10 Effective Time Management Strategies for Individuals with ADHD

10 Effective Time Management Strategies for Individuals with ADHD

Time Blindness

Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Russel Barkley, explains that people with ADHD cannot deal with time. They live in the “now”. He describes a blindness to past, future, and time more generally, as well as an inability to direct behavior toward the future and to sustain it as traits of ADHD.[1] ADHD creates a blindness to time, or more accurately, a nearsightedness to the future. The further out the event lies, the less capable they are of dealing with it. They only deal with last minutes and so their lives can be a series of one crisis after another. The issue lies in the frontal lobe in the brains, an area which purpose is to organize your behavior across time in anticipation of what is coming at you. [2]

The Concept of Time Horizon

The concept of time horizon refers to how individuals perceive and prioritize tasks or events based on their proximity in time.

People with ADHD may not fully grasp the importance of acting promptly until it is almost too late, leading to a sense of urgency and pressure as deadlines approach. This delayed sense of time awareness can result in procrastination, rushing to complete tasks at the last minute, and feeling overwhelmed by time-sensitive responsibilities. The motivating to act may only come when the immediacy of a deadline or consequence is imminent. This reactive approach can hamper productivity, increase stress levels, and hinder effective planning and organization of tasks.

The concept of time horizon underscores the importance of executive functions such as planning, organization, and time management in people with ADHD. By enhancing your awareness of time horizons and learning to extend your focus beyond immediate gratification, you can better align your actions with long-term goals and improve your ability to manage time more efficiently.

Delay Discounting or “Present Bias”

Delay discounting is defined by a consistent preference for smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, and by failure of future consequences to curtail current consummatory behaviors. [3] Delay discounting is often referred to as ‘present bias.’ Those who exhibit present bias tend toward impulsive consummatory behaviors, with minimal or no consideration of future consequences—core features of the hyperactive-impulsive and combined presentations of ADHD.[4] In a study of 544 individuals, Theodore Beauchaine et al. found that ADHD symptoms were associated with delay discounting, late credit card payments, credit card balances, use of pawn services, personal debt, and employment histories (less time spent at more jobs).

Effective Time Management Strategies

Effective time management strategies for ADHD individuals involve externalizing time awareness through tools like clocks and scheduling systems. Utilizing analog clocks, visual clocks that display time in a countdown style, having a clock in every room, and structured schedules can enhance time perception and help individuals stay on track with tasks. By incorporating to-do lists into schedules and setting reminders, individuals can improve task completion and reduce over-commitment.

Vividly Envisioning Future Consequences

For people with ADHD, maximizing motivation can be a significant challenge. However, one effective strategy involves vividly envisioning future consequences and benefits to enhance proactive decision-making and goal achievement.

By painting a clear mental picture of the potential outcomes of our actions, we activate the brain’s reward system, making the future consequences feel more tangible and immediate. This technique capitalizes on the brain’s ability to respond to visual stimuli, engaging our imagination to simulate the desired outcome in vivid detail.

For example, imagine a student with ADHD who struggles to complete their homework assignments on time. By vividly envisioning the positive consequences of completing their work, such as earning good grades, feeling a sense of accomplishment, and gaining praise from teachers and parents, they can increase their motivation to tackle their tasks head-on.

Similarly, envisioning the negative consequences of procrastination, such as falling behind in class, feeling overwhelmed by unfinished work, and experiencing stress and anxiety, can serve as a powerful deterrent, prompting them to take action to avoid these undesirable outcomes.

Incorporating visualization techniques into daily routines can help people with ADHD stay focused, motivated, and goal-oriented. Whether it’s picturing yourself succeeding in your endeavors, visualizing the steps needed to reach your goals, or imagining the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles, harnessing the power of visualization can make a significant difference in your ability to stay on track and achieve success.

10 Time Management Tips

1. Put a clock in every room of your house.
2. Use a visual clock that displays the time in a countdown style.
3. Set alarms for every important event.
4. Prepare your bag ahead of time, such as the day before.
5. Write down all appointments, goals, and to do lists in your calendar. Even the things you think you’ll remember.
6. Write down the birthdays of your friends and loved ones and holidays and set reminders to buy cards or presents.
7. Plan backwards to count in prep time and commute time.
8. Include buffer time: assume you’ll be late and count in twice the time to get to work/school/your appointment.
9. Practice self-care: Prioritize your well-being by incorporating breaks, exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient rest into your daily routine. Taking care of your physical and mental health can enhance productivity and time management.
10. Acknowledge your achievements: Take a moment to recognize and appreciate the fact that you were on time or early for a commitment. By acknowledging and rewarding yourself for being on time or early, you can reinforce positive time management habits and motivate yourself to continue striving for punctuality in your everyday life.

Notes on the author

Ilse Gevaert is a psychologist and coach with expertise in neurodiversity (ASD and ADHD), giftedness, trauma, narcissistic abuse, and resilience. Ilse continued her education at prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Cornell, where she obtained leadership certificates that have informed her practice.

References

[1] Barkley RA. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, self-regulation, and time: toward a more comprehensive theory. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 1997 Aug;18(4):271-9. PMID: 9276836.

[2] Video: Neurodivergent. (2022). Barkley on ADHD and Time Blindness (5/30/09).

[3] Beauchaine TP, Ben-David I, Sela A. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, delay discounting, and risky financial behaviors: A preliminary analysis of self-report data. PLoS One. 2017 May 8;12(5):e0176933. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176933. PMID: 28481903; PMCID: PMC5421775.

[4] Sagvolden T, Johansen EB, Aase H, Russell VA. A dynamic developmental theory of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) predominantly hyperactive/impulsive and combined subtypes. Behav Brain Sci. 2005 Jun;28(3):397-419; discussion 419-68. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X05000075. PMID: 16209748.

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