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Like my ex therapist. “Just make lists and read them to remember” That would involve me remembering to 1- make the list 2- read it at the right time 3- act upon it, yeah go lock with that.
- Remember to write down the tasks.
- Find a way to stay organised with a large number of tasks.
- Remember you have tasks and there is a list around here somewhere...
- I’ll check my list after I’m done with this thing…
- … you look up and the sun is set, you forgot to eat lunch.
- oh hey there's that list on the kitchen counter!
OK, but I'm ADHD as fuck and keeping a journal/lists of what I want to do and need to get done and what I did do that day has really helped me out a lot in the last few years.
I use something like the Bullet journal method she talks about here. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jkZEEQG6IVE
Modified for how much of a slacker I am at filling it out. Because this way its an organization structure but its a voluntary one that I made and can change myself which I find to be a big thing. Because I need some kind of structure and organization but if its forced externally or I can't change it to suit my current needs than I will just rebel against it and hate it.
And no I don't manage to fill it out every day but I don't pre fill the days so there isn this big chunk of blank spaces waiting to accuse me of not using the journal as often as I should. If I skip a week I just start on the next page anyways. The big thing was its a system to organize the lists otherwise you just end up with a doom pile of lists you made. Some of which might be really important.
The reason bullet journaling can work so well for ADHD/ExecDys types who take to it, is because bullet journaling is a structure of interlocking habits with an element of ritual to it, while "remember to look at the important list crumpled in my back pocket" is not.
Totally, I just wanted to make sure people aren't discounting all journalling because of a therapist suggesting it in a shitty way.
Absolutely. Bullet journal changes my life during the periods I'm able to keep up the habit.
The real issue here is the attitude of "just do X". Like making lists works for some people with ADHD but not all of them. You have to try it to find out. As a fucking therapist you'd think they would know that
Sounds like advice. I don't think my therapist gave me any advice unless I begged her and we did the whole CBT bit first.