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What Roles do Tools and Reminders Play? · Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: So for many neurodivergent people, particularly those with ADHD or autism, managing time, switching between tasks and remembering things that aren't immediately in front of us can be a little bit challenging.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: This is often perceived as a lack of effort, motivation, ability, or caring.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: And actually that isn't it at all.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's just about how our brains process information, attention, and transitions.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: So for example, we're hyper-focused, that can absolutely be a real strength.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: It allows somebody to become so deeply immersed in something that they're passionate about, to be creative, productive, fully engaged, come up with really good solutions, but it can also mean that time starts to be conceived a little bit differently, which means losing track of it in a conventional sense.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: And as a result, missing appointments, forgetting to eat or drink, or struggling to move on to the next task are quite common.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: So this is where tools like alarms, timers, calendar notifications, and gentle reminders can make a huge difference.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: They're not there to interrupt someone's flow for the sake of it, they're about providing an external cue, like a little nudge that says, Okay, it's time to check in with yourself, it's time to start moving on to the next thing.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: That leads us very nicely to transitions.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: For some neurodivergent people, moving from one activity to another can take considerable mental effort and it can become unfathomable to put the steps into place when we're very overwhelmed.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Going from working on a project to attending a meeting or from enjoying some downtime and to getting ready to leave the house, it's not always as simple as just stopping one thing and starting another.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Reminders can make those transitions less abrupt.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: A 10-minute warning, for example, followed by a two-minute warning, reminder even can give someone time to mentally prepare, finish a thought, and shift their attention.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: It's a small adjustment that can make a huge impact on reducing stress and stopping demand avoidance and making everyday routines more manageable.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: Another important object concept is object permanence, or more specifically, what is often described in AGHD communities as out of sight, out of mind.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think that's always completely accurate.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's just kind of a lack of conception of how future things or things aren't there, like slot into what you're doing now.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: But um, if something isn't visible or actively brought to somebody's attention, it can be much harder to remember that it exists or needs attention in that moment.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: So this is where things like visual reminders, labelled storage, whiteboards, checklists, and even something as simple as having an alert and then leaving an important item where it's visible in line with what needs to be done.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: Can bridge that gap.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: Digital reminders can do the same for appointments, tasks, medication, or everyday responsibilities.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: So we should also remember that accessibility isn't always about making huge changes.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it's about understanding like the tiny practical things that are really quite arbitrary, but that make the difference between somebody being able to function as this world demands and that being a lot harder.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like if something wouldn't necessarily make sense to everybody else, but it's not like dangerous, it's not destructive, and it's not harming anybody.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: I think that is quite important.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: We should also remember that no single tool works for everybody.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: What happens um to help one person might really overwhelm another, and I think that's quite prominent and nowadays with a lot of late diagnoses.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of people kind of don't resonate with the symptoms, how they are seen in things like um equality procedures, but it's more about our own lived experiences.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I think the aim should be to listen, offer flexibility, and allow people to find the strategies that work for their individual needs.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and ultimately, reminders and tools aren't about making neurodivergent people fit into a system that wasn't designed with us in mind.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: Although, to some extent, we do have um we do have to function in this world, and you know, there's responsibilities that come with that, so we need to create environments where people have the support that they need to manage their time, protect their energy, and move through life with greater confidence.