The Wild Inside Her

Here’s what I have learned about my ADHD mind – the moment I make a list is the moment I become overwhelmed.
Do I need the lists? Yes, absolutely. Because will I remember to do all the adulting things if I don’t? Absolutely not.
There is a time and place for lists. But what is the one list I do not make anymore?

A chore list.
When I make a chore list the following things happen:
1. I spend so much time making my list (because of course, I’m procrastinating and don’t want to do any of it) so I think of every little thing I can add to my list and? Now I don’t have time to actually do the chores.
2. My list now doesn’t just have the basics – do dishes, fold laundry, mop floor – oh no, it now has -clean the gutters, paint the bathroom, and fix the railing. (What a tailspin that became quickly, wow!) But it doesn’t end there, oh no…
3. My list is also broken down by rooms into a full page of smaller chores. Visually you can imagine how overwhelming this is now – and beyond the hot mess of the page itself is the looming time blindness that says I don’t have time to do all this so, obviously it will have to be another day. At least I got the list done, right? Not helpful.

I have tried finding chore lists online and everyone of them just seems like too much! It’s broken down into daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. And what if I didn’t do yesterday’s chores ? I can’t mark it off the list and then I feel disappointed and I keep looking at the empty box where a checkmark ‘should’ be and I am reminded that I have failed, again.

So, what do I do now? When my executive functioning is glitching and I just want to sit on the couch and do anything but clean?
I have a way of tricking myself into getting things done. Wherever I am at home, (yes probably sitting on the couch procrastinating and not wanting to move…) I look around the room and decide to move one thing. Just one.
There is no overwhelming ‘have to do‘ chore list. I’m just moving that one thing I think will look better somewhere else. It can be something already out of place or something that just needs a new home spot. Just something that would make a new and interesting visual.
There is something within the ADHD mind that loves new and exciting things, it motivates us in a way not many other things can. Rearranging things in your space is fun and stirs your innate creative thinking. Creating a visually new environment with what you already have gets you cleaning without even knowing it. So tricky!

Sometimes when I know I need to spend time cleaning I fake myself out but insisting I must do something I don’t want to do like reply to that email, make a phone call or write when I’m not inspired. Even if that is not a necessity right now, I tell myself it is. Because distracting ourselves with something more fun than the dreaded task is kinda our thing, right?
It doesn’t even matter what you start with just make sure it’s interesting to you first. Perhaps give it a try? Sitting where you are right now.. visualize moving one thing you see. Don’t go anywhere yet, just get your mind thinking creatively….

If you move it?

Where will you move it to?

Where will you move the thing currently in the new spot?

What will you put in its old place?

What could you add to it to make it look like a new and interesting space?

You know that once your mind gets thinking of that brilliant redecorating idea you won’t be able to stop yourself from getting up and doing it, you will rise up like the creative warrior you are and move that thing before you forget such an awesome thought – and then? Let the rest do its work, the snowball effect is real. And our notorious ADHD sidetrack style of thinking comes in pretty handy here!

Hmm… that plant is getting too big for that spot, it would go nicely over on that shelf…

I’ll have to move those books though…

What if I take this book sitting on the table and those and create a little stack of books, like a decorative centerpiece, I could put that candle over there on top…that would look good!

(Now up you go! Before you forget what you were thinking!)

I will move these drink glasses to the sink so I can make space for my new coffee table arrangement… Aww it does look cute!

There’s an empty space where the candle was, let’s move these notebooks and pens there… Hmm I can see this shelf is pretty dusty now that the candle is moved, I’ll quickly dust that so the notebook doesn’t get dirty.

Well, now that I have the cloth I’ll just more a few things dust the rest of the shelf here…. aww I love this picture, I never see it over here, I’ll move by the fireplace…

Ooooo, ya that definitely needs dusting too, yikes, wipe, wipe.

Oh, let’s put this there and that over there…

Hmm I’ll put those in the basket, and this can go in the closet…

I’ll sweep out this closet and move those, then this can fit in there…

oh and I’ll sweep here quickly because I already have the broom… and under here, and definitely there.

As you can see… Before you know it you’re on a roll tidying and organizing and feeling like Marie Kondo! The dopamine is flowing, the good vibes are vibing, by now your favorite playlist is jammin’ and you’re on a mission to create a beautiful new living space. Whose got time for ‘cleaning’ when you’re creatively ‘redecorating’?

Keeping up with mundane tasks like chores doesn’t start with a list for ADHDers. We thrive with interesting and creative tasks, so when we change our perspective and work with our mindset, not against it, we are much more productive. Chances are you’ll have your whole space tidy faster than any typical would too! We do tend to accomplish much more in a short amount of time once we get going!

It starts with visualizing moving one thing. It’s not overwhelming, it’s not a long list of ‘to dos’, it’s moving one item you can see right now to a more fun and interesting place. You got this… Just one thing.