| When you head out for the grocery store, you know | | | | doughnuts right next to the milk freezer, I forgot the |
| what you need, right? But do you come out of the | | | | milk!" Then, you have to go right back and get that |
| store with about 10 bags more than you intended on | | | | item you forgot. Or, you find out that you forgot when |
| buying? Or, maybe you get home and realize that you | | | | you're waiting in line. In fact, maybe the checker is |
| forgot to buy cat food or maybe it's worse! You | | | | already working on your order. Do you squeeze back |
| forgot to buy water, bread, and cat food. Well, that | | | | through the line waiting behind you to get what you |
| happens when you have adult ADD, but you can | | | | forgot? If you do, people probably aren't too happy |
| make it a meaningless issue. You can avoid these | | | | with you, and you hear them all thinking, Uh-huh. Adult |
| things and the way to do it is pretty simple. | | | | ADD. Right? |
| Adult ADD can make you impulsive, and grocery | | | | You don't need to put yourself into those kinds of |
| stores are the best place for adult ADD impulsivity to | | | | positions. The easiest way to stop yourself from |
| take hold. Why are there so many things in the aisles | | | | buying impulsively and to remember what you need is |
| as you're trying to navigate them? It's so that you | | | | by making a simple grocery list. Then, stick to it! Don't |
| won't miss those items. When people see them, | | | | allow yourself that new smelly cheese. You aren't |
| there's a greater opportunity to sell them. And at the | | | | allowed to buy it. The only exception should be |
| checkout, it's almost impossible not to buy a roll of | | | | forgetting to include staples on your list, like milk, bread, |
| mints or the latest tabloid showing how the divorce | | | | and eggs. The new chocolate cereal has to be left |
| between celebrity A is going with celebrity B. Who | | | | behind. Your pocketbook and your waistline will be |
| needs that? But because that stuff is right there at the | | | | happier for it. Use your adult ADD ability to focus on |
| checkout, lots of people buy things they might not | | | | sticking to your list. |
| need, and this is especially true of people with adult | | | | Actually, when you have adult ADD, making lists is a |
| ADD. | | | | great way to approach many different situations. In the |
| Yet the things you need aren't right there in your face. | | | | case of the supermarket, list making can save you |
| Sometimes, you have to hunt for them. How about | | | | money and it can assure that you won't forget what |
| pepper? It's not something people buy all the time, and | | | | you need to pick up. Get one of those tablets with a |
| unless it's imported Tunisian Camel Pepper, it's probably | | | | magnet on the back of it and stick it on your |
| not where your eyes can pick it out easily. Do you | | | | refrigerator. Each time you run out of something or |
| impulsively pick up the $3 pepper or find the 99 cent | | | | think of something you need, write it down on the pad. |
| version? Will you remember to find the cheaper | | | | Then, the only thing you have to remember when you |
| pepper or just grab that Tunisian stuff right off the | | | | leave for the store is to tear off the list and put it in |
| shelf because you see it quickly? | | | | your pocket. If you can do that, you'll end up saving |
| You spend so little time, just rushing through the store, | | | | time and money. Plus, you'll be able to stop kicking |
| paying too much for everything, and when you get | | | | yourself because your adult ADD made you forget |
| home, you smack yourself and say, "Argh! I forgot the | | | | something important. How great is that? |
| milk! I just left the store and because I picked up the | | | | |