What to know about time blindness in ADHD - How to cope

I read this here on reddit: 

oh my god every time i have an appointment or something later in the day it's like all i can think about. i feel like my house is a waiting room

Yep! It's like... "let's see, my appointment is at 2 PM, and I want to get there ten minutes early... let's round to fifteen... it's a twelve minute drive (let's say fifteen), but I might miss a turn or there could be traffic, so I should plan to give it an extra five or ten minutes. That means I should leave at... what, 1:15 PM? Okay. Well, I have to take a shower and get dressed, which'll probably take, what, an hour? Sure. Oh, but I haven't eaten yet today, and that'll be another 30 minutes, easy. So I need to start getting ready at 11:45. Let's round down to 11:30 just to be safe." Then I'm on the couch ready to go at 12:15, when I don't need to leave for over an hour. But it's *only* an hour, so obviously I can't do anything productive in the meantime! 

Looks like you? Then read below but if you are looking for a shorter version you can check this audio-podcast 

I found yet another article on Time Blindness from Medical News Today and want to make sure I have it saved here in this blog. 

BTW, the same site I found many interesting artibles: 

- ADHD and procrastination: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/adhd-procrastination

- ADHD and hyperfocus: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325681

- ADHD and body doubling: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/body-doubling-adhd 

It digests some of the info from a 2021 research paper: Time Perception is a Focal Symptom of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults

I want to read those article too: Time Perception in Adult ADHD: Findings from a Decade—A Review and

this and this

I did some research and got some good answers that I want to check when I have time: 

- One is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSCOTVSiefIy98qiVYmx4vu9k2IVGwJiUfTV4hwZqrzpCSo32_zHiNBa4XvglGkzlI4PlLsDlM88iPA/pub

- The other is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQLe6ruw6LhPkTcAIadCeV-1NlmNsItbXqSEI23jo-Hvx2Ux65T12sn0v-xke1qudyqg3qf6NW0Bafe/pub

- Finally this one on mindfulness 

Below content was extracted from the article ================================

Summary

Time blindness describes difficulty perceiving and managing time. Some research suggests that many people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience time blindness, but further study into the phenomenon is necessary.

Signs of time blindness can include underestimating or overestimating how long it will take to complete a task, losing track of time, and difficulty creating or adhering to a schedule.

People may be able to manage time blindness by setting alarms and reminders, including buffer time in schedules, and consciously tracking time. A person can speak with a doctor if they are having difficulty coping with time blindness.

======================================

Further points extracted from it are below: 

Time blindness describes difficulty sensing how much time has passed and estimating how much time is necessary to complete a task, according to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA).

Scientists are still learning about how time perception works, but a popular theory is scalar expectancy theory (SET). In SET, time perception works through an “internal clock” in the brain through which a person’s pulse rate measures time. The brain combines this information from the pule with other sensory inputs, such as temperature and brightness levels, to calculate where someone is in time and how fast they are moving through it.

ADHD affects the structure and chemistry of the brain, including the areas and chemical signaling that manage time perception.

A 2019 review noted that taking ADHD medications may help “normalize” someone’s perception of time. However, the authors also highlighted that further research into the topic of time perception and ADHD is necessary.

While time blindness does not feature the diagnosis criteria for ADHD, a 2021 article notes that differences in time perception might be an example of executive dysfunction. The authors suggested that diagnostic tools for ADHD should incorporate factors relating to time perception and include questionnaires to assess time-related difficulties in a person’s daily life.

Signs of time blindness

The ADDA notes that some signs of time blindness include:

• underestimating or overestimating how long it will take to complete a task
• losing track of time, particularly if someone is experiencing hyperfocus
• experiencing long periods of inactivity while waiting for an event that seems to be happening soon, even though it is hours away
• difficulty estimating the amount of time previously a person has spent on a task
• focusing on only the present and short-term gains
• difficulty estimating how long ago an event or activity happened
• procrastinating on tasks until the last minute
• difficulty creating or adhering to a schedule
• feeling like time is slipping away, which may lead to impulsive decisions
• difficulty organizing tasks in the correct sequence

Tips for coping with time blindness

To start with, the ADDA suggests that a person may want to keep a journal to reflect on how time blindness affects them. They can then work out which of the following tips may work best for them:

• Use a calendar or planner: People can use physical calendars and planners, or digital equivalents, to plan when meetings and other events will occur. Some individuals may find a combination of physical and digital planners helpful, but the best approach will vary between people.
• Include buffer time in schedules: When planning tasks and activities, allow extra time to complete them in case someone gets sidetracked or delayed.
• Set alarms and reminders: This may include adding reminders to appointments on digital calendars or setting timers with alarms that go off when a time limit is up for completing a task.
• Consciously track time: This may include using music to keep track of time or setting timers at fixed intervals, such as every 30 minutes.
• Use app blockers: Some individuals may find it useful to restrict the time they spend on certain apps. Alternatively, they may want to set a screen time limit on their digital devices.
• Try time management and productivity techniques: This may include splitting big goals into smaller, more manageable ones or dividing time into multiple blocks for different tasks.

Time Blindness - Understanding and Managing Time Blindness

I decided to resuscitate this blog with postings not only about me as a Manager but me, managing myself or my life. With that, I would like to start with some content from the article "Coping with time blindness and ADHD - 05.21.2024 by Kristina Lindgrenfrom" that can be found at UCI Health. 

As you know, ADHD is characterized by chronic impulsivity, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity that significantly interfere with daily functioning and learning. A lesser-known symptom is time blindness, which is a persistent difficulty in perceiving the passage of time and estimating task duration. This is linked to the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for executive functions like impulse control, attention, and goal-oriented behaviors.

---

Understanding and Managing Time Blindness

• Time Blindness isn't Exclusive to ADHD:

  • While popularized in relation to ADHD, time blindness can also affect individuals with autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, and depression.

• Identifying Potential Time Blindness:

  • Consider consulting a doctor if you frequently:

    • Struggle to achieve your goals.

    • Have difficulty with daily productivity.

    • Are often late to meetings or events.

    • Frequently forget tasks or miss deadlines.

• Comprehensive Treatment Approach:

  • Addressing time blindness and ADHD typically involves:

    • Behavioral strategies.

    • Cognitive therapy.

    • Medication (if appropriate).

    • Consistent practice to improve executive functioning skills.

---

Practical Strategies for Overcoming Time Blindness

• Rethink Your Relationship with Time:

  • Add Buffer Time: Allow extra preparation time (e.g., 30-60 minutes) for work or deadlines, and build in breaks between activities to prevent overscheduling.

  • Track Actual Time: Log how long tasks truly take to improve future scheduling accuracy.

  • Establish Routines: Consistent daily routines can help tasks become more automatic, requiring less conscious effort.

• Mindfulness and Limiting Distractions:

  • Practices like mindfulness and meditation can help you stay present.

  • Limit activities known to cause "lost time," such as video games or excessive social media use.

• Helpful Time Management Tools:

  • Low-Tech Timers:

    • Kitchen timers: The ticking sound can help with accountability.

    • Hourglasses: Offer a visual cue for time passing if ticking is distracting.

  • High-Tech Timers:

    • App timers: I like the session app 

    • Time recording: Toggl app is also a timer app but it also helps you track where you spent your time, day by day, or weeks or months. 

  • Visual Lists: Checklists, whether on a whiteboard or paper, help prioritize tasks and offer satisfaction upon completion.

  • Rewards: Motivate yourself by completing challenging tasks first and then rewarding yourself with an enjoyable activity.

---

Help your team by clearing their path to success

I could not agree more with the content of this article. In summary Managers should check this list as a reminder:

5 Diagnostic Questions to Remind You of Your Need to Clear the Path:

1. Have I shared my priorities from my boss with the team and asked for their input on how to meet those priorities?

2. Am I avoiding the tendency to ask my team to more with less in the name of productivity?

3. Am I working with team members to identify and eliminate non-value-add activities, including excessive status reporting, unnecessary meetings and low-priority project commitments?

4. Am I genuine in my efforts to secure added resources where needed to meet our priorities?

5. Am I providing ample visibility and kudos to the team members helping move the needle on our key priorities?

Learn about and also how to avoid procrastination

Some good info regarding a big enemy PROCRASTINATION.

From: http://workawesome.com/productivity/3-tactics-battling-procrastination/#more-10978
Basically 3 advices:

Find a good feeling to replace the one of simply postponing what you need to do: Procrastination acts on a good feeling, it is better to procrastinate postpone doing something else (better feeling) than actually working on what you need to do so think about the good benefits of Not Procrastinating
Reduce distrations: Email, facebook, web, etc. are also good feelings that take you away from the main task
Exercise  your willpower as a muscle: The more you use it, the stronger it becomes. It will become easier to push past the short term gains of procrastination as you exercise willpower.

Other good advices here:
 Recognize your behavior. Take special notice of when and why you are procrastinating.  If you can become more self-observant than you can begin to change your behavior.  But it is important to be honest with yourself when doing this step.  Do not fall into the trap of rationalizing your reasons for delaying work.

Put one foot forward. Too often, we fail to start a big project because we focus on the big picture.  It is like trying to run an entire marathon in one giant leap.  Instead, quit thinking about the whole task and focus on the first step.  Continue putting one foot in front of the other and before you know it you will look back and the job will be finished.

Don’t put off the small stuff. Our lives tend to become inundated with mundane tasks that leave us feeling overwhelmed.  Something as simple as sorting through a stack of mail becomes an added stress to our weekly chores.  Start completing small task as they present themselves.  When you are walking back from the mail box, open that letter – don’t throw it in the corner and wait for it to pile up.

If a project is due later, reward yourself for each hour spent on it now. Make the reward for working now, greater than a simple-immediate reward such as checking your email.  How about your favorite snack from the deli that you have been craving all morning?  One hour of work and it’s all yours.

Get started now. Stop thinking and start working on the task.  You will find that simply starting the task alleviates the anxiety associated with completing the project and boosts your self confidence because you have begun working.  It will also give you time for unexpected hurdles that you did not account for while rationalizing your decision to delay work.  Worse case scenario: you finish early and have stress-free time to relax.

This article talks about how to beat procrastination on the long run:

Simply knowing “not to procrastinate” is inadequate. How can we learn how to beat procrastination if we don’t understand it? You wouldn’t go into any other battle without studying your opponent, maybe it’s time you got to “know your enemy.”

Which Tasks Do We Procrastinate?

We all know – in a very general, vague sense – when we tend to procrastinate, but a closer look at our least favorite tasks can show us exactly when we are prone to procrastination. Most of us follow certain behavioral patterns, delaying certain types of tasks with specific attributes. Psychologist Edwin Van Hooft theorizes that three task traits cause “task aversiveness,” the catalyst for procrastination:

• Task difficulty. People tend to procrastinate when confronted with “difficult” tasks.
• Task importance. People tend to procrastinate when they deem a task “unimportant.”
• Task efficacy. When people don’t consider themselves “good at” the task at hand, they’re likely to procrastinate.

Structured Procrastination

Structured procrastination involves the reordering of tasks against their true importance. Faced with a particularly aversive (but important) task such as doing your taxes, you might discover less important things to do, like washing your car, finishing your laundry, or exercising. You might even invent tasks that border on the unnecessary, like disinfecting your desk or checking the air pressure on your car tires. It’s all about finding justifiable reasons to avoid the more important work.

It sounds harmless, even semi-productive, but structured procrastination is a serious problem. Your “to do” list is upside-down, reordering your tasks from least to mostimportant. You’re putting off the critical tasks for trivialities that are barely worth your time. Your productivity may be up, but it’s only to hide from yourself the fact that your priorities are completely backwards.

Waiting For The “Spirit to Strike You”

Instead of springing into action like structured procrastinators, some people have the opposite reaction, becoming paralyzed by procrastination. Rather than avoiding the aversive work by turning to small, insignificant, less important tasks, they stay on target, facing the most important work first. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re doingthe work, and procrastinators often feel safe as long as they’re “in position,” even if they’re not actually making progress.

The classic example is the college student with a large paper due the next day. The student sits frozen at the keyboard. They aren’t writing, but they think that if they leave, they’ll miss a moment of perfect inspiration to write. The student feels comfortable and anxiety-free sitting at their desk. They’re not avoiding their work, in fact, they’re facing it… quite literally. But, they still aren’t actually doing it.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism is often portrayed as a positive quality to have, but it’s a frequent catalyst for procrastination. Work simply won’t get started unless the conditions are perfect, and it won’t ever be finished until the results are flawless. This is the kind of behavior that will stop a gym-goer from starting their workout unless they’re fully rested, perfectly hydrated and optimally fueled via a pre-workout diet. Similarly, an author might never finish their book until every word is glimmering with perfection.

How Do We Beat Procrastination?

Understand the flavors of motivation. Internal motivation is a product of your own values and goals. External motivation involves rewards – like a salary – for completing tasks and penalties – like a poor performance review – for failure. As much as we’d love our strongest motivation to come from within, we tend to put externally motivated tasks ahead of internally motivated ones. In other words, you may want very badly to spend the evening with your family, but you feel that you have to finish that externally-motivated project report by midnight.

Practice volitional skills. Psychologically speaking, “volitional skills” is just the scientific term for “willpower,” but there is an important distinction between the terms: People consider willpower to be innate, something you’re born with (or born without). It sounds like an easy avenue for excuses; whenever you want to procrastinate, you can shrug and proclaim “I just don’t have the willpower,” as if there’s no way to summon the initiative to get the job done.

The excuse just isn’t viable: “Willpower” is not a power given at birth. It’s a volitional skill; you can develop it, improve it or neglect it. Consider your volitional skills like muscles; you can strengthen them, but you can also exhaust them. They benefit from rest, so pick your willpower battles carefully.

Stop calling yourself a procrastinator. If you get too comfortable with procrastination, you’ll eventually find yourself neglecting your job, your family and your personal health. Instead of declaring yourself a procrastinator, declare your productive intentions and remind yourself of your goals. As David Campbell said:

“Discipline is remembering what you want”

Now a process for you to exercise your willpower muscle, or as this article mentions:

The principle is simple: it’s easier to increase our concentration by controlling our environment than controlling our attention. By setting the conditions in which we operate on the front end, we spare ourselves the order of having to make moment-to-moment decisions for staying on task. I kept trying to open GReader and Gmail, despite my conscious commitment to the low information diet. The problem isn’t changing a behavior, it’s changing a habit, and a habit is much more deep-seated and has more momentum than a single action.

Back to the process: Use the Pomodoro Technique (named after a Tomato shaped timer):
 There are five basic steps to implementing the technique:

1. Decide on the task to be done
2. Set the pomodoro timer to n minutes (traditionally 25)^[1]
3. Work on the task until the timer rings; record with an x
4. Take a short break (3-5 minutes)
5. Every four pomodori take a longer break (15–30 minutes)

The stages of planning, tracking, recording, processing and visualizing are fundamental to the technique. In the planning phase tasks are prioritized by recording them in a "To Do Today" list. This enables users to estimate the effort tasks require. As pomodori are completed, they are recorded, adding to a sense of accomplishment and providing raw data for subsequent self-observation and improvement.^[1]

For the purposes of the technique, "pomodoro" refers to the interval of time spent working.^[1] After task completion, any time remaining in the pomodoro is devoted to overlearning. Regular breaks are taken, aiding assimilation. A short (3-5 minute) rest separates consecutive pomodori. Four pomodori form a set. A longer (15-30 minute) rest is taken between sets.^[1][7]

An essential aim of the technique is to reduce the impact of internal and external interruptions on focus and flow. A pomodoro is indivisible. When interrupted during a pomodoro either the other activity must be recorded and postponed (inform – negotiate – schedule – call back) or the pomodoro must be abandoned.^[1][7][8]

This is a Chrome extension for a simple Pomodoro Timer that reduces your temptations (by blocking specific websites) it is called PomoTodo.  Another very good one (better interface but do not have the historical statistics is 30/30 app)

Startup Document Templates - From Business Insider

Clipped from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/document-center

A good set of basic (very basic) templates for those thinking about a start up!
===========================================

Give your new business a jump start with Business Insider's selection of business and legal documents. Powered by DocStoc.
 

---

	Business Plan Template Executive Summary Use this guide to develop an executive summary for the business plan of a technology-based business, with the goal of garnering investor interest. See document >
	Sample Bylaws Outline the general rules and regulations your company will adhere to. See document >
	Financial Model Use this excel document to build a financial model that will help you with financial decision making and risk/reward assessments. See document >
	Stock Purchase Agreement Regulate the sale and transfer of common stock including the rights and stipulations surrounding such a transaction. See document >
	Vesting Agreement Outlines the agreement of stock options issued to an employee by a company. See document >
	Joint Venture Agreement Intended for joint venturers and lawyers; outlines the necessary rules and stipulations to regulate your new venture. See document >
	Stock Subscription Agreement Regulate distribution and allocation of shares of early stage investment in a start-up.  This document is often accompanied by a term sheet, as well as an investor rights agreement. See document >
	Non-Disclosure Agreement Template Agreement intended to protect confidential business or product information. See document >
	Investor Rights Agreement Outline the rights and responsibilities of investors. See document >
	Consulting Services Agreement Outlines the terms and conditions for assigning a project to an outside consultant or consulting firm. See document >
	Instructions for the Scope of Work Template A framework outlining the division of work to be performed under a contract or subcontract in the completion of a project, typically broken out into specific tasks with deadlines. See document >
	Outsourcing Agreement Checklist Outlines topics for consideration when contemplating outsourcing work to an independent, outside contractor; designed to ensure that the agreement between the two parties is clear and equitable. See document >

Two Lists You Should Look at Every Morning

Clipped from: http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2009/05/two-lists-you-should-look-at-e.html?goback=.nmp_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1.gde_1772602_member_103899192

List 1: Your Focus List (the road ahead) What are you trying to achieve? What makes you happy? What's important to you? Design your time around those things. Because time is your one limited resource and no matter how hard you try you can't work 25/8.
List 2: Your Ignore List (the distractions)
To succeed in using your time wisely, you have to ask the equally important but often avoided complementary questions: what are you willing not to achieve? What doesn't make you happy? What's not important to you? What gets in the way?

 Some people already have the first list. Very few have the second. But given how easily we get distracted and how many distractions we have these days, the second is more important than ever. The leaders who will continue to thrive in the future know the answers to these questions and each time there's a demand on their attention they ask whether it will further their focus or dilute it.