Going on a Vacuum Hunt and Other Adventures While Navigating Life with ADHD

Posted Sunday at 10:00 AM3 days

Some people may occasionally misplace their keys or phone. I, on the other hand, lose my vacuum. When ADHD is combined with blindness, it can make every day a little more chaotic, or a big adventure, depending on how you want to look at it. Even though things may not always run as smoothly as I would like, it can definitely keep life interesting in a variety of ways.

1 Losing my Phone

With ADHD, losing items may become a regular part of life. But when combining that with another disability like blindness, items can literally be lost in plain sight. Let’s just say the Apple watch and its ability to ping my phone in an audible manner has helped me find my phone multiple times. Technology can sure be a blessing when navigating life with a disability. When one can find said technology, that is.

2 Losing the Vacuum

With ADHD, it is very possible to start with one task, become distracted, wander off, and then start doing something else. Then, after doing something else, the vacuum is no where to be seen. So, then the most obvious solution is to wander around singing “Going on a vacuum hunt” to the tune of “going on a Bear Hunt.” I haven’t exactly gotten past that line but maybe someday.

3 Audio Overstimulation

There’s just so much to listen to! There’s my phone talking, my computer talking, my husband and/or kids talking to me, and then there’s any of their devices, not to mention any other noises in the house or environment. ADHD can make overstimulation a very real thing, and when there is so much going on in an environment, it can become really overwhelming.

4 Organization

So, with ADHD, it really helps to be organized, but it can also be really hard to get started. With blindness, organization is incredibly helpful since I can’t always just look around and find something. But, the problem is that with ADHD it can be difficult to get this process started. With this being said, it helps to find a system that works and stick to it. It may be a challenge to get the system started or stay on top of it, but it’s even more difficult when there is literally no system or method to the madness.

When speaking of organization, this could cover anything from the way clothes are put away, how the fridge is organized, or even a more functional way to use cabinet space.

For me, for example, I like to keep the shelves of our fridge where everything has a purpose. For example, there’s the one with breakfast items, leftovers, produce, and one for drinks. Before this method, with ADHD, it can be so tempting to just get something done quick and shove things in where ever they fit. But, then with blindness, this also makes everything a lot harder to find.

I think, although it may be convenient at times, it is much better to find a system that works and try to maintain this, then feel like an entire overhaul is necessary. The key part is *try* since ADHD can make staying on tasks/initiating a task difficult, and blindness can make one unaware of the overall picture in the first place.

5 Half Done Everywhere

With ADHD, it can be hard to stay on task and not get distracted. Blindness adds another layer, though, because I don’t have the visual reminders to go back to it. People with ADHD may tend to forget things when they are out of sight, but adding blindness to this makes it difficult, too, because then technically a lot of things are out of sight.

6 Finding a System of Reminders that Works

In the daily grind of life, it’s so important to find a system of reminders that works for you in your unique situation. For some people, this may involve using apps or electronic devices. Apps are convenient, in that most people *usually* have their phones with them where plans/notes can be written down. Apps may also have additional features some people may find useful/motivating, such as reminders, brighter colors, or may even have customizable features.

Others, though, prefer to go “old school” and use a pen and paper. There can be something really grounding about holding the pen and paper in your hand.

For me, using an app is too distracting. Even with the reminder’s app on my iPhone, I start with good intentions and use it to remind me of things, but then I have a hard time stopping to take the time to mark those tasks as done when I’m being reminded of them solely electronically. Sometimes using a pen and paper, or, for me, Braille, really does still have its place.

7 The Laundry Hassle

With ADHD, sometimes it’s so hard to even get started, especially for tasks that are mundane. Laundry is seriously never ending, and neither are the fast-growing piles. Blindness makes it harder to put it away, though, because I’m so picky about the color order in which things get put away. It does take more time initially, but it sure does make it a lot easier when trying to find a particular thing later. Plus, I do actually care about how things look, even if I cannot see everything myself.

8 Tasks Take Longer

ADHD can be frustrating in that tasks can take a lot longer, whether that is because of having a difficult time getting started or maybe even just because of getting distracted along the way. Wen blindness is added to that, though, it complicates things even more because sometimes blindness in itself can make tasks take longer. Assistive technology allows those of us who are blind to read at a pretty fast rate, but, when it comes to tasks that involve physical productivity, they can tend to take longer wen doing everything by touch. For example, when aching socks, we have to feel for the matching one by touch, which can take longer than matching them visually.

ADHD and Blindness Equal Challenging, Not Impossible

ADHD and blindness can both pose their unique challenges. Both can ad an interesting and, at times, surprising twist to the day. The good thing, though, is that they both can be overcome if managed in creative ways.

So, what about you? What are some unique struggles you may have while navigating, ADHD, blindness, loss of mobility, autism, or any other unique challenge you may face?

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This post was previously published on medium.com.