Low Maintenance Systems To Make Life Easier for ADHDers
As someone with ADHD, I can acknowledge that while I’m super creative and have many, many talents, working memory and executive function are not necessarily high on my “things I’m good at” list. It’s fine, it just means I’ve had to find (or create) systems that work for my life and set me up for less stressful days. In fact, I’m really only a functional adult because of the systems that I use to get me there.
So… what are systems??
When I talk about developing systems that work for your life, I’m basically talking about anything that helps you do the things. (All the things.) Laundry, work, getting people out of the door in the morning, meal prep, bill paying. Whatever it is that needs doing. If you’re struggling, it’s probably because your current system isn’t working as well as it should. (Or maybe it doesn’t even exist yet.)
I will tell you that mornings are the actual bane of my existence. They’re terrible and my body and brain are not designed to be productive at stupid o’clock. Unfortunately, with kids in school, there are things that just have to be done. So how do I cope? You guessed it. SYSTEMS.
Good news: your system doesn’t have to make sense to other people. If it works for you, USE IT.
For example… socks and underwear in the entertainment center. This might seem absurd to someone who stumbles upon it with no context. “Yo, this lady’s lost her mind!” But when you have small kids who tend to get ready for school in the living room, having these things in a central location makes life easier. Also, not having to sort it all and carry it to different rooms? Saves time and sanity. Another win.
A little prep saves a headache later.
In order to be as minimally functional as possible in the mornings, it pays to do a little household reset every night after the kids go to bed. Gathering all the clothes, shoes, jackets, backpacks, or whatever else they’ll need the next day means I won’t have to look for stuff in the morning. (When we’ve determined I’m less than my best.) It takes less than ten minutes and makes life infinitely easier for everyone the next day.
Bins for all the things.
More than just “a medicine bin” - we have multiple bins, labeled and organized by what they’re used for. Not only does this make finding whatever we need faster and more efficient, it makes it A LOT easier to realize when we’re out of something specific.
Honestly, we use bins/tubs/baskets throughout the house for all the things: blankets, snacks, pet stuff, crafty things, books. All the things. Also, laundry baskets aren’t just for laundry. Random kid stuff left everywhere? Grab a basket, my friend. I throw everything that belongs in their room in the basket then leave it on the stairs for them to put away.
Need some other ideas?
If you struggle with remembering to pay bills, setting up autopay is a life saver. OR, if you’d rather manually pay them, set up multiple reminders to notify you when it’s time to do that. Seriously. MULTIPLE REMINDERS.
Online grocery ordering is something I will never, ever give up. It keeps a running list of things you frequently order so it’s easy to reorder the essentials. Choose one day a week to make a quick meal plan for the week, add all the things you need to your cart, and pick them up at a time that’s convenient to your schedule.
Always searching for chargers, keys, wallets, or sunglasses? Create a command center that serves as a charging station for phones and tablets, and a catch all for other things you’ll need as you head out the door.
Three words: SHARED GOOGLE CALENDAR. Let your family, partner, nanny (or whoever) know exactly what’s going on, who has to be where on what days, when projects are due, or any other important happenings that might pop up.
The most important thing about any system is how well it works in your life. If it doesn’t make sense or make things easier, it’s not the right system for you. If something doesn’t work, adjust. Be flexible. You’ll find something that does. Promise.
