Two Practical Ways to Improve Time Management for Adults with ADHD

Main Points, No Filter:

✅  ADHD is not just a sit still problem. It is a brain disorder that results in fewer neural connections in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain where executive functions are housed.

✅  Adults with ADHD commonly struggle with managing time because of the struggle with executive functions

✅  Two techniques that we learn in CBT for ADHD is the pomodoro technique and how to incorporate contingent reinforcements into our day (I am not talking about a sticker chart).

✅  Having a therapist to coach executive function skills helps to rule out other jedi mind tricks that show up in depression and anxiety disorders

Want to learn more? There are more details below or schedule a consult, I can give you the Cliff’s Notes.

Why do people with ADHD have problems with time management?

A common struggle with adults with ADHD is navigating time. Do any of these sound familiar to you?

🙋‍♀️ chronically late or ridiculously early

🙋‍♀️ get so wrapped up in a task that we lose track of time completely

🙋‍♀️ trouble accurately judging how long something will take to complete

🙋‍♀️ often overcommit ourselves because we “totally” have time to all the things on our list and then some, right?  

In addition to the concept of time, there is a problem with task initiation and motivation. This happens when the task seems daunting or unpleasant or when there are so many options we get analysis paralysis.

ADHD isn’t just for kids

When we think of ADHD the first thing that comes to mind is hyperactive little kids literally or figuratively climbing up the walls. They can’t sit still and are usually accompanied by frazzled parents or teachers. We are still battling the myth that you “grow out of” ADHD and understanding how the presentation of ADHD changes as a person grows.

We don’t often see adults climbing on the furniture or hopping around while they have conversations. But what often gets overlooked is the other executive functions that are impacted by ADHD and what that looks like in adults. The first thing we want to talk about are the executive skills that are impaired in the ADHD brain. The skills are separated into these main groups:

1. Self-awareness:

2. Inhibition:

3. Non-Verbal Working Memory:

4. Verbal Working Memory:

5. Emotional Self-Regulation:

6. Self-motivation:

7. Planning and Problem Solving:

You can read more about these skills in this article from ADDitude magazine.

Let’s take a deeper look into self motivation and planning and problem solving. These are the last two skills that are developed as we grow. The deficits in these areas in adults with ADHD show up as struggles with time management.

ADHD and Time Management

What is time management?

Time management is about your ability to accomplish what you want to in the time that you expect to accomplish it. Effective time management means that you complete tasks in the amount of time you allot for them and you are able to be punctual for appointments.  The idea of time awareness is covered in my previous blog about ADHD and is discussed in session two of CBT for ADHD.

In session three of CBT for ADHD we learn two life hacks for managing ADHD and time management. Let’s start with an example. As a wage-earning citizen of the United States, we are obligated to pay taxes and file tax returns. The due date for filing tax returns is the same every year, unless April 15th falls on a weekend then we are blessed with a little grace period.  

Do you file your taxes in a timely fashion? If you anticipate a refund, are you more apt to get them done sooner than if you are expecting to owe? If you don’t struggle with filing taxes on time, what about getting other projects done that have a due date? Like papers for classes or projects for work? In CBT for ADHD we look at your real life examples of tasks and how we can implement the tools and skills to get them done in a way that actually works for you.  

How do people with ADHD get boring and unpleasant tasks done?

One technique we use for time management is the pomodoro technique. We break large and/or unmanageable tasks down into smaller more manageable chunks. One of the tenets that you will learn in this group is that “if you are having trouble getting started the first step is too big”. 

Another technique that we will learn is to identify rewards to encourage us to continue with the unpleasant task. I am not talking about sticker charts and getting M&Ms for going pee on the potty. That worked when we were toddlers maybe, but we might need to be a bit more sophisticated given all this adulting that we have to do.

ADHD Life Hack #1 The Pomodoro Technique

When we talk about breaking down a task into smaller chunks, we could address either the task itself or the time to spend on the task. If we are using the example of filing taxes, we could look at it in two ways.

Approach #1

If you have the needed documentation ready, we might need to look at the amount of time you are willing to spend on the task. If you look at the paperwork and think to yourself “this is going to take hours, I will do it later”, we need to break down the amount of time that you are willing and able to spend completing the task. You could think, “I will sit down for twenty minutes and see what I can get done.” Does 20 minutes sound better than hours?

Approach #2

If the task of “file taxes” feels daunting, then we need to break down the task into smaller ones. We could collect paperwork (being mindful to not go down the rabbit whole of reorganizing your whole file cabinet) or we could make a list of accountants to contact. My accountant has a “tax organizer” packet that lists the specific documents you need for each page. If you have something similar, you could look at it as collecting documents for pages 1-5 or collecting all documents in a certain category. 

ADHD Life Hack #2 Identifying and Scheduling Rewards

Our brains are interest driven. This means that we are motivated by things that are rewarding. We aim to create intrinsic rewards like feeling proud and accomplished by completing tasks but sometimes we need to set up outside rewards in order to get to the finish line and experience that inner satisfaction and confidence. So, how do we figure out our rewards and how do we implement them?

Approach #1 Naturally Occurring Reinforcers

We can identify naturally occurring reinforcers which are the tasks that you prefer to do. Think about your workday, do you dread making phone calls but actually enjoy reconciling your monthly bank statement (nerd alert!)? You could schedule your day by alternating tedious and pleasant tasks. Once you get the calls done, you get to reconcile this month’s bank statement. WOO HOO!  

Approach #2 Pair Aversive Tasks with Rewarding Ones

Listen to a good playlist while filing paperwork or entering data into a spreadsheet.  Exercise or do the dishes while you are watching your favorite show.

Approach #3 Body Double

Body doubling is based on the idea of mirror neurons that copy the actions of other people. Some ways that we can employ the body double technique:

✅ Take your laptop to a coffee shop or library

✅ Focusmate - a video platform that allows you to schedule work sessions with other folks around the globe. This is my favorite way to get documentation done.

✅ Facetime/Zoom call a friend or family member while you are doing chores around the house

Approach #4 Make a Dopamine Menu

Once you have figured out what you consider to be rewarding create a list of options to choose from, you can create a list of small rewards that take less than 30 minutes or large rewards that take one or two hours.  Also write options for body doubles and tasks that pair well together.  ADDitude magazine has this template for a menu for download.

I’ve seen all these tips on TikTok, what else you got?

Therapy in a group or hybrid setting offers you the opportunity to hear about the struggles and successes of other like-minded folks IRL. It feels a bit better to know that you are not the only one who struggles with managing time. While you can get that validation from social media, what is unique to the therapy setting is that you support others and are supported by others, without the judgment, guilt, and shame. There is something invigorating about all these great and creative minds working together to find the right combination of skills just for you.  

⚡️⚡Are you ready to experience the cognitive behavioral synergy firsthand? Let’s set up a consult and get started!

Is it better to have an ADHD coach that is also a therapist? Short answer, yes. Here’s why:

Therapists understand the psychology that accompanies ADHD

A therapist is helpful to identify ways that you may be consciously or subconsciously getting in your own way. Therapists have identified a set of cognitive thinking errors that often show up and keep us stuck.  Some of these errors are catastrophizing or awfulizing.

This means that we tend to take on this all or nothing thinking that stops us from doing the things that we need to do. You might say: “doing taxes is awful, there is no way that I will ever get these done!” or “What is the point of spending just twenty minutes on taxes it is going to take WAY longer than that. If I can’t do it all, I won’t do any of it”. There is also that annoying inner critic that uses words like “stupid” or “lazy”, which despite the critic’s best intentions, does not encourage us to actually do the thing.

Therapists are trained to catch signs of underlying co-occurring disorders like depression or anxiety that exacerbate ADHD symptoms.

If you have trouble writing down things that you enjoy or allowing yourself to engage in these rewards it might be helpful to identify and understand the “why” behind that. If you find that you don’t get enjoyment out of many things that you used to or that nothing really seems to make you happy these days, we might investigate simultaneously addressing the depressive symptoms. Sometimes the problem with completing tasks is that we are depressed, it is helpful to be able to discern if you are having problems with procrastination or motivation and figure out the thoughts driving that behavior.

If you are ready to learn more about the CBT for ADHD group, please schedule a consult. I would love to tell you more about the group and see if we might be a good fit. Identifying and working on these skills will help you re-focus, gain traction, and get shit done that you actually want to get done.