How to keep sane in a world of uncertainty

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how to keep sane in an uncertain world

 

If you’ve been struggling this Summer with feeling overwhelmed, this is the post for you! This fall, it’s time to embrace powerful life hacks that can improve your life every day. It is all about keeping sane with the uncertainty around us, as well as the dizzying pace of life. These are how I make each day better with a better frame of mind and positivity because of the routines I have created. Here is how I keep sane in an uncertain and super-busy world.

Start Your Day with a Walk, coffee on the patio, or any time outside

Research shows the power of morning sunlight. It improves your cognitive function all day and helps you get better rest. You need between 15 and 20 minutes daily, which can be more difficult during the winter. Start this fall before the time change, and you will see the difference this makes.

Practice Gratitude

No matter the challenges, focusing on gratitude and appreciation makes your day better. Find the small ways that each day goes well. There are so many ways to capture your gratitude. You can record this with your device camera, on an app, or with a gratitude journal.

Have an Adult Bedtime

For me, there is a window of opportunity for rest. I take advantage of the fact that I am getting drowsy by getting ready for bed early, taking my supplements, and being ready to snooze. If this doesn’t work for you, create a sleep routine that encourages 8 hours of sleep. Your routine can include a 2-hour hiatus from devices, a well-chilled room, and complete darkness. Choose what works for you to get a great night’s rest. Even if no one else goes to bed in your home, you can!

Keep it simple sweetie

Everyone gets overwhelmed at some time. Keep life simple by prioritizing what is most important. Drill down to your core values. Embrace those and be sure your calendar, your space, and your connections revolve around these. From there you find clarity and peace of mind.

Practice a pause

With the speed of life at maximum velocity, it is not possible to do what is best all the time. Information and decisions came at you at a speed beyond capability. Use the power of  pause to help you gain insight and clarity.  Take the opportunity to ask for a pause from those you work with or at home to be able to clear your mind.

 

Build a Board of Advisors

It would help if you had support in all you do, whether at work or at home. Cultivate relationships that support your best interests. Find those who are your trusted, truthful, loyal friends who will share honestly with you. Be a trusted advisor yourself to others around you.

 

 

Revitalize Your Fall: Essential Self-Care Practices Empower a Refresh

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revitalize your fall

 

Life is moving at warp speed. You may not have had a chance during summer to regroup and rest. As you enter the next season, it is the perfect time to focus on self-care. You have the opportunity to refresh your routines and prioritize your well-being. Your self-care has a direct impact on your stress level, your mood, and your productivity.  Here are some essential self-care practices that can revitalize your self-care.

 

Start with your routines

In the Fall we are returning to routines and structure. Starting a new routine with self-care is the best first step. Add in a small baby step for self-care as a new part of an existing routine or as the start of a new routine. Start the week on Sunday with a new routine of getting organized that evening. Set up all your fall doctor, dentist, and other appointments at the beginning of the school year. Choose a new exercise program with a once-a-week class.  Use a new app to reinforce your routine. The start of something new gives you a fresh opportunity with routines. Good self-care begins with an approach to cultivating healthy habits with routines and sleep.

 

Declutter and organize

One of the best gifts of self-care is editing and arranging your space. Place a shopping bag in your closet to drop in discarded clothes as you get ready in the morning. Set a 10-minute timer for a quick reset in your home. Start with small areas and move gradually around your home and work. Build self-care when adding a scent and cozy blankets to a quiet space. Take some time to declutter and organize your home to enjoy your space.

 

Embrace the green space

Research shows the powerful positive effects of spending time in nature. While the beginning of fall can be hot, the weather eventually turns to cooler temperatures and a beautiful change of seasons. You can reconnect with nature by walking 10k steps, picking seasonal fruits, or riding a bike. There a few things that cannot be cured by a dose of green space. There are so many possibilities to bring you joy and serenity.

 

Go back to school for what you love

Find what you love and make it an active part of your week. You need creative outlets, learning, and connections to thrive. All of these factors make daily life joyful. Set aside time for hobbies, reading a book and lunch with friends and family.

 

Empower your physical well-being

A change of seasons is a chance to incorporate new produce into your diet. Just like pumpkin spice, Fall veggies offer an abundance of new tastes. Eating fresh food boosts your immunity and supports overall health. Choose a new water flask to support your everyday hydration. Resume your early bedtime to adhere to an improved sleep schedule for the Fall.

 

Prioritize Mental Health

Each day find a small time to make yourself a priority. That can be with a gratitude journal with a shift of focus to all that is good and special in your life. Keep distractions to a minimum and use social media wisely with boundaries, especially at bedtime.  Remember, there is much available to support you whether it is a therapist, coach, family member, or online group.  The key is to ask for help when it is needed.

 

Fall is a season of change and renewal. If you are sad about the end of Summer or balking at the return to the structure of the Fall, self-care is the best antidote. By incorporating these self-care practices into your routine, you can revitalize your mind, body, and spirit. Remember, self-care is not a luxury but a necessity. Taking care of yourself allows you to be your best self and face the challenges and joys of each day with resilience and grace.

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Embrace a Fresh Start This Fall: Why Under-committing to Activities Leads to Balance and Peace of Mind

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under-committing

 

Fall brings a whirlwind of activities for school,  home, church, and other areas. You may already be feeling a bit anxious about all that coming up. This fall set the stage for more intentional living by reassessing commitments and having less to do. Now is the time for understanding overcommitment and the negative impacts of overcommitting on mental health and productivity.

 

Signs of overcommitment

There are many signs that you are overcommitting. For you, looking at your calendar you see no white space. There are no time blocks for preparation for meetings. You feel irritable attending a meeting because you have too much to do. Your home has become a drop zone, with many filled bags waiting for items to be put away. For your kiddos, they are resistant to activities because they are tired. Their rooms have become cluttered. They go to bed late because activities fill their days to the brim.  Overcommitment has an impact on mental health and getting stuff done.

 

Benefits of under-committing

To begin to reassess,  you must first know the benefits of this change. The most beneficial aspect of under-committing is the increase in focus and well-being. With less to do on any day, there is always less stress. You will feel more balanced by having time to do what you love, as well as what you are required to do. You will be able to concentrate more without having to get so much completed. Having a better work-life balance comes from having unscheduled time. Jot down a few of your reasons for why to undercommit this year and clear out your schedule.

 

Getting started

First, it is best to evaluate your current commitments.  What are the essential and non-essential activities you are committed to? What is essential to your values? Are your commitments supporting what you know to be best for you and your family? What is the true impact and what is required? Are your commitments bringing in funds that support your family’s values? Answering these questions allows you to weigh in on your commitments. Write out this list and prioritize. There are no right or wrong answers, but you will know what is best for you and your family.  There are many great activities but at times we have to stagger commitments to keep our time better balanced.

 

Strategies for under committing

Now that you have evaluated and prioritized your commitments, it is time to learn and reinforce what you know to be true about commitments. Now that you are working toward your priorities, it is time for you to set boundaries for yourself. It is easy to over-commit without this. A boundary for yourself might be creating rules about how many activities you or your kiddos are in at any given time. For some families that is one sport for each kiddo for each season. Other parents choose to take a large volunteer role instead of many small commitments. You know best what works for yourself and your family. Find a rule that works well for saying “no” such as, “I have to check my calendar first.” Creating a pause before saying yes helps you assess. Your goal is a realistic, manageable schedule that incorporates self-care.

 

Maintaining balance

The key to consistent balance is regularly assessing and re-assessing commitments. As commitments change throughout the year, be mindful of your new rules for commitment. It is crucial to your schedule to regularly assess your commitments in order to stay in balance. Assess your commitments during your weekly planning time.

 

Take time before the fall to be mindful of this year’s commitments. You will have more joy in the responsibilities you choose by prioritizing and under-committing.

 

How to Kick Start Your School Year with Family Communication

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back to school with family communication

 

Start this year off with strong family communication. Effective communication and organization tools make all the difference in improving school success and family happiness. Two key strategies that help families connect are holding weekly family meetings and maintaining a family calendar. Here is how to implement these to create a more harmonious, collaborative household.

 

Create agency and accountability

Creating ownership for all family members from the start of the school year is essential for fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. This sense of ownership comes from giving everyone the opportunity to contribute to the family agenda. During your first family meeting, include your kids’ thoughts, feelings, and problem-solving ideas as you create the agenda and establish the “rules” for your family calendar. By involving everyone in this process, you empower each family member to take responsibility for their commitments and contribute to the overall success of the family’s organization and communication strategies. This collaborative approach not only ensures that everyone feels valued and heard but also promotes a sense of accountability and teamwork that will benefit the family throughout the school year.

 

One of the biggest obstacles to family communication is knowing the “why” which is the value of communication. Everyone needs to benefit from staying connected. Talk about how improved communication makes life easier for everyone, how a shared calendar helps everyone support each other, and how stronger relationships happen because of collaboration. With everyone knowing the benefits, there is more buy-in and accountability to maintain the system. Each person is tethered to the others’ successes. That accountability to each other makes all the difference in keeping the system all year long.

 

Overall, remember to keep these as simple as possible. Clarity makes all the difference. Post the outcome in writing on your refrigerator or door near the kitchen. You’re creating accountability for everyone to work as a team this way. You can reference your plan with your family every day, especially during the weekly family meeting.

 

Hold weekly family meetings

Weekly family meetings are times for communication, cohesiveness, and collaboration. These provide the opportunity for everyone to share their upcoming activities and schedules, as well as celebrate achievements and discuss challenges. Here is how to make the most of your family meetings.

  • Choose a time that works for everyone
  • Create your agenda together
  • Make sure everyone has a chance to speak
  • Review family values and goals. Discuss problems and solutions.
  • Celebrate together

Weekly family meetings foster teamwork and ensure that everyone feels heard and supported.

 

Start and maintain the family calendar

A family calendar is an invaluable tool for keeping track of everyone’s activities and responsibilities. Your family can use a digital calendar, a traditional wall calendar, or a hybrid. Keeping a shared schedule helps make sure everyone knows upcoming events, shares time together, and keeps things running smoothly. Here’s how to effectively use a family calendar.

  • Place the calendar in a central location so everyone can see it.
  • Include as much as possible, especially priorities on your family calendar. Individuals maintain their calendars with great detail.
  • Update the calendar as soon as new dates come up. Update individual calendars at the same time.

A family calendar helps to organize busy schedules and prioritizes what is most important about all commitments.

 

Staying connected and up to date throughout the school year requires effort and coordination, but the rewards are well worth it. It may take time to get a flow going with the family meeting or the family calendar. Keep at it! By implementing these strategies, families can navigate the academic year with confidence, ensuring that both students and parents thrive.

Crush It At Work and School Summit helping you succeed at work or school

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crush it at work and school back to school

 

August is time for us to gear up for Back to School. There is a lot to do to move from Summer fun to Fall routines. Let’s make it easier this season! I am doing something new this year! Join me and top ADHD/Executive Function gurus at Alan P. Brown’s Crush It at Work and School Summit, where you will learn proven strategies to get back into action with practical insights and strategies. My colleagues and I will help you focus on the right priorities, boost productivity, and find a flow for work-life balance. See the list below of all the courses my friends and colleagues offer.

  • This free virtual summit runs four days (August 26-29) and every day, Alan will share 5 short interviews. The videos will be available to watch anytime within that 24-hour period.
  • Registration is FREE, so click to register and reserve your seat.

Check out this list of topics and speakers.

Monday, August 26

  • The Secret to Smart Study Skills For Student Success with Leslie Josel
  • Do What Really Matters: How to Follow Through Without Sacrificing Your Life! With Lynne Edris
  • Communication Technique to Collaborate Better at Work and Home with Elaine Taylor-Klaus
  • Motivation Made E.A.S.Y. with Diane McLean
  • Find Your Rhythm: Your ADHD Action Plan to Focus with Ease, Achieve Productivity, and Harmonize Your Work and Life with Linda Walker

Tuesday, August 27

  • Finding Peace With Your Email with Ellen Faye
  • Ambivalence: Do You Actually Want to Do That? With Ari Tuckman, PsyD.
  • ADHD Activation: Overcome Stagnation and Boost Productivity with Tara McGillicuddy
  • Your To-Do List Needs a Makeover with Kathy Vines
  • The Secret to Powerful Planning with Dana Rayburn

Wednesday, August 28

  • How to Get Your Groove Back ON with Rudy Rodriguez
  • Cracking the Code: How to Tell if Your ADHD Medication is Working with Laurie Dupar
  • Why Transitions are More Complicated Than You Think and How to Simplify Them! With Brendan Mahan
  • How to Be On Time without Tricking Yourself with Bonnie Mincu
  • Problem-Solving Decoded: ADHD Executive Function Solutions with Jeff Copper

Thursday, August 29

  • Conquer Calendar Chaos: Weekly Planning on Your Own Terms with Nikki Kinzer
  • How to Fuel The ADHD Brain with Marisa Moon
  • How to Start the School Year Strong with Ellen Delap
  • How to Advocate for Yourself or Someone with ADHD in the Workplace or School with Terry Matlen
  • An Amazing Interview with Linda Roggli

As you can see, there are a variety of topics and tools. There truly is something for everyone in this free virtual summit. Be sure to reserve your seat!

 

How to Kick Start the School Year with Organization

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back to school organizing

 

Kickstarting the school year with an organized space can set the tone for months of positive energy for learning. As you and your family gear up for the start of the school year, there are 4 key areas to organize to gain momentum. Your proactive work on systems and routines at this time of year has a big payoff in building confidence and enthusiasm. This also results in higher productivity and engagement.

 

Get in the game

Your mindset makes the biggest difference in kickstarting your organizing. Bring high energy and positivity to this fresh start. Think about the start of a new season and how your modeling organization makes an impact on your family. Bring on the fun and enthusiasm for the start of the school year.

 

Where to organize

Focus your time and energy with the most bang for your buck. Kids’ clothes, school supplies, and lunch prep are important areas of focus. You will find it easiest to organize in categories so you can start and complete the job.

 

How to get started

Set aside 2 weeks before school starts to organize. You can work in time blocks or set specific days for certain areas. Work in partnership with your kiddos to help them learn about organizing and partner with you to make decisions. Have a reward for your work together to incentivize their participation.

 

What to do

Keep it simple sweetie! While there are many emotions about moving from an unstructured Summer to the routines of Fall, be sure to engage in positive energy as you organize. The simpler the process the better. While you are working with your family, chat about new goals and how you will accomplish these together.

  • Kids’ clothes need decluttering so they have only what fits and is organized in a way so they can independently get ready. Go through all the clothes with one kid in one day, declutter, and then make a list of what is needed to purchase.
  • Gather your kids and gather all the school supplies. Be brutal about what you keep for the year. Stock backpacks, homework caddies, and your school supplies back stock. Use a container to sort and label the back stock.
  • Keep lunch prep easy to manage. Set up a space in the refrigerator and pantry for lunch prep supplies. You can also use labeled bins on the lower refrigerator shelves to stock for easy lunch prep each evening.
  • Make it fun with a high-energy playlist, a filled water flask, and a snack as needed.

 

Maintaining your system

Every system needs a routine that keeps it going.

  • Efficient laundry helps kids get ready each day. Manage laundry with small loads completed daily. Get help with laundry from your cleaning person. Or teach your kids how to do their laundry.
  • Restock school supplies every month. Set a reminder in your device for you and your students to partner in restocking school supplies in backpacks, caddies, and other spots.
  • Restock lunch supplies each week. During your family meeting, talk about lunch and dinner. Make a list of 5-7 options for lunch and dinner. Add that to your weekly online shopping list.

 

Getting organized before the school year starts is the best investment for school success. Start two weeks in advance of the first day of school to be proactive and ready for the new school year.

Organizing Your Finances: Practical Financial Strategies for People with ADHD

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organizing your finances practical solutions

 

Throughout this month we have focused on money management. Today we are focusing on the practical, simple, and effective quick tools for managing finances without being overwhelmed.  If you are just beginning your finance and money management journey or in the middle of it, here are some ADHD – friendly simple tools and tips that will help you meet your financial goals. Choose one strategy to help you move forward with your goals.

Use automation and technology

There are many easy tools to set up for your income, expenses, and budgeting.  Take time to set these up and review them monthly. Using automation and technology frees up your time and sets in motion your plans. One of the most important steps is to pay yourself first with an automated savings account.

  • Automatic Payments: Set up automatic payments for bills to avoid missing due dates.
  • Automatic Savings: Use automated transfers to save regularly without having to remember to do it manually.
  • Budgeting Apps: Apps like Mint, YNAB (You Need a Budget), or PocketGuard can help track spending and stay within budget.
  • Reminder Apps: Use reminder apps or calendar alerts for bill due dates and financial tasks.

Simplify and Streamline

It is easy to be drawn into complicated accounts and single-line budgeting. Keep your system as simple as possible. Know what numbers matter most in your accounting and your taxes. Make your system easy to subdivide into manageable chunks of information. Make your accounting sheets as visual as possible with color coding to track your plans.

  • Consolidate Accounts: Reduce the number of accounts to manage by consolidating them when possible.
  • Minimalist Budgeting: Focus on a few key categories to make budgeting simpler and easier to follow.
  • Consolidated Information: Create a consolidated sheet of all your accounts to access these at any time.

Visual Tools

Money can seem invisible. Make it easy to “see” your monthly and annual income, as well as your savings.

  • Visual Budgets: Use charts, graphs, or color-coded systems to make financial information more engaging and easier to understand.
  • Spending Journals: Keep a visual spending journal to track where money goes and identify patterns.
  • Color-coded spending: Keep a log of what you spend with colors to match your feelings about the funds, such as green for income and red for expense.

 

Seek Support

Finding trusted advisors will help you with your financial goals. Your advisor can coach you through setting up your system, help you be accountable, and help you learn new strategies.

  • Financial Advisor: Work with a financial advisor who understands ADHD and can provide personalized guidance.
  • Accountability Partner: Have a trusted friend or family member help keep you accountable.
  • Support Groups: Others who struggle with finances and keep you accountable to your goals.

Find your path to organizing your finances with a system that works for you and routines that help you manage your resources.

Organizing Your Finances: How to Create and Maintain a Budget with ADHD

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organizing finances how to create and maintain a budget

 

Managing finances is challenging, but if you have ADHD, staying on top of budgeting can feel especially difficult. With the right strategies and tools, you can create and maintain a budget that works for you. Here are some practical tips to help you get started and stay on track.

 

Break down your project

There are many overwhelming parts to setting up a budget. First, you need to know how you are spending your funds now. A project like this can be intimidating, leading to procrastination. Break down your budgeting process into smaller, manageable steps.

  • Day 1: Gather all financial documents.
  • Day 2: List all income sources.
  • Day 3: List all monthly expenses.
  • Day 4: Categorize expenses into needs, wants, and savings.

Taking small steps each day can make the process feel more achievable. If you choose to do all these steps on one day, set aside 4 hours to accomplish this.

Use ADHD-Friendly Tools

There are numerous apps designed to help you manage your finances easily. Apps like Quicken, YNAB (You Need a Budget), and PocketGuard can help you track spending, set goals, and receive reminders. Choose an app with a clean, intuitive interface to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Use reports to synthesize information for you. Set this up on your devices to use every day. Set a time to check in daily to keep this top of mind.

Keep It Simple

Simplicity is key when creating a budget that you can stick to. Choose a straightforward budgeting method that doesn’t overwhelm you with details. One effective approach is the 50/30/20 rule:

  • 50% of your income goes to needs (rent, groceries, utilities).
  • 30% goes to wants (dining out, entertainment).
  • 20% goes to savings and debt repayment.

This method helps you categorize your expenses without getting bogged down in details.

Set Up Automatic Payments

Automate as many payments as possible to reduce the number of tasks you need to remember. Set up automatic payments for bills like rent, utilities, and credit cards. This ensures you won’t miss due dates, helping you avoid late fees and maintain a good credit score. If you have insufficient funds, set up the least expensive recurring payments like gas and electricity, and set a reminder to pay bills twice a month on the same day, such as a Saturday or Sunday.

 

Use Visual Aids

Visual aids can be incredibly helpful for people with ADHD. Here are some options.

  • Charts and graphs: Many budgeting apps provide visual representations of your spending habits.
  • Post-it notes: Write down key financial tasks and stick them where you’ll see them.
  • Calendars: Mark bill due dates and financial goals on a physical or digital calendar.

Seeing your progress visually can be motivating and help keep you on track.

Start a routine 

Schedule regular check-ins to review your budget. Set a daily, weekly, or monthly appointment with yourself to update your expenses and adjust your budget if needed. Consistent reviews help you stay aware of your financial situation and make you accountable to your intentions.

Build a team for support

Share your goals with a friend or family member to be your accountability partner. Sit with a body double while you are checking your accounts. It takes only one other to support you as you work toward your financial goals.

 

Be aware of obstacles

Staying on track with a budget can be the biggest challenge despite strong motivation.  If impulsivity interferes, implement a pause for purchases with a 24-hour rule before you purchase. If you get distracted or disinterested, reward yourself for following through with money management or choose a new location to check your apps. Identify triggers for emotional spending and find alternative coping mechanisms, such as exercise, hobbies, or talking to a friend. Consider setting aside a small, discretionary fund for occasional treats to prevent feeling deprived of fun or spontaneity. Feel less overwhelmed by money by breaking your money management into smaller steps. Being aware of obstacles and using strategies to combat these help you keep on top of your money management.

 

Creating and maintaining a budget with ADHD is entirely possible. By keeping your budget simple, using helpful tools, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and setting regular check-ins, you can take control of your finances. Remember to be kind to yourself and celebrate your successes, no matter how small. With persistence and the right strategies, you can achieve financial stability and peace of mind.

 

 

Organizing Your Finances: Strategies to Combat Overspending and Over-purchasing

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organizing finances

 

Shop like you mean it! It is easy to succumb to overspending due to Instagram clicks. Impulse spending can become a habit with “56% of consumers saying they are more influenced by social media images and videos when online shopping now than before the pandemic.” If you are concerned about your spending habits, understanding your spending patterns and creating a system for tracking purchases can help. Here are some practical tips to regain control of your budget and create financial stability.

 

Becoming aware of overspending

How do you know that overspending is becoming a problem? Are you having trouble paying your monthly credit card? Have you not been able to save for emergencies or financial goals? Are you feeling uncomfortable with the number of packages arriving at your home?  Is your home filled to the brim with no space to organize? These are all ways to become more aware of your overspending and overpurchasing. Financial apps make it easy to track your spending and share data on where you are spending too much.

 

 

Understanding Your Spending Patterns

The first step in addressing overspending is to understand your spending patterns. Download your expenses into a spreadsheet from your debit card, credit card, and bank statement. Review your expenses over the past few months by categorizing your spending into essential and non-essential categories.  This data is most valuable in learning what you have been purchasing. This will help you identify areas where you may be overspending unnecessarily.

 

Setting Spending Limits

Now that you are aware of your purchases, it could be time to set limits on your spending in specific areas. Consider setting spending limits for certain categories of expenses such as clothes, personal care, or beauty. One way to set spending limits is to set a specific amount to spend on a category over a time frame. You can carry a limited amount of cash for these purchases or track your expenses with apps such as Every Dollar and Spendee.

 

Avoiding Impulse Purchases

Impulse purchases are a common culprit of overspending. Before making a purchase, implement a waiting period. That waiting period could be a pause before purchasing such as a rule to wait 24 hours or even a week before making a non-essential purchase. This delay can help determine if the purchase is truly necessary or just an impulse.

 

Keeping out of the cookie jar

It is easier to follow a diet without cookies at home. Remove social media that prompts you to impulse purchase online. When it is more difficult to purchase, it creates a pause to think more about that purchase.

 

Making a game of saving

If you find yourself consistently overspending in certain areas, explore alternative ways to save money. This could include only shopping sales, using coupons, and buying generic brands. Small changes in your spending habits and rules about purchases can add up to significant savings over time.

 

Tracking your finances and combating overspending requires discipline and diligence, but the rewards are well worth it.  Like any change, it takes time to gain momentum. By understanding your spending patterns and implementing rules for purchases, you can regain control of your finances and work towards a more secure financial future. Remember, it’s always important to manage your resources more effectively.

 

Organizing Your Money and Finances: Money Management

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financial organizing

 

The times we live in are rough financially.  One of our biggest worries is money.  We are more aware of the personal power of using our resources wisely. Those resources start with your finances and your time. Financial organizing is as important as organizing your home.  It starts with setting intentions, establishing priorities, and creating goals for your funds. You want to know where you spend money and how much you spend.  All of this happens with money management and financial organizing. Try one of these five tips to get started organizing your finances.

 

Creating a money mindset

Perhaps as an adult with ADHD, disconnected utilities, insufficient funds, late payments, and unpaid bills even with enough money in the bank may be constant struggles for you. Fear and overwhelm might create a roadblock in working on or organizing your finances. Getting organized is the first step to realizing your financial goals. These goals can be attained by a working knowledge of your finances. You can set short and long-term goals by writing these down and analyzing how to achieve these.  Set aside time each week to be aware and learn about your finances. Be specific about your goals and use these as your “why” to get organized. Share your responsibilities with a partner to work as a team.  A money mindset gives you a sense of accomplishment and command over your fears.

 

The Power of One

Keep a list of all your accounts. That includes bank accounts, credit cards, lines of credit, and credit unions. Many of us are unaware of just how many places have our money. From this list you can pare down to single accounts to work with and use.

As in all organizing, you want to be able to find what you have! Having just one checking account is the way to know how and where you are spending it! Having one credit card not only simplifies paying the bill during the month, it also makes you most aware of where your money is going. If you are a small business owner, you should also have one credit card and one checking account for your company. Simplifying our connection to money can make all the difference. There is a lot less paper coming in as a result too!

 

Capture the details


Writing down how and where you spend money is an enlightening experience! Just like those food logs that scare us into a lifestyle change, we can do the same for money. Keep a log of EACH item you purchase in a month. Not only will you realistically know what things cost to create a realistic budget, you will also know just how many times you are using money for “wants” rather than “needs”.

 

Ledgers can make a difference for us in keeping track of and being accountable for our funds. Use your check register all the time to record checks and debit card transactions as these occur. For bill paying, keep a ledger to record your payments to utilities, credit cards, and other monthly expenses. This way you see what each bill is each month, compare the expenses of the bill each month, and be sure you paid it each month. Seeing it on paper makes money not only a currency traded but also an effective way to track your financial goals. You can also use Quicken and budgeting apps to record the payments to see annually what your expenses are and to help balance your checking account each month.

 

Apps like Quicken, You Need A Budget (YNAB), and Simplifi help you automate the process of gathering information. Track your spending by assigning categories and tags to transactions, and then generate reports to show where your money is going. This can help you identify areas where you might be overspending, and prioritize your spending to cut back on unnecessary expenses. It can also help you stay on track with your budget and financial goals. Set up the system and then set a monthly time to review the reports. 

 

Automate your money management to accomplish your goals


Good routines reinforce your plan. You hear it all the time: “Pay yourself first!” Set up an automatic payment from you to your savings account. It is the most painless way to get ahead on your savings. Having trouble paying your bills on time? Set up automated payments to get this done timely. You can use auto debit from your bank account or a credit card. You will still need to keep up to date on what is being paid and to whom, but the process can make a difference in getting the job done. Finish bill paying by filing all receipts into an easy access file or notebook. Automation can give you visual tools to help you see your finances.  Charts for bill paying, categorized payments, debt tracking and financial goals help you see where your money is going and where you can change your behaviors.

 

Routines reinforce your priorities

Even with automation, you need solid routines to be sure you stay on track. A monthly money meeting with yourself and your partner insures your bills are being paid and you further strategize on how you are spending money. Set this date and make it fun by meeting at a coffee house, having a special treat, and keeping the meeting short.  At that meeting review your bills and see what goals you are accomplishing. Set goals for the next quarter and the year. These meetings give you knowledge and opportunity to drive your success.

 

Get started where you have the most questions about your money. Wondering where you spend your money all month? You can start with an expense tracker app like Mint.com to automate and then review your spending. Want to be able to pay your bills on time online? Set up your bank account app for automatic bill pay. Looking ahead to save more? Automate your savings plan.  If you are struggling in this area, meet with a money manager or certified financial planner to help as your guide. Once you start, you will feel comfortable spending more time on your finances.