Soon I will be moving to a place with a really bad internet, I dread it but I need to get some important things done in real life for my project. I can adapt. But now I am feeling the deadline intensely as I hurry to finish some web tasks. For those who tend to be impulsive and have a hard time paying attention, and I think the ugly label for that is ADHD, time management can be a big challenge.
At the moment, I am the Supergirl that I need to be - content writer, developer, marketing, researcher, and graphics designer. And hopefully, someday, I don't have to do everything anymore. But if you are just starting and making your idea slowly come to life, you have to be the superhero. You work longer periods and do different tasks without pay. And you will not probably do that if you are working for someone else. You should know everything and the power is yours. Work hard now and reap the rewards later. And of course, I am not expecting such a big reward yet nor a completely flawless business. I know the challenges that might come up and I'm mentally preparing myself for anything. But the journey itself or the things I learn along the way are just as important as the achievement or destination. Anything worthwhile takes time.
I want to make the most of my ADHD superpowers to my advantage. Sorry, I'm working, cat. Sorry, I'm not hungry, stomach. Sorry, I'm busy, people. Please just let me focus and get this first task done, and the other one, and the next one too... and now I'm getting crazy again. It's just hard to focus on one thing. I often find myself distracted until time is wasted.
For those who can relate, there's still hope. There are some ways to minimize the challenges and prioritize goals. Here are some of the things that I do in order to get things done in a timely manner and be productive.
1. Plan
These days I must say that I have become very good at planning that I get stuck in the process. I have learned to see beyond the moment or anticipate every possible problem, which is a good thing. But the downside is that I tend to overanalyze things and feel stressed. Now I just make realistic plans to simply organize my daily life. Even though I am free to use my time however I want, everything cannot be just based on my mood. There has to be some discipline. This is the only time I appreciate routine because it forces me to work and follow a plan. But I don't necessarily have to pressure myself to take giant steps. Every little thing that I do should still help me accomplish bigger goals.
2. Have a planning system
I have recently learned to write down the things that I need to do and my major goals. It does not only serve as a reminder but also helps in making everything I need clear and specific. I also use Google calendar just so I have a deadline as to when I'm supposed to finish a task or accomplish a goal. Then I break down those tasks into manageable or achievable parts. The more time I spend in planning a project, the less time is required for it. I think a planning system is a solution to this so-called attention deficit challenges.
3. Concentrate
This is the hardest part and the actual problem for me. I have to make sure that my environment or working space is free of distraction, or that my email or messenger are closed. It's not really the time spent on a task that counts but the amount of uninterrupted time.
4. Take breaks
This is very important as I cannot just be working all the time no matter how much I love to be in front of my computer. Working for long periods of time can decrease energy and increase tension and stress. I just feel suffocated at the end of the day, that I need to go outdoors and breathe some fresh air. Everyday I get on my bicycle to cycle and catch the fiery sky. Changing from a mental task to a physical task and back can reduce stress and increase efficiency. It's also good for your health.
5. Avoid perfectionism
This is just one of my many issues. I just simply cannot move on if everything is not done according to details or to my taste. Everything has to be perfect otherwise I will go mental again. It's a problem because it means I waste precious time on something instead of moving on and settling on 'what's good enough' for now. I learned that there's a difference between striving for excellence and just striving for perfection.
6. Delegate the tasks
This is something that I have recently done since there are more important things that I need to prioritize. I learned to outsource some tasks that might take me a long time to do. And yeah, of course, I have to spend money for it. It's just another investment. But I don't mind because time is precious. The most important thing is that I am moving on and making some progress. Everything little thing counts.