How to think clearly with ADHD: the surprise benefit of precise words

I tell my assistant everything that happens in my day. What I did, who I talked to, what I decided, what's next. That's how it keeps track of my life, so I don't have to. It's also how I learned to think clearly with ADHD.

I noticed something early. The more precise I am with my words, the better the system works. Vague in, vague out. Clear in, clear out.

Then came the benefit I didn't see coming. It's the best one, and the one I most want to share.

Understand my meaning

My goal with my assistant is simple. I want it to understand my meaning, not just my words.

That pushed me to say what I mean. Not "deal with the thing later". Instead: "Call the bank on Thursday about the card that expired." The second one leaves nothing to guess.

Precise with my assistant, precise with people

Here's the surprise. After a while, I started talking to people the same way. Clearer asks. Fewer mix-ups. Less "that's not what I meant".

And precise words led to precise thoughts. When I have to say exactly what I mean, I have to know exactly what I mean first. For me, that clarity has taken a lot of the fog out of my ADHD days.

A tidy head and a tidy house

It shows up in small ways. I get through my days, and I remember things. I put what I'll need by the door, so it leaves with me.

Right now I'm cleaning the house. I have one box for things that go upstairs, and another box of things that go to my Mum's. Everything has a place, and everything goes to its place.

There's a Japanese method for this called 5S: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. Factories use it to keep a workplace clear. My brain has become 5S, along with my house.

Make it a rule

This is now rule eight: understand my meaning. I say what I mean, exactly. If my assistant can't understand my meaning, I say it again, more clearly.

What to do next

Pick one thing on your mind right now. Say it out loud as a full, exact sentence: who, what, and when. "Pay the phone bill on Friday morning." Write that down. Notice how much lighter it feels than "sort out bills".

This is my own experience, not a doctor's advice. The kit is where I practise it every day.