HealthInfo Canterbury
Self-care for ADHD in adults
Aroreretini i ngā pakeke
Having difficulties with inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity can affect many aspects of your life. Self-care techniques can make you more productive, organised and in control of your life.
Get organised and reduce clutter
- To organise yourself, get in the habit of taking notes and writing lists. Maintain your newly organised structure with regular, daily routines.
- Create space and reduce clutter by removing unnecessary things from your room, home and workspace.
- Don’t put off doing things, especially if you can do them in a few minutes.
- Minimise the amount of paper you need to deal with by using email for statements and bills.
See Get organised and control clutter (page 1) and Manage your paper trail (page 2) for more ideas.
Manage your time and stay on schedule
- Keep track of the time you're spending on a task. It can help to set a timer.
- Give yourself more time than you think you'll need to get somewhere or complete a task.
- Plan to be early for appointments. Set yourself reminders.
- Have everything you need ahead of time, so you aren't frantically looking for your keys or phone when it’s time to go.
See Manage your time and stay on schedule (page 2) for more ideas.
Learn to set priorities
- Ask yourself what the most important task is that you need to do, then plan your other tasks after that one.
- Take things one at a time. Break down large projects or tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
- Stay on task. Avoid getting side-tracked by sticking to your schedule, using a timer to enforce it if necessary.
- Learn to say no so you don’t get overloaded.
See Prioritise (page 3) and Learn to say no (page 3) for more ideas.
Managing money and bills
- Establish an easy, organised system that helps you save documents and receipts and stay on top of bills.
- Keep track of spending then set a budget.
- Use online banking including setting up automatic payments for regular bills.
- Take advantage of technology and explore smartphone apps or computer programmes (for example, Microsoft Excel) to help keep track of your finances and budgeting.
- Avoid impulse shopping by using tactics like only using one credit card, writing a shopping list to stick to and avoiding places you tend to overspend.
See Manage money and bills (page 3) and Put a stop to impulse shopping (page 4) for more ideas.
Stay focused and productive at work
- Set aside five to 10 minutes a day to clear your desk and organise your paperwork.
- Prioritise tasks so you can do more important ones first. Have deadlines for everything, including setting them for yourself.
- Reduce distractions such as noise and clutter. You could try using headphones and asking workmates not to disturb you when you need to concentrate.
See Stay focused and productive at work (page 4) for more ideas.
Stretch your attention span
- If possible, get written notes before a meeting or lecture to guide your listening.
- Take notes at the meeting or lecture. Writing as you listen will help you stay focused on the speaker’s words.
- After someone tells you to do something, repeat the instructions out loud to be sure you've got them right.
- To prevent restlessness and fidgeting, go ahead and move around – at the appropriate times in the right places. As long as you aren't disturbing others, taking a walk or even jumping up and down during a meeting break, for example, can help you pay attention later on.
For more tips see Stretch your attention span (page 5).
Manage stress and boost your mood
- Eating well, getting plenty of sleep and keeping physical active can help you stay calm, avoid mood swings and in many cases fight the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Healthier habits can also reduce your difficulty with inattention, hyperactivity and distraction, while regular routines can help your life feel more manageable.
- Relaxation exercise, such as meditation, yoga and tai chi can teach you to better control your attention and impulses as well as providing stress relief.
Try mindfulness
- Mindfulness can be a way to practice stretching your attention span and bringing your focus back to something.
- Apps like Smiling Mind and Headspace can help you with mindfulness.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Ways to help yourself with ADHD
Tips for managing yourself with ADHD.
Written by a psychologist at Adult Community Mental Health services, Canterbury DHB. Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Page created August 2021.
Review key: HIAHA-117521
