When I suggest that clients with ADD create a schedule to structure their week, I often get strong resistance. This is typically because the words “schedules” and “structure” seem to imply about the same sense of freedom as a straightjacket! So, if you are squirming with resistance yourself, hang on. Perhaps you need a new way of envisioning structure.
Although a calendar is divided up into hours, even 15-minute segments, most of us do not choose to live by such a rigid schedule when we don’t have to. With a Weekly Template we can create just as much structure as we actually want and need. The idea behind the Weekly Template is quite simple: it is envisioning your week as chunks or blocks of time for related activities. For example, Monday mornings to run errands, Wednesday evenings to work on finances, etc. By designing a template that fits your life, you discover that you can actually move through your week more smoothly. Like our skeleton, the Weekly Template gives us both structure and flexibility. It is definitely not a straightjacket.
Whether you are a single working guy or a mom running a household of six, you can discover the benefits of the Weekly Template. Here’s the ADD-friendly way to get started on your own template. Grab a sheet of paper and sketch out eight (8) columns and four (4) rows like the samples below. Then start penciling in your main activities. Don’t worry about getting this perfect because it never will be. Instead strive for an approximation of what you would like your week to be.
After you have a first draft, pick one activity and make it your goal to do that activity during the chunk of time you sketched. For example, plan to do the laundry on the same day each week until that becomes fairly routine. Then add a second activity, working towards doing it as regularly as you can. Remember that you are working from a draft, not a plan set in concrete! As you refine your template, you will discover the freedom of knowing what you are doing next. You will be amazed how liberating this can be!
A Mom’s Typical Week
Time |
SUN |
MON |
TUE |
WED |
THU |
FRI |
SAT |
Morning |
Church |
-Exercise
-Tidy up & plan meals |
-Exerc.
-Voluntr work |
-Exerc.
-Coffee or lunch with friend |
-Exerc.
-Voluntr work |
-Exerc.
-Laundry
-Light cleaning |
Garden
or soccer game |
Afternoon |
Family lunch with friends |
-Errands
-Groceries |
Kids to lessons |
Soccer practice |
Kids to lessons |
Shop with kids |
Family outing |
Evening |
Family TV nite |
-Monitor homework
-PTA calls
-Read to kids |
-Monitor homewk
-Personal reading |
-Monitor homewk
-Bills/ finances with husband
-Read to kids |
-Monitor homewk
-Pers. reading |
Family game nite;
Read to kids |
Date night or friends over |
A Dad’s Typical Week
Time |
SUN |
MON |
TUE |
WED |
THU |
FRI |
SAT |
Morning |
Church |
-Exercise
-Plan week
-E-mail
-Ph calls |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-E-mail
-Ph calls |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-E-mail
-Ph calls |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-E-mail
-Ph calls |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-E-mail
-Ph calls |
Gardening
or soccer game |
Afternoon |
Family lunch with friends |
-Staff mtg; task for day
-E-mail |
-Tasks for day
-E-mail |
-Tasks for day
-E-mail |
-Tasks for day; staff mtg
-E-mail |
-Tasks for day
-E-mail |
Family outing |
Evening |
Family TV nite |
-Monitor homework
-Dishes
-Watch football |
-Monitor homework
-Read to kids |
-Monitor homework
-Dishes
-Bills/ finances with wife |
-Monitor homework
-Read to kids |
-Family game nite; plan weekend
-Dishes |
-Date night or friends over
-Read to kids |
A Single’s Typical Week
Time |
SUN |
MON |
TUE |
WED |
THU |
FRI |
SAT |
Morning |
Read NY Times |
-Exercise
-Plan week
-Ph calls, e-mails |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-Ph calls, e-mails |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-Ph calls,
e-mails |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-Ph calls,
e-mails |
-Exercise
-Plan day
-Ph calls, e-mails |
Clean house |
Afternoon |
Lunch with friends |
Mtg w/team |
Work on tasks for day |
Work on tasks for day |
Mtg w/team |
Work on tasks for day |
Errands & groceries |
Evening |
Quiet evening |
Laundry |
Bills & Finances |
Volunteer work |
Call parents |
Out with friends |
Out with friends |
Coming next week: How to use your Master To Do List with your Weekly Template
