What ADHD tools/products/services made you feel like it was money well spent?

[shnamb]

I feel like we all go through so many things and apps and services and very few things stick. And sometimes it is because of the product, sometimes it is because we look at the product and it's usage from a new perspective.

I am trying to automate my life as much as possible, and to actually spend money in places where it is worth spending, so that I have more life and energy left and can get more happiness out of life.

My life hit a tipping point last month, where I crashed and burned at work and my boss was really frustrated with my unending gaffes, so I took a month off from work to figure shit out and got an ADHD diagnosis and its starting to feel like I may finally make some progress.

I started meds and I am also trying to declutter my entire life and trying to figure how to make somethings easier for myself.

My best investment so far has been my roomba.

I also just started meal prepping for the week and feeling like just these two thing itself may free up some portion of my churn.

What have you guys done/bought that you feel really was worth it?

[Gettingittogether]

For about two years I had a really sharp psychiatrist--a young guy--who was so helpful and creative and encouraging. The first provider I'd even been to who was a good 20 years younger than me. And that was fine! ... He had a specialty in ADHD. But he didn't take insurance ... and he was expensive ... definitely worth it .... to know I was getting excellent care ... with sessions not rushed like the sessions I had with psychiatrists who took my insurance ...

Hired an ADHD coach (she gave me a discount) for sessions. She showed me ways to simplify my job work that were shocking. I didn't think it was "proper" to organize work as she was telling me she did ... That's one of the quirks of ADHD. Because we've struggled with organization and experienced shame about our struggles with organization, we actually can develop a negative view of ways to simplify life. Organized people like this woman ... looked for how to simplify everything! I mean everything!

Therapy ... therapist knew ADHD well ... but he had lost interest in specific ADHD therapy. His view was I didn't need to reduce myself to ADHD. Anyway, my anxiety decreased a lot working with this guy ... as my anxiety dropped, it was easier to think and think clearly ... and easier not to feel stressed all the time ... huge! ... basically he helped me build a base of self-acceptance ... so I don't panic at every little (or big) ADHD mishap.

[99cents in reply to Gettingittogether]

I found going to a therapist to be invaluable as well.

[99cents]

Ad blockers on my browser.

Google chrome add-ons like... Distraction free YouTube, Facebook social fixer, leech block, etc. I set up leech block in various ways to help me be more mindful of how I spend time and give me pauses before accessing websites.

On my phone I use macro Droid with a custom macro to see alarms for each meeting, and to block various apps in the evening. I searched their shared library for ADHD macros and productivity macros. I have the pro version. I also have a couple other automation apps.

I add everything to my digital calendar.

I use a morning routine app called routinery. Very very helpful.

I aggressively turn off notifications for apps unless I NEED the notifications to be productive.

I use app blocker to keep myself from spending too much time on distracting apps and sites during the day or at night. I limit some apps to 50m each hour daytime and some to just 5 or 15m at night.

[shnamb in reply to 99cents]

oh thank you for so many suggestions!

[shnamb in reply to 99cents]

I just started using the routinery app and omg mind blown. Helps so much with my time blindness.

[shnamb in reply to shnamb]

I also recently found out that you can turn your phone black and white. It really helps with keeping all the functionality but it makes it a lot less fun and engaging. No more red notification badges that you absolutely need to check.

[99centss in reply to 99cents]

I shared a couple of my macros on macro droid, as templates. I try to include the word "ADHD" in the description so there's a useful search term. The search term is not used much so far. I'll keep adding macros publicly as I do more with them. Slowly.

[99centss in reply to 99centss]

I just remembered one more: an app called check off. I use it for a reusable packing list. It's very good for reusable lists. I'm considering it for morning routines and things but I would need some kind of timer app to make that work. But Routinery doesn't have tons of flexibility for doing things out of a specific order. Maybe that's a feature request I can make of them.

[AEppinette]

1) i have a shadow partner 2) a digital clock in each room

[shnamb in reply to AEppinette]

How does the digital clock help you?

[AEppinette in reply to shnamb]

I have horrible time blindness and when I get hyper-focused there is no such thing as time. i don't like wearing watches so digital clocks are my only go to and I misplace my phone a lot so 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

[shnamb in reply to AEppinette]

Ah okay that makes sense.

[Gettingittogether]

At key points the focusme app has saved my life ... for like $30 a year.

There have been times when I simply could not get myself off the internet ... Well I could set focusme ... and the cool thing was that I could set it for a week ahead of time ... two weeks ... and I could schedule free times ... AND ... I could have an exceptions list ... for all the onine "errands" I have to do ... banking, credit cards ... various bills, phone company ... my job (I'm never in danger of lingering on my job's website or my job's email) ...

These days I used focusme for short sprints when I find I keep opening up a tab ...

[shnamb in reply to Gettingittogether]

This sounds pretty cool, especially the part where you can schedule it ahead of time!

[Doodledoodledoo]

I use the MininaList to do list app. I think I paid $5 for the pro version . I like it because you can have multiple lists going and it’s really simply designed (not distracting) and easy to use. I had been getting frustrated because I would always be thinking of five million things I need to do and emailing them to myself (my email inbox has thousands of emails I keep marking as unread) or writing them on scraps of paper and losing them or writing in my “notes” file on my phone which became an incomprehensible mess. MinimaList lets you name lists and you can pinch and swipe through multiple lists easily. so I have lists for each of my jobs, a list of random ideas, a running grocery list, a to do list of household chores. You can set reminders and timers and link to calendar and stuff too, I think you can do location based reminders too but I haven’t used any of those functions yet. It has extra functions but not so many or so complicated that it’s overwhelming or over complicated. I just like the lists. I love crossing things off lists. Ok I admit I sometimes write things I’ve already accomplished so I can cross them off . Lol

[shnamb in reply to Doodledoodledoo]

This sounds pretty cool! Thanks for sharing!

[Doodledoodledoo in reply to shnamb]

Oops I wrote that at 4 am and spelled it wrong !!! Sorry ! It’s called “MinimaList”

[Aixo]

For lists and time management Moleskin Actions & Timepage have been invaluable! They link to each other and the Timepage calendar displays Actions as well as any other calendar you link to it. Very customizable as well. It helped me get rid of those scrap papers and random scattered lists as they can all live in one place now. apps.apple.com/us/app/actio...

Another spend that was so worth it was a periodic cleaning service. Sadly not available to me now with pandemic conditions but I look forward to having that again one day!

For therapy CBT based practitioners have been super helpful. Recently also accessing therapy via the Betterhelp app which is very convenient.

[Josina]

I have just realized that adhd was a real issue in my life recently. I was trying a million self help books to figure out why I struggle with things other people seem to flourish at. I am curious about medications but so far haven't tried anything. I guess I want to see what other people have tried and found worked well for them. Just looking for someone else who gets it so I can have someone other than an expensive therapist to speak with.