Productivity: Getting Things Done

One of the hardest things to do when you have ADHD is to prioritize. We all know what we “should be doing,” but actually doing it. Well, that’s another story. ADHD is a powerful tool when we utilize our creative brain on tasks that are interesting, engaging, or fun. That said, it’s difficult to transition between those engaging tasks and the ones that are detail oriented, tedious, and are just plain boring.

Through working with clients over the years and implementing various systems for my own business, I’ve seen that while everyone shares similar struggles with ADHD, not everyone’s learning styles are the same. Therefore, in my experience the best system for you is the one that works. By that I mean, it works well with your ADHD symptoms and is uniquely paired with your learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.).

For years, I’ve been trying to find the perfect system or app without finding any “Holy Grail” system. There are lots of different systems out there. Many are way to time consuming or confusing to use. I like technology myself. Truth be told, I’m a nerd when it come to technology, so I’m always on the search for more productive and streamlined ways of doing things. My mantra is “work smarter, not harder.” After searching the internet far and wide, and after trying out hundred of apps; I want to give you a list of some of the most useful ones that I’ve found.

This list is in no means comprehensive, so if you have other suggestions or apps please respond in the comments.

(Note About Reccomendations: I receive no commission and have no financial incentive/ties to any of the following products.)

Calendar/Scheduling Apps: Calendar 5

Keeping an online schedule can be very useful. Whether you are a student, parent, or working adult. I encourage students to plug in their syllabus or assignments directly into their online calendar (during the first week of classes). Then they have that with them, on their phone, and they don’t have to carry around bulky folders or crumpled up papers. Parents and other adults can use online calendars by creating multiple calendar labels, such as personal, work, and even one for your children’s activities.  Parents can set reminders and even share the calendar with their partner to coordinate events. Working adults can coordinate meetings and share their calendar with colleagues. Generally, I recommend color coding your calendars to keep it fun and visually appealing.

There are many options to choose from, but it comes down to personal preference. Many people use Google Calendar or iCal. I find that I like Calendar 5,’s interface a little better than the default apps for iCal or Google Calendar, you can sync Calendar 5, with any other calendar. I just like the clean look and functionality of this app.

Visual Mind Mapping Is Great for Visual Learners: MindNode:

Mind Node is a really great mind mapping app. If you have never heard of mind mapping, then let me explain. It’s a tool that lets you develop your ideas in a visual and colorful way. I’m a global thinker so I like to start with the big picture and then work down to the details. Mind mapping is useful if you like to plan your ideas in a non-linear fashion.
You can use it on your phone or there’s an app for your computer as well. It’s a great tool for visual learners to organize their ideas.
http://mindnode.en.softonic.com/mac
FYI – There are also other Mind Mapping options for Google Drive. Like MindMup, Luidchart, Mindmeister

Cloud Storage & Organization: Keeping Track of Your Links, Ideas, and Documents

I recommend: Evernote and DropBox. Alternatively Google Keep and

Evernote and DropBox are like peanut butter and jelly. When you use them together they create a winning combination. Evernote is great for organizing your ideas, taking notes, and clipping images/PDFs and even whole webpages. This is a great tool for the ADHD mind. Just clip the page and tell yourself- “I’ll tag this, file it away, and come back to it latter.” Our ADHD mind plays tricks on us, we have to try hard to not get sidetracked and Evernote can help you with productivity and organization. It allows you to keep track of your ideas in one place.
Dropbox (and other similar cloud file storage competitors) allows you to sync your files across multiple devices. Therefore you always have your documents with you and you don’t have to worry about backing things up (although it’s still a good idea) because it’s all stored in the cloud.

 To-Do Lists: New School & the Old School

Some people like hand written To-Do lists. Others prefer getting ride of the paper clutter and keeping it digital. Again this is a matter of preference, but I will say that research shows that when you physically write something down versus tying it onto a screen or device, you actually use different areas of the brain and triggers memory more effectively.
Here a couple examples of hand written worksheets you “Old Schoolers” out there:
The thing with To-Do lists is that they need to actually correspond with an online calendar or daily schedule to be effective. So, whatever app you choose try to pick one that syncs with your calendar or has reminders for your phone. There are built in tasks within Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.
Here are a few of the better apps out there:

Task/Project Management:

Trello can be used in teams or individually. Drop the lengthy email threads, out-of-date spreadsheets, no-longer-so-sticky notes, and clunky software for managing your projects and get Trello, the easy, free, and visual way to organize your important stuff. I particularly like the drag-and-drop functionality.
I love that Trello has the ability to sync with your Google Calendar (built in).There are many ways to use Trello, I suggest look up
YouTube videos for tutorials:

Have A Lot of Ideas, Need to Get Them On Paper Quickly: Try Speech to Text Dictation

Mac has a built in dictation functionality within Mavericks. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5449

Dragon Dictation is a good app for speech to text.

 

Tired of Doing Double Entry Into Two Systems? Or Wishing Two Applications Would Just Sync or Communicate Together? Meet Zappier

 Zappier. What’s Zappier do exactly? It uses the API between two systems to send and sync information securely. In layman’s terms, a zap connects to applications, databases, or services together and syncs them across platforms. They have hundreds of integrations. This tool is good for repetitive tasks. The basic version is free, but the upgrade costs around $15 per month and up.
For instance you can connect dropbox and evernote.
Have more suggestions? Please share in the comments below….