Cindy Baker
Do long-term plans and goals make you feel so overwhelmed that you get frozen and end up doing nothing? Even very small tweaks in your habits can have a huge impact on your success. Living with ADHD can be hard sometimes but small steps, linked together, eventually set you on a path to success.
Consistent actions compounded over time = life transformation. Think about that. The choices you make every single day contribute to who you become in life. And it goes both ways. If I drink a bottle of wine every evening will that change my life? Yes. There will be long term consequences. What about you? Will watching that show that you watch every single day change your life? Yes. For good or bad.
What about good choices? What if I start my morning every single day by writing down 10 things I am grateful for? Will that change my life? Yes. If I do that every day for a year it will create a positive mindset that will help me overcome many obstacles in life.
Here are some suggestions for small new habits to begin:
- Change the way you talk to yourself. Practice a growth mindset. Instead of saying, “I can’t, say “I can’t yet,” or “I’m learning to.” So instead of saying, “I can’t be on time,” say “I can’t be on time yet.” Start getting used to the idea that you will improve. It’s a subtle change, but doing this gives you hope for the future and with a new mindset you will find that things get easier to do.
- Tell yourself to slow down several times a day. Moving more slowly enhances mindfulness and helps you simplify routines and tasks.
- Eliminate clutter one square foot at a time. Get rid of unwanted things as you notice them instead of letting stuff turn into a clutter-clearing project.
4. Avoid putting things off. Here’s a new rule for you: If you can do something in less than two minutes, do it NOW. Avoid delay.
- Shorten your to-do list. Instead of thinking that you need to do everything, pick the three most important things for the day.
- Put your bills on auto-pay. You don’t want to get your lights turned off because you forgot to pay the bill!
- Say yes to life. Be a participant, not a spectator. Try something new. Stand up for what you believe in, dance like no one is watching, sink karaoke, run a marathon even if they are picking up cones when you are still out there. Get off the sidelines and in the game!
- Pick one new house chore to focus on daily – make the bed, wash a dish after you use it, or put the dirty clothes in the hamper.
- Pick three simple breakfasts you can make super quickly and rotate through them. Make sure each one has protein to kickstart your brain.
- Each time you write an appointment in your calendar, think about any tasks that you need to do to prepare for the appointment and write those down too. Write down the address and phone for where your appointment is.
- Each morning list ten things you are grateful for. I’ve started doing this every day, and I have noticed a huge difference in my outlook on life. Little things don’t bother me as much anymore. I don’t take blessings for granted. I’ve noticed that I feel more hopeful and positive.
12. Make a place for your keys and put them there every day, so you will never forget them.