ADD and Time Management

 I would like to think I'm like the curious young girl in this clip, but I am, in fact, much more like the short fellow in the bow tie. 

I feel like I am ALWAYS late. I will totally claim that. BUT, I am not proud of it. In fact, there are times when I try really really hard to be on time. However, somehow, someway, even if I have decided what time I need to leave (and leave some generous cushion before the time I actually have to be there), get up early, etc...it doesn't seem to matter. I'm still late more often than not. I can hear my dad's words echoing every Sunday as I'm rushing to get to 1:00pm church: "There is no excuse to be late to afternoon church!" And he's right, there really isn't (unless it's the kids' fault--they do, in fact, run the show).

What I've learned over the last few months is that there is a very good reason I'm chronically late. Not a good excuse, by any means, but knowing the root of the problem makes it a little easier to try to work around it. The reason is this: people who have ADD cannot keep track of time because it is the same concept as multitasking. Since it takes so much extra time/energy to switch from task to task or thought to thought, we really can't calculate how long a task will actually take, or how long we've been working at something. What felt like five minutes may have really been 20 minutes, and what felt like an hour was really only 10 minutes. It's like the nightmare version of God-exists-in-eternity, where time isn't really a thing...except I'm on earth, and time IS a thing!

My brother had a shirt like this, and I used to laugh. Now that I realize it really should have been MY shirt, it's a little less comical. There have been many occasions where someone from the search party (usually my dear sweet husband) comes to check on my progress, only to find I am indeed, lost in thought (or a lack there-of, haha).

I've noticed my poor time management show up on both the over-estimating and under-estimating ends of the spectrum, but most often I under-estimate--how long it will take to get ready, to drive somewhere, to write a blog post (*ahem), or to feed the kids lunch, etc. At the start, I am convinced it will only take "x" minutes, but by the time I'm done, it's taken "2x," 3x," or more minutes to wrap up whatever I was working on.

I have learned a couple tricks to getting around this though. I have found that if I set a timer or alarm for smaller increments of time (5, 10, or 15 minutes), it allows me to reevaluate how I'm using my time. This can be especially helpful if I'm trying to get ready for something like church or work. Since there are so many things to accomplish/check on before leaving, I often find myself wandering the house if I don't force myself to stay on track--my college roommates can certainly attest to my wandering habit! There were many a nights where one of them would spot me in the when I should have been doing homework, asked me what I was doing, and I honestly couldn't tell them why I was out there! Setting timers also proves helpful when I'm working on a task that isn't especially riveting.
  

Another trick is to make lists. Lots and lots of lists. Because I can't seem to remember what things I need to do (even something as simple as getting out the door with my keys AND my wallet), I spend a lot of time making unnecessary trips back and forth between rooms, cupboards, car/house, and on and on. If I make a list before-hand, I can really focus on what I need to accomplish in each place which really speeds up the process. While the list-making takes some time and often seems unnecessary, I can do it beforehand so that when the stress of a deadline comes, I've already figured out what I need to do. The only problem with making lists is remembering where I put it them when I need them later ;)

Finally, if I set a time that I MUST leave by that is a good 10 minutes earlier that when any other person would need to leave, I can usually arrive on time. Likewise, I have found that leaving very early, then finishing getting ready at my destination, can help. My best example is getting to work on time. When I need to be to work at 9am, I will get shower, get dressed, brush my teeth, pack my lunch and breakfast, and leave by about 8:15am. That way, even if there is an accident on the freeway, I'm still on time. With the extra time I have before I can clock in, I eat my breakfast, put on my makeup, fix my hair, or whatever else I didn't do before I left. Do people sometimes have to look at frizzy haired, left-over-mascara-ed, hangry me until I get to that point? Yes. Is my boss happy? Also yes!

What are your time-management tips? I'd love to hear any clever solutions you've developed!