I’m highly productive but there are some who have more organized and clean homes than me but my husband and I both work full time demanding jobs and have three kids, with two in travel sports. So I think we do pretty well. Here are my methods:

- listmaking, focusing on both longer term goals and also on “what’s the 2-3 key things I need to do today?” Prioritization of tasks
- self-reflection and knowing myself. I spend hours every week looking inward/journaling and even praying (weird bc I’m not that religious) to stay on track with my priorities and not so much being productive but trying to live a life that I’m proud of
- recognize the perfect is the enemy of the good. Trying to not avoid tasks because they’re intimidating. Progress is progress - even if that means making mistakes and having setbacks
- knowing that my most productive hours are in the morning; using that time for the hardest tasks and making every morning productive. I shut down at night mentally and watch tv, do mindless chores like folding laundry, driving kids places, and allow myself to watch tv or read
- use dead time wisely, I use my time walking my dog to talk to my loved ones on the phone or do my weekly therapy sessions or to even read on my kindle
- choose friends wisely. I try to avoid anyone who makes me feel bad, less than, and minimize contact with those people
- outsource what you can, like a weekly cleaning service and yard service
- I do intermittent fasting to avoid stress eating and winding up in a food coma. Lately I’ve reduced drinking in part to avoid disrupting sleep.
- do whatever you can online - shopping, zoom sessions for what you can, working out with home-based systems like peloton instead of leaving the house
- recognize that rest is productive. Allow yourself to rest
- consider long term life goals and priorities (such as family based goals such as having a strong relationship with your kids and financial goals) and the break down concrete steps to get there (such as family meals at least 5 times a week)


I’m still a big work in progress and still have a long ways to go, but above is what I’ve learned so far

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who are high energy/high productivity, how much TV do you watch?

I don't watch tv.

Anonymous wrote:Some people have more energy. But I also find the people who get a lot done in their personal life are really, really good at minimizing the actual amount of work they do at work. They overstate how much they help, come in late, leave early, and use company time for personal things.

This! When I’m very productive personally it’s because work isn’t busy. I’m very good at my job but how productive I am in other areas is dependent on how things are at work.

I have ADHD and have a ton of energy, always have, even into my declining years.

The problem is that I am not a multitasker and have never been. I need the pressure of a deadline or big event to get things done: novelty, crisis, or preventing or solving big problems.

Think of an ER doctor rather than a family physician. I don't have what it takes to follow a patient and track their health, year in and year out, rather send me a freak accident where a guy has a pole through his head. I'll remove the poll, patch him up, and tell him to follow up with his physician in a day or two.

Anything that might make another person freeze with stress and anxiety gets me going and puts me into action and planning mode. Although plans are loose and usually last minute.

Most things related to the home front, which require advanced planning, multiple small details, etc., make me want to check out. I'd rather read a book, go for a walk, or watch a movie.

I always joke that I am a man trapped inside of a woman's body and or that I need a wife, not a husband—someone who can handle all of life's tedious but necessary details. I can keep the wheels from falling off for a time, but not for a lifetime.

I have a sibling who is the opposite; he checks out when things get uncertain or there isn't time to prepare but is excellent at getting things done on the homefront. I call them when I need help and marvel at their ability to get things done, kitchen renos, going on a 6-hour shopping trip, store to store, methodically buying all the supplies needed to set up a nursery, hang some curtains, paint a room, etc., and then having enough energy left over to set up the nursery, make lunch and hang the curtains afterward.

But I'm the one who can take all of the nieces and nephews to an amusement park, stay on my feet from park opening till park closing, good-naturedly ride all of the roller coasters, buy the cotton candy, pizza, and bottomless lemonades with a smile on my face, and some Pepto, and sunscreen in my fanny pack. And then drive 2 hours to the beach that night. Get up early the next day, make the sandwiches, buy the chips, fruit, cookies, and drinks, fill the cooler, set up the chairs, towels, toys, etc., and spend the day jumping waves, then dinner, boardwalk and the amusement park.

At work, I can work 15-hour days, back to back to back, and get it done with little to no sleep. When things get slow, I slack off and find it hard to do anything.

At home, I forget routine doctor's appointments for myself and my family. My house is messy, and I hate cooking dinner every day, even though the fridge is full of groceries. So, I spend a fortune on Doordash and throw a lot of perishables out. The intention is there, but the follow-through is weak.

It's ADHD, and meds help a bit, but not enough to turn this squiggle into something that operates smoothly in a linear world.

I've learned to simplify those parts of my life. I don't worry about pictures on the walls, windows that need to be replaced, or the pile of books that need to be sorted and donated. Is the roof solid? Are the electrical and plumbing issues, such as termites, taken care of? Get to the dentist every six months, pay the missed appt. fees, and reschedule the docs. Those are the biggies to stay on top of.

When I get sick of it, I take a few days off of work and go into action mode when I can be alone in the house. The house is cleaned, and a nice dinner is made, but a week later, it's chaos again.

I have no advice other than to learn to embrace and celebrate what you do well, lower your expectations for the things that really don't matter, simplify, simplify, and enlist or pay for the help of others where needed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I’ve long suspected I have ADHD but even getting a diagnosis seems so overwhelming. How do I get out of this paralysis?

Ha, OP... I read the title of this thread and thought "They have the opposite of ADHD"!

I finally got diagnosed, and got medication, and it's been so awesome. I remember before medication - I could basically do ONE thing on each weekend day. If I went grocery shopping, I really didn't have energy to do another thing that day. I admired my friends who could do something in the morning, then squeeze in something at 2, then do something else, PLUS do some chores, and THEN go out to the theater or whatever.

Now, doing one thing just doesn't wear me out.

Gosh - even small jobs like cleaning and setting up the coffee pot the night before, were too hard for me to do.

Yup, stimulants will do that for anyone, ADHD or not.

OP, have you considered cocaine?

Which is why everyone is trying to get diagnosed with ADHD and why there’s a shortage of ADHD stimulants.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write a daily to do list and break it into realistic, concrete chunks. So no “declutter the house” but instead, “organize kitchen pantry” or “clean out the linen closet” or whatever. This helps me quite a bit, but I get motivated by crossing things off my list, I know not everyone does.

+1

This is what I do also. Really helps.

I break it down even further by writing my "To-Do" list in time chunks. If a task is boring or distasteful, I set a timer for 15 minutes and get as much done as possible, and then switch to something that I like for the next 30-60 minutes, then repeat. I get a ton of things done by motivating myself this way.

I make lists.

I put a estimate on how much time some of them will take.

15 minutes, 1/2 a day, etc

I do 1 thing that is <20 minutes 3 work nights.

On the weekend I just decide which things i really need to and do them. When I'm done I don't do any more. Otherwise it's an endless chore.

somethings stay on the list forever and I think I guess I don't really care that much.

My energy has been dwindling over the years and I’ve found that Vit D, Vit B complex, and iron (blood builder) help a lot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have ADHD. You are my husband. So many projects he wants to do. Now that he's medicated he is starting to get to them. Slowly.

Why is everybody’s first reaction on most any issue on DCUM is either you have ADHD or need therapy?

I’m sure all of the posts asking “why do I get so much done and why am I so organized?” Don’t get as many ADHD suggestions.

Cocaine, or normies stealing their kids' adderall

I guess I’m somewhere in between. I used to do to too much - constantly, career, kids, it was a lot. Now my childcare is minimal, and I have an easy job and I am bored to tears. I wish I could find a more fulfilling (time wise) position. Kids don’t need me much these days.

Dedication - you want to do it and love it
Time Management - time box, don’t waste time
Organization - you have to know what you are doing and get help or delegate

Better executive functioning skills

People who are better at getting stuff done know what to focus on. For me, my focus right now is work and family. It means I have to do less socialising and less volunteering. This may change but I focus my efforts accordingly. I don’t volunteer at my children’s schools for example but make sure I attend anything they are involved in. My sister however loves volunteering and will do that over family stuff. I don’t judge her as that is her choice to make.

Some people have more energy. But I also find the people who get a lot done in their personal life are really, really good at minimizing the actual amount of work they do at work. They overstate how much they help, come in late, leave early, and use company time for personal things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I’ve long suspected I have ADHD but even getting a diagnosis seems so overwhelming. How do I get out of this paralysis?

Ha, OP... I read the title of this thread and thought "They have the opposite of ADHD"!

I finally got diagnosed, and got medication, and it's been so awesome. I remember before medication - I could basically do ONE thing on each weekend day. If I went grocery shopping, I really didn't have energy to do another thing that day. I admired my friends who could do something in the morning, then squeeze in something at 2, then do something else, PLUS do some chores, and THEN go out to the theater or whatever.

Now, doing one thing just doesn't wear me out.

Gosh - even small jobs like cleaning and setting up the coffee pot the night before, were too hard for me to do.

Yup, stimulants will do that for anyone, ADHD or not.

OP, have you considered cocaine?