Join our guest blogger Maya as she continues her journey to ADHD success with the ADHD Success Club. This is her second blog this week as she digs deeper into how reminders help ADHD adults move into action.
Moving from thought to action is a difficult journey for me. That’s how last week’s ADHD Success Club module was. Setting reminders is easy; however, following directions from a beep or a buzz is much more difficult. Writing this week’s blog was difficult until last night because the module was still in my head, still in thoughts, not actions.
I wrote a blog, but I wasn’t feeling success, so I thought back to the calls and how reminders helped other ADHD club members with their routines. Last night I set a simple reminder: “Get ready for tomorrow.” Rarely do I pick out my clothes and pack my bag for work. Instead, I scramble in the morning to get things done. I begin my day hectic, I wolf down my breakfast in the car, and I don’t have time to mentally prepare for a day of eighth graders.
Last night I ignored the reminders on my phone for quite awhile. Finally, though, when the papers were graded, I responded to the beep that was set on repeat. The trouble with reminders of the past is I would turn them off before completing the task–just to stop the beep.
Wow! Reminders Help ADHD Move From Thought To Action!
What I realized last night is that when I am hyper focused, on task, and working, I don’t need to answer the beep right away. The reminder helps ADHD anyway. I could continue with the monotony of grading papers until I finished. then, I could answer the beep of the reminder.
Answering the 10th beep is still getting something that needs to be done done. As I responded to the beep and prepared for the next day, I realized that those repeating beeps actually kept me focused on finishing one task and moving to and completing the next task. Yes, the gentle nagging reminder helps my ADHD in one form or another
Suspension of disbelief is necessary for success–instead of focusing one what hasn’t worked in the past, I have to be willing to try new things and move from stagnate thought to deliberate action. Also, I need to celebrate small successes. When I hear myself saying, “I have never” or “I’ve always,” I need to let go of those thoughts to move forward.
Maybe I’m a bit of a leaky sieve at letting reminders help ADHD at this point. I’m catching only a few reminders, but that’s a start. As long as I listen to the positive messages in my head and move thoughts into action, I’ll keep moving forward until these reminders become watertight with more remembered and accomplished.
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