When DIY Initiatives Meet ADHD Persistence & Hyperfocus
I love to do my very own fix-it chores round the home, however I make so many blunders alongside the way in which that I typically marvel if I ought to have simply employed an expert.
Then I get enthused about one other DIY job round the home, and I downplay my earlier missteps, errors, and failed dwelling enchancment tasks. “This time will likely be totally different,” I believe optimistically. However do I imagine it?
As a lot as folks with ADHD hope one thing will likely be totally different, it not often is except we modify our habits — and that entails remembering what we have to change and desirous to make the change occur. Poor working reminiscence and hyperfocus are features of my ADHD that makes this tough.
Living proof: Portray my lavatory.
Earlier than: I used to complete a paint job with paint on the partitions — and my garments. I wouldn’t discover my error till the paint had dried and ruined no matter I used to be sporting. Are most individuals with ADHD as messy as I’m?
After: Irrespective of how small the paint job, I all the time turn into my designated portray garments earlier than I start.
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Earlier than: Instantly after sparking the thought, “Let’s redo the toilet,” I might begin portray. I assumed placing down masking tape and protecting the ground was pointless and time-consuming. I’d inform myself, “I will likely be neat this time.”
After: Numerous mess-ups later, I noticed I might by no means be neat sufficient not to want masking tape and a drop fabric. Now I do each. Doing this routine prep work has improved my paint jobs.
Earlier than: I didn’t take the time to fastidiously take away {hardware} and screws from fixtures.
After: I take away all {hardware} and screws and correctly retailer them, so they don’t get misplaced. I discovered that if I maintain the eliminated items, I received’t want to buy lacking elements later. Additionally, eradicating the fixtures ensures that I received’t get paint on them, inflicting extra work later as I attempt to take away the undesirable coloration.
Yipee! As I’ve discovered to do issues in another way, I’ve gotten smarter. I’ve turn into extra pleased with the progress I’ve made, and but….
[Self-Test: Do I have ADHD? Symptoms in Adults]
I just lately needed to caulk the seam between the partitions and baseboards — and I wore my on a regular basis garments. If I had the thought to “placed on my portray garments first,” I ignored it. In spite of everything, this was caulking, not portray. I might be tremendous.
Later, I found dried caulk on my slacks. Do you know that dried caulk is as unattainable to take away from clothes as is dried paint? I do now!
In on the brink of paint the toilet, I set the paint tray on the drop fabric protecting the ground. I might need thought, “That isn’t a superb place for the paint tray.” However because of my poor working reminiscence I shortly forgot.
I additionally forgot concerning the paint tray, backed up, and put my left foot in it! I wiped the paint off my shoe’s backside and thought I used to be good to go. Then I left the toilet and went down two flights of stairs to complete cleansing my shoe within the basement sink.
Later, I observed each different stairstep had paint on its edge. I couldn’t perceive what had precipitated this unusual sample, and I started working eradicating the paint. It was solely then that I noticed I had not cleaned the bottom of my shoe, the place many of the paint remained, and had tracked paint on every step after I lifted my left foot.
The lavatory was virtually completed. I simply wanted to reattach the fixtures. Okay, I admit I misplaced a few of the screws and made a visit to the house enchancment retailer to purchase replacements.
However all and all, I completed the paint job with fewer mishaps than earlier DIY tasks and new learnings. My subsequent DIY job will go even higher.
DIY Initiatives for ADHD Adults: Subsequent Steps
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