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Have you or your child ever lost track of time, missed an important deadline, or struggled with punctuality? If so, you may have experienced a symptom of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) known as "time blindness."
This is an often overlooked aspect of the condition, and can have a significant impact on daily life. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what time blindness is, how it relates to ADHD, what you can do to manage this symptom, how to improve your time management skills, and when to seek professional advice from a mental health provider.
Keep reading to learn more!
What Is Time Blindness?
Time blindness, although not fully understood by researchers yet, is a sensory issue that makes it difficult for an individual to sense the passing of time. Time blindness can also be described as difficulties with perceiving, estimating, and managing time properly.
According to CHADD, time blindness can be perceived differently amongst children and adults with ADHD. For example, some people may consider time blindness as having difficulties managing time effectively or following a daily schedule. Other individuals would consider time blindness as difficulties with estimating the amount of time required to complete tasks or having a tough time judging the amount of time that passes while being engaged in a task.
With that said, it is important to note that time blindness is not considered a criterion within the DSM-V as part of the ADHD diagnosis, rather "time blindness" is used to informally depict an individual's experiences with struggling to perceive time correctly or manage their time appropriately.
What Time Blindness Might Look Like in ADHD
While people with ADHD may struggle with focusing, concentrating, and managing impulsivity, they may also have difficulty with time blindness. In addition, time blindness can present in a variety of different ways in children who have been diagnosed with ADHD and individuals with adult ADHD.
For instance, people with ADHD may struggle to estimate the amount of time needed to complete one task. They may also lose the ability to estimate time while participating in activities that an individual finds pleasant and enjoyable. Individuals with ADHD might also have difficulty maintaining a daily schedule or meeting deadlines on time, otherwise known as time management.
People with ADHD might have challenges with time sequencing, otherwise known as the ability to recount events in the order they occurred. Another challenge people with ADHD face could be with time reproduction, or the ability to repeat a task for the same amount of time it took previously to complete.
Underestimating how much time passed and losing track of time
People with ADHD might perceive time differently than individuals who have not been diagnosed with ADHD. For instance, individuals with ADHD tend to have difficulty with judging how long a task will take to complete, how much time has passed while engaging in a task, and how much time is left before upcoming events.
In other words, a task that would take some people one hour to complete, might take an individual two hours to complete for many reasons. This can lead to these individuals having difficulty with managing their schedules appropriately.
Time blindness can also harm the different aspects of an individual's life, such as with school, work, and interpersonal relationships.
Time management and missing deadlines
People with ADHD, especially those with adult ADHD, might also struggle to manage their time effectively, leading to missing deadlines and procrastinating on tasks. They might also have trouble prioritizing tasks, initiating a task, or difficulty with executive functioning abilities that are required to complete a task from start to finish.
Arriving late
A combination of factors can lead an individual with ADHD to arrive late to appointments, class, or meetings. Arriving late to an event can be due to poor planning, poor perception of time, and an inefficient "internal clock." This can make it difficult for individuals to stick to a schedule or routine, which can ultimately cause an increase in stress.
Slow reaction speed
Slowed processing speed and slow motor timing is common in children with ADHD. Time blindness can also present in a slow response speed or slow reaction time, which can suggest why individuals with ADHD might have difficulty starting and completing tasks.
How Can People with ADHD Cope With Time Blindness?
Difficulties with time blindness, time perception, and the management of time can present in a variety of ways in individuals with ADHD. Keep reading to learn about several strategies that can be adopted to cope with difficulties with time blindness.
Consider the following suggestions.
Experiment with time management apps
If you believe your time blindness is affecting your daily life, consider experimenting with apps designed to improve time management skills and build more effective habits.
For example, the Joon app is designed for children ages 6-12 and makes routine tasks fun! This app will motivate your child to focus and stay on top of their daily tasks.
Try Joon today! Click here for your free 7-day trial.
Set timers and alarms
Utilizing visual timers for a specific task can help individuals with ADHD stay maintain focus and self control. Setting a visual timer can also provide individuals with an estimation of how much time has passed and the time that is left to complete a task.
Consider trying the pomodoro technique. Begin by breaking working one hour into 25-minute "focus periods" followed by 5 minute breaks.
Research has shown that using the pomodoro technique or setting up these time intervals is an effective strategy for managing ADHD symptoms and can help individuals to complete tasks in a more efficient manner.
Break up large tasks into small tasks
We have all been there. Whether it's cleaning out the garage or putting away all the Christmas decorations, these tasks are intimidating for everyone, with or without ADHD.
People with ADHD tend to struggle with procrastinating on the large intimidating tasks, sometimes foregoing it all together. However, if these tasks were broken down into smaller, more manageable steps, the more likely an individual is to persist and complete the overall project at hand.
Make a day planner
Keeping a detailed schedule of appointments and to-dos on a planner or visual calendar is a great way for all individuals to stay organized (neurotypical people too).
A planner is an effective tool for keeping a to do list for the day or for remembering future events. It is also helpful to use a planner or calendar to plan ahead and stay on track, as individuals with ADHD tend to have an atypically short time horizon. This means that they might struggle to see the future as clearly as their peers, therefore making it difficult to plan ahead.
Include buffer time between tasks
Adding buffer time or wiggle room prevents individuals with ADHD from overloading their schedule with too many tasks. It also creates space in the schedule for extra time that may be needed due to underestimating how much time one task may take.
It also provides a buffer for the times that you may get distracted or unintentionally doom scroll on your phone during the day, which honestly, happens to all of us.
Practice mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness and meditation skills can help individuals with ADHD stay in the present moment and avoid getting lost in external cues and outside distractions.
Clinical research has indicated that mindfulness meditation has been proven effective for improving focus. It also has an added benefit of improving other cognitive functions, such as working memory, executive functioning abilities, and reducing stress in individuals, regardless if they have ADHD.
When to Seek Professional Mental Health Help
The most effective treatment plans for ADHD include a combination of medication and cognitive therapy. With that said, it can be helpful for individuals with ADHD to seek professional help if these symptoms are impacting and affecting daily life, if the symptoms are persistent, and if improvement isn't noted from use of self-help strategies.
A mental health provider or psychologist can assess and provide diagnostic clarity, develop an effective treatment plan, and teach coping skills or helpful strategies to manage symptoms.
What works for one individual with ADHD may not work for another, therefore it may take time to find what works best for you, however, working with a licensed therapist or psychologist can help assess for any neurodevelopmental disorders or psychiatric conditions that may be contributing to difficulties with time blindness or executing functioning.
Takeaway
Dr. Russell Barkley stated that "ADHD disrupts the fabric of time." However, with continued practice and patience it is possible for individuals with ADHD to manage their time more effectively.
As mentioned previously, time blindness is a sensory issue that affects an individual's time perception, time sequencing, and time reproduction. With the strategies listed, such as trying out time management apps, scheduling in buffer time, using a day planner, and breaking up intimidating tasks, you will be on your way to living a happier and more successful life.
About
Dr. Carrie Jackson, PhD
