22 Apr What is an ADHD Planner? 5 Tips for Students with ADHD
Cornerstone Protection
836 Euclid Avenue Suite 16, Lexington
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us! -
As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience. -
We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem. -
Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter. -
Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!! -
The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them! -
I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended. -
We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives. -
The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul. -
We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
WHAT IS AN ADHD PLANNER?
Pick up your planner! Sticking to routines can be exhausting for a person with ADHD. And being a school student, you need strategies to get good grades. A study published (in 2019) in the Journal of Learning Disabilities showed how a daily planner improved academic performance in young adults with ADHD.
Using a planner specifically designed for ADHD can help prioritize tasks, maintain a routine, and have more productive study sessions. An ADHD planner is based on creating an all-in-one space that doesn’t burden the working memory.
The less going on, the better.
Nevertheless, the elements of an ADHD planner can be subjective. Some people prefer simple spreads, while others like decorated pages. So let’s have a look at how planners for ADHD can be different compared to regular ones.
What is an ADHD planner?
We all know what regular planners look like. They are known for dealing with organization, time management, and task completion. But an ADHD planner differs in some ways in addition to keeping these needs in mind:
➡ Visual aids
Visual aids allow students with ADHD to understand information better. Some examples of these graphic cues are:
- Color coding
- Symbols
- Images
- Pie charts
- Graphs
Using the above can help summarize important facts. For example, people with ADHD, whose primary method is visual learning, will benefit the most from a graphically inclined ADHD planner.
➡ More space for detailed schedules
An ADHD planner would focus on keeping track of all schedules. So even if a student uses it, scheduling and assigning time blocks for school and personal life helps maintain a balanced lifestyle.
Similarly, keeping ideas and thoughts in one place would benefit greatly. An all-in-one ADHD planner would allow the individual to record everything inside one notebook. So it is unnecessary to go back and forth or switch between planners – a good way to tackle poor attention and memory.
➡ Assigning priority to every task
Prioritizing tasks becomes essential whether you have a few or just a few. An ideal ADHD planner would most likely include the following:
- Daily priority list
- Weekly goal tracker
- High-priority tasks
➡ Being flexible
An ADHD planner must provide flexibility. It means maintaining space for schedule or event changes. This feature is good for ADHDers who struggle with impulsivity or plan instability.
What are Some Advantages of an ADHD Planner?
Looking at an ADHD planner sums up its advantages. However, there’s more to it than simple time management and task organization. Below are some other benefits students can get from keeping such a planner.
A good ADHD planner for students will help you achieve the following:
- More balanced outlook toward mind, body, and spirit
- Lower anxiety and stress levels due to better time tracking
- Assigning time slots to tasks and personal goals
- Keep track of details such as appointments, jobs, and deadlines
- Increase in self-awareness
An ADHD planner can help you become more aware of behavioral patterns. It can also provide a better picture of the areas you struggle with. These results and processes can be useful to share with a mental health professional and self-assess your overall functioning.
How to Choose an ADHD Planner
The best ADHD planner will suit your individual needs.
Now that we know what an ADHD planner is, what type should you get? The classic split is choosing between paper and pencil or a planning app.
Paper Planner vs. Digital ADHD Planning Apps
Paper and pencil may be a clear winner. Studies have shown that writing by hand is a better experience. You’re more likely to remember important details and facts if everything is handwritten.
Imperfect Inspiration is one of those companies that provide you with many formats of planners for people with ADHD or those who get distracted easily. You can choose from digital downloads, printables, or even reusable products. They are simple and minimalistic spreads; different options are available for tracking monthly habits, weekly planning, daily planning, and even sheets for students.
You can also go for bounded journals with many options. An all-encompassing product is this Smart Self-Care planner. It is an undated planner (so no pressure!) with stickers to make journaling more fun. While it has weekly and monthly planning, the product’s space for writing down gratitude and tracking productivity sets it apart.
On the other hand, digital apps are easily accessible. The biggest takeaway is that you don’t have to carry the planner all the time physically. You can even upgrade or pay to unlock premium features like extra journal pages or templates. Some of the best planning apps are:
- Todoist
- Simplemind Pro
- Brain Focus
- Trello
While these apps work great, all of them are designed for different purposes. That said, having many apps can be a distraction. And even unnecessary features within a single application can take away concentration and put pressure on filling in everything.
So Sunsama is an all-rounder in this regard. It focuses on to-do lists and gives a unified planner view. It is designed specifically for people with ADHD; you can have a bird’s eye view of all your tasks and calendar, along with auto-scheduling.
Weekly, monthly, and yearly spreads are all useful. Both the paper and digital methods can be handy. So assess your personal needs for picking an ADHD planner.
5 ADHD Planner Tips to Make the Most of Your Days
Simply having a planner is not enough. It requires commitment and personalization.
➡ Make a note of important contacts.
- Note down the contact details of your parents, friends, and your mental health professional (if you have one).
➡ Carry your planner everywhere.
- Immediately record any ideas or new tasks.
- Check-in on your planner as a reminder for daily and weekly tasks.
- Reference it whenever your schedule slips away.
➡ Figure out how to fill in your planner.
- Develop a routine or keep a hard time filling your planner.
- You can keep separate times to review the day or the week.
➡ Keep it all in one place.
- Avoid spreading your plans in multiple planners or loose pages.
- Use a binding ribbon or bulldog clips to add extra sheets to your planner.
➡ Don’t be afraid to personalize.
- Use fictional cues to play out
- Add color-coding stickers to identify sections and create categories
Takeaway: Pick an ADHD Planner and Personalize It
ADHD planners for students can help manage life and school at home. It is a powerful tool for organization, time management, and prioritizing tasks. Your stress and anxiety levels can reduce as you regain control of your life.
Remember to pick between a paper planner and a digital app. Compare the pros and cons, then select the one that suits your needs better. Please don’t rush into filling in immediately; take a moment to personalize the planner and establish a routine to go through it.
With time, you will find it easier to be consistent. Contact a mental health professional if you find your symptoms hard to manage while using a planner.
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Craig Selinger
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