The ADHD Trick That Gets Me Out The Door On Time!

Always running late? Always in a rush? You’re not alone. It’s a common frustration for folks with ADHD.

Almost every morning when we were shooting an episode of Red Green or History Bites, I’d start out calm, with time to spare, then end dashing around in a last-minute panic, behind schedule. If there was traffic, I’d be cursing myself for letting this happen yet again!

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Of course, when I arrived at the location, I’d discover I’d forgotten my scripts, the production schedule, or my phone.

It was so infuriating. The stress and chaos were affecting me, my work, my personal relationships, and my health.

Clearly, something wasn’t working. So I did what I always do when feeling overwhelmed… I drew up a list.

I wrote down everything I had to do, starting with “Wake Up,” and ending with “Walk out the door.”

If I could figure out which step or task was holding me back, I could work on that particular item. Turned out it wasn’t any particular item. It was the sheer number of steps involved in each task. 10 minutes to shower? What about shaving, drying hair, putting on deodorant and moisturizer? Each the 5 or 6 ‘steps’ of my morning routine actually involved up to a dozen small steps.

Plus, my time estimate didn’t include time for distractibility and forgetfulness that is part and parcel of my ADHD.

By facing the reality of what I had to accomplish, I was able to make changes. Nowadays, rather than rushing out 30 minutes later than planned, I’m consistently 5 minutes behind.

Hey, life with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a work in progress.