Blog Post by Team Unmasked
Did you know that every member of the unmasked team is neurodivergent? Yes, that's right - we've all been diagnosed with either ADHD, Autism or Tourette's!
This can be amazing sometimes, especially with our neurodivergent superpowers of productivity, creativity and problem solving...
...but, it also means we can sometimes struggle with things like organisation and communication!
We've all been making a real effort over the past few months to focus on our organisation skills - so in this week's blog, we've decided to share our favourite tips and tricks we've discovered.
1. Write. Everything. Down.
Whether you use a notebook, a scrap of paper, or an app on your phone, we think it's really important to write down everything you need to do - no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.
Writing things down can help remind you what you need to accomplish, clears up headspace and organises your thoughts which can lead to improved focus and concentration.
Here at unmasked, we like to use to-do lists to write things down and manage our workload.
To-do lists can help you break down your projects into smaller, more manageable steps that can make them feel less overwhelming - whilst also decreasing the likelihood of forgetting important things you need to do.
Our digital executive Lewis has started writing down all his tasks and breaking it down into a to-do list with deadlines.
2. Use Visual Aids
Busy brains often respond well to visual aids, so we recommend using them wherever you can to help you process information.
Visual aids can be things like colour-coding your calendar, using post-it notes and creating mind maps - which can all be effective ways of keeping track of information and making connections between ideas. Putting all your goals and reminders onto vision boards can be a really useful method to help you stay motivated and focused on your goals.
Our founder Ellie uses her phone wallpaper as a vision board, which helps keep her reminded of what's important to her!
3. Set Reminders
Time management can be a really common problem for neurodivergent people, so setting reminders can be a great way of keeping on track.
You can set reminders using your phone's alarm, or a reminder app to alert you when it's time to start a task or attend an appointment.
Another effective method for organisation is using recurring reminders for things like taking medication or general housework. You know it needs to be done but with everything else going on, it soon becomes bottom of the list of priorities and you forget about it!
Our executive assistant Nao uses recurring reminders to help her remember mundane everyday tasks!
4. Establish Routines
Establishing routines can be a really helpful method for staying focused, and can help you stop wasting time trying to decide what you're going to do next!
Having a set schedule for tasks like waking up and having meals at the same time every day can be easy ways to help create structure and reduce the likelihood of forgetting things.
Time blocking can be a brilliant method for establishing routines and setting a schedule - using specific time blocks for certain tasks, activities, and responsibilities in a day.
Lewis uses time blocking to help manage his days - from waking up, having meals and getting work done!
5. Self-Care Is Crucial
Last but not least, make sure to look after yourself and recognise your needs as a neurodivergent person!
Simple things like making sure you get enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating the right foods and having enough time to relax will help improve your overall functioning and make it easier to stay organised.
Remember to be patient with yourself and celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem.
Ellie has started implementing rules like completing 15,000 steps per day and having one staycation per month to make sure she can look after her mind!
Great tips - how do you guys stick to these things though? I have tried making to-do lists, I set reminders on my phone for medication, I have tried having a routine but I just seem to be rubbish at sticking to these things & following through. Do you have any advice for how to make these sorts of things become habits or am I a total no-hope case? I do try to get organised - but having a 14 year old with ADHD, a 10 year old with ASD & a sassy 8 year old - as well as my own ADHD & ASD - it just all feels too complicated, too difficult and too much. I want to…
so so helpful, definitely needed to read this :)