{"id":12116,"date":"2020-12-02T05:56:46","date_gmt":"2020-12-02T05:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marlacummins.com\/stage2026\/?p=12116"},"modified":"2024-02-21T17:39:38","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T22:39:38","slug":"adhd-wasting-time-5-fixes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marlacummins.com\/stage2026\/adhd-wasting-time-5-fixes\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 2 – Frustrated by Wasting Time? Here Are 7 Fixes You Can Use Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

(<\/strong>originally published Jun 23, 2017, updated December 2, 2020)<\/p>\n

Once you’ve decided what’s essential to you, and you have a task list that reflects this (per my previous post), it’s time to execute<\/strong>. And to do this you’ll need to use ADHD time management tactics<\/strong> to decide when to work on your various tasks. Because you know just having a list of essential tasks is not a guarantee that you’ll follow through, right?<\/p>\n

Especially since, as is common for ADHD adults, you may often default to your sense of urgency to decide what to work on at any given moment. If this is the case for you now, even with a well-curated task list, you\u2019ll likely continue to feel stressed and overwhelmed. Unless you break this urgency cycle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To do this you’ll need to upgrade<\/strong> your skills, be with<\/strong> the discomfort of operating differently, and trust <\/strong>that slowing down will help you do more of what is important to you. Are you ready to learn<\/strong> how to use your time to be productive and feel more grounded<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

#1 Using the Important-Urgent Matrix as a Guide<\/h2>\n

The first step to break free of over-relying on your sense of urgency for motivation <\/strong>is to learn which \u201clow-return\u201d activities are contributing to your urgency cycle <\/strong>and which activities can help you escape this cycle<\/strong> by using the Urgent-Important Matrix<\/a>. If you’re not sure how you are using your time, rather than guessing, keep a log for 3 days<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Once you know how you spend your time, you may choose to use it differently. For example, you may want to learn how to minimize your distractions \u2014 Q4 activities<\/strong>. You may also decide to upgrade your skills to better manage interruptions<\/a>, set boundaries<\/a>, and say no graciously<\/a> to better manage your Q3 activities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then you will have more time <\/strong>to incorporate the Q2 activities <\/strong>that will help you do more of your important work. No doubt, fitting these activities into your schedule will be hard. But, with patience and self-compassion, you can do it.<\/p>\n

Of course, you don’t always have complete control over your schedule<\/strong>. There will always be some Q1 <\/strong>last-minute emergencies, time-driven deadlines, requests from your boss, etc. you can\u2019t anticipate. So, you’ll want to leave enough buffer in your schedule to account for these.<\/p>\n

But you also have some agency in minimizing your Q1 activities. As some of these are the result of not doing the Q2 activities that are seldomly urgent but would help minimize some Q1 activities, like:<\/p>\n