Organizing and accessing working memory are all types of executive function skills needed for most types of travel, but people with ADHD may struggle with these skills. This can make traveling for business or pleasure particularly stressful.
While there are many factors out of your control, such as weather and traffic, there are some daunting tasks that are within your control. If you are flying, you must remember to bring your passport or driving license to board the plane. But if you forget to bring your ID, your trip becomes even more complicated.
In addition to remembering important documents, you’ll be traveling in an unfamiliar environment, so you run the risk of misplacing things along the way or being distracted when going through airport security. there is. In addition, scheduling and timeliness must be considered for meetings, flights, and tours, which can also be a challenge.
6 ADHD Travel Tips for a Successful Trip
People with ADHD can use certain techniques to improve executive function. However, even if you don’t have ADHD, you can plan your trip and make it a success with these travel tips from an ADHD expert.
1. Visualize your trip
Before you leave home, imagine yourself heading to your destination. “One of the things that stumbles us is [people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder] explains Caroline Maguire, MD, ADHD coach and founder of ADD Coach Academy’s ADHD Coaching Fundamentals for Families course. She also suffers from her ADHD and travels frequently.
According to Caroline, “This pre-planning visualization is like a little movie in your head.” It helps you consider difficult scenarios and plan accordingly, making you better at can produce results. For example, if you imagine yourself on a plane during lunch, you might realize that you’re probably hungry. This way, you can plan your lunch preparation to avoid hunger pangs.
During the planning process, Cena Block, a certified ADHD coach and productivity expert, suggests using time blocking. “Allocate specific blocks of time for each activity or segment of your trip, such as transportation to the airport or tour venue. Build in buffer time between activities to accommodate potential delays,” she says. Masu.
2. Plan your travel attire
Most people remember items better when they have a routine. For example, when you travel, you no longer need the routine of leaving your car keys in a tray by the door. By keeping necessary items on you, you can prevent them from being lost. “I think it’s really important to think about what you’re going to wear during the planning stage,” says Maguire. Wearing clothes with lots of deep pockets will make it easier to store your keys, cell phone, and other documents without leaving them behind in an airport waiting room.
Another great option is to use a crossbody bag that stays securely attached to your body even when you are sitting. This gives him one less thing to forget. “Crossbody bag [your] Your money is in your chest belt…then you don’t have to rely on your memory,” says Maguire. “It’s on autopilot, so I don’t really need to rely on it to remember anything external.”
Another suggestion when packing is to organize your clothes. This allows you to remember what you need so you can easily find the item when you get to your destination. “When packing your clothes, get a jumbo-sized Ziploc bag and pack the entire outfit,” says Psych Ed Connections, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of Succeeding with Adult ADHD. says Dr. Abigail Levrini, owner of .
She also suggests labeling your bags with the day you’ll wear the outfit, and putting everything you’ll need that day in each bag. This is more efficient than cramming all your clothes into her one big pile and hunting around.
Block adds that you should be minimalist when packing. “The biggest skill to master is to streamline your packing by bringing only the items you need and reduce the chance of losing your belongings in the clutter,” she says.
3. Create a “go bag”
If you always pack essential items like toothpaste and Dramamine in your bag, you’ll be less likely to forget these items when preparing for your trip. “I just packed it so I don’t have to rethink everything when I go somewhere,” Maguire says of his on-the-go bag. Another option is to use a travel checklist, but if you get distracted, you might forget to pack.
A go bag can also be a place to store your travel documents, such as your passport. “Designate travel essentials zones,” Block says. “I love using plastic envelopes with velcro closures to store all my travel documents, reservations, and receipts so I can easily find them even when I’m not looking for them. ” He also recommends using your cell phone to take photos of all documents in case they get lost.
4. Always clean the area 360 degrees before leaving the area.
People with ADHD may lose things because they aren’t paying attention to where they put them or because they’re distracted by the next thing. “What I always do with my students, and I think works really well here, is take 360-degree photos.[-degree] Change the way you look at your environment,” says Maguire.
This means looking under or behind your chair or anywhere else within 360 degrees of the space you were in to make sure you have all your belongings before you leave, she explains. To do. If you get into the habit of always checking this even when you’re not traveling, you’ll be more likely to remember to check it while you’re traveling, and you’ll be less likely to forget something.
5. Stay hydrated and get plenty of rest
Research shows that sleep deprivation can worsen ADHD symptoms. Research shows that even people without ADHD experience difficulties with attention, memory, and decision-making when they are sleep deprived. Similar studies have found that lack of hydration can affect memory and concentration. For this reason, Maguire bases her travel plans on when she can get enough rest, which may mean delaying her flight.
“Lack of sleep can be really hard, and it can affect your cognitive processing,” she says. She also notices the effect her dehydration has on her memory, so she always carries a bottle of water with her everywhere she goes. “People make fun of me for this. When I land, if I don’t have an extra water bottle, I go buy water.”
6. Stay calm
Even the most experienced traveler can sometimes feel overwhelmed while traveling. “I think my biggest challenge is staying calm, and I think anyone with ADHD would agree with this,” Maguire says. “Airports can cause sensory overload.”
Maguire realizes she’s starting to feel overwhelmed, so she takes a deep breath and reassures herself that she’ll be okay. Going to the bathroom and removing yourself from the mess can be soothing.
Block suggests using “mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing and grounding exercises to manage travel-related stress.” This way, no matter what disruptions or delays you experience, you are ultimately in control of your experience.
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