How Not to Lose Things
Most ADHDers have a challenge when it comes to losing things. Our brains are focusing on something interesting, and we simply forget to pay attention to where things are – That’s boring!! BUT, losing things can really make you feel stupid and out of control, much less cause a lot of hassles in your life. Here are a few tips that, we have found from experience, are “Tried and True”.
Put your hand out and look at your palm….. I’m going to give you 5 things to help you always have what you need in that hand – one for each finger.
1) Remember, EVERYONE LOSES THINGS from time to time – it’s a normal part of being in a busy world! You don’t have to beat yourself up! Tell yourself that, you can get really good at being a finder!! Turn this negative trait into positive expertise!!!
2) Try to create LOCATION STRUCTURE. Structure the location of your “stuff” by always putting your keys in the same place, always putting your glasses in the same place, always putting your wallet in the same place, etc. Organize your world so that there is a place for everything and everything in its place.
This may take some initial organization on your part, but once you get things organized, it only takes 3 seconds of focus to make sure you PUT things back in their place each time you use them.
Another important trick here is to make a habit of stopping to FOCUS for 3 seconds on where you are putting something down. For example;
“I’m looking at my hand put my cell phone on top of the book by my chair”
“I’m feeling the keys in the pocket of my red coat”
3) PLAN AHEAD – Take a few minutes each evening and each morning to PAUSE and locate or organize the things that you need the next day. We call this a “launching pad”.
4) CHECK YOURSELF – before you leave in the morning, to make sure you have what you need on you……..before you lock the car, before you walk into the meeting, before you leave the store.
5) WHEN you lose things – because you will – DON’T PANIC – try the three “R’s”
REASSURE yourself. Repeat “I will find it! It is somewhere waiting for me! “
RETRACE your steps. Go back and relive what you were doing the last time you had the lost item. Relive the thoughts, feelings, sights, sounds etc.
RELAX! Remember, the logic part of your brain shuts down when you are anxious or overwhelmed. Stop and take a break to just think and reassure yourself that it is not the end of the world. Stopping for awhile may actually help you find it faster.
OK, Now look at you hand again, – Five fingers – Five rules!
1) Every one loses things- don’t beat yourself up.
2) Create location structure in your life.
3) PAUSE – to plan ahead each night and each morning.
4) PAUSE – to check yourself before you leave.
5) Use the three “R’s” when searching REASSURE, RETRACE & RELAX
Then, you will always have everything you need right there in that hand!