Organization Skills for Adult ADD/ADHD

While many people could use some pointers about how to stay organized and add structure to their lives, those with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can greatly improve their quality of life if they can learn to maintain order. Everything seems a little bit easier when items are in their place. For many people, order also brings a sense of peace and well-being. Somehow, the outside structure brings a little inner organization as well.

While they usually need some help to get started, learning neat habits can help those with ADD or ADHD symptoms to get organized and stay that way. Start off by discarding any items that aren’t needed and categorizing the rest. Once everything is in its place, make it a habit to maintain that order by returning everything after use. Every evening or every morning, walk through the house and put things back in their place. Most people find that it’s much easier to maintain order than to start over after things are out of control.

It may be helpful for the person with ADD or ADHD to write a list of things that have to be done so that they can concentrate on one area or task at a time. Otherwise, it can easily become overwhelming, or they may skip from task to task without completing anything. Lists can also help people to deal with things now instead of procrastinating and putting things off forever.

Paperwork can be one of the hardest items to organize for people with ADD or ADHD. It can be hard to know what to keep and what to throw away. This often results in stacks of paper all around the house. When something must be found, it’s an almost impossible task. Many people with ADD find that the use of a color coded filing system helps. As with any other clutter, if items are dealt with and filed as soon as they come in, it is much easier to maintain.