App helping an ADHD-Student
The motivation behind
Electronics used to use up all my energy by stealing my attention. Yet they are a huge part of my daily life of being a student.
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I needed to create a toolbox for working and organizing my life,
that would
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serve my ever-changing day-to-day life needs
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create and support healthy routines
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not distract me or make me lost in the process so I never end up using them
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instead of making me addicted to the tools, actually make me learn the routines so I might once be able to achieve my goals without them.
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And I found something!
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Why for ADHD?
I believe anyone can benefit from the app (and this guide) since it is great for tracking habits, planning a timetable or setting long-term goals. Many of us, even without being students or having ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), are seeking for an easier and more effective way to manage time.
An ADHD-brain appears to struggle more than other more regular brains, for example, to:
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direct and keep our attention where it is needed
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controlling automatic reactions to external cues before they occur
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plan out future events with somewhat realistic time estimations
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execute tasks according to the plan.
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If the following story rings a bell to you, this app could be a real life changer.
Why this guide?
As a student with ADHD I want to share what has helped me to manage my life and with that greatly improved my well-being. I highly recommend getting to know these systems, they might just be life changing.
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The Goalist app for time-management which allows setting goals according to values. This guide is focussed on this marvellous app.
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The Bullet Journal system to reduce distraction and organize the brain. For more information, check out this video or go to bulletjournal.com. Very simple and extremely effective!
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The Workrave programm reminding me to take breaks while working at the PC. I have worked long periods of time with and without it and the difference is enormous. Check it out at www.workrave.org.
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Backgrounds
Example of this in a daily situation:
You notice a pile of laundry but forget to include “Doing laundry” in your plan. Next day you are cooking, happen to pass by the pile and remember what you were supposed to do. You bring the laundry to the laundry room, but forget to bring the detergent. You return to get the detergent yet passing by the kitchen you remember you were cooking and run back to your boiling potatoes. You stir them a little and put down the heat. You run down to the laundry room with the detergent and start the machine. On the way back you meet your neighbour and you chat for a moment. When you come back the potatoes are overcooked.
You have your meal and after start watching videos online. A friend calls. You chat for a while and he reminds you to fill out that application you were supposed to send out till the end of the week. You work on the application. At some point you get up and notice the laundry basket is missing. It’s late already. You get your laundry and hang them out. In the morning you wake up and find out you forgot to clean the kitchen and finish the application.