ADHD and Daily Life

Having Attention Deficit Disorder is pretty common for those with a DCC. Sometimes the symptoms overlap between the two. A neuropsychologist once told me I had "ADD on steroids," which I found amusing.

Medication can really make a huge difference, though it might take some trial and error to find the right one for you. Without meds, I feel like a balloon just floating and bouncing around aimlessly through daily life. But with my Vyvanse, things get way better.

Some of the core ADHD symptoms include:

• Difficulty focusing: Easily distracted by things around you or random thoughts.

• Careless mistakes: Missing small details in school, work, or everyday tasks.

• Poor listening: Seeming like you're not listening even when someone talks directly to you.

• Incomplete tasks: Having a hard time following multi-step instructions or finishing projects.

Here are some emotional and thinking-related symptoms you might notice:

• Feeling restless inside: Your mind might feel all over the place, tired, or easily bothered by noise and simple things.

• Getting frustrated easily: You might find your mood changing quickly or feel overwhelmed by small problems.

• Memory hiccups: You might struggle to remember what you just read or forget why you walked into a room.

and my "favorite" symptoms—

Organization and time related issues:

• Disorganization: Always having a messy desk, home, or personal stuff.

• Forgetfulness: Constantly misplacing your keys, wallet, phone, or forgetting appointments.

• Avoidance: Not a fan of tasks that need long periods of concentration.

• Poor time control: Always running late and feeling like you're never catching up.

There are a host of tools and methods to help with ADD, some of my favorites are:

• Chunking: Taking a task and breaking it up into palatable chunks or pieces

• Todo Lists: Keeping a physical or digital list of things to be done and checking them off as they are completed.

• Visible Containers: Keeping needed items in clear containers so as to not 'lose them' or forget they are even there. (Out of sight out of mind problem)

• Google Tools: Between Google's Calendar, to do lists and email I get help scheduling, following and remembering tasks. This leads me to my most favorite:

• Alexa: Hooking up Alexa with my Google tools is a gamechanger.

and I can't forget:

• Medication Management: I take a lot of medication due to several different health issues. While most people use a pill minder it was confusing for me to fill them every week, so I'd end up missing doses. I got a Hero Medication Dispenser which I only fill once a month with all my meds, it dispences the right doses at the right time with reminders on my phone and on the machine. It's a life changer.

Finding the Right Tools for You

So, here’s the deal: there are literally tons of tools out there designed to help you manage your time better and boost those brainpower skills. Whether it’s fancy apps, planners, or even good old-fashioned to-do lists, the options are endless! The key is to experiment a bit and see what clicks for you. Maybe you’re a digital person who thrives on apps that send you reminders and track your progress, or perhaps you prefer jotting things down in a notebook where you can doodle and brainstorm. Whatever your style, finding the right tools can really turn things around. Once you discover what works best for you, you'll be amazed at how much more organized and focused you can be, leading to some serious improvements in your daily life. It’s all about making those little tweaks that add up to big changes!