If you’re ready to shake off your reputation as someone less-than-dependable, it might be easier than you think. Even with ADHD, you can become reliable. It’s all about preparing yourself and believing focusing on habits that will help you. Follow these five steps to keep your ADHD in check and improve your reputation as someone who can be depended on.
5 Easy Steps for those with ADHD to Become More Reliable
1. Decide to make reliability your number one goal.
There is no point in beating around the bush: becoming reliable is totally within your own power. You either commit to it, or you don’t. That doesn’t mean that you have to perfect right from the start—it just means that you really have to try. Declare to yourself and to those around you that you are going to attempt to become more reliable.
2. Recognize the moments when someone lets you down.
The key takeaway here is to realize that the annoyance and disrespect you feel when you’re treated inconsiderately is the exact same feeling that others experience when you don’t follow through on your commitments.
3. Make a plan to improve three relationships.
Choose three relationships that could use some TLC, and make an action plan to improve them. These all don’t have to be rigorous, elaborate plans—on the contrary, at least two of them should be very simple, to set yourself up for success. For example: get back on your boss’s good side by showing up for work on time (like my client Anna worked on) or meeting deadlines (like my client Joan was able to).
Do yourself a favor by making this as effortless as possible. Make whatever preparations you need in advance: have your phone charged, the phone number ready and a list of few news items to talk about, or lay your clothes, your lunch and your bag for work out the night before.
4. Take a hard look at the damage of unreliability.
The trick is to change how you react when you mess up. If you’ve disappointed someone, don’t revert to your old destructive behaviors of brushing it off or getting defensive. Face the damages head on, and make yourself learn from them. Apologize to the person who was inconvenienced or hurt, and really think about the domino effect of your unintended but inconsiderate actions.
5. Remind yourself of your rewards.
The hard work of becoming a more reliable person will be easier if you have clear reminders of what you will gain. Some of the best rewards will be a happier, calmer personal life, recognition for improved performance at work, and less drama in your romantic relationship. You can reinforce these incentives with photographs or quotes placed in strategic locations like your bathroom mirror or your desk at work to keep you motivated. You can also create tangible rewards for yourself, turning your self-improvement into a game: for every week that you show up to each appointment on time, give yourself a treat like going to the movies or buying your favorite snack.
Become More Reliable Today
These steps are just the start of how you can begin to live a better life with ADHD. If you are ready to overcome the label of unreliable, then ADHD Coaching for Adults may be the answer for you. Connect with us to see how we can help.
