How Can Students with ADHD Learn to Manage Their Time More Effectively?

There are 1440 minutes in every day. It may seem like a lot when we write it like that, but they soon fly by and how well we use them matters a great deal when we have a lot to do. Losing sight of the minutes can easily add up to hours wasted.

Using the Habit Change programme* with those just about to go to university has taught me a lot about how vital task, and time, management really is compared to how we often feel they ought to be.  

One student with ADHD told me he had spent three full days on a coursework assignment and was delighted with the outcome. However, despite his efforts to study and push through his difficulties with focus and inattention, he still could not hand the assignment in on time. He reported that having finished, he felt that he could fully relax. He was so relaxed that he forgot to read and act on the most critical aspect: the submission date! 

Planning the day before  

All students with ADHD, I have worked with using The 12 Week Habit Change programme*, have benefitted from planning the day ahead. They all say they feel a real load has been taken off their shoulders when they take out their diary and decide to plan their day of study the night before - going to sleep knowing what you hope to achieve in a day is a good feeling. If students couple these intentions with character affirmations like 'I am the sort of student that works to the best of my ability,' or 'I am the sort of student that keeps to the task,' they feel more able to return to task when they stray from the topic outlined in the plan.  

Why can't students keep on task? 

The usual mindset for most students is to complete homework at some point in the day, and everything will be okay. It seems fine in theory, but in practice?  

Those with poor time awareness do not realise that time has flown by, and it is already much later than they’d thought. It’s challenging to judge time when you are not accustomed to routinely checking-in on these things. 

It can also be very tiresome for them to track what time the task started, and the duration lapsed.  

This method also cuts out procrastination: the student has written time-wasting out of the script for the day, and all that is left is to keep focused and keep to what has been pre-planned. 

Taking the load off 

Having tried various methods over the years, I have found that the one thing that works best, is allocating time for pretty much everything you need to do in a day. For example, write the time for breakfast, the time for work, and your break times. This means you have a script to follow which is a real winning formula and very easy to do.  

This method also cuts out procrastination: the student has written time-wasting out of the script for the day, and all that is left is to keep focused and keep to what has been pre-planned.

The best thing about planning the day ahead? 

This might seem strange at first glance, but the best outcome of planning your day the night before is thinking about the tasks as you sleep. This may not seem like something productive, but I have found that it is actually incredibly effective for those with ADHD. It’s like programming yourself for success because the information has gone into your subconscious mind.

It’s for good reason we say that it’s better to sleep on things, and that we always think more clearly about a problem after a good night’s sleep.  

It certainly seems to work, and most students gain a good insight into the duration of how long tasks take, and when they can estimate the duration of a task, they have mastery of their time. This may seem a long-winded approach to some, but in cases of ADHD, it seems to be sense that very much needs to be nurtured. 

We have 1440 minutes each day. Being accountable for where those minutes go can really help productivity, but if you, or your child, are struggling with this more than normal, it could be well worth us having a chat. Perhaps I can help!  

*Want to know about the Habit Change Program?  Please get in touch.

Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? ADHD? ASD? Speech & Language? Developmental Delay? Anxiety?

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