How to Prioritize

Learn to prioritize your work, your life, and your health with these time-management tips designed specifically for adults with ADHD who struggle to get things done — especially the most important but least interesting ones.

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20. Take it one project at a time. Having to tackle several big projects at once is stressful for people with ADD. Set one priority, and get it done, tying up all loose ends before moving on to a new project. For instance, get new eyeglasses before cleaning your gutters. Or take your car in for maintenance before revising your résumé.21. Use sticky notes to stay on track. If you’re often sidetracked by interruptions, make it easy to return to the task at hand once the interruption is over. How? Keep a supply of sticky notes with you,and jot down where to pick up again. For instance, if you musttake a phone call while reading, post a note on the text thatsays, “resume reading here.” When the call is over, you’ll knowexactly what to do.22. Double up on tasks. If you can make it a habit to do two small things in concert, you’ll get more done. For example, you might resetyour clocks and change the batteries in your smoke detectors upon the end of Daylight Saving Time each autumn. You could change your oil and balance your investments on the same day. Or reorganize your pocketbook each time you water the plants.23. Organize your garage like a professional. That means separating your stuff into “zones” of the sort you see at home-improvement stores: “tools,” “painting supplies,” “gardening supplies,” “sports equipment,” “automotive,” and so on. If this job is too big to tackle on your own, don’t be reluctant to ask for help.

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