ADHD Tip 4: Make Your Calendar Your Ally

The Challenge of Time Perception and Planning

Difficulties with time management are a hallmark challenge for many with ADHD. This can manifest as "time blindness" – an inability to accurately sense the passage of time or estimate how long tasks will take. Remembering appointments, deadlines, and multi-step plans can also be difficult due to working memory challenges. The common ADHD tendency towards "now or not now" thinking can make it hard to prioritize future tasks or prepare adequately for upcoming events. Relying on internal memory alone is often insufficient and stressful.

Why Calendars Are Essential Tools for Individuals with ADHD

Using a calendar consistently is crucial because it externalizes the abstract concepts of time and future commitments. It serves as an external memory aid, a planning tool, and a way to make time visible and tangible. Effective calendaring for ADHD isn't just about recording appointments; it's about actively externalizing time perception and future planning, translating abstract time into concrete visual representations and actionable steps.

Choosing Your Calendar Tool: Paper vs. Digital

There's no single "best" calendar format for everyone with ADHD. The ideal choice depends on individual needs, preferences, and the challenges that require the most support. Often, a hybrid approach combining the strengths of both paper and digital systems offers the most comprehensive support.

Feature	Paper Calendar Pros	Paper Calendar Cons	Digital Calendar Pros	Digital Calendar Cons
Visibility	Can be kept in constant sight (on a desk or wall); ideal for visual reminders.	Less portable; requires dedicated space.	Accessible anywhere via phone/ computer.	Can be "out of sight, out of mind" if app isn't open.
Portability	Less portable, especially larger planners.	Can be bulky.	Highly portable via smartphone/ tablet.	Requires a charged device.
Reminders/ Alerts	Relies on the user remembering to check it.	No automatic alerts.	Excellent for setting multiple pop-up/audio reminders (crucial for ADHD memory).	Potential for excessive notifications (requires management).
Ease of Editing	Can be messy with changes; requires rewriting.	Changes can look cluttered.	Very easy to reschedule, edit details, and change colors.	Less tangible sense of commitment sometimes.
Tangibility	Physical act of writing can aid memory/ engagement. Provides tangible record.	Can be lost or damaged.	Less tactile interaction.	Data loss possible if not backed up.
Big Picture Planning	Excellent for monthly/yearly "bird's-eye view"; helps make the future concrete.	Can be harder to see daily details on large views.	Can switch views, but small screens limit overview.	May feel less concrete for long-term planning.
Syncing	Manual process to coordinate with other calendars.	Requires manual updating.	Easily syncs across devices and platforms (work/home).	Requires internet connectivity for syncing.
Recurring Events	Requires manual entry for each occurrence.	Tedious for frequent recurring events.	Can automate recurring events indefinitely.	Easy to set up.

Effective Calendaring Strategies for ADHD

Regardless of the format chosen, how the calendar is used is paramount. Consistency is key.

• Schedule Everything: Go beyond appointments. Block out time for specific tasks (taken from the to-do list), travel time to and from events, preparation or transition time before meetings, breaks, meals, exercise, and even dedicated planning sessions. Use it as a "brain dump" space for future ideas if needed. Integrating to-do list items directly into time slots increases the likelihood of completion.

• Use Color-Coding: Visually differentiate types of activities (e.g., work = blue, personal = green, appointments = red, tasks = orange). This allows for quick scanning and understanding of the day's or week's structure.

• Set Multiple Reminders: Don't rely on a single alert. For important events or transitions, set several reminders (e.g., 1 day before, 1 hour before, 15 minutes before, time to leave). Use phone alarms liberally, including "pre-timers" to signal that the end of an activity is approaching.

• Include Generous Buffer Time: Always schedule extra time around appointments for travel, parking, finding the location, and transitioning mentally. When scheduling tasks, overestimate the time needed, especially initially (e.g., multiply initial estimate by 1.5 or 2).

• Conduct Regular Reviews: Make checking the calendar a routine. Look at it each morning to understand the day ahead, check in midday to stay on track, and review it each evening to see what was accomplished and plan for the next day. A weekly review session is also helpful for longer-term planning.

• Maximize Visibility: Keep paper calendars prominently displayed where they will be seen often. Use widgets to keep digital calendars visible on your phone's home screen or computer desktop.

• Be Realistic (Time Blocking): Use the calendar to visualize the actual amount of time available. Blocking out chunks of time for tasks helps prevent over-scheduling and provides a realistic picture of capacity.

• Complement with Analog Clocks: Having analog clocks visible in key locations (office, kitchen, bedroom) reinforces the visual passage of time throughout the day, supporting the time awareness function of the calendar.

Calendar Resources:

• ADDitude - Time Management Skills (incl. Calendars for Kids/Adults): https://www.additudemag.com/time-management-skills-organization-help-adhd/

• ADDitude - Time Management Apps & Hacks (Calendar/List Methods): https://www.additudemag.com/punctuality-time-blindness-adhd-apps-tips/

• ADDitude - Strategies for Seeing and Feeling Time: https://www.additudemag.com/time-management-skills-adhd-brain/

• CHADD - Choosing and Using Day Planners (Paper vs. Digital): https://chadd.org/for-adults/time-management-planner/

• CHADD - Why Paper Calendars Support Future Thinking: https://chadd.org/adhd-news/adhd-news-caregivers/support-your-future-thinking-skills/

• ClickUp - Calendar Planner Template: https://clickup.com/blog/adhd-templates/

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If ADHD is hindering your productivity, working with an executive coach could help you build the habits, routines, and skills you need to focus and follow through more consistently. If you are interested in learning more, schedule a discovery call. We can discuss how we can help you better manage your ADHD.

Schedule a Free Discovery call

ADHD Tip 3: Find Focus with Body Doubling

What is Body Doubling

Body doubling is a productivity strategy where an individual works on tasks, particularly those they find challenging, boring, or difficult to initiate, while another person is simply present. This presence can be physical – someone sitting quietly in the same room – or virtual, such as staying connected via a video call or even just an open phone line. Crucially, the "body double" doesn't typically assist with the task or engage in conversation; their role is one of quiet companionship and support. The effectiveness lies not in active help, but in the power of presence.

This strategy leverages principles of social facilitation and implied accountability, acting as an external scaffold to support internal self-regulation challenges, such as maintaining focus, initiating tasks, and persisting through difficulties, which are common for individuals with ADHD.

Why Body Doubling Works for ADHD

The seemingly simple act of having someone nearby can have a profound impact on focus and productivity for the ADHD brain:

• Enhanced Accountability: The presence of another person, even passively, creates a subtle sense of social pressure and responsibility. This external accountability can make individuals more likely to start tasks, stay on track, and resist the urge to procrastinate, feeling they "can't waste this gift of time". Deepwrk notes accountability check-ins significantly increase goal completion odds.

• Focus Anchor: The body double can serve as a physical or virtual anchor point, helping to ground a mind prone to wandering. Their quiet presence serves as a gentle, external reminder to refocus on the task at hand.

• Reduced Distractibility: The focused (or at least calm) presence of the double can help create a more settled work environment, potentially buffering against both external interruptions and internal restlessness. The double’s passivity is key here; interaction could become another distraction.

• Calm Modeling (Potential): Some suggest the body double might unconsciously model a state of calm focus, which the person with ADHD may subtly mirror.

• Novelty and Energy: Introducing another person into a typically solitary (and perhaps tedious) task can add an element of novelty, which is often engaging for the ADHD brain. It can shift the energy of the workspace.

• Easier Task Initiation: Just knowing a body doubling session is scheduled can help overcome the initial inertia and difficulty in getting started on tasks that are often avoided.

How to Implement Body Doubling

1. Identify Suitable Tasks: Recognize which tasks consistently trigger procrastination, boredom, or difficulty focusing when attempted alone (e.g., paying bills, organizing paperwork, writing reports, doing homework, tackling chores).

2. Find a Body Double: This could be a friend, family member, roommate, colleague, or peer. It can even be someone hired for temporary support or found through dedicated online services (see resources). The double doesn't necessarily need to have ADHD themselves.

3. Set Clear Expectations: Before starting, agree on the time, duration, and the specific task(s) to be worked on. Crucially, clarify the body double's role: to be a quiet, supportive presence with minimal interaction or interruption. The double might work on their own quiet task, read, or simply be present.

4. Choose the Format: Decide whether the session will be in person or virtual (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime, a simple phone call with the line kept open).

5. Experiment: Try different session lengths and incorporate breaks as needed (perhaps using the Pomodoro technique in conjunction), and see what works best for maintaining focus and completing tasks.

Finding Body Doubles

• Personal Network: Ask friends, family members, or colleagues if they'd be willing to sit with someone (physically or virtually) while they work. Frame the request clearly, explaining it's a productivity strategy: "I heard this can help with focus. Would you mind just being on Zoom with me while I tackle this report? Maybe you have something quiet you could work on too?".

• Online Platforms & Communities: Several services cater specifically to body doubling needs:

• Deepwrk: Provides structured, facilitated group body doubling sessions via video call, specifically for adults with ADHD, along with a 24/7 silent focus space and community features.

• Focusmate / Groove: Co-working platforms (mentioned in ADDitude ) where individuals connect virtually for focused work sessions, essentially providing body-doubling partners on demand.

The increasing availability of virtual body doubling options reflects the effectiveness of the strategy and the need for accessible, flexible support, especially as remote work becomes more prevalent.

Body Doubling Resources:

• Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) - Explanation and Why It Works: https://add.org/the-body-double/

• Deepwrk - Structured Virtual Body Doubling: https://www.deepwrk.io/

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If ADHD is hindering your productivity, working with an executive coach can help you develop the habits, routines, and skills necessary to focus and follow through more consistently. If you are interested in learning more, schedule a discovery call. We can discuss how we can help you better manage your ADHD.

Schedule a call

Schedule a Free Discovery call

An Inspiring Morning with the Better Business Bureau: A Must-Attend for Small Business Owners

I recently had the pleasure of attending a small business workshop hosted by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and it was truly one of the most impactful events I've experienced this year. The day was packed with four dynamic presentations, each offering valuable insights for small business owners and nonprofit leaders. If you're looking for opportunities to learn and grow your business, keep an eye on the BBB's future programming.

The day started with an engaging presentation by Evanthia Karageorge, the director at the BBB. Evanthia shared her journey, from graduating from VCU to her current leadership role. Her message resonated deeply, emphasizing the critical role of mentorship for new employees. She astutely pointed out the significance of executive presence coaching and confidence-building in nurturing the growth of young professionals. Hearing her passion for removing barriers and improving communication and trust within the workplace was inspiring. 

Next up was Kate Scott from the Virginia Council on Economic Education. Kate spoke passionately about the vital importance of small business owners supporting financial education in our schools. She shared a moving personal story about how education opened doors for her, highlighting her organization's mission to provide inspiration and knowledge to underserved communities. Her dedication to breaking the cycle of poverty through education was truly compelling.

We then had the honor of hearing from Karl Leonard, the Sheriff of Chesterfield. Sheriff Leonard shifted gears to discuss the importance of trust and proper resourcing within leadership. He illustrated this with a fascinating anecdote from his time at the Pentagon, where critical, even life-or-death, decisions were made using something as simple as index cards. His point was clear: such high-level management and decisive action are only possible when a team is exceptionally well-trained and built upon a bedrock of trust.

The final speaker, Jeff Katz, brought a crucial element to the forefront: the power of active listening. Jeff provided practical examples of how listening without the immediate intention of responding can profoundly strengthen relationships. His key takeaway was that by truly listening, we can better understand and serve others, ultimately leading to greater earning potential and a more significant impact.

Throughout the event, small business owners and nonprofit leaders had valuable opportunities to connect and share their perspectives on communication, relationships, and financial management. I personally walked away with 14 pages of notes scribbled on my trusty 3x5 notepad!

My biggest takeaways from this enriching workshop were:

1. Be intentional about how you present yourself to others. Your presence and demeanor matter.

2. Focus on listening to other people's needs. Truly understanding others is the key to effective interaction.

3. Understand that having a small number of great relationships is better than thousands of meaningless ones. Quality over quantity in connections.

4. Great things happen when you partner with others. Collaboration can unlock incredible opportunities.

5. You need a support network to achieve your goals. No one succeeds in a vacuum.

It's worth noting that the BBB offers these valuable workshops monthly for its members. This is just one of the many benefits of being a BBB-certified business. In addition to these learning opportunities, certification also includes marketing support through its podcast, radio spots, and website.

If you're a small business owner or nonprofit leader looking to invest in your growth and connect with a supportive community, I wholeheartedly encourage you to explore the Better Business Bureau and their upcoming events. It's an investment that can truly pay dividends.