Managing ADHD Without Medication
Hi, I’m Olivia and I have ADHD. Yes, I’m a therapist. Yes, I can diagnose. No, I didn’t realize that I had ADHD, and I didn’t get diagnosed until I was 27. That being said, I was obviously not on medication my whole life. So, I found some ways to manage my symptoms that some people might find helpful, and I figured I would share.
1. Give yourself a deadline for things you don’t want to do
One of the most difficult symptoms to manage is getting the motivation to complete tasks that are not interesting to me. I’ve learned that if I have all the time in the world to get things done, they don’t get done. To combat this, I come up with a deadline for myself, as time restraints tend to help me with task initiation.
2. It’s ok to procrastinate (as long at it gets done on time)
It took me a looong time to stop judging myself for this. I have always been one to procrastinate on things that I don’t prefer to do. I was the type of college student to start working on writing a paper a few hours before it was due and turn it in with 3 minutes to spare. If I tried to start writing a couple days ahead of time, I would sit there for hours with two words written. I learned that I work better under pressure. I could sit there for 5 hours and write nothing three days before a paper was due, or I could sit there for three hours and still turn it in before it is due. I get just stressed enough (not too overwhelmed) when there is a deadline approaching that I can actually put effort and focus into whatever the task is.
3. Put reminders in your phone
If I don’t write something down, I will completely forget about it. So, if someone tells me something or I think of something important, I will set it as a reminder in my phone for a time when I know I will be able to address whatever it is. For example, if I’m driving home and I remember that I need to bring something to work the next day, I will use Siri to set a reminder in 20 minutes when I know that I will be home to put whatever it is in my car. In 20 minutes, I will get a notification to remind me!
4. Set alarms for important events
If there is something that is not part of my regular schedule that I need to remember, like a phone call for work, I will set an alarm to go off about 10-15 minutes before I need to be ready. This has saved me many times when I have completely forgotten that I have something different to do that day!
5. Lists
If I have a lot going on and begin to feel overwhelmed, I rely on lists to stay sane. Writing everything down helps get it out of my head, and seeing it on paper helps me prioritize what needs to be done first.
6. Set timers or mental milestones
I will set timers for myself to help myself stay focused on tasks that I don’t enjoy. I have to clean? I’ll set a timer and clean for 20 minutes. Usually, once I get past 10 minutes, the momentum keeps me going. If it’s a super low motivation day, I will allow myself to have a break for 5 minutes and pet my cats, play with my dog, or just scroll on my phone. Then, I’ll set the timer again to keep completing the task for another 20 minutes (time set depending on the tasks may vary). What I mean by mental milestones is that I will tell myself that I have to complete so much of a task before I can take a break or move on to something different.
7. Reward yourself
Give yourself a little reward after you finish things! You want to go get a coffee? Finish up those notes for work first. You want to spend time with a friend? Clean your bathroom before you leave. Make things you’re looking forward to a special treat to finish things you don’t want to do.
8. Give yourself permission to do things differently
Growing up, I was always taught to do things in a more typical way. Clean one room at a time, start with big tasks first, etc. It took me a long time to realize that I don’t work that way. I had to give myself permission to do things a little differently, even if it doesn’t make sense to other people. 90% of the time, I walk out to my car to leave and then have to go back inside. I learned that this will probably never change, so I give myself an extra couple minutes in the morning to account for the time it will take to go back inside. When I clean, I typically do it a task at a time rather than a whole room at a time. Sometimes I will clean small bits of the house over the course of a couple days. It gets cleaned in the end, so what does it matter if it happens all in one day or not? When I have a lot of things to do, I tend to do a couple smaller or easier tasks first to get myself going, and then I’ll do the larger thing that I’ve been dreading.
9. Do what works for YOU
Keep in mind that these tips are very subjective. These are the things I learned that work for me. Things for you might look much different and THAT’S OK. Do what works for you.
Written by: Olivia Clark, LPCC, BCN