All the Smart Technologies I Use to Manage My ADHD
When I was diagnosed with ADHD, I was thrilled to learn that there was a real reason why I was struggling with procrastination, especially around household chores. I have always had difficulty balancing work, home and hobbies, and it turns out that this is a classic symptom. Over the past five years, I’ve embraced technology as a way to stay on top of everything I need to do. In short, he became a rescuer (in the case of pets and plants, this is often literally).
Automate everything you can
When I started getting houseplants, I had a feeling that watering them regularly would be a challenge. Of course, at first I was very dedicated, but over time I could sit on the other side of the room, watching them thirst for water, without getting up and giving it to them. I then purchased several automatic watering systems and am very happy to report that they work well. I have a self-watering plant wall , but now I use LetPot automatic watering systems in several places around my home to keep my plants hydrated. I just have to remember to top up my balance once a month and I get a notification about it on my phone.
If there are systems you can design for any other part of your home, whatever your specific needs, do it. I recently wrote about the automation I implemented into chicken keeping , an endeavor I was eager to do but worried about maintenance. If something needs to happen in my house, I’ll try to figure out how to automate it. I’m currently learning how to program an Arduino to tell me when my dog tracks dirt through the doggy door so she can have a robot mop come and take care of her, and yes, this is a very ADHD programmed project. .
Robots are a salvation for people with ADHD. (The only thing I don’t like about robots is their cost, which is a barrier to accessibility for people to use them.) The robot vacuum and mop keep my floors relatively clean, so I only have to deep-dive occasionally. cleaning. A robotic lawnmower takes one more task out of the outdoors. I can’t tell you how miserable I am that the laundry folding robot failed – even if all my robots got together and decided to take over my house and report all my conversations to the CIA, it would be worth it because I would still have folded laundry.
Earlier this year, I upgraded to a smart washer and dryer , which actually reminds me to take clothes out and, until I do, keeps them fresh in either the washer or dryer. My smart oven and even my new smart fryer use notifications and voice to remind me to turn or remove food, and also turn off when food is done so I can’t mess it up. I even have a smart sourdough starter that keeps my starter healthy if I don’t pay attention to it. Smart air conditioners and heaters can turn on and off based on sensors, time, or where I am in the house.
Use sensors
Growing up includes looking after “stuff around the house” and the car. Even people without ADHD don’t do this very well, but sensors can help detect problems without you having to. There are water leakage sensors under sinks and water heaters, as well as humidity sensors for wet basements that turn on dehumidifiers when needed. You can even use a temperature gauge in your chest freezer to make sure it doesn’t fall without you noticing.
Occupancy sensors in attics or basements can help you keep an eye out for critter intrusions. You can install an ODB monitor in your car to be alerted to any problems – much better than just a check engine light.
Use a voice assistant
I love making lists, but too often I’m not near a paper, pen, or phone when I remember something I need to do. This is where the voice assistant plays a key role. Simply by saying, “Google, remind me to call the vet tomorrow at 10am,” that worry will disappear from my brain. It gets added to my Google Calendar and Google Assistant reminds me about it at the scheduled time. I can add something to my shopping list, send someone an email or text message, or set an alarm. Every time I cook and step away from the stove, I ask Google to set a timer to remind me to come back. Before I go to bed, I ask Google to remind me of my appointments the next day, so I’m not surprised. It’s like having a real assistant watching you all day.
It doesn’t have to be Google. Whether it’s Alexa or Siri, choose a voice assistant and then start filling your home with the cheapest assistant devices you can. You just need to be within earshot of the speaker at all times for him to hear you. I have an inexpensive Google Mini in every room; this year I added them outdoors.
Don’t forget about recurring reminders. I get a voice reminder every night to test my dog’s water, once a month to give her flea and tick medication, to pay her bills every month, and to take out the trash every Tuesday night. You can schedule them through Google Assistant or Google Calendar.
Calendar of everything
If I make a date or agree to a meeting, it must be put on the calendar immediately. This is my base for everything. I use Todoist extensively for making lists; it’s easy to use from your phone or desktop, it syncs easily, and everything in Todoist that has a due date automatically syncs with my calendar. Google Assistant can add things to your Todoist lists for you, so I keep lists for home, work, shopping, books to read, movies to watch, places I’d like to visit, hobbies I’d like to try, projects to do. knitting projects that I would like to do someday, and recipes I saw once on Tiktok. No matter what list program you use, find one – you need to throw away all the extraneous lists that would otherwise be stored in your brain, preventing you from focusing on more important things.
A calendar is only as good as if you actually look at it, so I took the Skylight Calendar , an interactive tablet frame that fits most calendars, and installed it in the one place where I’m sure I’ll see it: the bathroom. Then I hung it on the wall opposite the toilet, so I have to study it several times a day – no more unexpected encounters. You could very well use a standard tablet for this, but the Skylight has a nice frame and you won’t be tempted to browse the web from it.
Control-F your home
Seriously, how cool would it be to be able to find things you need with a simple keystroke? We’re not there yet, but there are a few ways I keep my sanity when I can’t find things. My phone is always just a voice command away: “Google, find my phone.” Every key fob and remote has a Tile sticker or key on it, and my wallet has one too. Using the app on my phone, I can trigger different stickers to play music and then I just have to follow the noise.
I’m aiming for an even better system using NFC tags . Many people have used tags to create a searchable storage system using containers. Every time you add something to your cart, you attach it to an NFC tag on the cart itself. You can either scan the NFC tag on the front of the bin to see what’s in it, or search by item and it will tell you which bin to go to. I’ve already installed it in my tool shed, and now I want to extend it to my bookshelves, art supplies, and kitchen supplies.
Choose a body doubling platform
My therapist gave me many gifts, but the biggest one was introducing me to Focusmate , an online platform that allows you to set up appointments with someone for a ” body double.” Think of body duplication as a coworking space: someone else is in charge of you and needs the same responsibility. You schedule appointments at intervals of 25, 50 or 75 minutes. The platform will match you with someone (pro tip: you can specify which gender you want to match with ) and at the appointed time you log in via video and simply tell the other person what you’ll be working on and they do the same most.
Then you turn off the video and just… do your thing . At the end of time a chime sounds; you unmute yourself again and tell the other person how you did it and just move on with your life. You can make appointments one after another or only when you need them. More importantly, you can literally do whatever you want during these sessions. Yes, most people work, but I checked in to report that I’m organizing my closet, folding laundry, washing dishes, processing tomatoes, and one day trimming my reluctant dog’s nails (a task that both the dog and I try to put off). as much as possible). In all cases, the double did not flinch.
The point is that when you make an appointment and know that someone is waiting for you to do a take, you have some responsibility for getting things done. Focusmate is free for three sessions per week and only $7 per month for unlimited sessions. Focusmate is not the only platform. Cofocus , Cave Day , FLOWN , Flow Club and others offer options for jobs that might not fit into a short session or for people who need other features.
Recurring orders
I remember to change the air filters because a new one arrives in the mail. Same thing with my night guard. By setting up recurring orders for detergent, shampoo, toothbrushes, dog food, and any medications, I rarely have to rush out for anything. This is very reassuring, and the best part is that on most platforms like Chewy or Amazon, you are reminded about a recurring order, so you have time to set it aside if you don’t need it yet.
Smart technology is best for accessibility
I can imagine that if you don’t have ADHD, some of these precautions may seem absurd. Who needs a reminder to fill their dog’s water bowl? Me (technically also my dog). I need it. And millions of people experiencing ADHD symptoms, ranging from mild to severe, experience the same thing. Smart technology is a tool for accessibility, and whether it’s an online platform, artificial intelligence, or physical hardware, these tools need to be more accessible for people to use them to improve their lives.