Time Mapping for Time Blindness

Do you or your child struggle with time blindness?  

Our brains sense time from internal and external cues similar to how we perceive light, sound, and taste. The typical human brain can accurately predict the time of day and the passage of time. Neurodiverse brains, including those with ADHD or ASD((Time blindness is not mutually exclusive to any particular diagnosis.)), can often experience the phenomenon of time blindness.  

When people have time blindness, they have difficulty sensing time, which can lead to many challenges.  

Time blindness can look like this:  

• Overestimating or underestimating how much time has passed 
• Not knowing how long a task takes 
• Difficulty creating and sticking to a schedule
• Hyper focusing 
• Losing track of time
• Struggling to be on time
• Struggling to stay on task and transitioning between tasks 
• Difficulty waiting
• Feeling rushed 
• Disorganization 
• Seeming ‘lazy’  

People with time blindness often struggle in many aspects of their lives. Fortunately, many strategies can help reduce the effects of time blindness: 

• Time mapping (see resource below!) 
• Keeping a time journal
• Using planners and notifications 
• Taking breaks 
• Minimizing distractions 
• Routines 
• A place for everything and everything in its place 
• Building in breaks 
• Incorporating movement 
• Buffer time

For young children, learning how to sense time and accurately predict how long a task will take significantly contributes to school success. Starting these strategies at a young age will allow your child to strengthen these skills and reduce the likelihood that they will experience time blindness.  

Click here for a FREE time mapping resource and activity to help you and your child to develop practical time management skills and reduce the effects of time blindness. 

Note on Terminology

The term “time blindness” is often used in informal contexts to describe difficulties with time perception, a common experience for people with ADHD. While it is widely understood and used within ADHD communities, some experts prefer more precise terms like “time agnosia” or “temporal myopia” to describe these experiences. The choice of language depends on the audience and the context in which the term is used. For an inclusive approach, acknowledging both terms and their contexts is beneficial.”

– Becky Bishop, Case Manager and Lead Instructor

LDS is a community of dedicated professionals who write collaboratively. We recognize the contribution of unnamed team members for their wisdom and input.