Five Tips to Help Students With ADD/ADHD Meet Goals and Deadlines
Tips for Students with ADD/ADHD
Those long, drawn out class projects can be less than fun for anyone, but when you have ADD/ADHD, they can be more like a nightmare. Not, however, when you’re armed with these tips. Finishing tasks and meeting goals can be as easy as 1, 2, 3…4, 5.
1. A Quiet Place to Study:
When working on an assignment, you would probably prefer to watch TV or hang out in the family room where all the action is, but that’s not the best place to study. Instead, find a quiet place to work where the distractions will be minimal. Ask your parents to help you out by purchasing a desk or small table and placing it in a quiet area of the house, just for homework. After all, it’s hard to compare Sponge Bob to math problems…
2. Break Up Large Projects Into Smaller Tasks:
A big project, like a research paper, requires finishing many small tasks in order to complete the final product. So don’t look at a big project as one huge assignment, instead think in smaller terms. First, do your research. Second, write an outline. Third, prepare a first draft. Once you break the assignment down into several smaller tasks, it becomes easier to meet the goal of a finished project on time.
3. Make a To Do List:
Let’s say you have a ton of homework to do tonight. You don’t even have a clue where to start. When you become overwhelmed like that, it can be easier sometimes to just forget the whole thing. You don’t have to forget it, just list it. Make a list on a piece of paper stating exactly what must be done. Now, start at the top of the list and complete the first thing on it. Mark that off, and work on the second thing. It’s really simple, but before you know it your homework is finished.
4. Use a Planner:
A planner is a visual tool for helping you plan out what needs to be done over a specific period of time. Writing things down in a planner helps you to organize what you need to do, so you can keep track of everything easier. Keep your planner with you during the day at school and then bring it home at night so you won’t forget anything that may need to be done.
5. Check Your Watch:
Daydreaming is fun, but time flies when you’re not focused on the task at hand. That’s why wearing a watch or keeping a clock at your desk is a good idea. You need to always keep track of how much time you have left when an assignment has been given. This will let you know whether you need to try to speed up your work a little, or if you’re right on time.
Resources
1. “Additude Mag”: www.additudemag.com
2. About.com: ADD: https://add.about.com/