Time blindness is the difficulty or inability to sense the passing of time or recalling when certain memories took place. It is a common symptom in people diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism; however, anyone can experience it on occasion.
Online ADHD Therapy.
You can manage ADHD and live a healthy, productive life. BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Take a Free Online Assessment and get matched with the right therapist for you.
What Is Time Blindness?
Time blindness refers to the inability to accurately measure time. It’s frequently seen in people with neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism. ADHD includes a range of hyperactive and inattentive symptoms that affect children and adults with ADHD. Not being able to manage time is a common complaint across affected populations. They may struggle to plan things weeks in advance because it’s difficult to imagine that far into the future.
Time management is a component of executive functioning (i.e., the part of our brain that’s responsible for directing and regulating thoughts, emotions, and behaviors).1 It involves knowing what time it is, how much time is left to complete an activity/task, and the ability to perceive the rate at which time passes.1
To say that people affected by time blindness only live in the present is not accurate, as distractions tend to be a barrier for experiencing life as desired.
Symptoms of time blindness include:
- Losing track of time because of distractions
- Feeling like you don’t have a good “internal clock”
- Poor time management
- Impulsivity
- Boredom
- Losing track of time during transitions
- Procrastination
Effects of ADHD Time Blindness
There are three separate time-related domains of the brain that are impacted by ADHD, including motor timing, perceptual timing, and temporal foresight.3 With this in mind, there is a strong association between difficulty with timing and undesirable behavioral outcomes like impulsivity and inattention, the very basis of the ADHD diagnosis.3,4
Having trouble concentrating can lead to a number of issues, including an inability to meet demands or expectations at work and home. Partners or bosses may also become frustrated by a chronic loss of productivity, causing adults with ADHD time blindness to feel guilt, shame, and inadequacy.
Basically, the misjudgement of time is a sensory issue, not a choice. While time blindness on its own continues to be under-researched, it is widely known that its effect on daily life is far-reaching.3,4
Effects of time blindness include:
- Being chronically late to events or gatherings
- Being unable to stay organized at work, home, or school
- Struggling to complete school or work tasks
- Getting distracted when transitioning from one task to another
- Being late to pick up kids from school or daycare
- Missing important deadlines
- Putting things off (bills, scheduling, going to the doctor)
- Misjudging how long it will take to complete homework, taxes, etc.
- Intention and actions don’t always line up
- Feeling inadequate or like a disappointment to others
- Being misjudged for being “lazy”
Get Help
Talkiatry – offers psychiatric appointments with real doctors within a week. They’re in-network with every major insurer and offer medication management. Take the assessment and meet your new psychiatrist. Free Assessment
Inflow App – Inflow is the #1 science-based app to help you manage your ADHD. Their support system helps you understand your neurodiverse brain, and build lifelong skills. Free Trial
How to Overcome Time Blindness
While frustrating, time blindness is treatable with cognitive and behavioral approaches. Reach out to friends and family and generate ideas to better serve your unique needs. It could help to identify as an ADHD family, even if only one person is diagnosed, because relationships will likely feel some effect. While it’s easy to identify issues and blame, it’s important to balance solutions with validation that ADHD isn’t a choice.
Ways for adults and children with ADHD to work through and overcome time blindness include:
Identify the Areas of Impact
Consider which areas of your life are feeling the most impact due to ADHD time blindness (e.g., work, friends/social time, or family)
Identify and Avoid Time-Sucking Activities
If you know that agreeing to an activity is going to cost you time you don’t have, it is OK to refuse. Put your needs first in order to preserve your own sanity, save yourself stress later, and focus on doing what is going to make your life easier.
Don’t Play the Blame Game
Even though ADHD can feel debilitating, there are solutions and successful interventions that can help lessen the severity of symptoms. It is OK to be frustrated, but give yourself credit for getting help.
Set Multiple Alarms
Alarms and/or reminders with descriptions are a perfect way to not only remind yourself what you need to do, but also to motivate yourself. Make your reminders fun and engaging by owning your triggers and calling out unhelpful behaviors. This could look like setting a reminder that says, “Sara, you don’t have time for this; put your phone away and get back on track.”
Remind Yourself Why You Are Making These Changes
Set up some feel-good messages that are timed to pop up at your identified “lows” throughout the day. Encouraging notes for people with ADHD might look like, “You are doing more than what you think you are,” or “Challenge yourself to cross something off that afternoon list.”
Break Up Intimidating Tasks
If you feel like you have a lot on your plate and a lot to remember, it may help to break up. For example, have a plan for morning, afternoon, and evening tasks.
Use Visible Timers
For children with ADHD, it helps to have visible clocks, as well as reminders for how much time they have left to play, do an assignment, etc. This way, they’re prepared and can determine what they want to do for the remaining time. Adults can benefit from timers, too!
Start With Something Easy
Being able to cross one or two small tasks off your list is rewarding and motivating. It also increases a sense of effectiveness. Pat yourself on the back and make efforts to praise kids who are trying to make improvements.
Embrace It as Best as You Can
It’s typical and understandable that people don’t like having a mental health disorder or neurodevelopmental disorder. That said, without invalidating your experience, there are ways to own it and lighten the pressure. If you are comfortable talking about it, you’ll likely find that you’re not alone.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you’re having trouble with productivity at work or feel alone and isolated by symptoms that have been consistent throughout your life, it’s a good time to look into getting tested for ADHD. A common reason for seeking out therapy is that people start to find that their family, significant other, or boss has made it known that there’s a problem.
It’s important to find a neurodiverse-affirming therapist who understands and has experience treating neurodiversity. This can be done by searching for this skill in providers and confirming with a consultation. If you are thinking about seeing a certain therapist, ask them how they would treat symptoms of ADHD and if they think they can help with your chief concerns, including ADHD time blindness.
It may help to ask if the therapist can make a referral for any medication management and testing. In addition to individual therapy, family therapy is a great way to map out imbalances and deficits in a safe, healthy way while working toward desired stability.
Final Thoughts
Time blindness is difficult, with impact ranging from discrete to significant. With acceptance, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and solution focused treatment, there is hope that you can make positive changes. Working with a therapist, even on a short term basis, can be extremely helpful in mapping out a plan for change and learning the new skills.
Additional Resources
To help our readers take the next step in their mental health journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy is compensated for marketing by the companies included below.
ADHD Management Tools
Inflow App Inflow is the #1 science-based app to help you manage your ADHD. Their support system helps you understand your neurodiverse brain, and build lifelong skills. Free Trial
Online Psychiatry
Plushcare There are many effective medications for ADHD, including Strattera, which a Plushcare doctor can prescribe. In as little as 15 minutes, you can speak with a board-certified doctor from PlushCare to receive ADHD treatment. Plushcare DOES NOT prescribe controlled substances. Visit Plushcare
Online Therapy
BetterHelp Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. BetterHelp has over 20,000 therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. Take A Free Online Assessment and get matched with the right therapist for you. Free Assessment
Free ADHD Newsletter
A free newsletter from Choosing Therapy for those impacted by ADHD. Get helpful tips and the latest information. Sign Up
Choosing Therapy Directory
You can search for therapists by specialty, experience, insurance, or price, and location. Find a therapist today
Could Skin-picking Be a Sign of ADHD or Anxiety?
This article explores the connection between compulsive skin picking, ADHD, and anxiety. It’ll also touch upon the fact that, while skin picking can be associated with these conditions, when it interferes in your day-to-day life, it may also be a body-focused repetitive behavior, or BFRB. It’ll round things out by offering some info about effective ways to stop excoriation disorder, whatever its underlying cause may be.
The Relationship Between OCD and ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common mental health condition, affecting around 1 in 10 children and 1 in 20 adults. According to the fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-V), ADHD is characterized by “a persistent pattern of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.” For example, a child with ADHD may struggle to pay attention to details, follow instructions, or sit still in situations where moving around would be inappropriate to such a severe degree that they’re unable to complete tasks at school or develop normal social relationships.