Make the Wrong Stimuli Less Sticky

In this day of stimulation overload, all of us need to work harder to stay on track. Therefore, those of us who have a harder time filtering out tempting stimuli will stand out from the crowd. Those with ADHD will run into more trouble than most. Their distractibility, disorganization, forgetfulness and impulsivity will be more obvious since their the demands are so much greater.

So how do you get yourself unstuck from all those "wrong" stimuli? There are two basic ways:

Make the Wrong Stimuli Less Sticky

It's easier to be less distracted if there is less distracting you. So get rid of those distractions before they get you. Here are some examples:

• Turn off your phone and email alert when you really need to focus in and get some stuff done.
• Get rid of the clutter where you tend to lose more important things.
• When you have limited time, don't even start those activities that you tend to get lost in.
• Unsubscribe from those email alerts and newsletters that waste your time.

Make the Right Stimuli More Sticky

You're more likely to notice the right thing at the right time if you can make it stand out more. For example:

• Set an alarm to remind you of upcoming appointments or when it's time to start getting ready.
• Use bright colors to draw your eye to the things that you're supposed to pay attention to.
• Put important things in designated places (like right next to the door) to make it easier to see them and more likely that you will bring them with you.

Try to keep these two simple concepts in mind as you go through your day. We're not looking for perfection, just for a way to change the odds to make you more likely to do the right thing at the right time. When you find that you wandered off, take a second to reflect back on what happened. What can you learn from that experience? Is there anything you can do differently next time? Look for those lessons from past failures in order to create more successes in the future!