Where did the year ago? How to regain control of 2022 if you have ADHD

Where did the year go? 2022 flew by without so much as a tap on the shoulder, and here we are with 14 weeks left of the year. I know people with ADHD perceive time differently, but this is beyond ridiculous.

There are 95 days left of this year (about 26.03%). Shocking, no?

Did the Covid-19 pandemic skew our perception of time? I don’t know the answer to that, but I bet you’re feeling the same dread and anxiety I’m experiencing right now.

I’ve not reached my goals for 2022, and I’ve made no significant progress to even getting closer to those goals.

Fret not, maybe I’m just optimistic, but I believe there is still time to get back on track.

So, what to do with the remaining three months of 2022? I don’t know about you, but I’m going to salvage this situation one way or the other.

Regaining control of 2022

Rest and recover with a dash of gratitude

For starters, let’s be thankful we’re still alive. The last two years had been rough, and contracting Covid-19 earlier this year made me grateful I evaded it for so long.

Imagine me, with my weak lungs, catching Covid-19 two years ago, with seven mutations and no vaccines. I felt like I was going to die now. Had I caught it any earlier, I might not have made it.

This year has been something else, from war and disasters to illness and pandemics and everything in between.

Sharon Block, professor and executive director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School, said the experiences of the pandemic “have brought conversations of dysfunction to the fore”.

That’s why it’s so important to find our balance again amid the chaos and fight the dysfunction.

We can only do that if we’re well-rested.

Prioritise your mental well-being

Did you know the World Health Organization cites burn-out as an ‘occupational phenomenon’?

Yep, burn-out is included in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon. (It’s not classified as a medical condition, though).

It’s more important than ever to prioritise our mental well-being.

If that means walking away from bad situations (interactions, careers, etc.), then so be it. Find new ways to rebuild your sanity, whether it means applying for remote work, cutting ties with toxic family members, or setting more explicit boundaries.

Speaking of boundaries…

Set boundaries!

This is one vital area I must focus on during the fourth quarter of 2022. Healthy boundaries safeguard your time, emotions, and mental and physical health and prevent the burn-out mentioned above.

It’s important to set boundaries with anyone who may encroach on your sanity, regardless of whether it is family, friends, co-workers, strangers or romantic entanglements.

The first step, according to the experts, is clear communication. It won’t do you good to set boundaries in mind and not inform those who share space with you.

Even though it may seem daunting or scary, social psychology researcher Brene says, “clear is kind, unclear is unkind”.

• Take control of your time by saying you can only stay for an hour. And then leave when the time is up, don’t be guilted into staying longer than required.
• Safeguard your energy by saying you don’t have the energy to help someone with their request. Pro-tip, redirect the energy vampire to help resources instead.
• Manage emotional boundaries by being clear: Say you are going through a hard time and can’t assist with their request right this second.
• If you don’t want to discuss a specific topic, say you’re not willing to engage in this discussion right now.

Create a routine

Creating a routine is, without a doubt, my biggest struggle right now. I start all cool, calm, collected and organised at the start of every year, and somewhere between March and May it all goes to shit.

The irony of living with ADHD: it’s so hard to create a new routine, but finally, doing it will boost your productivity and improve your overall mental well-being.

If a routine is too complex, I will not see it through; I just know it in my bones already. Therefore, I’ll be taking the following steps:

• Going forward, I’ll do a brain dump every Sunday. From there, I’ll lay out my schedule for the week.
• I have a few big projects in the pipeline and will be breaking them down into smaller tasks. (I even have a Notion board set up specifically for this. Look at me go!)
• Timers and alarms will be my new best friends. I will set timers for when to leave the house, as reminders of important events and meetings, and for everyday tasks such as taking my medication (remember to add a 10-minute buffer because if you have ADHD, time works differently for you).

Lastly, I’ll prioritise self-care again

Self-care (for me personally) means doing my meal prep on Sundays so I don’t have to worry about it during the week.

I’ll clock out of work when my shift ends and spend my free time on people and activities that inspire and motivate me.

I’ll use my Fitbit to monitor my sleeping patterns and ensure I get enough sleep.

What are some ways you’ll regain control of this year? Also, leave your ADHD tips below! I need all the help I can get sometimes….