A TIME MANAGEMENT TECH TIP
Apple finally integrated reminders into calendars, and it’s a big win for all, especially those of us with ADHD!
I am a tech geek. I love learning about all the things a piece of equipment can do. In fact, if I don’t do that it starts to feel like a waist of my money or the brains it took to develop the item. This is true whether it is a new television, or a pair of hiking boots. For people with ADHD and others who struggle with time management, I generally encourage them the utilize their tech as “assistive technology.” Most smart-phones can give you a visually intuitive projection of your day or week. The thing is, many people don’t fully realize how helpful that case of metal and semiconductors in their pocket actually is!
When I start working with folks around enhancing their planning and time management efficacy, my typical recommendations are quite straightforward:
Identify and prioritize important tasks.
Block out time in the calendar (even if it is a paper one).
Give extra time (more than you think it takes) for the task as well as in between tasks.
Trouble-shoot and refine the system.
The heavy lifting here is not so much the aforementioned instructions. In fact, most people already kind of know that these steps will help. It becomes more about when to take these steps. But, while I won’t get into the coaching aspects of how I help people with ADHD enhance their executive functioning, When is exactly what I want to discuss here.
You see, up until recently, iOS users had their calendar for scheduling, and then they had their reminders app. Using a reminders app is another great utility to help not lose sight of things that are important, but not urgent enough that they need to be done now. …The proverbial “string around the finger.” Because sometimes there is a general timeframe that you need to get something done by, but it doesn’t warrant a block of time on your schedule, Apple even went so far as to add a due-date and time - so the app can alert you that it is time to take the garbage out, or to go vote. The problem there was that the reminder would pop up, and most people would dismiss it because they are in the middle of something else, and there is no lasting visual signal, leading to a long list of forgotten reminders.
Enter, the Scheduled Reminder!
So, now if you want to remember go to the bank, or to go to the grocery store, you can add the reminder and the time-frame, and then it automatically shows up so you can see it whenever you look at your agenda for the day. This helps to remember to do these things by a certain time without having to take the extra step of looking as a separate app. The calendar app thus serves as a visual reference point to help know when to do what, with the little red line showing me “when you are” in the day. I will get into prospective memory another time.
Personally, this has helped me balance my duties as a dad and husband with those of my private practice. In the example above (see image) I was reminded to turn off a fan to save electricity, and later reminded to get some office supplies on my commute home. Last week it was useful to get a reminder to do some banking tasks before my first appointment of the day, and to see that I had to call back my doctor after my last appointment. When coordinating with my wife about transporting our kids to or from their afterschool activities, I have been grateful to see the reminder in the calendar rather than having to look on a separate list.
Now, I have started doubling down on my recommendation to use whatever technology available, especially if you are wanting to help yourself with time management and are an iOS user. Remember that any scheduler or calendar is only as good as how often you look at it. You just need to practice developing the habit of using it as a guide or digital assistant that is there to help you remember all those things you need to do in your various roles.
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