Executive functioning 101: A tried and true hack for neurodivergents

If you have a hard time keeping up with appointments and other responsibilities, or remembering to do important recurring tasks (like taking vitamins, taking showers, doing laundry, etc)... you might have executive dysfunction (common in autism/ADHD). 

So let's break it down... 

Remembering to do important things is a struggle for a lot of people, and by far, the most common suggestion is "hey, have you ever tried using a planner?" Uhhh, yes, I have. And putting things in a planner requires the same exact type of executive functioning as the stuff I'm struggling with in the first place.   

So, here's a suggestion that I hope you find *actually* helpful. It's tried and true (by me  ) and is how I manage to get by in life in so many areas...

If there is an important recurring activity that you struggle with doing, let's say taking your vitamins or medication... attach that activity to something you do at the same exact cadence every single week **but don't struggle to remember doing.** 

Then put a VISUAL REMINDER somewhere in your space. For example, I put my vitamin container ON MY DESK, so I see it first thing every single morning. 

Here's another example. We have our laundry cadence set up weekly. We move clean buckets of clothes into the folding area throughout the week, and every Saturday morning, just after breakfast, we sort and put away the clothes as a family. 

Ok, but let's say you need to do something twice a week, but don't have something else you do twice a week. Attach the activity to two separate *but similar* weekly activities. 

Btw, planners *can* actually be helpful *if* you find strategies that help you use them. This hack can work for using a planner as well.