ADHD, Decision making and Organizing

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ADHD Decision making and Organizing

 

Decision making is the first step in all organizing projects. And when those decisions become overwhelming is when we become paralyzed.  For ADHD and executive function challenges, decision making can halt organizing progress.  There’s a definite connection between ADHD, decision making and organizing.

 

Too many decisions

It’s overwhelming to think about the number of decisions we make in a day.  Research reveals that when we make decision after decision, we become frustrated, angry or anxious.  Each day we are make decisions about literally thousands of questions or crossroads.  When it comes to decision making, think about limiting choices.  Keep it simple like just 3 -5 options, rather than ten or more.

 

  • When you begin organizing, make decision making simple and easy.  Start with decisions to let go of things that are easy to part with, you have not used or seen in a long time, or without hesitation know your decision.

 

  • When it comes to the stuff in your life, one question can be all you need.  Make decision making easy with one big question to answer: does this make me look or feel fabulous?  If the answer is no, off it goes.

 

  • Use the tournament method.  Compare two items, pick the best.  Use the “winner”  and compare with another item, pick the best.  You can divide items into four piles and use the tournament method too.

 

 Good decisions start with wellness

It’s not surprising how much rest and nutrition play a role in good decision making.  Research shows that a good night’s sleep makes for better decision making, improved retention of information and a better outcome.

 

  • Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Not only will you feel better on all fronts, it’s easy to make decisions and be productive. Start with an earlier than expected prep time for bedtime. It’s easy to get in bed when you are ready.

 

 

  • Keep protein handy.  We can’t make good decisions with just snacks.  Eating protein regularly helps us think clearly.

 

 

 Resources for decision making

We know we don’t know it all.  But that’s not a problem! We have trust resources to help make decisions.   Our resources include an array of options, including our friends, professionals and the internet.  Build competence and confidence with your resources.

 

  • Start with your easiest way of finding information.  Phone or text a friend or look online are the simplest first steps.  Reading a book or blog can help you find the information you need.  Add in a clutter buddy or paper partner.  They are your trusted friend for decision making; your go to resource for no matter what the question is.  Decide on what’s easiest for you.

 

  • Take the emotion out of your decision.  Think about the decision as if you were making it for someone else.  Take a deep breath, do 10 jumping jacks, call a friend and share why this is so hard.  Ask yourself what’s the worst thing that can happen if this decision is not right.  Then get back to that decision.  It’s often not the decision at all that is hard but an emotion associated with it.

 

  • Ask for help.  It’s hard to accept ask for or accept help.  But a partnership can make all the difference.  Ask for help when you find yourself lacking a skill, not sure of how to manage technology or to speed the project along.  Remember that in doubling up with a partner you have more brain and brawn to find solutions.

 

We all get stuck sometime.  Find ways to help yourself with decision making whether it’s paring down, wellness, or resources to make decisions happen.

 

More resources  on my ADD/ADHD pinterest board.

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Making Organizing Manageable

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chunking organizing

How do you eat an elephant?   …….One bite at a time!

 

Making organizing manageable is all about breaking the tasks into manageable pieces.  When we see a big project it’s often overwhelming.  We think about organizing our entire home, storage or an office and it seems to be an impossible tasks.  There are several ways to chunk down the project and create a manageable plan.

 

Work in time increments

I am a huge fan of using a timer to work on any project.  Even just 15 minutes on any project will help you reach your goal.  But I also like the idea of percolation time and working an hour at a time.  Other ways to use time increments include two or three hour segments with an alarm set for 30 minutes before the end of the time. If you are unsure about how long the project will take, using time increments helps you get started and work in measured units.

 

Use Quadrants

Think about dividing the space you are working in into quadrants of work.  It could be floor space, left wall, center wall, and right wall.   It could be dividing the space into 4 quadrants entirely. Creating a physical delineation of what areas you are working on helps you see change.   There’s hoola hoop organizing.  Drop a hoola hoop on the floor and work on that area to eliminate and organize.  As more space evolves,  you are feeling more capable and less overwhelmed.

 

Use Numbers

Flylady refers to her 27 fling bogie.   Flylady suggests eliminating 27 items a day.   White House Black Shutters recommends 40 bags in 40 days.  Use numbers to help you break through your feeling of being overwhelmed.  You can choose your own number, no matter how large or small.  Whatever your numbers, use these wisely to make your project easy to accomplish.

 

 Work with a team

It’s much easier to work together to achieve more. Make organizing manageable by adding a partner or triad of workers. Not only does having many hands help, you have lots of ideas to get your organizing done.

 

Whatever strategy you use, make organizing manageable in a way that fits your strengths and style. Choose one of these ideas in order to get started and complete a project.

 

 

 

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Asking for Help

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asking for help

Is it not in your nature to ask for help?

Have you asked for help and you heard crickets?

Is it easier to procrastinate about something rather than ask for help?

 

Let’s admit it, asking for help is hard.  It may seem like it’s a signal about deficiency or weakness. It may be about fear and vulnerability. It may be a lack of a skill or an undeveloped skill.  It could even be about being stubborn. A lot plays into asking for help.  It’s time to acknowledge we are all not good at everything and play to our strengths.

 

It’s the best way to conquer a tough project though.  It helps you move forward when you are stuck. It saves you time when you are struggling with a task or technology.  Bringing together more hands and ideas can improve your project too.  Is it time for you to assess asking for help?

 

Start small

The best way to start anything new is to start small.  Ask for help with a small time commitment or piece of the project.  Isolate just one thing that is holding you back on a project.  Ask a trusted resource to help you with that one small task.  If you are not sure what that one small thing is, ask a trusted resource to process the steps in the project to create the series of actions for completing the task.

 

Asking for help at work

Collaboration is a great strategy for asking for help at work.  Create a team that works well together who create energy and more together.  Find resources for a variety of needs that you have, whether tech, writing, calculations or other needs.  Sweeten the pot with an offer to assist with a strength you have.

 

Email is your best tool for asking for help.  Be sure to include a specific request with a deadline.  Think of potential solutions as options that your resource can help you with, especially the small simple solutions.  Think about additional resources like coaches, professional organizers, and productivity consultants who can also provide support and increase your productivity.

 

 

Asking for help at home

We often think our family is an unreliable source for help.  However, asking for help at home is an important part of family cohesiveness.  Even if you think it’s easier to do whatever yourself, teaching how to help others and team work is worth the extra energy and time.

 

It’s easiest to ask by starting with a family meeting.  Even if there is a lot of eye rolling, your family will be happy to help with simple, small tasks that can be done quickly.  Use a family chart to keep everyone on track.  Set a time and date for your helpers to complete their work.  If someone is already doing that task, count that.  Find tasks everyone can do at the same time together to get a big job done too.

 

Finding resources

Have an array of resources at your disposal.

  • My first go to is google and find online resources. Finding answers can be as simple as a few keyboard clicks. It takes a few minutes and already I know new tricks.
  • My next step is to find someone in my inner circle who can respect my request.  There are many colleagues, family and friends who have skills that compliment mine. I return the favor by offering something to help them as well.
  • Finding resources in your community are a great collaboration as well.  In my arena I love having interior decorators who work on color and space design, handymen who repair and hang pictures,  and tech people who help make my computer and smart phone work well.
  • Who would be a bonus to you as a resource?

 

Not matter the challenge, there is help there for the asking!  Remember to share your gratitude for their help.   It’s not only about how to ask for help, it’s also how to appreciate those helping out too.

 

Tricks and tips for any organizing or productivity challenge here!

 

 

Perfectionism, Procrastination and Organizing

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perfectionism, procrastination and organizing

 

 

Perfectionism and procrastination sound like opposites but are they really? Do you set incredibly high standards for a project including lots of planning and then don’t get started because it won’t be completed to your satisfaction? Do you put off a project, thinking you will have more time or energy to do it later? More often than you think, perfectionism can be immobilizing you.  Here are some points to think about with perfectionism, procrastination and organizing.

 

Are you a perfectionist?

Begin by becoming aware of perfectionism in your life. Many people do not realize that they are perfectionists. A home with clutter or incomplete projects can be the home of a perfectionist! Having incredibly high standards that are impossible to reach, whether in taking care of your home, completing a project, or in any thought process, indicate perfectionism. By having the realization of perfectionism, you can begin to evaluate what this is costing you and what’s next.

 

Focus on balanced goals and completion

Because perfectionism is stopping us from starting, we need to focus on the goals of balance and completion. Simply put, it is that old saying, “If I can’t do it right I am not going to do it at all.” Start by asking yourself, what is “right” to you? A realistic goal balances your personal energy, time and importance of the task. You can do it well and get it done. Donna Smallin, author of Organizing Plain and Simple, notes that “done is perfect.” You can start by using Donna’s saying to help you put things in perspective, create the balance for yourself and get the job done.

Empowering self talk

Another aspect of perfectionism is rigid, black and white thinking. Either a project is perfect or a disaster! Using acknowledging, empowering self talk, including kudos of accomplishment throughout the project, leads to satisfaction with the outcome and completion. Seeing productivity, you will feel successful and feel more like completing the project. It is definitely a circle of work and success that stands out then.

 

Making projects manageable

 

We may think that a project is going to take hours and we may not have hours to work on it. It may surprise you how much less time a project takes than we imagined.  We may not start a project until everything else is perfect around it.  Break the tasks into manageable parts. Make it manageable with one or two hour time slots, only taking out a part of the project, or adding in additional resources.  As you work through your project, commit by writing in your calendar slots that take advantage of your best energy times.  You will feel successful as you move forward, instead of putting off and procrastinating.

 

 

Standards of excellence instead of perfection make a difference in starting and completing a project. Whether organizing a space or any other task, start with baby steps and practice your imperfection. Work at a comfortable pace, allow for changes as needed and review your work consistently. When others offer to assist, welcome their help and disregard their imperfections as they help you complete a project. With this process, you will be excited by the excellence you created!

 

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ADHD Bill Paying Solutions

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ADHD Bill paying solutions

 

It’s a struggle to pay your bills.  Anxiety, math phobia, and paperwork challenges all add up to ADHD bill paying problems.  Financial documents are a nightmare because of details, multiple steps and lack of consistency.  Not to mention those awful accruing late fees!  Try one of these ADHD bill paying solutions.

 

Bill paying center

  • Gather together your bills, a pencil, calculator, stamps, envelopes, checks and manilla envelopes.
  • Open the envelopes of all the bills and mark the date due on each.
  • Divide the bills to pay according to the date due and the income in your checkbook.
  • Keep your bill paying center where you see it every day.
  • Pay your bills either every day or 7 days ahead of due date.

Online bill paying

  • Set up online bill pay using your bank’s services.  You will need one bill from each utility, including your account number.
  • Open your bills each day and write the due date on the envelope.
  • Check your balance weekly.
  • Pay your bills daily and set the due date for payment according to your balance and income.

 

Money Management Binder

  • Set up your binder with tabbed slash pockets. Label the pockets: To be paid, January, February, March, etc.
  • Use this Monthly Bill Manager to list your bills and how you paid.

 

Bill Manager List

  • Place all bills in the binder as they arrive.
  • Write checks and pay online once a week. Call the day Money Monday or Financial Friday.  Set a reminder or put post it notes to help you stay on top of your weekly commitment.
  • Keep the binder in the same place all the time so you can drop in bills and keep up with your weekly payments.

 

Auto debits and other automatic payments

There may be some payments that happen automatically from your account.  Make a list of these payments and the amounts taken out monthly. It creates a visual reminder for you and keeps you on track with your money.

Big Bills to Pay

Even with a great system, big surprises happen.  Make a list of the big bills you pay at different times during the year.  Payments for property tax, insurance, and estimated tax payments occur at random times throughout the year.  Go back through last year’s checkbook and create a list of these expenses.  Add these to your recurring reminders.

 

What solutions work for your bill paying?

 

More bill paying ideas here!

 

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15 ADHD Organizing Tips for 2015

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adhd organizing

 

It’s the new year and time to put our goals into action! Get your home, work space, kids and more in order this year with these 15 ADHD organizing tips for 2015.

 

Home

  • Apply the ONE in, TWO out rule.   By taking TWO items out, you are gaining on clutter build up.
  • Labeling helps everyone put away stuff.  Label kids drawers, pantry, or anywhere for items to be put back.
  • Set dates to organize. Write in your calendar a one – two hour time, every other week or once a month, you are going to organize. It keeps you committed to your goal.

 

Work

  • Create a well suited work environment. A less distracting environment is one with less clutter, optimal auditory stimulation and attractive for you.  Decide what is not working in your space and spend time crafting an improved place to work.
  • Create and set up reminders that work for you. If you are highly visual, use a dry erase board and sticky notes on a window. If you are highly auditory, set alarms on your phone.
  • Use one hour power periods to accomplish your work.  Set a power period at your high energy time to get the most out of your time.

 

School

  • Partner with your kids to use their planners.  The planner should be the one spot all assignments are written so that nothing slips through the cracks.  Go online to websites, have your kids write in assignments from the class room and consolidate all assignments here.
  • Set up a homework routine with your kids.  Start early, like 4 -5 pm, for homework time. Establish a “get started procedure” like setting up the planner and books on the table.  Homework time ends when all items are back in the back pack and by the door.
  • Use apps that make learning fun.  Quizlet, StudyBlue, Free Audio Books and MindMeister make it easier to digest and incorporate new concepts and vocabulary.

 

Kids

  • Declutter with your kids twice a year, before birthday and holidays.   Its a reset in their rooms so that they keep decluttered.  Work for at least 15 minutes with them, and then continue without them.
  • Cherish your kids artwork with an art gallery or art book. Collect the art together for 2  weeks in a bin.   Have your child choose what to display.  Establish a gallery with frames or string and clothespins.   Take photos of the artwork and create a photo book with it.
  • Help your kids distinguish treasures. Set up a box or bin for them to keep their treasures in their closet.  When the box is full, it’s time to prioritize what is a treasure and what can be let go.

 

Wellness and Self care

  • Everyone needs a good bed time.  Start earlier than you think by getting ready ahead of time. No blue light for 60 minutes before bed.  Be in bed 30 minutes ahead. Set the temperature cooler in your bedroom.
  • Get out in green space.  Take a short walk, do a little meditation, and spend a little time outdoors exercising. It’s what is best for focus and clarity.  Daily exercise helps you be more productive.
  • Do something fun.  More times than not my clients share that they have no time for what they love.  Spend time being crafty, reading a magazine and doing something for YOU each week.

 

Learn more about ADHD

 

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Favorite Blog Posts 2014

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It’s almost a wrap! The year 2015 starts this week. Thank you for your commitment to organizing and learning new tools, tips and techniques on Ellen’s Blog this year.  Here are your favorite blog posts for 2014!

 

 

organizing your add family

Organizing your ADHD family

 

3 steps to organize your desk

3 Steps to Organize your Desk

 

14 productivity tips

14 Productivity Tips for 2014

ADHD Tips for Small Business

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adhd tips for small business.

 

ADHD strengths are wonderful attributes for being an entrepreneur.  There are so many ways ADHD entrepreneurs are successful.   It’s the creativity, resourcefulness, and solution based thinking that lead to success.  ADHD includes a powerful set of qualities that make for ground breaking new ideas and tools.

 

There can be a few bumps in the road too.  Difficulties with executive function, planning and organizing can get in the way.  Here are 3 ADHD tips for business owners to maximize their success.

 

Planning tools make a difference

Often an ADHD small business owner will only use a planner to write in an appointment.  Use your planner as a tools to help you initiate and execute your tasks.

 

  • Think creatively about your planner and use color and small post it notes.  Write each task separately so you can create baby steps and keep from being overwhelmed.  If these are written on small post it or flag notes, you can move them around as needed to work.

 

  • Think about options for your planner. It can be 3 dry erase calendars on a prominent wall with difference color markers.  It can be a file cabinet adjacent to your desk with  post it notes. It can be a wall  you paint chalkboard paint.

 

post it note task list

 

Set a time once a weekly for reviewing what’s on your planner.  As a processing tool use it daily to write a note for your 3 Most Important Tasks.  Create a new habit by hooking this habit onto an existing habit.   It won’t happen automatically for a while, but it is a powerful change.

 

 

Get a grip on paper

Being overrun and overwhelmed by paper can be paralyzing to an entrepreneur.  Take back control of your paper by cutting back on it first.

 

  • Print as little as possible.  Ruthlessly eliminate all paper that will not immediate at to your bottom line with a return on investment.  Write notes in an arc spiral or use Evernote.   Scan in what comes to you in paper form.  Choose what is going to work best considering the amount of paper.  As you can see, this takes a diligently and ongoing attack on paper from all directions.

 

  • Choose a paper system that works with your strengths. A command center can be placed on your desk or adjacent to it.  An accordion file is a tool with 7 or 13 pockets that can travel with you between locations.

 

  • Whatever the tool, be sure to label the slots.  With a label only what belongs in the slot gets in the slot. It also helps you stay focused and keep you from being overwhelmed.  No slot for that paper, it’s off to the shredder or recycle.

 

Focus on your strengths

No one is good at everything.  Entrepreneurs needs to wear many hats. This may sound like a conflict for ADHD entrepreneurs, but it’s a call to action for automation and delegation.  There are many small ways to start.

 

  • Automation is using technology tools to their best advantage.  It can be an autoresponder when a client contacts your website. It can be downloading financial information from the bank to Quickbooks.  It can be an app on your smart phone that adds contacts to Outlook.  Look for small or large ways to automate processes in your business.

 

  • Delegation is sharing a responsibility with a colleague or employee.  Know what can only be done by you. The rest can be delegated in small bites.    The biggest challenge is often the first step of asking for help.  Think of this step as taking on a partnership, rather than giving away the ship.  As you share the task, you build in accountability for the actions you will perform, as well as get additional help with technology, marketing skills or organizational tasks.

 

There’s more you can share about your own tips for business.  Share one here!

 

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ADHD and Motivation

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ADHD and motivation

 

You find it hard to get started on a project, hard to finish up and tough to stay on task.  ADHD and executive function deficits create challenges for motivation. It can feel discouraging, frustrating and overwhelming.  At a recent conference for the Institute for Challenging Disorganization, speakers shared ways to get motivated despite the obstacles. There are lots of small ways ADHD and motivation can make a daily difference for you.

 

Russell Barkley is author of  Taking Charge of Adult ADHD.  This speaker suggested using external cues to help you get motivated and stay on track.  External cues can include post it notes or check lists with tasks spelled out.  Social accountability like a study buddy or coach can help you lower or eliminate distractions as well as keep you positive about your work.  These external cues help you become more successful at any task.

 

 

Denslow Brown and Karen Boutelle shared the value of coaching for motivation.  Denslow is the creator of Coach Approach for Organizers, which I have participated in.   Her coach training focuses on the collaborative partnership with the ADHD client and coach.  Karen Boutelle from Landmark College demonstrated using coaching to facilitate motivation for students.  Both speakers shared coaching strategies in helping a client move forward with their goals.

 

Struggling with getting started?  Here are a few practical ways to get going.

  • Set a timer for 15 minutes.  For 5 minutes, assess what you have accomplished.  Reset the timer for another 15 minutes, twice more.  You have accomplished a lot!
  • Find an ADHD coach to work with you.
  • Clear your space for clarity.  Keep your desk clear of extra papers and office supplies in order to keep clear about your work.
  • Partner with a colleague or family member. Having someone to help with decisions and work together makes the project get off the ground.  Your partner also acts as a body double to help lend you energy to get going.
  • Find a way to add positive accountability to your day.  Send a quick email sharing what you accomplished that day.  Text someone sharing the news of conquering a difficult task.  Make a phone call on your way home to tell someone about an accomplishment.
  • Add a dash of fun to your work.  It can be a quirky element (like writing with a pink marker), some music (your Pandora work station you create) or something silly (perhaps a crazy hat or fluffy boa).  No one wants to miss out on fun, right?

 

What are ways you are getting motivated?

 

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Back to School for Your ADHD Family

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back to school for your ADHD family

The start of a new school year can be empowering and difficult.  It brings the promise of a new teacher and a fresh start, as well as the fear of previous challenges.  For your ADHD family, back to school is a new beginning each and every year.

 

Clean slate

Back to school for your ADHD family is a great clean slate. It’s about starting off with fresh energy.  There’s excitement in collaborating with a new teacher.  Start your year off with a family meeting about the successes from last year. What worked well? What didn’t?  Starting off with a successful, solutions oriented perspective will make this the best year for your family.

 

School supplies

There are many ways to set up binders and accordion files for your child.  There are many different school supplies.  Rely on your school district supply list and check your own supplies.  Coach your child to set up a binder system and school supplies that work for him/her.  A homework folder or pocket in the binder where all homework comes and returns makes it easy to keep up with this paper.  The best systems are the most simple.

 

School and Homework routines

One of the hardest parts of school is homework routines.  It’s all about consistency.  Set a time for homework to start and finish after school. Starting after a snack and short break makes it easier to complete homework.  Set up a homework spot with an additional set of supplies for your child.  Partner with your child to prioritize the daily assignments, working in small time slots. Using a timer can be a bonus for getting started and working without distractions.

 

A critical element for all routines is good rest.  Set bedtimes for parents and kids.  Start early getting to bed, eliminating blue screens at least an hour before bedtime.  Have a charging station in a public spot for all electronics in the home.  A good night’s rest is a great way to be sure everyone is working at their full potential.

 

Set up a landing strip where kids backpacks, your purse, and possibly shoes are housed.  There’s no scrambling in the morning when there’s only one spot.  Clean out backpacks and purses weekly.

 

Team communication

Parents, teachers and counselors working as a team is the best for everyone.  If your child has a 504 plan or IEP, review that early in the year.  Frequent communication by email helps everyone work together.  Start the year off with an email to your child’s teachers sharing his/her strengths and noting where help is needed most.   Establishing a trust relationship takes time, but working as a team is best for your child.

 

Gathering a team of resources is an asset. Your child can benefit from work with a counselor, professional organizer or homework buddy.  In having a team you can learn and share what works with each professional.

 

Check out my pinterest boards for more ideas for students and ADHD

 

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