Hello my crafty friends! I am a crocheter with ADHD, and I am having a really hard time lately with managing some of those symptoms… especially follow through and organization. Do any of you have experience with this, as either the person with ADHD or the loved one of someone with it? Anyone have any tips for follow through and organizing yourself/ craft time to actually get thing done? Thanks in advance!!!
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I struggle with this, so I don’t have a perfect solution, but I have to keep projects out where I can see them or they never get done. If I put a project where I can’t see them it’s like they’ve stopped existing.
Also, doing projects with lots of parts is great for that need to start something new need I feel with mine but not great for finishing unless you add those new parts as you make them. That’s just what I’ve found. My number of UFO is insane, so don’t feel bad but it’s rough.
I wish I had a better way to be kept accountable.
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my oldest son is profoundly ADHD (drs words) and was put on meds so he could function in school, simply sitting in his chair was a major undertaking. I didn’t know I was ADD (no H) until he was tested and diagnosed (in 1987 when there wasn’t much known about it). after we found the right med and dosage (a summer long process), the therapist gave us a chart that we had to work with him on because now that his brain was producing the chemical it was missing to connect thought and action, we had to teach him how. By the way, he went up 3 grade levels in most of his classes that year and in his 40’s he still takes those meds). I found the charts helpful for me as well. But I don’t give myself points like I did with the kids because if you do for one you have to for all or they feel slighted 
. Anyway it had chores and other things he was suppose to and we had to add more things to it because everything he wanted to do was bought with the points he (they) earned, like TV time, computer time, playing with friends, sweets, everything except healthy snacks and meals. there’s more to it than that, but that the jist of it. For us as adults, write down a list on a white board you need to do that day, putting the important things at the top and check them off as you go. don’t erase them, you need to be reminded you accomplished them until the next morning and start over. ;). if you get all the important things done have something at the bottom that says uninterrupted me time (use it for whatever you enjoy, that is your treat to your self, then work on the less important things if you have time - you should make your list so you have at least 2 one hr breaks during the day, it’s important you take them, they give you something to look forward to and break up the day. it will take you a little while to get use to writing on it and remembering to check things off, but once you do it will make things easier. because you know with us out of sight is out of mind, so true. you could put your knitting or crocheting in a pretty box you decorate beside your chair or couch if it’s your 1 hr reward and it will be where you are sitting to relax ;). hope this works for you. I use the timer on my oven for everything, my phone isn’t loud enough .
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Thanks so much! It’s nice to no I’m not alone! I feel like lately I’ve had to go with quicker projects or I’ll lose focus and move on prematurely… lol I’m going to work on that though! Hope all goes well for you!
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Oh wow! That’s a great idea! My mom had chore charts for us when we were little but I haven’t really thought of doing that now! That will probably help a lot! I also appreciate what you said about the meds helping with the chemical but not the process. I think that is a bridge I haven’t quite built yet! I’ll be trying to restructure things now that I am on meds. Thank you so much for the tips and advice! I’m glad that you both were able to find ways to be productive and successful! Gives me hope!
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The dr told us that self motivating and doing we’re learned as we grew up, children’s brains are more malleable for learning, however with the connection broken between thinking and doing which we were mostly unable to do, (which the meds fix) we now had to learn the process of thinking before doing and honestly I think it’s harder or takes longer when we are older to do, not that we can’t, just takes more effort because we have already set our ways and have to try harder to reorder that process, our go to will be to do what was more comfortable until we redo the thought and do process. you can do it, just be patient with your self, took your young ones a while to figure out how to write alphabet letters and spell and you encouraged them, encourage yourself as you accomplish this in small goals ;). If you don’t get through all your important things every day or even more often than not, look at what you did accomplish, the other things aren’t going anywhere and you will get them done ;).
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Being a neurodivergent person, this entire thread has made my day and reminded me that others struggle with the simple daily things that I chastise myself for and maybe sometimes I should be more encouraging to myself in starting over my processes and not giving up on having the routine I want. It’s just a bit harder than usual is all.
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I agree seeing there are several of us makes it easier to be nice to myself. I’m going to try a chart (I love using planners because I don’t function without them) to help me keep track of WIPs and maybe they won’t become UFOs. Still keeping them visible though. I can’t wait to hear about how those of you trying the charting share your successes. It’ll help me keep trying too.
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As a Mum with an Autistic daughter and ADHD sponsor daughter charts and daily planners are great 
agree. My Aspie one is 22 and loves her diary to plan out her day plus she creates a mood colour for each day so she can see how her week/month is going and makes her feel in control. Hope this helps. Both also follow the Mighty as there are people like themselves who struggle with this and it’s another Community xx
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If possible its good to have a few (2-5) projects going on at once so that there isn’t just the same thing over and over. Doing small scrap yarn projects helps to bring that little energy boost of completion too.
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Right now I have like three different projects started because I keep following where my brain wants to go and not finishing pieces. Honestly, 2 things help me the most: 1) keeping them in line of sight, as I personally take “out of sight, out of mind” a little too literally and 2) I make small projects to get the good feelings moving which makes me want to crochet more which is when I can work on my larger projects!
ADHD makes long hobbies like art difficult just because focus can be diverted so easily and the messes get so bad when your focus is skewed! For organization, clear bins/drawers (depending on the workspace) are easily the best for me because they keep things in sight as well as keeping me organized, even if the bin gets a little disorganized.
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yes, I have ADHD too, and i had trouble organizing my yarn bin. it got so tangled so easily until i learned this trick: roll up the balls of yarn before putting them away.
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