Written & Researched by:
Pavana Karanth
With the increasing rate of academic stress, it becomes difficult to manage school alongside everything else going on in life. Especially for those who are neurodivergent, meeting deadlines and finding that balance between both academics and social life becomes a lot tougher. If you’re a student with ADHD who’s struggling with organisation, here’s a simple guide to getting your schedule and academic life together!
Understanding ADHD and its Impacts on Academic Performance:
ADHD stands for Attention-deficit or Hyperactive disorder and is usually characterised by inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. ADHD can be viewed as a spectrum – based on various factors, each individual may experience and feel it differently. As ADHD directly affects one’s executive functioning, it makes performing tasks in a given timeframe difficult. As a result, many students with ADHD struggle to balance their academics, especially when pressure is high.
Strategies to Incorporate:
For Management and Organisation:
- Visual aids: Pictorial materials like charts, calendars, schedules written on paper, and more can help in enforcing the need for tasks to be done.
- Time limits and the Pomodoro technique: Time limits, even for a maximum of 20 minutes per task, can help students focus on one task at a time, getting things done effectively.?
- Writing things down: The more you have written in front of you, the greater the chance is of you remembering and completing things before the deadline! This technique saves a lot of time from being lost in verbal instructions.?
- Start. Just Start: All it takes to break the cycle of procrastination in ADHD is breaking the cycle, regardless of what way you’re using to break it. If you’re stuck on social media, take a water break. If you’re staring at a wall, get a paper and write your thoughts down. Just do something.?
- Checklists: Keep track of deadlines using checklists and make note of everything the moment you remember it! We both know that the chances of forgetting it are pretty high.
For Academics:
- Body doubling: Get a friend who also has to submit an assignment or study for an upcoming exam! Having another person work while you both are in the same space, regardless of what you’re working on, helps your brain focus in getting things done.
- Breaking down the content: Lots to study? Break the content down. Study for 20 minutes with focus rather than being in the procrastination zone for one hour with little productivity. Breaking your study material into chunks, along with covering parts of your syllabus can help in recalling information effectively.
- Creative sessions: Mind maps, silly little drawings, or even doodles for the concepts you’re studying can help you remember your material effectively. It’s a fun and simple solution for those who study but cannot remember anything afterwards!
For Self-Care:
- Scheduling: Make a schedule for breaks you’ll need from work. Identify when you’re tired and need a minute to refresh. Recharge your energy and regularly keep track of tasks that need to be done.
- Hobbies: Being connected to what makes you happy can help you stay grounded and relaxed. It's important to not lose touch with what you enjoy as it holds the power to get you out of that cycle of procrastination.
- Don’t be so hard on yourself: Sit and let your emotions flow through you. It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers or haven’t done as much as you wanted. Don’t give up, and acknowledge and celebrate all your wins whether small or big!
Some Available Tools That May Help!
With advances in technology booming rapidly, there are more and more digital platforms you can use to organise and plan out your time. Here are some apps that may help:
- Forest
- Sunsama?
- Evernote
- Notion
- Freedom
Implementing the Strategies:
While all these strategies seem to be effective, what works and what doesn’t will differ from person to person. ADHD is a lifelong condition and acknowledging that is the first step. By implementing some of the strategies listed, you will not only be able to manage but thrive in an academic setting. These are just a few life hacks to help with your executive functioning, but seeking professional help is always recommended. Remember, choosing an approach that lets you prioritise yourself and your life is key!
External Advisor @Gaiahub | IBM Qiskit Advocate | Research Intern @TalTech @IGDTUW | Bajaj HackRx 4.0 Winner | SIH'23 Winner | QIntern'23 Winner @QWorld | GATE'24 AIR 253 DSAI | LLM Ex-Intern @Infiheal
9 个月Very Insightful Pavana Karanth