Surprise! A Reminder is Not a Plan

I missed two important family birthdays in the past couple of months.

Both birthdays are on my Google calendar, and I got a reminder about a week ahead of each big day. So what happened?

I learned that a reminder is not enough. I needed a plan.

I really don’t like the word “procrastination.” It just doesn’t convey the complexity of “not-doing” with ADHD — and this is a good example.

First, decisions needed to be made. What to send? Where to go shopping?

Time is a factor. When would I do the shopping? How long will it take to arrive?

Emotion is a factor. What if I send something they don’t like? Yes, I have some anxiety about that.

But the outcome I want is for my nieces and nephews to know I am thinking of them.

What will it take? From now on, a birthday on my calendar will have a first notification 3 weeks in advance, so I can have time to think about what to send and to shop. The 1-week reminder is just enough for mailing time!

A reminder is not a plan. You’re going to need to define and manage all the steps that need to happen BEFORE you reach the deadline!

Make a plan by creating interim steps, and creating a reminder for each step. The outcome you want is worth taking the time to make a plan.