Routines -- ADHD Lifelines
By Dana Rayburn, Adult ADD Coach

ADDed Success is ADD Coach Dana Rayburn's monthly newsletter about living
successfully with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD / ADHD).

Welcome to ADDed Success!

Do you resist routines? It’s likely if you have adult ADD you do.

I resisted routines for years. After all, routines sound so darn rigid. So boring.

Not so!

I’ve found that when you design your routines to work for you and your ADHD they
become your good friends.

Simply put, routines make living with ADHD easier.

How?

Routines are liberating. They allow those little details of life to get done so things
don’t pile up as much, easing the guilt over unfinished tasks that plagues ADD
adults.

Routines help us go into automatic mode because they create consistent patterns
in our day-to-day lives. We don’t have to think about what we’re doing. Things just
get done.

Now that you understand the importance of routines for managing adult ADD, how
do you start putting routines to work in your life? Here are three suggestions:

1. Use routines for the small details of life you often forget to do. Things like
   taking your medications, planning your day and sorting your mail.
   
   
2. Use routines to ease the shift from one activity to another. For instance, my
   clients respond well to specific routines for getting up in the morning, going to
   bed, arriving at work, and going home from work.
   
   
3. Use routines to do things now that will make your life easier later; putting
   your clothes in the hamper before climbing into bed so you don’t have to do it
   in the morning. Or thinking about dinner in the morning so it isn’t such an
   ordeal when you get home from work.

Start small! Pick just one or two steps at first and add gradually to your routine.
Writing out your routines and posting the list where you’ll see it will help you
remember your intention.

What are the results once routines become your friend? Life will run more easily.
The little things will get done more often. And you’ll get to do other, more
interesting things without being burdened down by guilt from all the things that
are left undone.

The Last Word
One of the biggest problems I see with my ADHD clients is making their routines
too complicated.

Instead of using routines to simply get through the basic things they need to do
each day, they load them up with activities they think they should be doing.

You might call them 'Should Routines'. Such as meditating for 30 minutes each
morning, journaling or walking on the treadmill for an hour.

I've found most adults with ADD will only stick with Should Routines for a while.

Not to say Should Routines aren't useful. But, don't be too hard on yourself when
you let them go.

There are better ways to make those things you think you should do into habits.
Routines are best used for keeping on track with the basic activities of life.

To Your ADDed Success,
Dana

PS. - Trouble Staying Organized? No Problem! Reserve your copy of 'Organized
for Life' at the special 'early-bird' price.

Unleash Your Power
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their life. Learn more about coaching for business people and other high
functioning adults with ADHD.

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