Want this Valentine's Day to be the one you don't put together at the eleventh hour? Say no more! Agave ADHD Coach Brittany Sulkin built the ultimate to do list to make sure that this year, your planning is impeccable for a perfect evening with your sweet Valentine.
February 2023, Brittany Sulkin, ADHD Coach @ Agave Health
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, but when you have ADHD it can be hard to plan for anything, let alone a holiday. The good news is, it CAN be done!
If you’d like to celebrate with a special someone, start planning now to avoid that last frantic dash to the store for whatever card and candy may remain on the shelves the morning of the 14th!
I’ve created this check-list to help you plan. Let’s go through it together.
Remember, Valentine's Day does not have to be complicated or stressful.
1) Decide How You'd Like to Celebrate
Do you want to buy your sweetie chocolate and/or flowers? Do you want to snag reservations at a romantic restaurant? Maybe you want to cook them something from scratch.
Listen, I know making decisions isn’t always easy with ADHD. A few things that may help:
Do your best to assess the time and energy you’ll have this week when taking Valentine’s plans into account.
Give yourself a time limit to make a decision.
Don’t be afraid to ask your partner what they might enjoy to help you narrow it down!
2) Write It Down
If a meal is part of your plans, go ahead and make that reservation or create that grocery list!
Make sure you have this information written down and in a place where you are likely to come in contact with it. If this means you need to record it in a few places, that’s okay!
3) Make That One Call
Place your order for your flower and/or candy delivery. You’re going to want to do this sooner than later. It’s much more challenging and expensive to place these orders the night before! (Trust me, I’ve tried!) If you need to put a reminder in your phone or have someone body double with you while you place these orders, then, by all means, do so!
4) Schedule Shopping Time
If you are shopping for dinner ingredients, a card, or gifts, schedule a time to do so!
Poor time management is one of the main culprits that can make planning ahead so challenging. Let’s be real, “I’ll get around to it sometime this week,” is not a solid strategy. Get ahead of this by using your calendars. They can be digital or paper - whatever works best for you!
In fact, you can schedule anything in your calendar to help with time management. You can schedule when to start cooking, or when you need to start getting ready for that dinner reservation. A good rule of thumb for ADHDers is to schedule more time that you think you’ll use.
5) It's Shopping Time!
Make a list. Write it down on a piece of paper, put it in your phone, or even both! ADHDers are notorious for forgetting things, but we have a much better chance at remembering when we write them down. Get specific. For example, are you buying flowers, or are you buying pink tulips? Do you want chocolates or Hershey Kisses? Make less work for your brain while you’re out and about.
Remember, Valentine’s Day does not have to be complicated or stressful. If you’re really struggling with overwhelm, keep it simple. There’s nothing quite as romantic as a handwritten love letter. Ultimately, this is a holiday about showing your love and appreciation.
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