Time Sense, Time Management - Tools for Success with ADHD

At work I use a BlackBerry to communicate with colleagues - I work in a fast-paced IT environment and need to be aware of alerts, issues, and be quickly available to any number of people in our large organization. I love my BlackBerry.

With my recent diagnosis of Adult ADHD, I wanted to find a number of methods and tools to help me with my time management. I have fairly poor time management skills because I let time pass me by. I don't have an especially proficient internal clock, and I also fall prey easily to the "just one last thing" syndrome.

For example, I know I have a meeting to go to, or it is time for lunch or to go home. And for some reason or another (and maybe more than one), I somehow dread the transition of leaving and having some time to be in my head, so I busy myself with enough so that I'll end up having to rush and hurry to my next appointment. This gives me a good squirt of dopamine in my ADHD frontal lobes and all is well again. At least to my cute little ADHD brain.

The first thing I do is I use the 'New Alarm' option in Calendar to set a recurring alarm for when I need to get hustling to get to work on time (otherwise I get lost in my newsreader on my computer - 'just one last article'!) and also I set one for a quarter to five in the afternoon to remind me to begin packing up, and wrapping up my day. This method is extremely useful to me. It is a type of 'pattern planning' that goes a long way to bolster some of my habitual and ADHD-caused deficiencies.

Some folks recommend having clocks put up on walls all over the place, but I also came across a cool application that loads quietly in the background of my BlackBerry. It is a free download called 'EveryHour' by BerryBlow and it sounds an unobtrusive tone every hour or half-an-hour (depending on how you configure it) during your waking hours (you set the start and end of your day). This 'dingggg' is quiet, but alerts me to the passing of time. You can also custom set a sound of your own, but I find the supplies sounds are adequate, and in fact quite effective but do not interrupt meetings or conversations.

It is so useful to me. Hopefully it is helping to train me to develop my internal time sense, and help me get out of the rut, or the habit of doing "just one last thing" before an important appointment.

• Which will result on me being on time more and more.
  
• Which will result in positive feedback from peers and family. Which will result in greater self-esteem.
  
• Which will result in a better impression left amongst others.
• Which will improve my ADHD riddled life.
• Which will please your friends and colleagues as you won't be late for their appointments.
  

Try it out if you have a BlackBerry. Not sure what is available for iPhones, but I'm sure there is something out there for you too. Even a digital watch can be programmed with alerts.

Anything you can use externally to reinforce and remind yourself of the passing of time should be useful if you are an ADHDer.

Bonnie Mincu is an ADHD coach. She writes the following about time sense deficits in ADHDers:

"The first challenge most ADDers have is not having a "time sense." You're late because you really have no idea how long things take. That affects getting places, finishing projects... just about everything in life! I developed a paper-and-pencil tool, the Time Sense Exercise, especially for my ADD coaching clients. It's deceptively simple, and can make an enormous difference in your life. So you won't be embarrassed by dramatically under-estimating how long things take you. "

A Time Sense, Time Management article (PDF document) is available here for download, and a shorter Time Sense Exercise Tool (PDF document) is available here for download. I highly recommend that you print these out and learn them as part of your continuing education in ADHD matters.

Cheers,

Mungo

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Twitter Posting Roundup from @MungosADHD

Here is a roundup of my most recent Twitter posts from @MungosADHD:

• ADD'ing it all up: What's the big secret? - http://ow.ly/2iur1
  
• ADHD Roller Coaster: "Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?" · Doc in a Box: Interactive ADHD Screening Test http://ow.ly/2iupP
  
• 18 Channels - my ADHD colored life...: As if "Deficit" isn't enough... - http://ow.ly/2iuot
  
• Six Simple Rules: Fundamental Strategies to Overcome Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity http://ow.ly/2iun8
  
• ADHD and Forgetting to Eat | ADDaboy! - HealthyPlace - http://ow.ly/2iumt
  
• ADD'ing it all up: Fishing for Opportunity - http://ow.ly/2iukD
  
• Getting over the Fear of Starting a Meditation Practice | ADHD In Focus http://ow.ly/2iuiA
  
• ADHD and Tardiness: Better Late Than Never? | ADDaboy! - HealthyPlace - http://ow.ly/2iui5
  
• The Disorganized Mind – Yours, Mine, Nancy’s – Meet Nancy A. Ratey | ADHD from A to Zoë - http://ow.ly/2iufr
  
• Pinball Cognition: Little Blue Jars: Part 2 - http://ow.ly/2iuf4
  
• ADHD Stigma: The New Four Letter Word | ADDaboy! - HealthyPlace - http://ow.ly/2iueB
  
• ADDClasses.com: Free Audio Classes - http://ow.ly/2ipRh
  
• Anchoring Effect « You Are Not So Smart - http://ow.ly/2hFN5
  
• Patrick McKenna, Comedian, on His ADHD: http://bit.ly/dvCMv0
  
• Mindsight: Exploring the Neuroscience & Psychology of Awareness http://ow.ly/2eP79
  
• How to Rebuild Your Attention Span and Focus - http://ow.ly/2hivD
  
• Video: How ADHD impacts the workplace & symptoms can cause problems. Best & worst jobs for the ADHD mindset. http://ow.ly/2gIAF
  
• ADD - ADHD Adult Coaching - Answers to frequently asked questions about coaching for attention deficit disorder http://ow.ly/2gvQA
  
• Personality test based on Jung - Myers-Briggs typology - http://ow.ly/2gnFm

Cheers,

Mungo

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Titrated up to 30 mg Daily: Bug-Eyed & Poopy

So last Friday I met with my family doctor after having been on 20 mg daily of Strattera for a month. We chatted and he asked me how I was doing. I told him that I was beginning to notice positive effects which I assume are a result of the medication. I related how I am hardly ever finding myself in a room asking myself "Now, what the heck did I come here for? What was it I was trying to do?". I also reported that I am finding that my concentration is improving dramatically.

For example, I was able to pay attention to virtually all of the sessions in the management course I attended last week. I guess I find it strange that this is a big surprise - but when I think back on my life, I don't really ever remember being able to concentrate fully for very long. But like the goldfish in the bowl that doesn't know it is surrounded by water - because it has always been surrounded by water - I guess it never occurred to me that not being able to pay attention for more than a few minutes was a problem per se. It was just how things were.

At the end of the appointment he wrote me a prescription to titrate my dose to 30 mg daily.

"If you are beginning a trial of a stimulant medication (or an NRI in the case of Strattera), the doctor will likely start with an initial low dose and carefully adjust the dose upwards to adequate levels. This process is called titration. Titration helps the body adapt to the medication and often reduces common side effects that can occur when one begins the medication. Titration also helps you and your doctor find the optimal dose to improve daily functioning. Your doctor will increase the dose slowly to the highest tolerable dose. If you begin to see no more improvement in symptoms as the dosage increases, the doctor will lower the dose to the previous one. Also, if you find that a higher dose produces too many side effects, the dosage will be lowered."

It has been 5 days now on the increased dose, and - yes, you've reached that part in my post when I am about to describe some awkward physical symptoms so you may now switch to another page if you are at all squeamish.

"One day you were walking down the street and it was raining a little bit. You were just strolling along and came across a sewage grate that was blocked with some little sticks and leaves and such. A pool of rainwater had built up behind this dam. Being a curious and exploring type of person, you decided to shove the debris and detritus aside with your shoe. All of a sudden the dam broke and a torrent of liquid and debris was released into the grate."

Anyway, hope you get the drift. Diarrhea. Diarrhea. Diarrhea.

And the other thing is that I have noticed that I am doing things rapidly - like typing this post, responding to e-mails, talking, and getting things done. Not manically. I don't have thoughts racing around, in fact, I feel very focused and calm. But there is a slight 'electricity' to it all, I almost feel like I ought to have some buzzing in my ears, and that my eyes should be bugging out a little. I take both of these as side-effects, and imagine that in a few days they will resolve themselves (not the 'getting things done' part!).



Hope you are having a great day,

Cheers,

Mungo

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, perhaps you'd like to subscribe to the RSS feed.

You can also follow my tweets at Twitter.com/MungosADHD

Twitter Posting Roundup from @MungosADHD

Here is a roundup of my most recent Twitter posts from @MungosADHD:

• Happier in the Morning?! U.S. Mood Throughout the Day inferred from Twitter - http://ow.ly/2fB6l
  
• Adult ADHD and Hyperfocus: Bryan Hutchinson Pool Champ http://ow.ly/2fxMg
  
• John Ratey, M.D. | ADDitude Articles http://ow.ly/2fxL3
  
• Edward Hallowell, M.D. | ADDitude Articles http://ow.ly/2fxKG
  
• Nancy Ratey | ADDitude Articles http://ow.ly/2fxKk
  
• Adult ADHD: 8 Ways to Focus at Work http://ow.ly/2fxJ0
  
• ADD'ing it all up: Meshing of ADD and Creativity http://ow.ly/2eOtB
  
• Conversation Stirred by NYTimes Article on ADHD and Marriage | ADHD and Marriage http://ow.ly/2egDs
  
• Are We There Yet?.....No?..... Damn.: Day 5 http://ow.ly/2egDf
  
• ADHD: The Power of Timers http://ow.ly/2egD2
  
• Mix and Match Meds « Addled http://ow.ly/2egCV
  
• Experiencing ADDvantages: ADD Clutter Busters in Action http://ow.ly/2egCF
  
• 18 Channels - my ADHD colored life...: Letting a General Practitioner prescribe psych meds... http://ow.ly/2egCu
  
• ADHD Do-overs: What If You Got a Second Chance? | ADHD from A to Zoë http://ow.ly/2egCp
  
• Are We There Yet?.....No?..... Damn.: I Caved lol http://ow.ly/2egCh
  
• Attention Disorders Can Take a Toll on Marriage - Well Blog - NYTimes.com http://ow.ly/2efTA
  
• A video featured in an article on ADDitudemag.com http://tinyurl.com/3xbexmw
  
• Forgetful Me: Adult ADHD, Forgetfulness and Self-Esteem | ADDaboy! - HealthyPlace http://ow.ly/2cKnl
  
• ADD'ing it all up: Meshing of ADD and Creativity http://ow.ly/2cKmJ
  
• Is a Calm, Stable Life Possible with Adult ADD? http://ow.ly/2cKlT
  
• My revelation/history with adult ADHD - ADDer World Anything and Everything ADHD http://ow.ly/2bO6G
  

Cheers,

Mungo

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You can also follow my tweets at Twitter.com/MungosADHD

Attention Improving, Anxious & Fidgety Still, Sleep Deprivation & an Annoyingly Slow Sandwich Maker

I feel a bit guilty not posting every single day to this blog. Perhaps I need to revise my expectations.

I've had an interesting last few days. Our little boy - 18 months old - had his regular vaccinations, but instead of a day of grumpiness and crying, he experienced 3 days of fever, a little bit of a rash, and a little bit of sleep, interspersed with a great deal of fussing. I haven't had a lot of sleep, and intend to go to bed early tonight. My wife and I are both in a bit of a funk - a combination of sleep deprivation and work stress, I think. Our little boy has recovered mostly - he's still rather fussy and quick to cry, and his appetite has not returned fully, but he does like to play. I've learned that if I dangle him by his ankles, he makes ridiculously cute giggling sounds.

This week I am on a management training course. Today was the first day, and I enjoyed it. I did note my impulsivity when trying to answer questions in the classroom. My concentration was pretty darned full on though, I didn't catch myself drifting off or daydreaming once. This is a major success for me - this concentration has crept up on me over the past few weeks, such that I kind of forget how inattentive I could be. But I know I have improved greatly and credit the Strattera for this. I credit my education about ADHD for other coping mechanisms, but my improved concentration I believe is due to the medication.

At lunch time, I was really irritated by the almost slow motion way that people lined up at lunch for the buffet, and at one point wanted to make a rude comment towards the woman who was one-by-one curling little slices of roast beef onto her sandwich bread (I wouldn't have, but really wanted to!), while 30 people shuffled & stalled behind her in line just watching her like sheep. I told myself to relax, and that I should breathe slowly and later on when she was not expecting it, to swiftly steal and eat her sandwich right in front of her.

I only ate my sandwich though. I took a 'time out' and sat in a remote area of the office building and read a novel that I had brought with me. Learning about ADHD is extraordinarily important - learning tendencies and coping mechanisms and reading about what other folks do. But boy, I get so irritated with people - it is like they are completely not situationally aware - maybe because I am especially watchful of other people, I pick up quickly on body language and looks, and expect everyone else to be as receptive.

In 4 days I am going back to my family physician to review my Strattera dosage. I am at 20 mg daily now. I have read that it is supposed to provide 24 hour coverage, and yet I feel toward the end of the afternoon impulsive and very fidgety and hyperactive. My leg shakes a lot, I tense my jaw muscles, I find myself staring intensely at whatever I'm doing. Intense is probably the best way to put it. Intense as in don't get in my way. Intense as in 'don't piss on my leg and tell me it is raining'. Not a terrible thing, and maybe in a way this intensity is a way of me reclaiming my agency which was so eroded by low self-esteem and uncertainty over the past decades. Sometimes anger can be very clarifying. I know it isn't the best interpersonal feeling, but sometimes feeling vastly pissed off can help me get stuff done. I'm very (overly) trusting and let people walk all over me sometimes, and this leads to me feeling resentful and taken advantage of. I think my anger comes from residue of this, and I don't think it is entirely unhealthy. At times - in fact, probably a fair percentage of times in my life, I need to replace my agreeable nature and submissive tendencies with assertiveness. Stealing a sandwich probably isn't ideal, but you know what I mean. Hopefully.

It may not be that my blood levels of Strattera have decreased significantly, but maybe that I'm simply tired or that some other environmental cue is affecting me. But I really want to go higher with my dosage. I hope he'll throw me onto 40 mg daily. I can take it, man. Just gimme the drugs, man.

Please bear with my rambling - I'm almost done.

At the same time, I am taking the anxiolytic Clonazepam less and less. I am becoming increasingly aware of how much it muddies my thinking. While I am on the lowest dosage available, it still makes me woozy. It works well to stop my hands shaking when I get really anxious - but perhaps I'll ask my doctor if I should cut the tablets in half - or if I have another option. Not a big deal, but worthwhile noting. Since I stopped drinking any alcohol over 9 months ago, I have relished my clarity of thought, and really get peeved when I'm not clear.

Hope everyone is having a great week, I'm off to bed with a book for now.

Cheers,

Mungo

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You can also follow my tweets at Twitter.com/MungosADHD

Twitter Posting Roundup from @MungosADHD

Here is a roundup of my most recent Twitter posts from @MungosADHD:

• I'm Not Hyper « Another Fine Mess ow.ly/2aomX
  
• ADD/ADHD and Work Reputation: Correct Common Mistakes Made on the Job | Attention Deficit Disorder Information ow.ly/2aq1D
  
• He Said / She Said: Examining the ADHD Life – The "Education" of an ADHDer (Part I) | Jeff's A.D.D. Mind ow.ly/2awKi
  
• Mark your calendar - webinar coming up! #ADHD in the family, genetics, symptoms, parenting 6/28 htly/2axN4
  
• Millions swear by fish oil pills - experts say they're a waste of money - so who's right?: bit.ly/bR2YQe
  
• Reading: "Discovery Health "How ADHD Works""( twitthis.com/pbixmn )
  
• One couple solves "the problem with no name" -- undiagnosed ADHD: tinyurl.com/22mm8s8
  
• How is the Adult ADHD diagnosis made? tinyurl.com/2au9nox
  
• Adults have #ADHD too. Read this from CHADD! bit.ly/33YCo
  
• Yay! Dr. Charles Parker's new book on ADHD meds RULES! tinyurl.com/24mu7yq
  
• Join "Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?" on Facebook: tinyurl.com/28wugl7
  
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Myths and Realities huff.to/dzuqVQ
  
• Clinical Psychology Students: Check out Time2Track. An amazing way of tracking your clinical hours. ow.ly/2bww0
  
• TotallyADD.com: community members ask: How did you find the #adhd help you needed? Join the conversation here: htly/2bwWu
  
• TotallyADD.com: A complete guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adulthood ow.ly/2bF04
  

Cheers, Mungo Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, perhaps you'd like to subscribe to the RSS feed. You can also follow my tweets at Twitter.com/MungosADHD

Twitter Posting Roundup from @MungosADHD

Here is a roundup of my most recent Twitter posts from @MungosADHD:

• Virtual AD/HD Conference ow.ly/29Xxt
  
• A Splintered Mind: A Wild Night ow.ly/29Xy0
  
• ADHD Medication in the Summer? By Dr. Kenny Handelman ow.ly/29Xyl
  
• 18 Channels - my ADHD colored life...: A small favor... ow.ly/29XyJ
  
• ADHD Roller Coaster: "Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?" · The Adult ADHD Diagnosis: How Is It Made? ow.ly/29XyT
  
• Six Dangerous Myths About Anger and ADHD | ADHD and Marriage ow.ly/29XFO
  
• ADD'ing it all up: The next stage of progression ow.ly/29doL
  
• Phys Ed: Your Brain on Exercise - Well Blog - NYTimes.com ow.ly/28B9i
  
• Basics - Nut? What Nut? The Squirrel Outwits to Survive - NYTimes.com ow.ly/28Bc5
  
• Restless ADHD: 5? 4 Tips to Fight It! | ADDaboy! - HealthyPlace ow.ly/28KCo
  
• Extinction Burst http://ow.ly/2aiNI
  
• ADHD Roller Coaster: "Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?" · Dr. Parker's New Book on "ADHD Rx Rules"! ow.ly/28SOP
  
• NOTE: Video starts up immediately - adjust speakers. TotallyADD.com:Video - Your Personal Strengths - Dr. Umesh Jain ow.ly/28Tlx
  
• NOTE: Video starts up immediately - adjust speakers. TotallyADD.com: Video - ADHD in adulthood Impulsivity vs Compulsivity ow.ly/28Tt2
  
• ADD'ing it all up: Use caution when entering ow.ly/28Uri
  
• TotallyADD.com: ADHD strategies, cause and effect, and exploding houses ADD ow.ly/290Q1
  
• The Normal Experiment « Addled ow.ly/28q2Y
  
• Being a teacher ow.ly/28q4c
  
• How to Stop Compulsive Nail Biting ow.ly/28q4u
  
• ADD'ing it all up: What I have to offer ow.ly/28q5v
  
• Pinball Cognition: Little Blue Jars pt. 1 ow.ly/28q7M
  
• Have You Chosen the Right People for Your Life? | ADHD In Focus ow.ly/28qbB

Cheers,

Mungo

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, perhaps you'd like to subscribe to the RSS feed.

You can also follow my tweets at Twitter.com/MungosADHD