If you have ADHD and can't/don't take medication, what helps?

[MsRosewater]

I have a new diagnosis of ADHD. It explains a lot for me!

It's going to be about 7 months until I can start treatment but I'm really struggling to function at the moment. It's a particular issue at work where I'm perpetually missing deadlines, unable to initiate things through inertia/ procrastination and not being able to concentrate in ( interminable) team's meeting so missing things .

I'm in a new , senior NHS role and the sole breadwinner so not a lot of room to manoeuvre there but keen to know how others manage....,

Thanks

Kanban
Declutter
Use a diary for everything
Meal plan
Encourage independence in kids
Get partner to do fair share (this is a fiction in my life)
You need a wife….
There is a smart but scattered book that may help.

Use Pomodoro method
Ask a friend to keep you virtual company if you are working at home or do an office share.

Lists, a supportive partner who is understanding of how your brain works, routines, daily exercise and a fuckload of coffee.

Exercise.
Lots of sleep, my ADHD is significantly worse when I'm tired.
Exercise
Plenty of water, I'm worse when I'm dehydrated.
Exercise
Pomodoro method
Exercise
Work standing up increases constant small physical movements that meet the dopamine need.
Exercise.

Second exercise and I think that morning pages may help to start the day fresh.

Following for tips!

Pomodoro
Fidget toys in meetings (I knit, no one can see)

Qhats pomodoro?

I have me and have eaten myself huge so the exercise is difficult although I remember reading studies saying exercise is good. I wish I could do more...

OP I'm in basically the same situation as you (different job role but stakes just as high and no partner to support) so I'm watching with interest. I've contacted occupational health who have suggested some sort of workplace assessment thing (think it's specific to my workplace whatever it's called) and then Access to Work which is governmental. But OH were very contradictory as to whether access to work would be eligible for people who are officially diagnosed or not so I'm still waiting to confirm that (I'm still waiting for everything to be 'official'). However Access to Work can provide up to nine months of support including mentoring so worth looking up.

I listened to a Radio 4 interview (forgive me, can’t remember who it was) before Christmas and he used to go for a run, exercise before dealing with anything that required concentration.

It was more in depth than that and was a really interesting interview! Just wish I could remember who it was!

Watching with interest. I WFH and managed probably an hour of work today.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique

Sorry can't help but watching with interest.

For your interminable meetings task a team member with minuting and circulating the actions within 24 hours of meeting. Agree what tasks you will be taking forward in the minutes.

Do not pick up admin tasks to be useful. Delegate these so they don’t slow you down.

I use something called the Happiness Planner. Each night you write down six and only six tasks to complete the following day, as well as writing your schedule. Forcing myself to decide in advance what time I will do things helps make me actually do it somehow.

I work from the office as much as possible as that forces me to be productive.

For home organisation, Marie Kondo (to keep stuff to a minimum) and The Organised Mum Method (more lists!).

Exercise and more exercise.
Electronic planner, lists, teams reminders are god send in work, alexa to shout reminders, apple watch to set reminders.
Coffee can help.
Moving around while your on meetings. I have teams on my phone. Fidget toys for hands in meetings. I think you can record meetings in teams
I prefer a big visual diary and calendar on wall so i can see my days

Emailing yourself work items

In our house where everyone but me has ADD

ME! I scaffold them all, organise and plan
Fidget things, DH particularly likes his spinner ring which is unobtrusive

DD likes popping things, weighting things, tight clothes

DS steadfastly refuses to use anything

Energy drinks at times

All three use a second screen usually their phones propped up with either music videos or in DD’s case people talking sped up as a way to induce hyper focus. It’s something quite common in ADD apparently

Oh and big doses of meth for the dc, DH is unmedicated and sufferers badly due to this

Caffeine. Exercise.
Having a big diary (the circle planner) so I can see all of the days schedule and have space to scribble around it, so all my notes are in one place.
Also short to-do list of important stuff for today on top of the coffee machine so I see it first thing.
Knitting in meetings.
Body doubling - a colleague and I both wfh on zoom together, we set targets for what we’re going to achieve in that session.
White noise or coffee shop background noise playlists.

I also have a study skills tutor (I’m doing a PhD so uni provided one that’s funded by DSA).
There are specific ADHD coaches, I believe they can be funded by Access to Work or you could self fund.

Caffeine
Exercise

And this:

I use something called the Happiness Planner. Each night you write down six and only six tasks to complete the following day, as well as writing your schedule. Forcing myself to decide in advance what time I will do things helps make me actually do it somehow
I had no idea it is an actual thing.

The Happiness Planner sounds interesting but I think I’d fill the six tasks with household chores… put a wash on / hang it out / put dry clothes away / empty bins / order more milk / put vac round / cancel subscriptions / ring doctor / go to library sort of things!! That’s half the problem!

@Woffle

Watching with interest. I WFH and managed probably an hour of work today.

That has been me a LOT lately

So glad you started this thread, @MsRosewater. I'm awaiting an assessment and I'm really struggling. There are some good ideas on here!

Such a great thread idea.

I’m waiting for my assessment and this is so helpful