The ADD Woman and The Day Planner Advantage

By: Michael Russell

The advent of the 21st century witnessed the emergence of ever increasing demands on the married woman's life. As if juggling homemaking and childcare are not enough, most women even have to deal with the problems and challenges associated with full-time employment. Thus said, being a woman in today's society can be a very intimidating task. If this is so, then what could the everyday life of an ADD woman be like?

Some women with ADD can fairly cope with their disorders until they become mothers. Being a wife and a mother, with all the functions it entails can be very challenging for an ADD woman. Some ADD women have the ability to compensate for their difficulties by exerting extra effort to counter their natural tendencies to be disorganized. However the majority of them simply wallow in self-pity, believing that they are a failure. If you are one of the women suffering from ADD, you definitely know what I mean. Here is a piece of good news for you - using a day planner can save the day!

A day planner can be one of the most essential tools you can have. Using it effectively can definitely help you cope up with your day-to-day mundane tasks.

How to Make the Most Out of Your Day Planner:

1. Make it a habit to take your day planner wherever you go. Think of your day planner as an extension of your brain. You need it to remind you of all the things you need to accomplish during the day. No more "Oh, I forgot!" woes for you!

2. Write everything you need to accomplish in your day planner. Write details of important schedules - visits to the dentist, your son's soccer game, your daughter's piano lessons, important school and business meetings - and everything else in between which needs your attention, in your day planner. Develop the habit of transferring these notes to your social or family calendar afterwards for a quick reference.

3. Learn to differentiate your "to-do" list from your daily action plan. A to-do list is a long list of action items that needs to be done at some specified date. You may want to further categorize your to-do list into business, family, personal and social matters. Your daily action plan, however, is the tasks that you need to accomplish today. The items that go in here are culled out from your to-do list and should be given time for completion.

4. Learn how to estimate the time required doing things. When you transfer items from your to-do list to your daily action plan, think of how long these tasks will take. This skill may take weeks or months for you to develop so don't worry if you don't get it quite right at the start.

During the first few weeks of using this system, estimate how long you think a specific errand will take. After completing the errand, write down how long it actually took you to do it. And don't forget to plan for contingencies! Sometimes, the unexpected happens! Through practice, you will definitely become a better time estimator.

5. Learn to resist impulses and distractions. It cannot be helped. You may find distractions as you go about your daily activities. You may be interested in the special sale discounts offered in a nearby shop or you chanced upon an old friend. Just remember that time is not flexible and the time you might be spending engaging in unplanned activities may negatively affect your schedule. Of course you have the right to change your plans! Your day planner merely serves as a reminder of the things you have set yourself to do.

6. Don't plan too much! Be realistic. Don't cram your day planner with tasks you could not possibly complete within the day.