Adult ADD Strengths

One of the advantages of coaching adults with ADHD, is that you often have some pretty creative clients. One client had trouble organizing themselves while they were out of the house and generally preferred using the computer to help her manage time.

Being a Mac person (sold them for 7 years) and knowing that she didn’t want a cell phone (so no iphone) I suggested she consider getting an ipod touch because ease of use and intuitiveness were important considerations. Also I asked if she usually lost her ipod, because the ipod touch is amazing, but kind of expensive, and that wasn’t a problem for her. She got an ipod touch it worked great for her. Here’s her review of it from the usefulness for an ADD time management perspective.

I highly recommend the iPod Touch (or iphone) for someone with or without ADD, (but especially for someone with ADD)! It’s a large purchase, no doubt, and you’re going to need a computer to sync it with. I’m not a big fan of buying things new or supporting large corporations. BUT, money and politics aside, if you’re looking for something that can assist you, and you don’t have a habit of losing things like phones or agendas, I think it’s a terrific buy.

As someone with ADD, I have trouble with time management, remembering things when I’m on the go, sticking with routines, reading the paper, (too complicated!), etc. Now that I use the iPod Touch, all of this is so much easier!

iCal, which is a simple calendar software, comes with the iPod touch. I like things to be visual, so I like that it draws in blocks of time for each event I have scheduled. When I’m at home, I can schedule something in on my computer and then sink it with my iPod. When I’m out, I can schedule on my iPod, using the keypad, and then sink it with my computer when I get home. I set an alarm for each event, so my iPod beeps at me and I’m never late.

Another amazing thing about using the iPod Touch is that I can sink Free Podcasts onto it. I can hear a summary of the news, be guided through a 20 minute Yoga session and through my exercise workouts, listen to spiritual teachers…

The iPod Touch also has WiFi, so I can set it up to get my email anywhere there’s a wireless Internet signal. Personally, I much prefer this to having a phone, but that’s just me. This is especially helpful if you use I Want Sandy for reminders.

I can write notes to myself, so if I’m out and I suddenly remember something, I can write it down without having to fumble for a pen.

Address Book comes with it too, so I can sync my contacts with my computer. I don’t search for phone numbers anymore!

And, of course, it’s an MP3 player, so I bring it jogging with me. I’m a musician and I’m always transporting music. It’s so much more practical on something like this, than with a USB stick.

It has lots of other features, but the ones I mentioned are my favorites. There are also maps, a timer/stopwatch, web browsers, games, photos, stocks, videos, etc.

It’s my very own Personal ADD Assistant.

There’s no one magic time management solution for adults with ADHD, some prefer paper, some prefer electronic and it’s best to get something that works for your particular brain wiring.

If you use a portable electronic organizer to help you manage your time, which one do you use and how useful is it for you?