ADHD Time Management: The Alarm That Was Never Set and How It Impacts Daily Life
Sep 19, 2024
Mornings are always a bit of a gamble when you live with ADHD. Some days, ADHD time management works perfectly—I wake up early, get my workout in, and feel ready to take on the world. But other days, ADHD has different plans. One recent morning stands out, and I’m sure many ADHD parents will relate to the chaos that unfolded.
It started with the best intentions. I had a full day ahead—meetings, tasks, and even a few personal goals. The night before, I told myself, “You’ll get up early, crush the day, and maybe even have time for some mindfulness.” I set out my clothes, made a mental note of my first meeting, and felt proud of my preparation. But there was one crucial detail I forgot: actually setting my alarm.
Waking Up in a Panic
I woke up to the sun streaming through my window, a peaceful silence in the house, and a sinking feeling in my stomach. Something was off. I grabbed my phone and saw the time: two hours past the time I was supposed to wake up.
Panic set in immediately. How could I have forgotten to set my alarm? This wasn’t the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. In the world of ADHD, time management can feel like trying to hold onto sand—it slips away despite your best efforts.
The ADHD Brain and Time Blindness
Time blindness is a common issue for people with ADHD. It’s not just about forgetting to set an alarm; it’s about the difficulty in perceiving and managing time effectively. For someone like me, there’s a disconnect between the present and the future. I often get so caught up in what’s happening right now that I lose track of what needs to happen next.
That’s exactly what happened the night before. In my mind, I had set my alarm—I’d planned to wake up early and take on the day. But my ADHD brain, being focused on the “now” of the previous night, simply forgot the step of actually setting the alarm. It was another classic ADHD time management moment, one that I knew would lead to a stressful morning.
Managing the Fallout
Once I realized what had happened, my brain went into overdrive. I had to scramble to get dressed, skip breakfast, and rush through the rest of my morning routine. It wasn’t pretty, and it certainly wasn’t how I’d planned to start my day.
But as I sped through the motions, I reminded myself of something important: it wasn’t the end of the world. Sure, I’d messed up. Sure, my day was starting off late. But rather than letting this derail my entire day, I chose to reframe the situation.
The Power of Reappraisal in ADHD Time Management
Reappraisal is a tool I use regularly to manage my ADHD symptoms. It’s the practice of shifting your perspective on a situation to change its emotional impact. Instead of seeing the forgotten alarm as a disaster, I decided to see it as a learning moment.
“Okay,” I told myself, “this is an opportunity to work on your ADHD time management skills. What can you do to prevent this from happening again?”
This simple shift in mindset allowed me to let go of the frustration and focus on problem-solving instead. I realized I needed a more reliable system for setting my alarms—one that didn’t rely solely on my ADHD brain remembering every single detail.
Practical Solutions for ADHD Time Management
If your child struggles with ADHD time management, here are a few strategies that have worked for me:
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Multiple Alarms: Relying on just one alarm is risky when you have ADHD. Set multiple alarms at different intervals to ensure you’re reminded of important tasks or wake-up times.
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Visual Timers: ADHD brains respond well to visual cues. A visual timer that shows the passage of time can help your child better understand how much time is left for a task.
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Routine Building: ADHD thrives on routine, even though it often resists it. Building a consistent bedtime and wake-up routine can reduce the chances of forgetting important steps like setting alarms.
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External Cues: Use external reminders like sticky notes or phone reminders to help trigger your child’s memory for tasks that are easily forgotten.
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Accountability: If possible, involve someone else in your routine. Having a family member or friend remind you to set your alarm or check your schedule can help reinforce time management habits.
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Final Thoughts for Parents
Forgetting to set an alarm might seem like a small mistake, but for someone with ADHD, it’s part of a larger pattern of ADHD time management challenges. As a parent, it’s important to understand that these incidents aren’t intentional or a sign of carelessness. They’re simply a result of how the ADHD brain processes time.
By teaching your child tools like reappraisal and practical time management strategies, you can help them navigate these daily challenges with more ease. Instead of seeing forgotten alarms or missed deadlines as failures, encourage them to see these moments as opportunities to grow and learn. And most importantly, remind them that they’re not alone—ADHD is a lifelong journey, but with patience and understanding, it’s one that can be navigated successfully.
