Time and Schedules
What it is
Section titled “What it is”Reading a clock and a calendar, being on time, and planning your day or week.
Why it helps you
Section titled “Why it helps you”Appointments, jobs, and rent all run on time. This skill is the engine behind getting things done.
This opens up
Section titled “This opens up”Work, Health, and almost every appointment you’ll ever make.
Where to get help
Section titled “Where to get help”Learn to read a clock
Section titled “Learn to read a clock”Math is Fun — Clocks A simple page that shows how a clock with hands works. The little hand shows the hour. The big hand shows the minutes.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: Anyone.
- How to start: Open the page and read from the top. Then try the next page, about AM and PM.
- Good to know: No account needed. The site has ads. Don’t click them.
Break a big job into small steps
Section titled “Break a big job into small steps”Goblin Tools — Magic ToDo You type in a task that feels too big, like “apply for a job.” It breaks the task into small steps you can check off.
- Cost: The website is free. The phone apps cost a small fee. You don’t need them.
- Who can use it: Anyone.
- How to start: Go to the website. Type one task in the box. Click the magic wand button.
- Good to know: No account needed. It uses AI, so the steps may not always be right. Change them to fit your life. What you type is sent to an AI company to make the list, so don’t type private things like your address or ID numbers.
Learn ways to plan and remember
Section titled “Learn ways to plan and remember”CHADD — Using a Day Planner CHADD is a nonprofit about ADHD, a brain difference that makes time and planning hard. Its free articles help anyone who struggles to plan a day.
- Cost: Free
- Who can use it: Anyone. You don’t need a diagnosis to read the articles.
- How to start: Read the day planner article. Pick one small step to try this week.
- Good to know: CHADD also has a free help line for questions about ADHD: 1-866-200-8098. It’s open Monday to Friday, 1 to 5 pm Eastern time.
Work alongside someone
Section titled “Work alongside someone”Focusmate Some people get more done when someone else is there, even quietly. Focusmate pairs you with another adult on video. You each say your goal, then work quietly side by side.
- Cost: Free for 3 sessions a week. A paid plan costs more. You don’t need it.
- Who can use it: Adults.
- How to start: Make a free account on the website. Pick a time on the calendar.
- Good to know: You need a camera, and it must stay on. Your partner is a stranger. Rules ban harassment and taking pictures of you without asking. If it ever feels unsafe, you can leave.
If you only do one thing first
Section titled “If you only do one thing first”Pick your next appointment. Put it in your phone calendar or write it on paper. Then set one alarm for the time you need to start getting ready. That’s it. One reminder, one time. It’s a small step, and it adds up.
Watch out for
Section titled “Watch out for”- “Free trials” that need a card. Some planner and habit apps start free, then charge you every month or year. Before you give a card number, find out how to cancel. If you got charged and can’t cancel, call your bank or card company. The FTC explains how to get out of subscriptions.
- Apps from social media ads. Ads may promise to “fix your brain” or your life. Many sell costly subscriptions. Skip apps you only saw in an ad.
- Costly “life coaches.” Be careful of anyone who wants a lot of money fast to teach you how to “organize your life.” The skills on this page are free to learn.
- Fancy planners. You don’t need an expensive planner. A cheap notebook or your phone works just as well.
- Not checking your bank account. Small charges can sneak in. Look at your account once a week if you can.