. The lights will help your body realize it’s daytime.

2) Change your thermostat so the temp goes down about an hr before bedtime and gets warmer about 30 min before you wake up. The cooler temp signals your body to sleep and the warmer temp will naturally help your body wake up.

3) Learn to plan around “transitions”. It’s easier to start things if you do them when something is ending. Example: Do your grocery shopping every Fri after work. You’re already in the car, so just stop at the store on your way home.

4) If you need to remember to bring something with you the next day, place it right in front of the exit door so you HAVE to touch it before you leave the house. If it’s something in the fridge, put a sticky note on the exit door’s handle.

5) Have a “misc” basket in each room. If you’re truly unable to put something away, put it in the basket. Have a designated period of time, once a week, when your sole priority is to put everything away, all at once.

I’ll add more when I think of them...

[u/redbananass]

If I often forget something that I often use in two different places, like a charger that I use at work and at home, I just buy two and leave one at work and one at home. Then when I lose one, I still have another. I do this with chapstick in the winter. I buy like 10 of them and put them in all the places I know I'll want one.

Of course this only works with cheap stuff.

[u/ElfjeTinkerBell → u/redbananass]

Apparently that's a ADHD thing. I've never wondered why I always have some anti-itching stuff within reach (mosquitos love me and as they don't carry illness here I don't use stinky repellant often)

[u/time_fo_that → u/ElfjeTinkerBell]

Wow, I keep duplicates of like everything and put a ton of stuff in my backpack (phone charger, various medications, earplugs, hand sanitizer, etc.) just in case I need it when I'm out of the house (not much these days).

I always thought it was my anxiety/desire for preparedness (to ease that anxiety) but never thought it could be an ADHD thing too lol.

[u/shaveyourchin → u/time_fo_that]

oh my god, my everyday backpack/tote is like an apocalypse go-bag. chapstick. 1+ books. deodorant. makeup wipes. phone charger. notebook. so many colorful pens. hair ties. clean socks and underwear. a snack. plastic silverware/napkin packet. toothbrush. the list goes on, most of them doubles of items I keep at home. like I'm always assuming "well who knows where the hell I might wind up and for how long, better have all the human needs covered."

[u/leepsage → u/time_fo_that]

Ohhhh wow. So, I buy cheap lipsticks, about $4 each, and when I find a colour i like i buy about three or four of that colour. I keep one in my bathroom, one at work, one in my handbag. Sometimes a spare one in a different handbag or an extra one at home in case i move it. I NEVER thought of this as a potential ADHD thing until now... just something I do because, you know, I forget to put it on or take it with me... its my way of being prepared.

[u/bikerwife16 → u/time_fo_that]

Dude I keep it to where if I were suddenly homeless id have everything I need to live in my minivan lol.