ADHD and Unopened Letters: How to Deal With the Pile Before It Turns Into a Bigger Problem

What's happening

A letter lands on the mat. It's from the bank, the council or the energy company, so it goes on the side for later. Another one joins it. A few weeks on, there's a pile you don't want to look at, and the longer it sits, the worse you imagine it is. ADHD can make dull admin very easy to put off, but ignored letters don't go away. Deadlines pass, reminders become final notices and a two-minute job gets bigger.

How to get moving

Set a timer for 20 minutes and grab the pile and a bin bag. Open everything first, without sorting anything yet, so nothing's a mystery any more. Then split it three ways:

• Bin: leaflets, junk and anything you don't need.
• Act: bills, fines, appointments and anything with a date on it.
• Keep: statements and paperwork worth filing.

Deal with the nearest deadline in the act pile first. If it's a bill you can't pay, contact the sender before the date rather than leaving it, and look at the free debt advice and options on GOV.UK.

Important tip

Open your post the day it arrives, even if you're too knackered to deal with it. Ripping an envelope takes seconds, and knowing what's inside is usually easier than guessing. Then put it in one tray by the door, so nothing ends up under the toaster or in a coat pocket.