apps I love as a SAHM with ADHD

Being a stay at home parent is much, much more than just sitting around playing with a baby. Running a household is hard work, especially when you’re also trying to make sure aforementioned baby gets plenty of interaction and time for developmental activities. When you add ADHD and other mental illnesses into the mix things can get overwhelming very quickly. Along with therapy and medication, these are some apps that I’ve found extremely helpful in managing SAHM life with ADHD.

Quick note: I’m not a mental health or medical provider. I’m just a mom with late-diagnosed ADHD who’s trying to make life a little easier. These apps are not replacements for medical treatment, but I believe they can be tools to make things more manageable.

🐦 Finch - Gamifying tasks is a common ADHD management tool, and this is my favorite app that I’ve found for it. One symptom of ADHD is difficulty in building habits - even everyday things like brushing your teeth don’t necessarily become habitual, and they remain things you have to consciously remember to do every day. You can set recurring tasks, no matter how basic or complex, and then check them off for stones to buy your bird new clothing or decorations or send them on little adventures. It’s cute and so far has been something I’ve really been able to stick with.

🧹 Sweepy - this is similar to Finch with gamifying tasks, but it’s specifically for cleaning. You can set up different rooms and the app will suggest tasks for the selected room, and you can also add your own. I like this app for the recurring tasks on a schedule, and it also gives points you can spend to decorate the rooms. I’ve gotten my entire house organized and kept it that way for several months now, and I definitely credit Sweepy for a lot of that.

🧠 How We Feel - this one isn’t for home or general life management, but more for tracking your own mental health. You pick from high energy negative, high energy positive, low energy negative, or low energy positive as a starting point, then break down what emotions you’re feeling from there. I use it because when I remember how I felt for a day all of the negatives (anxiety, frustration, etc.) come to mind and I feel like that’s all I’ve felt. I have the app set to remind me four times a day to check in, and that lets me see that I’m actually NOT always anxious or down, it’s just what sticks with me. This helps a LOT with pulling me out of a spiral before it starts. You can also add friends to share your checkins with (with the option not to share any time you log too!) and that helps me feel less alone if I log a not-so-great mood and one of my friends reaches out to check in.

🦙 Water Llama - I’ve mentioned on here several times that I’m *really* bad at drinking enough. I generally live that wilted houseplant life, and I’m trying so hard to get better with it. This app lets me track how many ounces of whatever beverage I drink, and calculates the hydration of all the liquids I’ve had for the day. I’ve only been using this one for a few weeks but I’ve noticed a huge difference in how I feel when I actually drink enough water.

These are some of the digital tools I use to try and keep my life together when my brain isn’t cooperating. What are some apps you use to manage your life?

#parentsoflemon8 #lemon8parenting #adhd #sahm #motherhood #neurodivergent #apps #parenting #Lemon8Diary #lemon8challenge @Lemon8Parenting