Posts Tagged ‘ADHD’

Take a Break and Get More Done

July 21st, 2010

TAKE A BREAKWhen life gets busy (and when doesn’t it?) we often feel that we have to put our head down and plow full steam ahead to get as much done as possible. While it may seem counterintuitive, taking a break can actually help you accomplish more, and make life more enjoyable at the same time. Giving your mind (and body) a chance to rest can help refocus your attention and boost your energy as well as help relieve stress and sharpen your cognitive ability.

In their book, The Power of Full Engagement, energy management gurus Jim Loehr  and Tony Schwartz describe the physiological changes our bodies go through when we’ve reached a low point in our energy cycle. While techniques such as drinking coffee or eating a candy bar may successfully produce a short-term energy boost, they’re not a great substitute for our body’s natural cycle of engagement and recovery.

I’ve experienced this productivity recovery phenomenon first-hand. Back in my paper-writing days during college and grad school, I’d intentionally walk away from my current writing assignment for 15 minutes or so and be amazed at the renewed focus and energy I’d discover upon my return to the task. I’d also marvel at the ease with which I’d catch errors that I previously hadn’t noticed.  A fresh set of eyes and a clear mind made all the difference.

Taking breaks has also been shown to be highly beneficial for people with AD/HD. My own experience when working with clients with AD/HD has shown that when they take a short break of ten or so minutes, it breaks up the monotony (serving their desire for a change of pace) and boosts their energy. “Green” breaks during which they look outside (or even go outside) to look at the green grass or trees have also proven to be highly beneficial. A study by researchers at the University of Essex (England) found that just 5 minutes a day of exposure to nature is all you need to improve your mood and self-esteem.

To get yourself in the habit of taking breaks, determine what your concentration limit is and set a timer to remind yourself to walk away from your current project for a while. The length of the break is less important than the act of simply changing your focus for a moment – something as simple as taking a bathroom break can do wonders for your productivity. Maybe drinking eight glasses of water a day (or whatever the experts now say is the proper amount) can have a side benefit of boosting your productivity by making you take a bio break every few hours.

 So how will you minimize the mental field trips your mind takes as you work through your day?

Here’s to your life of simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Causes of Disorganization, Chronic Disorganization, Organizing Process, Time Management

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Focus is the Key to Success

June 23rd, 2010

FocusLast week I mentioned focus as one of the attributes of success. Although I consider myself successful, I definitely have trouble staying focused. Since most of my time is spent working with clients, I have very little time available to work in my office on administrative tasks (like writing this blog). If you are challenged in this area as well, maybe you can benefit from some of the things that have helped me stay focused when I‘m working in my office:

I have a clear goal and purpose. I make sure that whatever I’m working on is moving me closer to one of my personal or professional goals. If a task isn’t meaningful in that way, I strongly evaluate why I’m even considering doing it. If I have trouble getting passionate about something once I’ve started it, I step back and re-evaluate whether I should be working on it.

I close my email window. It’s typically much more interesting to see what messages are coming my way than work on the task at hand, so I close my email window to avoid being tempted. Oops, I just closed my email now as I write this.

I set a timer. I set it in 30-minute increments and tell myself I can’t leave my desk or work on anything else until the timer goes off. Knowing that I only have to focus on the task at hand for a half hour makes it easy to avoid interrupting myself to do something else.

I immerse myself in the current task. I organize my workspace, ignore the phone (which is sometimes very hard to do), and stay focused on the goal for each 30-minute session. My goal for this session is to get this blog post written.

I take breaks. After each 30-minute work session I take a break of 10 minutes or so before the next focused session begins. I might grab a snack, make a phone call, or do some quick tasks from my to-do list. Whatever it is, it doesn’t require a lot of brain power or a big chunk of time.

I write down random thoughts. If ideas pop into my head that aren’t related to what I’m working on, I write them on either my master to do list for future scheduling, or in my planner for whatever day I plan to do them. Then I get right back to work.

I meditate. I’ve only recently begun meditating – I never thought it was something I needed and I certainly didn’t think I had time for it. But I took a class to get me started and listen to some guided meditations to help me stay focused. It doesn’t take a lot of time and it helps me clear my head so that I can focus more easily during my workday. Here are a couple of resources I like: Mindful Meditations  and Energetic Solutions

Whew, finished writing with 2 minutes to spare on my timer. I’d love to hear how you stay focused when life is pulling you in a million different directions.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Organizing Challenges, Time Management

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A Pro Can Help You Exercise Your Organizing Muscle – Part 2

May 26th, 2010

MUSCLE 2Last week I discussed some reasons why you might hire a professional organizer and how they’re similar to why you might hire a personal trainer. Here are some additional comparisons:

You need accountability.  Many of my clients tell me that just knowing I’m coming  to meet with them motivates them into action. Knowing that I’ll be calling or emailing them to check on how things are going is also a great motivator. So find someone to hold you accountable and see if that prompts you to keep things organized.

You have a condition that makes it hard to do it yourself. Depression, AD/HD, fibromyalgia, and hoarding tendencies are examples of the many conditions that may make it extremely hard to get and stay organize on your own. Working with an experienced organizer who is trained in these areas can help you move beyond what you ever imagined was possible. Organizers with the designation CPO-CD® (Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization) have gone through extensive training and testing to understand the special challenges these conditions cause. They can even work with your therapist or doctor to help you have the most effective outcome.

You have an impending event or other deadline. If you’re under a time crunch because company is coming, a parent is moving in, you’re moving, or some other special circumstance exists, an experienced organizer can help you create a plan of action to meet your deadline, as well as offer hands-on support to turn the plan into reality.

You want supervision and support during sessions. Maybe you’ve read organizing books and seen some of the organizing TV shows but you still want some guidance and encouragement as you go through the organizing process. An organizer can help you make sure you’re on the right track and help you develop a good plan of action to achieve your goals.

You want help using the equipment properly. Storage bins, file cabinets, shelving and similar supplies and equipment can play an important role in the organizing process. If you’re not sure how to make use of these tools, a professional organizer can help. They’ll show you how to use what you already have, give you guidance on what to purchase, and can even purchase items and set them up for you.

Let me know how your organizing “exercise”  program is going.

Best wishes,

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Causes of Disorganization, Chronic Disorganization, Organizing Challenges, Organizing Process

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Organizing Time for the AD/HD Mind

April 7th, 2010

CLOCKTime – you can’t see or touch it, yet it plays a major role in our lives. There are many facets to time management, but I want to focus here on viewing time as something tangible, something you organize as you would any physical space. In her book, Time Management from the Inside Out, Julie Morgenstern gives a great example of comparing a cluttered schedule to a cluttered closet – your day is jam-packed with more things to do than your schedule can hold and tasks are randomly assigned to any available pocket of time, making it hard to see what you have to do in an orderly fashion.

To make your day easier to manage, consider having regularly-scheduled times to handle various categories of tasks. For example, have regular times to exercise, do housework, prepare meals, run errands, etc. Then you can get into a routine that helps you fit all of your required tasks into your week. This schedule (which I call a Time Map) is not intended to lay out the specifics of which exercises you’ll do, which household tasks you’ll do, or which errands you’ll run. Its purpose is to carve out the time for you to do whatever specific things are appropriate on that particular day. It allows you to group similar activities together and easily see what you have to do you (similarly to an organized closet). Here’s an example of a time map:

time map

You’ll see that there’s lots of white space – you don’t want your day so rigidly planned that it feels confining or unrealistic. However, you do want to specify when you’ll do the things you’ve identified as important so you can be sure to get them done. (You’ll find blank Time Maps and other forms and checklists to help you organize your time and life in my APPLES Resource Guide.)

If you find such a schedule seems too restrictive, or fear that scheduling your day will take away your creativity, simply use the time map as a guide to remind you of what you have to make time for each week. Each day you can determine which category of item you’re in the mood to do (e.g., should I make phone calls today or do housework?) and then work on the things that fit your mood. Just be sure that by the end of the week you’ve made time for everything you’ve said was important. Some days you may have to do things whether or not you’re in the mood because they just have to be done. You don’t have to like doing them, but know that it will feel good when they’re done (that’s how I view exercise). Try scheduling those difficult, unpleasant things when you have the most mental energy – for me that would be first thing in the morning.

Here’s to a productive day!

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Chronic Disorganization, Time Management

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Organizing Papers for the AD/HD Mind

March 31st, 2010

Find PapersAs intimidating as paper seems, a few simple habits will help you keep it under control. I’ve written previously about how to handle incoming mail, so I’m going to focus here on handling papers you need to keep for reference. Many of my clients have a fear of filing: if they put a document in a file, they fear they’ll never find it again. But how findable are those same documents if they’re buried in piles and scattered throughout your home or office? Here are some things you can do to create a filing system you trust:

Choose vertical over horizontal. When papers are in a pile, only the item on top is visible, meaning you’ll have to spend time digging through the piles to find a specific item. Using a vertical system will allow you to find papers more quickly because you can see more than one item at a time. Desktop file holders, filing carts and crates, and step files all provide vertical filing while still keeping things in view rather than tucked away in a file drawer.

DESKTOP FILE HOLDER

File Crate File Cart

STEP FILE 

Use color to provide visual cues. Establish meaningful yet broad file categories and assign various colors to each category, using colored file folders to distinguish them. This will help you find papers quickly. For example, your financial information might be in green files, medical information in red files, and personal interest information in blue files. Not only will you learn to find things quickly by going to the proper color section of your filing system, but you’ll quickly see when something is filed out of place because the color will stand out. Here’s a picture of my own file cabinet – notice how the colored sections are easy to see.Color-coded file cabinet

Use other techniques to “see” your papers when they’re filed. If you still feel uneasy putting papers in file folders for fear of forgetting them, use clear hanging files, project files, or hanging plastic bags to file your papers. Create an index of your file folders so you can quickly scan the list to trigger your memory of what you’ve filed. You can also refer to the index before creating a new file to make sure papers don’t already have a home.

clear file folders

Project File

 

Create a work zone on your desk. Have you ever had papers disappear from your desk, only to be discovered later in a pile or file where they didn’t belong? Keeping an area of your desk clear for only the documents you’re currently working on will help prevent papers from disappearing into the wrong pile or file.

Let me know which of these techniques work for you, or if you’ve found other ways to turn your paper piles into smiles.

Best wishes,

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Chronic Disorganization, Filing, Organizing Process, Paper Organizing

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Organizing “Things” for the AD/HD Mind

March 24th, 2010

Kitchen UtensilsThis week I’m offering some ideas that can help everyone, but especially people with AD/HD, get organized. Future posts will cover organizing paperwork and time and tasks, but this week I’m offering some pointers for organizing “things”:

Keep in mind is that organization is about how well you function in your environment, not about how it looks. That being said, many of my clients with AD/HD typically function better in an uncluttered, peaceful looking environment. So for this population, appearance can be a factor in overall organizational success.

Another important thing to remember is that there is no one right or wrong system – whatever works for you is all that matters. So adapt my ideas as necessary to personalize them:

  • Organize just one room and one area of that room at a time, and stick with it until that area is completed. Other areas might get worse while the one you’re working on is getting better, but just trust that this method is tried and true. If necessary, post a large note that reminds you what area you’re working on and throw a sheet over all but that area so you won’t get distracted. You might want to read the book If You Give a Moose a Muffin (or other books in the same series) to give you an idea of what might happen if you allow yourself to do what Julie Morgenstern calls “zigzag organizing.”

  •  Categorize – broadly. This prevents you form having to remember where every single item is, but rather, where particular categories of items are. For example, if you store all the tools together, you don’t have to remember where to find the hammer, in particular, but just where to find the tools. Once you get in the right vicinity, you’ll be able to find the hammer. Categorizing can be difficult for people with AD/HD, so look for models in the “real world” to help you (e.g., what categories do the bookstore, department store, grocery store use?).

  • Label everything. I’ve written about this in a prior post, but it’s important enough to repeat. One of my clients who has AD/HD as well as some learning disabilities said that labeling has changed her life. After throwing away lots of outdated food that had gotten lost on her pantry shelves, we grouped the remaining food into categories using the grocery store aisles as a guide (e.g., breakfast, fruit, vegetables, pasta, etc.) We then labeled her pantry shelves according to these categories, and she and her family can now quickly and easily find things. Also, she now knows that she has 8 cans of mushroom soup, 4 bottles of white vinegar, etc. because they’re all in one place, not scattered throughout the pantry.

  • Put things away at the end of the day. I often hear people say that they step over and around things without really noticing the clutter until all of a sudden it hits them that the room is a mess. You might want to take a photograph of your space when it’s organized so you can see what “put away” looks like. If you maintain your space every day (not just on days when you feel like it) it will become a habit and it will prevent the clutter from building up again and becoming overwhelming.

While you may be able to implement some or all of these suggestions on your own, they key to success is maintaining the organizational systems you’ve set up. Like many of my clients, you may start off energized and excited about getting organized, but lose interest or want to create a new system once the novelty has worn off. Before this happens to you, create a support system that will keep you on track. Your support system might include other members of your household, friends or family members outside your home, your therapist, and/or a professional organizer. The key is to enlist the help of people who can gently, not judgmentally, remind you to follow the system.

Good luck as you embark on organizing your things. I’d love to hear how you’re doing.

 Best wishes,
Signature_Sue

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Causes of Disorganization, Chronic Disorganization, Home Organizing, Organizing Challenges

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ADD, ADHD, AD/HD – What is It?

March 17th, 2010

ADHDI specialize in organizing people who are chronically disorganized, especially those with AD/HD. I love working with this population – they’re typically fun, willing to learn, intelligent and appreciative of the help I give them. AD/HD is often misunderstood and even dismissed as not being real, so I’m taking this opportunity to provide a bit of information about it. The initials AD/HD stand for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but the official abbreviation of AD/HD is used whether or not someone has the hyperactivity component. AD/HD is a neurobiological disorder characterized by impulsivity, inattentiveness, and in some cases, hyperactivity.

At one time it was thought that children outgrew AD/HD, but we now know that many symptoms carry on into adulthood. In fact, many of my clients weren’t diagnosed with AD/HD until they were adults and their kids were diagnosed – it has the strong genetic link. There is no simple test to determine if someone had AD/HD – diagnosis should be done by a professional who specializes in this area and should include a personal history from the patient, collaborative information from friends and family, as well as psychological tests. Other conditions can either look like AD/HD or accompany it (the official term is having a co-morbid condition). These conditions include, but aren’t limited to, depression, Bipolar Disorder, learning disorders, and anxiety disorders.

 Many of my clients who were diagnosed with AD/HD as adults have struggled with some form of substance abuse in their past, whether it be drugs, alcohol, or food. In their cases, and I’m sure many others, this may have been their attempt to stimulate the under-stimulated prefrontal cortex of their brain (a key characteristic of AD/HD) and self-medicate a condition they didn’t know they had. Many of my clients have had success in breaking their addictive tendencies through 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous. They often go though a grieving process when they receive their diagnosis as they grieve the easier life they may have had if they’d only received a diagnosis earlier in their life. Besides encouraging them to get help from a therapist when it is appropriate, I support my clients by helping them set up organizational systems that work with their style of thinking.

 People with AD/HD typically have trouble with time awareness and categorizing – two key components of being organized. That explains why so many people in this population have trouble getting and staying organized. It’s not because they are stupid or lazy – in fact, they are some of the hardest working people I know. I’ll talk more in my next blog posting about some techniques people with AD/HD can use to get and stay organized. Please let me know what area of your life you find most challenging to get or keep organized.  In the meantime, I hope you’ve learned some things that will help you understand a friend, family member or co-worker with AD/HD (or even yourself) and that you may have a greater compassion for their challenges.

Best Wishes,

Signature_Sue

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Causes of Disorganization, Chronic Disorganization, Organizing Challenges

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