Visual Schedule: 10 Tips for Simplified Routines

Life is a highway, but for those of us with ADHD, it can often feel like a maze. Visual schedules are one option to help.

Here’s 10 ways to use visual schedules to simplify your daily routine.

Visual Schedule: 10 Tips for Simplified Routines

Importance of Finding What Works

In addition to incredible strengths in creativity, skill, and drive, adults with ADHD often experience executive function weaknesses. These abilities represent the brain's power to decide, prioritize, initiate tasks, delegate, and more.

Naturally, trying to use a planner that works for other folks, isn't necessarily going to work for us.

Have you ever stuck with a planner for the long term? Me, neither.

For one thing, we need a flexible system that accounts for our inevitable energy highs and lows.

Secondly, we need a system that allows us the ability to use it how we want to for that week, or even day.

Perhaps most importantly, for many adults with ADHD, we need a system that is more directly processable. Not all, but a great number of us seem to prefer ‘visual' (i.e., not text-based) processing.

That's why visual schedules can be so powerful; particularly with the ability to incorporate colors which appeal to us.

Read on to learn ten tips for using and incorporating them into your daily life.

Tip 1: Choose a Suitable Format

Luckily, we live in a time when there are so many productivity tool options to pick and choose from. It's that much easier to find a template that works for you.

When thinking of using a calendar, start by deciding if you want it to be paper-based, or digital. Each has their pro's and con's.

Some people feel that digital apps afford the easiest user experience, as they can always have them on their person no matter where they roam.

On the other hand, others prefer the ability to physically write on paper with an actual pen. They find that experience to be much more satisfying!

For the purposes of this article, let's focus on using a digital app.

Tip 2: Use Color-Coding Effectively

Colors speak to people. Okay, not really. But, there is some data to suggest that different colors sometimes evoke certain emotional responses in the people viewing them.

For example, you might see green and feel energized, or purple and feel calm. (Color blindness is certainly a topic worthy of research in this regard.)

Whichever colors you want to incorporate, start with between one and five to help you organize your activities and routines.

You want them to help you be able to glance at your calendar and remember what's coming up next; not to add to your stress levels.

For example let's say you choose purple for home, orange for work, and blue for other categories like social.

Tip 3: Break Down Tasks into Manageable Steps

If you are in your purple profile for home, all of your tasks there should have that color.

For larger projects that will require extended time, consider separating them into phases. Each phase will also get its own second color.

For example, if you want to organize your pantry, list out all the steps you might need. Then decided which ones to start with.

Those you will color green. What will be second? Those will be yellow. Which will be last? Those will be red.

Tip 4: Incorporate Visual Cues and Picture Cards

People with ADHD, autism, SPD, and other neurodivergence, often respond well to alternative ways of processing information.

The act of reading text, alone, can feel draining.

If you are at all like me, you appreciate a nice visual reminder. In the Tiimo app, for example, you can assign icons to each of your tasks.

I enjoy putting a little broccoli there to remind me it's time to eat!

You can keep the color scheme you set and add those to the icons, as well. Or you can just pick colors that appeal to you.

Tip 5: Make It Your Own

When you are ready to set a daily schedule in Tiimo, you can make multiple profiles.

I had a profile for work, one for home, and later a different one for social engagements or hobbies.

You could even make one for vacations. The sky's the limit.

Tip 6: Schedule Breaks and Downtime

We have all heard the adage of not being able to pour from an empty cup. As difficult as it is, make sure you take breaks.

Getting up out of your chair, sipping water, or even taking a power nap, can really help your state of mind.

Not only will you feel happier afterwards; but you will likely think more clearly and be more productive.

Tip 7: Involve Family or Housemates

If you have a partner who also has ADHD, you can support each other in each of your schedules.

Create check-in systems with accountability partners outside of the home, as well.

For those with little kids, especially if they also have trouble remembering routines, work on a visual schedule together.

You will want to make theirs a paper version with laminated, movable pieces, so it's easier to concretely manipulate steps.

Tip 8: Expect to Shift

Many of us balk at unexpected routine changes. Flexible thought is challenging.

What do you mean, you can't meet for coffee? Now, my entire day is off.

Does that sound familiar?

While we cannot always control what life throws at us, we can practice pivoting.

The time management system you use should allow for this kind of change.

Looking at your app, can you push today's activity that was missed, to another day?

If not, remember that perfection is an illusion. The schedule you use doesn't judge you.

Keep tweaking it until you find what works.

Tip 9: Celebrate Small Wins

Allow yourself to celebrate incremental victories. If you used to be someone who would never plan their day, acknowledge your progress. This all takes time.

Tip 10: Regularly Review and Adjust

Enlist the support of your friends, family, or accountability buddies in this.

Make a standing appointment with them for the same time each week or month, and knock out those upcoming plans together.

FAQs

What are the benefits of using a visual schedule?

Visual schedules offer a multitude of benefits, including:

• Enhanced Time Management: They help people visually track their tasks and appointments, making time feel more concrete.
• Reduced Stress: By laying out tasks in front of you, these schedules minimize the anxiety and stress associated with trying to remember numerous responsibilities.
• Increased Productivity: Visual schedules streamline task prioritization and execution, leading to higher productivity levels.
• Improved Communication: For teams or families, visual schedules can clarify daily expectations and responsibilities.
• Enhanced Understanding: By utilizing visual aids, these schedules cater to visual learners and can aid in better retention and recall of information.

How do I choose the right format for my needs?

Selecting the best presentation for you depends on several factors:

• Personal Learning Style: Consider your learning preferences. Do you prefer more icons, photos, or text?
• Lifestyle: Assess the need for portability and access. Digital apps can help if you tend to be more on-the-go, while a physical calendar might be practical if you tend to stay in more of one location.
• Need for Collaboration: Projects involving multiple people might require digital apps that allow for reminders, chat capabilities, or file sharing options.
• Ease of Use: Ensure the format you choose is one you are comfortable using regularly.

What are some effective ways to celebrate accomplishments within a visual schedule?

Celebrating achievements in your visual schedule can be both motivating and rewarding. Here are some effective ways:

• Visual Markers: Use special stickers, symbols, or colors to highlight completed tasks or milestones.
• Progress Bars: Integrate a progress bar that fills as you complete tasks or get closer to a goal, providing a visual representation of your achievements.
• Reward Icons: Place icons that represent rewards next to completed tasks or goals. These could symbolize anything from a coffee break to a movie night, depending on personal preferences.
• Celebration Days: Allocate a specific spot in your schedule to celebrate weekly or monthly achievements. This could involve reviewing completed tasks and reflecting on successes.
• Achievement Reviews: Regularly set aside time to review and reflect on what has been accomplished, discussing or documenting the impact of these achievements.

Implementing these strategies can help sustain work flow, making your visual schedule a powerful tool for personal or family-based productivity.

Takeaways

Visual schedules are a powerful tool for improving organization and productivity in both personal, team project, or family-based settings.

By using icons that interest you, breaking tasks down into components, and incorporating the use of color-coding, you can better manage your time and workflow, leading to increased efficiency and reduced stress levels.

For more tips on managing daily challenges as a neurodivergent teacher, read the “5 Ways to Manage Challenges as a Teach with ADHD” round-up!