How To Master Time Management - ADHD Skills Part 1
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- Опубліковано 19 тра 2024
- This video will show you what you can do to help your ADHD. This is a follow up to a video I did it on executive function. That video is What is Executive Function - How it Relates to ADHD • What is Executive Func...
When it comes to non-medication ways to manage your ADHD symptoms, we can break it down into three domains: time management, organization and planning.
People with ADHD typically have trouble estimating how long things will take and adjusting their schedules accordingly. As a result you may be frequently late to things or this can even affect your ability to finish things because you don’t take into account how long it should take. With ADHD, the loss of time is a cumulative effect.
Step one to master this time management skill is to have constant access to timepieces.
Start by getting a watch and having an adequate number of clocks visible to you in areas where you spend time.
Then create your time log using your watch and your clocks. That may take you several days to do. And start with the big things you do like getting ready for work, chores, eating dinner, getting ready for bed. This list can also include things that you do at work so you can have a better understanding of how you use your time at work.
This it’s to help you appreciate Time.
Lastly you get a daily and a weekly or monthly planner. You’re going to use the daily planner to track your appointments, obligations and to do list. And you’re going to consult the planner twice a day. In the morning to appreciate the scope of your day and in the evening to reflect on how your day transpired and review what you've got going on tomorrow. It also gives you a chance to reschedule things you didn’t complete.
Want to know more about mental health and self-improvement? On this channel I discuss topics such as bipolar disorder, major depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit disorder (ADHD), relationships and personal development/self-improvement. I upload weekly. If you don’t want to miss a video, click here to subscribe. goo.gl/DFfT33
Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.
WATCH NEXT - *HOW TO PUSH THROUGH TASKS* ua-cam.com/video/yj6_1t1PAcE/v-deo.html
Could you spice your videos up to keep the intrest of adhd people.
@@cowboycody8094 If I knew what kind of spice to add, it would be in there. If you have a specific suggestion, I'm all ears.
@@DrTraceyMarks Well I really like all the information you had and it was somewhat that Julie interesting I guess what I think of is a channel similar to how to 80HD. There's a little bit of background music some more energy in it and it's just a little bit funner to watch.
@@cowboycody8094 yep funny isn’t my strength. Very true.
@@DrTraceyMarks I meant more fun to watch. Anyways it's still good content and you make it more accessible than some of the ADHD videos out there. Have you ever considered doing a video on ADHD in addiction?
See the thing is, I estimate something is going to take say 20 minutes. In reality, it should probably take 35-45 minutes. And then it ends up taking me 2 hours. 💀
Knowledge is power.
Nooooo I feel attacked 😭
That's an easy fix, just get rid of the zeros and replace them with hours and you have accurate time estimates! Sweet! I think I'm learning that I have to put lots of white space on my calendar to make up for my underestimating tasks, also just stop working on one task and go onto the next when he time has elapsed. But don't beat yourself up . . . all jesting aside, I haven't figured it out yet either. But I'm not giving up yet, I'll keep buying planners until I find a magic one that works :)!
@@passionforhispeace1194 ToDoIst is a great app for to do lists/time management system. The free version is great as well.
Welcome to my world bruhhh
"If it's not on your planner, it doesn't exist"
I'm super attached to my calendar and I've literally told people that if it isn't on my calendar, it's not happening. The calendar looks super chaotic to my non-ADHD friends but it really helps me stay on top of things.
I’m the exact same.
I forget to look at my calendar 😭
What type of calander do you have
Another helpful tip an ADHD coach gave me is to specifically factor in time for TRANSITIONS between tasks! This could be 5 or 10 minutes, or be different depending on the amount of effort needed for attention-shifting, or time to get set up in another room, etc. Also factoring in time for breaks!
Thank you for mentioning this excellent point! Does anyone know of a ADHD coach that does pro bono work or a current free support group that could substitute for a ADHD coach?
Yes, and for tasks that you know you'll do regularly, it's worth having an additional separate copy of the related tools. For example, having all the mail supplies together, laundry stuff and beach supplies in their own containers makes that a lot closer to the 5 to 10 minutes that is optimal, rather than the half hour, or more that it can take to track everything down.
AND factor in prep and cleanup time. That gets me all the time.
@@EsmereldaPea me also
Yes, break time is essential. I'm guilty of just taking a random pause to do who knows what in the middle of doing something time sensitive.
I teared up a bit at the end when you broke down your advice into steps, so many ADHD videos and articles dump a big scary list of todos at people after spending a whole video explaining how easily complex tasks can overwhelm people with executive disorder. Thank you.
Like the 75 tips for ADHD on the internet. Seriously not tackling that one.
I noticed that on other videos as well and I swear… It makes me feel like she really gets it! So helpful beyond words!
@@JDubGirl Yes, she's the best. She is detailed, articulate, compassionate and concise in all her video presentations . She's simply the best.
❤
Absolutely! I always feel so dumb after videos, articles, and friends tell me to just break down things into smaller tasks and watch my time. Yeah, like that ever works. "Just do it." Ha!
This is the most solid series of mental health videos I've ever found on UA-cam. You're changing a lot of lives with the integrity of your work. Everything is science based, and you have a great demeanor which makes you a pleasure to listen to.
Thanks so much Nunya. That means a lot! 😊
@@DrTraceyMarks just discovered your channel, thank you so much!
I agree!
I agree.
Exactly. It’s not only informative it’s a pleasure to listen to.
Mental clutter gets purged without your knowledge, WOW. I never thought of it that way.
😊👍🏽
Me either!
That was truly true and golden. I felt so seen, it is the one thing I keep repeating.
ALL THE TIME! Sometimes within minutes when I have a lot to do.
That got me too! I didn't know that was possible.
I'm guilty of the 25 minute "5 minute shower". I pick a song and try to get all my showering done before it's finished. It fulfills my need for urgency and gamifies the activity. I do the same for laundry with episodes of shows or podcasts (though I'm great at putting off the part where I have to fold and put things away haha).
thank you for these videos!
I also started with that, and at the end it turned into a whole playlist 😅
I do this too.
Same, the song does the trick!
As someone that deals with PTSD/dissociation I really relate to the loss of time. I’m always late and feel like I’m grasping at straws trying to stay grounded in reality
for me sometimes a few hours pass by but it feels like 30 minutes
Feel like my life is one big blur because I can't remember specifics of my life events! Its embarrassing & humiliating!
This is called time blindness. You could try something called Vipassana meditation. While you focus on nothing but breathing, a timer goes off every 5 minutes. I've found that doing this for like 20 minutes helps me feel more aware of the passage of time.
@@dumbgirl8 Thank you. I'm going to research this and try it.
@@Katie-qu9iv Please don't fall for these "vipassana meditation"/yoga/chanting specific sounds and other occult stuff (Stretching is fine, but not the other aspects of yoga). They'd seem to give some benefits initially, but screw up ur mental health & cognitive skills in the long term. Have 1st hand experience. These are dark arts that are now given a sanitized appearance, and marketed to the ever gullible Americans.
Thank you so much this is so helpful. It’s so difficult and humiliating explaining this to anybody as a 34 year old 😔
You’re welcome McRA. It’s hard for people to understand the problem
Don't feel bad I'm 32 and it happens to me too
Im 33 and Im so over the struggle. Especially when I see myself teaching my kid the same behavior.
Im 45 and still stress with myself.
Hey, thank you for being honest about this. I saw your comment, when this came in my "recommended" feed. I literally procrastinated on watching this, because of my own Guilt/ SHAME/Embarrassment.
Without this comment, and reading it, I don't know if I would have ever come back to the video.
So, thank you. It's hard to be vulnerable, but I appreciate you. Doing so.
"You don't remember things unless someone reminds you."
AKA me absorbing hours of knowledge, only to forget it all until the unlikely event that the topic arises in a conversation.
01:04 No. 1 Constant access to time pieces (watches, clocks, church bells...)
02:10 No. 2 Estimate time needed for tasks
08:06 No. 3 Keep a planner or two (daily AND weekly)
Thank you
You’re doing gods work
SEPT. 5, 2022 THANK YOU🙏❤️
Thank you, that’s very helpful. 😉
Okay, I’m so messed up I started listening to this vid 6 months ago. Or, I tried, became overwhelmed & gave up onto something else to occupy that mind space. Only in the last two days have I had the discipline to really listen by breaking the vid down into increments. I started executing the plan today and it’s working! Thank you, thank you Dr. Tracy, I was going crazy and now I have hope I can turn this life around and be more sane. Much love to you for this whole ADHD series to help me.
I've always just been told "just use your time wisely!" and you have been the only one to explain what that even means thank you! 😭🙌
Unfortunately people like us who truly suffer with this it’s utterly impossible to take that advice (good advice just not the right advice for us) and make good on it. It’s ok. You’re not alone. We are not alone !!! 😊
You know what series I would like to see? How to improve emotion management. I feel like many people have a issues with how to control emotions, whether it be anger or tears.
Me too. I struggle with this alot. Usually the reaction
I am sure there’s a strong link between being very emotional which I am and ADHD. I am so aware of what I am feeling , but identifying the reason why I feel it is not clear. Anger, resentment, jealousy are the ones I would like to mange and heal from. I am understanding a little bit more of anxious and depressing feelings. But yes, a video would be great to watch and learn from on emotions. (I don’t want malice for anyone, the jealous, anger or sadness ect.. just comes up so fast and years of it is a lot on someone who would like to react in a healthier way.)
Sad to see how old this comment is… I was hoping this had prompted a video.
Check out Thais Gibson emotional mastery on UA-cam, she talks about emotional regulation in detail..she has taught me a lot about emotions
Same!!
I’m so happy she understands the adhd brain. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed at the end. Making me question am I really retaining any of this information? Then she broke it down and listed it out so I could screen shot it. Love this series!
I'm glad you found that helpful. I realize I need to do that more. I often _forget_ to summarize 🙂
Thank you x3!
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was a teen. I’m 30 now and it’s still a struggle. Being late is the one thing I cannot stand about myself. I’ve lost friends because of it. I don’t like ppl feeling like I take their time for granted because I don’t. I just suck at time management when my brain keeps getting distracted by things I can do later instead of getting to where I’m supposed to be going. I’ve gotten better tho. I’ll never give up aiming to be better ♥️
I have lost a lot of people because of this also. It is horrible. I just cannot keep my concept of time well enough sometimes to keep myself even somewhat aligned. I just strive to be better, it is all I have found that I can do. Good vibes for us all!!
Good on you! God bless
As a person with ADHD, time management was always the biggest problem my ADHD caused in my life. I've spent so many "oops i didn't do anything today" days before I was diagnosed. But then I realized that actually it's impossible to spend a day without doing anything if you have ADHD. Bc your brain keeps working no matter what. Even thinking about the things you should do is something. So I decided that there's no such thing as "wasting time" for me/my brain. Of course it doesn't mean that I keep thinking without realizing those thoughts. But the most helpful step for time management is to embrace the way your brain works. Bc when you know and admit that your neurodivergent brain is not supposed to work like everyone else's, you unlock the skill of saying "I'm just overthinking/paralyzed/hyperfocusing etc". This skill leads you to manage your time, too. Some of us might need medicines to stop thinking and start doing. Or you might keep having problems about your focus and execution. But embracing the fact that you're going to experience these so called problems for the rest of your life makes it much easier to live and be happy with yourself.
Your voice calms me down when I am absolutely freaking out.
I was thinking the same thing!!
Yes. And the way she address gives me an energy to woke up from my bed and do something.
Bathroom clock! Of course! How have I never thought of this? This alone is going to make a big difference to my life. And save a lot of water. 🙂Thank you.
Don't get the one that ticks... It will drive you mad! haha
For my daughter I used a timer for the blind that counted down. Not every second buy it starts out at every 10 minutes and slowly increase frequency til l the last 10 seconds.
Used that thing for everything for her.
She is an adult now and an excellent judge of time.
I’ve had bathroom clocks for a while now ☺️, I have clocks everywhere, my dad thinks I have a clock obsession 😅
@@Nirosha101 Haha, good for you,I’m going to have clocks every where too. No ticking clocks in the bedroom though, that would totally do my head in. 😮
When I was a kid I used to time every single task. Perceiving time was never an automatic task for me, I've always struggled. I remember being in elementary school and writing down exactly how you're teaching in this video. 15 minutes for shower, 20 to prepare breakfast, 5 to brush teeth, etc, and then adding it all to know how early I should wake up because I was tired of always being late and letting people down!!!
I got diagnosed at 23 in the middle of MedSchool. Now I'm 27 and I still time everything, but now I know why I do it.
My favorite planner is the weekly one. I NEED TO SEE my week in order to understand whats going on.
Great video! You're an amazing doctor
@@nnshiek5244 thank you!
Oh my - I did the EXACT same thing to graduate college!! I had (undiagnosed) ADHD and received my BS Electrical Engineering by breaking down every day into 15 minute components. It worked.
Elon Musk breaks his day down as well. Great information for people. Thankyou
Mental clutter, my brain purging without me knowing.. that’s been happening all my life. never heard it put like that, thank you.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
― Steve Jobs
👍🏽 great quote
Dr. Tracey Marks mmkk
I started hanging my favorite clothes up so I don’t have to go digging for them. And I get up at the same time and get ready the same way no matter what day of the week it is so that I’m “ready” no matter what’s on the agenda. And I put everything, even silly things, in google calendar and have it synced on all devices so it yells at me repeatedly until I Mark it as done. I’m not quite typical since I’m also on the autism spectrum, but yeah. All of this works.
Same here
Thanks for sharing. I’m about to give it a try. Suffering and losing friends and family.
I didn't know you could have Google yell at you until it's done!!! I'm gonna check this out. I don't use Google calender because I always end up ignoring the alarms.
Melissa Davis yeah, just sync all your devices using Google calendar (just download Google or Chrome for Apple IOS and sign into it) and allow browser notifications. Then, when you set up a reminder on one device, it’s shared between all of them. Then all of them will ping you until you mark it as complete on one of them.
@@BeccaTheBoring Okay, I kinda forgot all about this until just now. I'm going to hurry up and try it right now. 😊
I never felt understood in my life until I started to watch this channel.
I have ADHD. When my kids were young there was so much laundry! So I bought a ton of hangers. After that EVERYTHING but undies and socks got hung up. Undies and socks got put in piles and dumped in a drawer. As for towels and sheets, everybody got their own set. Then I taught the kids how to do their own laundry. They had their own day to do it. It’s so much faster to put laundry away.
You were awesome. My mom just yelled about the Room being dirty even though she saw me trying to clean it up everyday!
@@litawi7869 thank you! I saw continuing to get upset and yelling as absolutely illogical. And time consuming. And a huge energy drain.
>me, having ADHD
>>Doctor: have a clock literally everywhere and plan things!
>me: looking at 5 clocks literally everywhere in every moment
>>Doc: plan little things!
>me: will do!
>me: want to wash the dishes, lacks sponge, goes to shop, get distracted, starting playing games, battery ran out, going to shop again
>me: what should I do
Done, Doc. Thanks.
(Just kidding, thanks for another video about ADHD! You are great! )
Emily F or Baron’s Wasteland A little red right return ❗️❗️
This is so relatable most times I just play video games and not do what I was supposed to do lol
Small tip: Changing to an analog watch and clocks helped me time manage much better since I can "vidualize" elapsed and remaining times. Digital displays, although I perfectly understand them, don't help me manage my time. Great content, beautifully clear delivery, thank you doctor.
Great tip! Never would’ve thought of this, but I really think you’re right. When I think back to using old clocks and watches, I remember how that helped. Wow…thank you.
same
So true! This is like when I tell my husband I think of time frames in lines in the calendar. Like for example let’s say I have something 5/10. That’s 2.5 lines k have to picture it visually. Same with time. Or counting.
Interesting point. Has your intuitive awareness of time improved? If so, how much?
I don't know if I've ever heard anyone, with or without ADHD, coach or doctor, articulate with such specificity how to most effectively sort myself and what's in my head so I can be my most productive. I've never heard anyone talk about having watches and clocks everywhere: I stay on task and on time in the bathroom in the morning - because I'm constantly checking the clock. Now, to surround myself wherever I am! 😄 I'm 55, empty-nested, and as frustrated as ever that I can't accomplish more with all the time I have, at work or at home. I actually did so much better with kids at home who structured my time FOR me. With this single video I went from being a subscriber and casual viewer, to a dedicated follower. Thank you so much for this, Tracey. I'm already looking forward to tomorrow so I can begin to implement these things. 💖
I am literally in the same boat, except I'm 41. These videos made me cry both tears of joy and pain. I'm so grateful
And it’s the perfect pace and inflection and tone!
You brought me to tears when you mentioned “Losing time”. I struggle with this often, and recently explained it to my therapist. Thank you for your videos!
I literally can drop an hour like it's an apple falling out of an overfilled basket. Drives me insane. Like, was I conscious for that hour? Was I just screaming into the void for a freaking hour and don't remember it? Because I know that task took 15 minutes. There is no way it's 1:15 later....😅
@emilyhenry8785 That's a mood I've had the same thing happen for, like 7 hours. My adhd is so bad that I'll hyper focus on a book I'm reading and forget to eat, drink, ect, everything until I look at che clock and go eait a minute it's been 2 days and I didnt turn in that test.
I've watched many of your videos. I suffer from ADHD and have since a child. I'm almost 40 now... I have some other issues too but the thing with ADHD I want to make changes and try to make changes but nothing works... I've tried every different organizational system I've approached it so many different ways. You make some new suggestions, I'm skeptical this would change the outcome for me since so many other things have not. I'm willing to try though. Hope to have something positive to share with the community here. Wanting to change and making change are different things. Once changes made maintaining it is where the impossibility always seems to lie.. this is where all systems are lost. Maintaining... something about ADHD, we cannot maintain a system. As soon as it's not a shiny fun thing anymore it becomes an impossibility....
Organization for folks with ADHD needs to come with lowered expectations. What organization looks like for us isn't going to match other people. In general, it's better to get rid as many of the things that you can before you start.
A big thing though is that when you're organizing things, it's important to make it as easy as possible to put things back where they belong. If you've got a bunch of DVDs on a shelf, good enough is if The matrix is in the section that has the M movies. Eventually, if you find that you're not having trouble putting them back, you can consider worrying about the order, or you can number them, but that can cause trouble if you add or subtract any from the list.
It's also a great idea to have a bin or something of that nature where you can just put things that you didn't get around to putting away, eventually it will fill and as long as you put the items away before the bin overflows, you're golden.
Papers may have to be something that just get dividing into, retain indefinitely, retain until X and stored with everything else that needs to be retained until then. Indefinite retention ones are more of a problem, but they tend to be unusual enough that they aren't themselves an issue for most people. You shouldn't have a ton of wills lying around and there's only so many insurance policies that you need.
But, really, the more of this stuff you just get rid of, or don't acquire in the first place, the easier the whole thing is.
Russel Barkley (the guy that published the most about adhd) said: "Its not a informationdefizit disorder. They could be the brightest people in the world - its not about what they know, its about that they cant/have diffuculties (on a scale of course some more some have less DAT and so on) to use the knowledge that they have!" I know so much but somethimes i brain just forgets it blanks out or i cant remember most things, and somethimes im super good/fast and everything and i crush in onlinegames or when doing homework but that just shows me that I can do it but its extremly inconsistant and most of the time its just shut off. (happened also when i took the meds somethimes but it goes away when i cant find the perfect dosage, a friend found it and has a sixpack now and helps everyone and does tons of work, but he needs months to help other people to find it and its inconsistant and hard and everyone i know in my adhd group has different medication dosages and so on most of them unhappy but im the most unhappy of them all it seems because im bothered the most by the state of the medication / dosage tiltration help (or lack there of in my country CH one of the most rich countrys on earth -.-)
Hi Scooby. I hear you. This may not result in a total overhaul for you but even tweaking a few things may be enough to make some noticeable improvement. I have 2 more skills training videos coming up. #2 is in two weeks and the 3rd one on organization will be a few weeks after that. I hope you can get a few take ways that make a difference
Check out some of the ADHD skills videos on UA-cam, they are great!
Hi there, you may like to look at the channel Clutterbug - Cas has a good system for working out what kind of organisation works best for different types of people... and she has ADHD.
Another great channel is How To ADHD with Jessica McCabe - excellent resources for living well with ADHD
Good luck 👍😁
Anybody else feeling anxiety about how this describes you to a T but haven’t ever been diagnosed? 😢
This is, hands down, my favorite video that I've ever seen so far, on ADHD. I feel like you've helped me more in the last 11 minutes, than anyone else has ever in my life regarding ADHD. Honestly - I felt so reassured, supported, and relieved while listening to this. You put into words the things that I live through every day, yet have not EVER been able to actually organize into words to describe it.Thank you, thank you, thank you! I look forward to watching all of your other ADHD videos.
Dr Marks is brilliant, she’s helping me tremendously.
I learned more from this video than 20 years of therapy. I want her as my doctor.
As someone who’s still figuring out how to navigate ADHD, I can’t even tell you how truly important this breakdown was for me.
Thank for this! You are the first person who descibed the time warp I live with. So glad this is neurological and not me being a slacker or a loser...Thank you also for the coping strategies as well!😀
Please keep making these videos for ADHD!
The last person I worked with for 6 months not getting much accomplished finally said that “ADHD is a mood disorder.”
Well, I now understand why we never got very far because evidently she was trying to treat a “mood disorder” when my problem is ADHD.
This was one of the milder ignorant things “professionals” have said to me.
I’m so sick of the ignorance of the “professionals” out there.
Agreed. It doesn’t seem at all to be a mood disorder to me. There are various reasons why mood disorders might accompany ADHD, but it’s not a mood disorder per se.
I agree with Lisa. Teenagers can watch these videos and not think parents are nagging and controlling.
There are a lot of mental health UA-camrs but none are as straight forward and easy to absorb as Dr. Marks - What a total queen!
After seeing one of your videos, I immediately subscribed! I have been doing research to understand my ADHD, which has gone bunkers with menopause. I am really learning about what to do to help myself. Thank you so much for your videos: they are very relevant and beautifully produced!
You are a savior! I’m super driven but weighed down by my overly ambitious expectations for myself. I desperately needed this video. Thank you for all that you do, I am so grateful to have access to your videos 🙏🏽
I love how you speak it’s like you understand everyone and you put yourselves in their shoes 🥺 I love this it’s a struggle for me everyday I am just now realizing at 24 that I may have adhd I’m so bad with time being unorganized, I don’t prepare the day before and I think that also messes me up
When I unfinish something and start multi-tasking, I never make it to finish my first task and ended up nothing finished at all🙂😢
This series is such a blessing!!!! I had no idea my adhd was the core culprit contributing to so many of my biggest flaws!! I have tried so hard to be better, be on time, make a list and check them off. I felt so silly that I can't finish overwhelming tasks. It's like you are describing my situation, but with non medicated solutions! I am so excited.. going to listen to this series multiple times and buy my planners!!:) thank you!!!!!!!!
The laundry example is sadly too accurate in my case. One thing that is helping me is telling myself it's okay to set aside time to plan things. My natural inclination is to tell myself, you've got too much to do, who has time to plan things!?!
This breaking down tasks really helped me with doing big tasks that are more broad, like cleaning the house or just one room, as a person with adhd. I would just get overwhelmed by all the things that go into cleaning a room; vacuming, putting away clothes on the bed, making the bed, etc and either wouldn't finish in the time I thought it would take or just wouldn't start cleaning to begin with. Breaking down tasks is definetly a game changer for more complex tasks, to estimate the time it will take.
Looking forward to the rest of these videos. I listened to this while folding towels and I want to cry. I'm just getting through Judy's cycle where everything is clean and put away again, except there are two baskets of laundry left to put away. Sometimes I end up with 5-10 loads of laundry I do at once, and 1-2 loads of dirty dishes in the kitchen. BRB, getting a clock for the bathroom. Watch says the laundry took 10 minutes to fold and put away. I think this year is going to be better, and I may need to watch this video again soon.
Excellent! Thank you! I have a daughter in college (second year) with ADD and I have watched each year as her difficulty with executive functioning catches up with her as the semesters carry on and she falls further behind and then stresses at the end trying to catch up. This is a solid series to help people work to improve their executive functioning. Those of us who do this automatically also can forget that this skill is a struggle for folks with ADHD/ADD so it helps us also to understand them better. Thank you!
I had the same problem in college
I have ADHD and this video has some of the most helpful advice that I've ever heard - thank you!
This woman is SO intelligent ... I feel totally tuned with everything she says. Thank you. You are a gem. 💜
I have ADHD, so I find your videos super helpful ❤
I've started setting alarms, pre completing tasks the night before (pack lunch & take out clothes) and using a bullet journal to stay organised! It's helped so much with my organisation.
You described my entire life 🤦🏻♀️ even with medication! But starting this sounds so overwhelming!!! 😫😫😫
Is medication even worth it then?
@@nicovalenzuela4044 yes, to be honest- medication has improved my ability to focus & handle life without multiple daily meltdowns. I still have this issues, but they are MUCH easier to manage. Medication changed my life.
@@lostvegaseve okay, I'm gonna start taking medication once the next semester starts so hopefully it helps with my issues😅 Thank you replying :)
the most practical video i’ve found on adhd yet. i’m actually feeling my anxiety dissipate. thank you for making things easier 😭
I am so happy to have stumbled upon this treasure trove of videos. No doctor has the time or inclination to explain all of this to you during an office visit, because they have tons of other clients to see and are constantly looking at the clock. It is therefore wonderful that Dr. Marks has so generously posted all this info for free on YT.
This video has been a GAME CHANGER. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve been wearing a watch since high school, but the clock in the bathroom/bedroom top is a game changer! Most effective ADHD-specific tips I’ve found, yet!
Thank you! All those years I thought there was something wrong with me but didn't know what and why :( I don't feel passing time at all, I live in my own time zone so to say... I can't estimate how much time things will take, it's always longer than I think, when I do something I get engrossed and forget about time or get distracted and things take five times as much as they could, I'm often late and I procrastinate awfully, it's so difficult to start things, especially big, they feel so overwhelming, I also have difficulty finishing what I started, I get bored or distracted, I forget things, misplace things, or do something complex well but forget about an important detail, which is crucial, I'm impulsive, I do multiple things at a time, I get easily distracted, my mind is hyperactive, but my body is not, I'm told I'm acting slowly and undecisive. Could this be adhd?
Sounds like my life!
I can relate to this as I have ADHD . I’m medicated for it and time management is something I have been trying to work on as I find implementing planning and structure important . Also I can relate to getting bored easily , and having a hard time getting activities or tasks started . I find it helpful to make to do lists or planning my day . I found this video very helpful ! Thanks so much ☺️😍
This is one of the best videos I have seen on ADHD skill of time management. Thank you for creating this series.
Hi Dr Marks! Thank you so much for this video. I wanted to comment just to say that this is the first video that I've ever immediately played and watched over again. Your insight is so meaningful to me because you make it straightforward to understand how to shift my locus of control. I feel as though I am seen and understood, and have the ability to create a straightforward path to improving the quality of life for me and my family. You've truly restored my faith in the help I can potentially find with the right therapist and because of you I am going to renew my search again.
There’s an exercise that I practice every Once in a while with a stopwatch. I sit in a quiet room and guess when five minutes go by. Hit the stopwatch And see how far off my internal clock is. I refined it by using different periods of time. Until I get my internal timing right.
Dr. Marks what your point of view on this practice?
Hi John that’s a great way to develop time awareness. It can then help you stay on track with ordinary things like conversation, errands etc so that time doesn’t drift on you
Dr. Tracey Marks Thank you for your point of View.
Thank you so very much for this series. It is clear, comprehensive enough, yet succinct. Me & my ADHD brain thank you. I have been searching wildly for something like this. Your work is life changing. Additionally comforting, as a Black woman, to experience a Black woman professional in this field.
Thank you Dr. Tracy for getting what people with ADHD go through and for caring enough to make the video! I am an adult who never got diagnosed but struggle with each of these things. was looking for a video to help a child who has adhd.
Dearest Dr. Marks, I just want to express my gratitude towards and love for you and your team. Having mental issues feels overwhelming many times. Your knowledgeable videos and caring motivation help me feel less alone and directionless in this battle. The management tips you've shared have allowed me to create a customized plan to manage myself. The results are still in the works. But, I feel hopeful. Thank you.
Oh my gosh, watching the washing clothes bit of this is literally an accurate description of my life. Thank you so much for this. This really helps so much.
In all seriousness, I have long wondered if I have ADHD that has not been diagnosed. When I was a boy, kids like me were just told that we were just "lazy" and/ or "aimless". I've learned many of the skills you talk about over my life from trial and error. I keep a daily task list and a quarterly "goals" (like an OKR) list that I consult weekly. If it's not on those lists, it generally won't get done until the task is put in writing. So I put them in writing! I still have issues, but no longer unmanageable. Not the same, but similar to your most awesome advice, which is probably better than my methods.
My biggest hurdle was being honest with myself that I had a problem that would have to be addressed. Motivation comes from having a realistic task list and actually completing it. I love what you said about completing tasks as a motivator!
thank you for discussing this problem like it is. I have been talked down to my whole life about laundry, organizing, and time management issues. It's refreshing to hear advice from someone who understands and not judges.
THANK YOU! I've never heard anyone understand or explain the time struggles so well.
Can you make more videos on adult ADHD strategies to common struggles? Your videos are so concise and helpful. Thank you!
Dang. Laying it out like that. Wish someone could have said it ten years ago! Super cool. Thank you.
Also though, I have a major clock and daytimer avoidance. They both make me feel stressed. Any idea why and how to help with that? Having my day planned out feels like jail. So uncomfortable. Thanks!
Yeah, since I recently got diagnosed, I have been planning to see an ADHD coach when I have settled on medicine and doses.
I know the coach will likely be helpful, but I still dread the suffocating and overwhelming scheduling I’ll inevitably have to do...
I struggle with clocks and timers too (because I have zero concept of the passing of time, I forget to look at clocks, or have to constantly stare at time meaning I can't do anything else, plus dyscalculia messes with the numbers, and timers then scare the shit out of me every damn time because I have no way to estimate when they'll go off).
The closest thing I have found to figuring out time is music. I find that I tend to be able to be more focused on doing stuff with the right music on in the background. I decided to see if it might help based on how I can remember exactly how many tracks off a certain album it would take me to walk somewhere, but to this day have no idea how long that is in minutes. lol I tried making myself a playlist filled with songs which were exactly 5 minutes, but unfortunately the styles ended up too varied for me to enjoy that mix, but I did notice that most of my music taste features songs which are close enough to being 5 mins (some a little shorter, most a bit longer, but good enough for me) that I can use a playlist of a set number of songs to sort of time me. Now I don't work, due to my various disabilities so its easy for me to be a bit lax with what I'm doing (not got any fixed appointments or anything like that) but in general music is what helps me.
So yeah, try setting up a playlist of familiar songs that is roughly the length of time you want to take doing something and you'll know time is up when they run out. And if its familiar and always playing in the same order, you'll get the time broken down a bit too - like knowing that when a certain song comes on, you're about half way through.
Totally get that! I've always been resistant to time mgt., because I feel like it creates self-imposed stress! Discouraged when I don't meet unrealistic time deadlines I've set for myself!
@@JJSogaard Wish I could afford to hire a personal ADHD coach!!!!
@@AlexaFaie Late to this conversation but I also benefitted from using songs and not timers for helping me perceive time better! Sometimes I just blanket count the number of songs and assume each is 5 minutes to trick myself into building in buffer time (when they are all actually 3-5 minutes). I wanted to comment also because I recently found a way to have alarms go off and not scare me; I downloaded sound clips of bird calls, and use them as custom alarm tones. I dont get the same tense feeling waiting for them to go off and startle me so now I set custom alarms for everything (although music is probably still the most effective for me for perceiving time passing, so long as I dont get hung up on choosing songs). Having a whole ton of interesting birds also adds interest if my brain ever tunes them out or gets bored or irritated at hearing them but it doesnt happen too often. I hope that is of some help even though this comment is so late!
My suspicion of me having ADdHD grew when I spent 3 months without my smartwatch🙈 even having a phone with reminders always with me did not help to do some work tasks in time.🤦🏻♀️
I have two calendars: digital for time-sensitive and repetitive things, paper for goals and non time-sensitive. Reminders on the watch make my life so much easier😅
Quick tip: if you have a busy schedule mark the time for eating and set a reminder!
I really appreciate these videos, ADHD takes a lot of work to overcome, and much of that is adopting a mindset that stops them from blaming themselves for it and finding the self-compassion to make the lifestyle adjustments needed to manage the symptoms better. It takes a lot of work, and sometimes medication isn't available to people
That hit home! Thanks for producing relevant content
You’re so welcome Summer! 😊
@@DrTraceyMarks, you are most welcome! Can you do a video on compulsive gambling?
Thank you for this! My son suffers from ADD (ADHD) and his management skills are horrible. These steps are a great help.
You’re welcome Jennifer I hope the tips help him .
Watching/Listening to these videos are surreal. They do a great job of breaking down the issues and ways to tackle them. I love it. Thank you for these videos!
Friend of mine stumbled upon you when she found the bipolar vs Adhd video and I've been going down the hyperfocus rabbit hole with your videos since. They're so great and informative and I've been sharing them with my family members because they are so awesome at explaining why I do the things I do. Thanks a bunch for this and the two series on adhd. I'mma be grabbing some of these to help me even though I am medicated.
Love the advice overall, and specifically the idea of writing out my tasks and timing each one.
My main issue with that though…
I have trouble staying on task, as my brain works to do “what’s most efficient” instead of what is most important.
(I.e. today I went to make my coffee and morninf shake as I do in my daily routine. Instead noticed dirt I tracked in sticking to my feet in the kitchen. I grabbed the vacuum but the vacuum was full. I went to empty it but the trash can was full. I changed the trash but needed a new bag. I went to get a new bag and decided I should empty all the trash cans around the house before I tied the old bag. I eventually started vacuuming after several more related sub tasks. My shoes were in my way. I went to put them on the shoe rack but it was in shambles. I reorganized the shoe rack…..
At some point much later I eventually made my dang coffee and shake…
Imagine timing that. Seems to be consistent in my landscaping business as well when I do yard clean ups or big projects. The more moving pieces, the higher chance I risk going over time allocation and over budget.
It’s really weighing me down
Thank you for taking the time to post this.. THIS is exactly my brain - allllll the time. And I work so hard not to get into that loop, that even when I DON'T bite, I'm still using that cognitive energy to STAY on task, or return, return, return to task... I haven't figured out how to navigate between the two states without all the energy wasting, but I really look forward to automating some of that process to decrease the burden...
Brilliant breakdown. I am grateful!
Haha I can relate so much to this.
Thank you! Clocks! Watchers! This is the first time I’ve ever heard this. I hear recommendations about timers and alarms. But when I’m in hyperfocus, I absentmindedly turned them off. I’m going to buy some clocks tomorrow on my way to work. I sure hope this helps. It’s been pretty bad lately.
Just don’t get distracted. I would get distracted
I wish I had this video and you years ago. Thank you so much for making these videos. You have an incredible ability to see from the perspective of the people you help and your compassionate and direct communication is excellent. You are very appreciated!
It seems crazy we need really obvious things like breaking tasks down and how to find things explained to us but that's how it is.
It's like if you had a staircase and you told someone to walk to the top of it. People without this trouble would easily just walk up one step then the next, and the next until they reached the top. Yes, it might be a little hard halfway through but the executive function would prevail about why it's important, goals, rewards, etc and that reward image firing would be enough mental dopamine for someone else to follow through and keep trudging or bounding to the top and push through. But our mind moves too fast and we just want to reach the top as fast as possible and we end up skipping steps (that maybe we didn't even process were there at all) and then wonder why it took so much more energy for us only halfway or even a third of the way up. Someone can point to us and say hey - you skipped those two/three steps right in front of you. Those steps just seem a matter of fact to others. But we really do need it pointed or written out. We didn't even see them. It's not because we didn't want to reach the top. Or even because we're not interested in reaching the top. We just went from steps 1, 2, 3 and oh step 5 looks interesting, and step 8 looks fun and then wonder why nothing makes sense and then wonder why we can't get it together and why we're exhausted even before we're even halfway there.
Thank you!!!! Knowing is such a physical relief! My life is going to be so much better.
Thank you very much for this! I don't have an official diagnosis of ADHD, but I have trouble estimating the time it will take me to complete a task, and I'm easily distracted. I always have a fear to be late to an appointment, so I arrive extremely in advance because I don't want people to think I'm desorganised or that I don't care about the appointment.
You may or may not have ADHD, but the tips for managing life as somebody with ADHD are just generally sound principles for just about anybody. The difference though is that for people with ADHD things like this are effectively mandatory if we want to get anything done and have it together; for other people it's just nice, but not essential.
Same here !
Once again...you nailed it again. Thank you for the graduate level condensed education🙂. Regards Dr. Tré
Graduate level...that’s a great compliment thank you! 😊👍🏽
This is *SO HELPFUL*
I cannot express enough just HOW grateful I am! Actually practical advice properly explained and with examples that make you think this is actually feasible, and not just an ephemeral theory!!
Thank you so much for breaking it down like that in such a compassionate way. It really resonated when you said that 1hr 30 min break could just have you lose attention and get distracted. I pretty much do this everytime! Finally get around to doing it, smash it out then as i wait i find something to do and never made a structured plan to stopping that and continue always pushing it back to later. even i know its common sense and so i get frustrated when i don't follow through. So i really appreciate you simplifying it and highlighting that this is part of the condition.
Are there any career choices, supported by scientific literature, that would be good or bad for someone with predominantly inattentive adhd symptoms?
I definitely want to know. Deadline heavy work is proving to be nightmarish. But all work has some kind of deadline aspect to it. 😟
It's definitely not receptionist work. Omg how I've been at my job for nearly 5 years is a mystery.
When my mother was in the icu all her icu nurses proclaimed they had adhd. They said it HELPED in their career bc they used all their time at work mostly focused on keeping their one patient alive and improving their health even on tiny microscopic levels. They constantly had their share of distractions but everything was carefully synchronized at a level that worked with how the adhd brain truly craves organization and to be able to focus on one thing.
I find that lots of external deadlines help me, that pressure. I am an event planner and support a department head. During my slow season is when I struggle even more with staying focused and getting work done.
@@tinakendall6180 Structured environments, maybe? e.g. hospitals, military...
The small book "30 Days to Overcome Procrastination" by Corin Devaso is a nice book to have on hand. It uses a mindfulness and inquiry approach.
Why did this make me cry? It’s like I was seen. Like you really understand my time management issues! ❤️
This is the most important video I have ever watched . I love how it’s science based.
Omg this video explains exactly what happens to me almost every morning and my issues with time management, I have never been diagnosed with ADHD, should I see a therapist about this?
Yes!
Not necessarily! It's your choice.
Thank you Dr. Tracey...I have to leave an hour early before any appt because of this. I'd rather wait and be early than be late. Thank you for the helpful video. I will try to implement these tools :)
Good for you Mo! Some people can’t handle sitting idle while they waited or an appt. that’s how they can be chronically late. Better late than wait. I hope you find some use for these tips. I have 2 more skills training videos coming up. Stay tuned
@@DrTraceyMarks Indeed...I had many consequences before I learned to force myself to do it. I usually find they take me in early so i justify it lol. I look forward to more tips *I'll take all the help i can get* I really like the tip about splitting tasks into sub-tasks. I will work on that specifically.
You have no idea, how helpful this was. Thank you, SO much!!
How to cope with adhd you ask? Just master time management and organizational skills.. Basically just don't have ADHD!! Thanks so much Dr.!!
That’s exactly how I felt lol
(just wanted to say your sound is still great in volume! for Hoh and Deaf)
Thanks these are really good tips. I've used many of these since starting college, but I've found that when I plan things (like how long its going to take me to leave to get somewhere on time) I've noticed that it causes my anxiety to rise and I'll start to over think the tasks which makes them scary and I don't want do them anymore. I know you said to break them down to smaller tasks but once I get into the anxious over thinking there is no way to stop it. Do you have any ideas to stop this or disrupt the over thinking?
I've come across your videos recently, and they're so approachable and clear. It's something that I'm using for myself and considering how I can use within my practice with the clients/families I serve. Thanks so much.
This is the best breakdown life video I have ever seen!!! Thank you for the work you do!
I do not have adhd (I don't think), but this video was very helpful!
Yes. Very helpful indeed 👍
If u dont have it u cant say that its helpfull -.-, thank u for the strategys of a non adhd person for adhd people why can u tell disabled people how to walk better next
So glad it was helpful for both of you @Anjaa and @Samuel
the problem i have with scheduling my time is that it seems like i'm programming myself like a robot and my "anarchist" spirit hates that, so I never fully follow my own schedules hahah
Me too. It has gotten better has I’ve grown older, but I still struggle with incorporating things that would objectively make my life easier if the anarchist in me feels threatened by any sense of conformity. It’s annoying. :(
I do some of this already! I have my weekly chores written on a dry erase board to do on certain days. Laundry is always a big one that I would never finish, so I spread it over three days. It still doesn't always get done, but I can check off the parts that I did get done & feel a bit of accomplishment.
I finally figured out how to keep a calendar that works for me. I keep a monthly one & have a separate app that shows me a day at a time, with the option to scroll through the coming week.
And the clocks! I have them in almost every room! I don't wear a watch though. I just don't like having something on my wrist. But I'll consider it.
I'm happy I managed to figure some of this out since my diagnosis 15 years ago, but I still have a long way to go! Thank you for your insightful & concise videos!
I love this video! I love how you explain break down and clarify. You make a lot of things make sense. Please continue ADHD videos as well as time management
Gets through 4 minutes and gets side tracked lol I’ll be back
hi doc, i just found your videos and while i haven't tried anything out yet - i just wanted to say that i really appreciate you re capping at the end of each video. so much info just gets lost when i'm halfway through and a recap makes it easier for me to remember what the video was about.
Oh my god thank you. I didn't even know I had ADHD until a year ago and learning more and more about it helps me so much. I remember I'd sob because I'd spend so much time on little things that never amount to anything, and months pass and suddenly you've got nothing but wasted time. You're a saint, thank you so much for these videos.