A few years ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Lindsay Guentzel from Refocused, A Podcast All About ADHD. Since then, I’ve had a few people reach out about one of the bits of advice I shared. I am so happy this tip resonated, so I decided we needed a blog post about being “Saved By The Duplicates!”
As our interview started to wind down, Lindsay asked “What is one thing we should be doing right now to get us ready for the new year?” This felt like the right time to share one of my favorite hacks!
The easiest way to keep things moving smoothly, is to anticipate:
- What we will need
- When we will need it
- Where it needs to be
Sometimes, this means having duplicates of the things you use most. Instead of constantly looking for a single pair of scissors, get a few extra pairs! For me, this meant keeping one in the kitchen, one in my office. A third pair never leaves my husband’s office.
If you like applying chapstick, make sure to have one in all the places you might need it – the car, your desk, next to your bed, laptop bag, etc.
Why Does This Matter?
For me (and many of my ADHD kin), it’s essentially keeping my trains of thought on their tracks. If I receive a package, and carry it to the kitchen to open it, but realize the scissors aren’t there, I will then start to look for the scissors. I will go towards my office, and in the two seconds it takes to walk there, I will forget about the scissors, but I will see my computer and sit down to check email. After a while, and a whole chain of other side quests, I will head back to the kitchen and see the package. Then I’ll remember how I can’t find the scissors.
This can be frustrating! We can beat ourselves up over these silly things. So, instead of waiting for these little bumps to derail us, let’s anticipate the WHAT, WHERE, and WHEN…and buy duplicates if it saves our sanity.
What can you duplicate to save yourself some stress in the year to come? If you need some ideas of what to duplicate across home and work, check out this article on ADHD-friendly meetings.
Cheers to the New Year
As you approach this new year, Mullins Professional Group would love to support you! From one-on-one coaching to team-oriented leadership development offerings, MPG loves working with clients to create powerful experiences for all. Reach out and let us know what is on your mind. Let’s build something great!
Check out the podcast!
This blog is inspired by my conversation with Lindsay Guentzel on the December 1, 2022 episode of Refocused, A Podcast All About ADHD.
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