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Apps to become more organized and tidy

AprilR

Well-Known Member
Hello, as i have mentioned it i have been unemployed for months now and i have a lot of free time. I am trying to take care of my house, eat healthy and keep a rutine but i have some problems.

1- I get distracted very easily and forget what i am going to do.

2- When i open the computer i can waste hours just on social media or getting engrossed in my special interests and i don't notice that hours went by.

3- When my tasks pile up i can get very anxious and depressed and don't know where to start.

4- Having so much free time makes me dwell on negative thoughts and become depressed.

Recently I have become better at keeping up a routine, I keep a lot of different lists and set alarms for the things i have to do. But then i saw an app for people with adhd and neurological differences and it made me think that it would be more practical to have one app as opposed to countless lists.

The app i mentioned was not free so i did not download it. So i wanted to ask if you have any recommendations for a free app that can help neurodiverse people become more disciplined, and productive. Thanks in advance!
 
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It was called Me plus i think (Me+) I would have used it if it was free.
I looked this up. It is deceptive because it takes you through a loooong set of questions about yourself and what you want to do differently and it isn’t until you’ve already invested five minutes in the damn thing before it tells you it is a subscription. Yes, it does say in-app purchases, but that could mean anything.

It looks to me like it is going to use behavior therapy to get you motivated and keep “on track.” Giving you lots of artificial encouragement.

It does give you half off for the first year $30/year, so that is what? About $2.50/month, which isn’t bad, if you think that might help you.

I don’t much like these kinds of programs, but others may.
 
I worked with ChatGPT for a week or so. I told it exactly what I wanted and it would help me set goals and priorities on a daily basis.

What I liked about it was I could tell it to be flexible based on my energy level.
 
I recommend a notebook.

If you get distracted when you use the computer or phone, an app isn't likely to bring any improvement to your focus issues.

Having said that... I don't use a notebook. I have a similar problem, and I organize my day an to-do lists on my ipad, which I kept on flight mode. I use goodnotes because I can write as if I had a notebook. About being distracted by computer and phone, I just shut them off and keep them out of sight. It's hard for me not to spend a lot of time with them if I start using them, and even if I am just checking the email suddenly I spent 2 to 3 hours, somehow.

I still have a lot of problems with creating a routine I can stick with, but I'm trying to implement it, slowly.
 
@InFact Thanks, i downloaded it.

@WhitewaterWoman I have Gemini but i have never used it. Maybe i should try it as well.

@Trophonius I tend to lose notebooks, and i need to have my organizer at hand even when i am outside. I would probably forget the notebook when i am going outside
 
I would definitely agree that throwing more tech-related things at the problem might not be the best solution, at least for most of us (if the goal is to kind of get away from that world for periods of time while we do other important tasks).

What helped me to 'stay organized' (or: get things done in my own chaotic way, while also having plenty of time for study and special interests) was to find the joy in the mundane. Whether it's doing the dishes, cooking, cleaning, doing yard work, fixing stuff around the house or what have you, leaning into the task without distractions and feeling a sense of accomplishment when they're done kind of makes them 'addictive' or 'gamified' in their own natural way.

I don't know, but it seems like accomplishments (even small ones) kind of breed more of the same, at least for me.

Another accidental byproduct of being involved with very complex special interests involving a lot of problem-solving and brain power is that you actually start to crave the mundane, just so you can get away from it sometimes and often make excuses to do so. "I'd love to mow the lawn, because it beats sitting here trying to program this darn thing for another 5 hours", etc. Creating less of a comfort zone and doing more difficult things really makes the small tasks enjoyable again :D
 
I would definitely agree that throwing more tech-related things at the problem might not be the best solution, at least for most of us (if the goal is to kind of get away from that world for periods of time while we do other important tasks).

What helped me to 'stay organized' (or: get things done in my own chaotic way, while also having plenty of time for study and special interests) was to find the joy in the mundane. Whether it's doing the dishes, cooking, cleaning, doing yard work, fixing stuff around the house or what have you, leaning into the task without distractions and feeling a sense of accomplishment when they're done kind of makes them 'addictive' or 'gamified' in their own natural way.

I don't know, but it seems like accomplishments (even small ones) kind of breed more of the same, at least for me.

Another accidental byproduct of being involved with very complex special interests involving a lot of problem-solving and brain power is that you actually start to crave the mundane, just so you can get away from it sometimes and often make excuses to do so. "I'd love to mow the lawn, because it beats sitting here trying to program this darn thing for another 5 hours", etc. Creating less of a comfort zone and doing more difficult things really makes the small tasks enjoyable again :D
I relate to gamifying the tasks. I sometimes want to do mundane tasks like cleaning just so i can gain a sense of accomplishment. But i also have ocd so i am wary about cleaning too much.

But i think for me, things like tidying the house, shopping, and making a phone call takes more brain power and organization skills. That's why instead of making numerous lists on my phone i thought relying on a single app might be more convenient. Apparently there are apps specifically for neurodiverse people too so i thought i would give it a chance
 
l use pure bribe/reward system with myself. My housemate wanted a bad choice in food, l told him just get thru this week of medical appts., then you can have that. If you tell yourself as soon as l finished this annoying task, errand, call, cleaning, l will make myself a delicious mocha latte, or a Spanish omelet, or allow myself 1 hour of special interests. Then you will accomplish more. I use this alot with cleaning, as it's very hard for me to be motivated about it. I wish there was a prescription for this. :)
 
l use pure bribe/reward system with myself. My housemate wanted a bad choice in food, l told him just get thru this week of medical appts., then you can have that. If you tell yourself as soon as l finished this annoying task, errand, call, cleaning, l will make myself a delicious mocha latte, or a Spanish omelet, or allow myself 1 hour of special interests. Then you will accomplish more. I use this alot with cleaning, as it's very hard for me to be motivated about it. I wish there was a prescription for this. :)
I actually do this too, it is helpful! But it only helps when i actually remember what i am supposed to do so i also set up alarms/timed reminders and lots and lots of different lists.
I wish i had a life coach or something sometimes who helps me manage my life.
 

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