Organization, Structure, and Planning Tools

My Favorite ADHD Programs

Structure. Structure. Structure. Feel free to recommend any software you use.

Freeware Picks

Dropcloth

Be one with your desktop window and let everything else fall into a black void.

This nifty programs eliminates all on-screen distractions by placing a black "cloth" around everything except the active window.

Fences

Problems with desktop icon organization? Use this program to place the icons you want in a re-sizable "fences" Now you can put all those folders in a folders fence.

30boxes

Rated as the top online calendar according to PC Mag’s Best Software of 2010. I have yet to try this, but if it beat Google Calendar it must be good.

Mnemosyne

This is a great tool to help you learn. Your ability to recall an item you learned decreases with time. With this program, you input questions and answers just as you would when writing flashcards. Then you practice these "digital flashcards" and grade yourself on a scale from 0, meaning didn't remember it at all, to 5, meaning instantaneous recall. An algorithm then uses these grades to determine how often to space the repetition of questions. In other words, the worse you do on a particular flashcard the more likely it is to come up as you quiz yourself.

This program is great because you are automatically asked to focus on the questions you need to focus on, and its much more convenient, efficient, and fun than most other memorization methods.

Paid Picks

Microsoft Onenote

Before I got this program, I used to have multiple notebooks for writing my ideas and plans. I tended to write the same thing down in the a different notebook over and over again.

Microsoft Outlook

Great program to help you organize and structure your life. Email, contacts, calendar, to do lists, and more in one program. This is my organization and planning hub.

Full Recall

If you like Mnemosyne then I recommend looking into this program. Its the same tool as Mnemosyne, but with many more features. One thing that I like about this program over Mnemosyne is that I can organize my digital flashcards into separate folders and sub folders based on the topic I am learning.

What I and this Blog are all About

Ever since childhood I knew I was a different breed of human. I didn't know why exactly, but I knew I was not quite like the other kids my age. I was socially awkward, emotionally reactive, and had very high ambitions but could never follow through with my dreams. I wanted to be a magician, a a day trader, a stock broker, a film director, a musician, and a palaeontologist ( after viewing Jurassic Park) at one time or another.


About 5 years ago, at the age of 21, I was finally diagnosed with ADHD. Its taken me 4 years to finally come to terms with this disorder and accept how much it has impacted my life. I had to untangle all the misconceptions and false information that often surrounds ADHD. I am not cured, nor will I ever be. The best I can do to is to minimize the negative effects of ADHD and focus on the positive aspects of my life.

The web provides a wealth of information, but its often hard to sift through the B.S. especially for someone with ADHD.

My aim is to offer strategies and coping methods I use to deal with disorder, to provide scientifically backed information on ADHD, and to help others sift through the ADHD B.S.

If there is any particular topic or question you would like me to write about feel free to leave a comment. My aim is to create at least 2 new posts a week, so check back often.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.