I lived a huge chunk of my life without realizing I had ADHD. I was only diagnosed a few months ago! ADHD in general is harder to detect in girls, which is why it took so long for someone to catch it, but I also learned how to work around it since I went so long without knowing it.

I’ve always struggled with staying organized, paying attention, eating the veggies in my fridge on time, remembering tasks, not losing my keys, and not getting distracted. I thought it was just part of living, not that I had an attention deficit. Here are some ways I’ve been able to hack my brain to get myself to do these things and more.

Write everything down

• I can’t remember anything. Ever. It’s a problem! I caught onto this problem early on and to-do lists became a need. I always keep a post-it pad and pen on my desk so if something important comes up I can jot it down. Getting distracted also means that when I have an idea or a question, I forget that I’m in the middle of a task. Writing the idea or question down means I can return to it instead of abandoning my current task.

Create reminders

• I have reminders always created on my work calendar because I am prone to forgetting what I’m supposed to be doing. Google Calendar sends me a reminder when a task or a meeting is coming up. I also have Google Calendar connected to my Slack so I’m covered from all fronts.

Put things in visible areas

• If something is out of sight, it is absolutely out of mind. I still forget my veggies because I put them in the controlled drawers where I can’t see them. I used to forget to take my vitamins every day because they were stored inside a drawer. Now they sit on top of my dresser where I see them when I pick out my outfit in the morning. I’ve barely missed any days since I moved my vitamins to a visible location.

Assign items to a home

• This is the only way my room stays clean and my mind stays sane. If everything has a place to go, I can always remember to put it back there. It makes cleaning up the clutter in my environment so much easier. It also helps make sure I don’t lose things.

Use energy bursts to my advantage

• I get most of my energy in the first half of my day or right at the end of the work day. I try to get as much work done during those times because I know I’ll be more inclined to do it. I also use the Pomodoro technique when it comes to studying and schoolwork because it forces me to concentrate my energy in a time frame. Having dedicated time to doing certain things means I can’t get distracted by other things.

Music

• Music has always helped me focus. When I can’t get going or can’t get off my phone, I play music. It forces me to move into action because I only listen to music when I’m doing something. I usually have certain types of music depending on the time of day. In the morning I like to play chill music or classical music. When I’m working I listen to music I love jamming to. When I’m hitting my post-lunch slump, I listen to dancing music. It almost breaks me out of my brain so I can start functioning again.

Routines

• I need routines and systems in place to stay on track. Without a routine, I can’t turn my brain off from one thing to the next. I have to have a post-work routine, morning routine, night routine, gym routine, and anything else that could be done in a routine.

A lot of these things, I was doing unconsciously because I found that it made me function better. Coping strategies and tactics depend on the person, but this is what works for me.

Currently Consuming

Reading

• Know My Name by Chanel Miller

  • This book is so wonderful. All I can say is that names are powerful and reading about how Chanel was able to take back her name and her life is so beautiful. And heartbreaking because she never should have needed to do it.

Watching

• The Artful Dodger (Hulu)

  • I’m a sucker for period dramas with an enemies-to-lovers plotline (Pride and Prejudice and season 2 of Bridgerton this is about you).

• Supergirl

  • I finally finished Supergirl! I absolutely loved the ending. Kara Danvers reminds me that hiding yourself only causes you pain and that having the courage to be yourself is more powerful than any superpower.

Listening

• Feeling nostalgic recently for a very specific time when I was 14 and obsessed with Tumblr (I was given unrestricted internet access way too early) so been listening to this playlist too much: in my tumblr era

• More specifically in my Marina era right now and miss when she went by Marina and the Diamonds. “Electra Heart” was the rebirth of pop music!!!!

See ya!

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next week!

Want more Yukta? Find me here:

LinkedIn

Goodreads

Spotify

TikTok