Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Building Structure around ADHD


My husband and I have built two houses, both from the ground up (and we're still married!) We watched the structures develop from nothing, to studs, to walls, and finally, to homes. There were countless choices to be made along the way, but in the end, we had strong and sturdy walls to keep us safe and sound.

If you have ADHD, making choices can be a real struggle. All that prioritizing and decision making delays your progress. Building structure around those choices can lead to real success.
Here are a few ways to build structure into your life:

Do you struggle with money? Use direct deposit, electronic bill pay and auto investment whenever possible. These structures will ensure the important things are paid for, and your choices will be reduced to discretionary income only.

Is health and diet a constant battle? Hire a personal trainer, get a walking buddy, join a weight loss program, and don't purchase those tempting foods! Sometimes we'll let ourselves down, but we're less likely to let someone else down.

Is your housework a never-ending project? My favorite structure for housekeeping is to invite some dinner guests. Nothing gets my house cleaned like company!

Are time and task management a daily grind? Use your calendar to input every appointment, to do, phone call and errand. Once entered, you're free to go about your day without that nagging feeling that you've forgotten something.

When something is not working in my life, I add structure. I add layers and layers of structure until it becomes a "non-issue." The result is always the feeling of being surrounded by safe and secure walls.

Tell me about ways you've built structure into your life.