Mastering Your Calendar and To-Do List

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Organizing your schedule and life doesn’t have to be complicated. With a trusted tool, you can take back control of your life and have more time for the things you enjoy!

For years I have worked with clients on mastering their calendars and to-do lists! I wanted to share with you a new product created by me to help you make time for what’s important to you.

  • This combination of monthly and weekly planners and to-do lists gives you the opportunity to craft your own calendar system that works best for you. You’ll also receive a checklist for getting started with the options to craft your own system.
  • Using the printable weekly and monthly undated pages, perpetual pages, and uncategorized pages for task lists, you’ll be empowered to process your schedule and integrate your goals and tasks.
  • Sample schedules and task lists are included to help you manage your own calendar and tasks.
  • Craft your calendar to work for you!

You can see your plan, get it organized, be productive, and have time for self-care. Check this out here on Etsy!

How to Start the Week Strong with Sunday Night Routines

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Sunday night routines

 

The transition from a relaxing weekend to a busy week can be stressful. Labeled “Sunday scaries,” many families experience a sense of dread on Sunday evening. There are ways that organization can help! You can start the week off strong with a positive Sunday evening routine.

 

Begin with a Sunday start to the week mindset

As much as Sunday evening is the end of the weekend, it is also a fresh start to the week. Note your perspective that your week starts here rather than Monday morning. Embracing routines that reinforce this mindset helps you prepare for your week. A Sunday evening family dinner or family meeting set the stage for this transition as you meet together as a family and talk about the week ahead.

 

Create a Sunday evening routine

A Sunday evening routine helps you focus and prepare for the week ahead. Start in the late afternoon with your routine. Plan ahead for an early bedtime and prepare ahead of time for this for you and your family. Prepare your materials for work or school and prepare lunch for the next day. Review your calendar for Monday. Wind down by reading or journaling. Your Sunday night routine includes calming self-care. That self-care carries over to emotional regulation.

 

Host a Sunday night reset

Throughout the week and over the weekend, life is busy and stuff gets disorganized. Wrangle it all back to where it goes with a Sunday night reset. That is when you pick up, put away, and place everything back. The Sunday night reset helps you start the week freshly organized.

 

Plan self-care for the week ahead

Planning self-care for the week ahead makes your week easier.  Of course, there will be much to do, however knowing when you will be going to an exercise class, taking a walk, or doing yoga or pilates, help you balance the stress of the week with relaxation. Look ahead to your schedule for the week and write in your self-care.

 

Write stuff down on a master list

Take a few minutes to capture all the thoughts, actions, projects, and any other tasks on a list. Clearing your head will lessen anxiety. Use this list during your weekly planning time and time block your tasks. Weekly planning time gives you a specific time to get organized, prioritize, and manage all your projects well.

 

Say no to distractions on Sunday evening

It is tempting to numb on Sunday evening with a late night of streaming services or looking at social media. Know the value of making a plan and sticking to that. Your work-life integration will be what benefits you most.

 

End your weekend with calm and start the week strong with a Sunday night routine.

In Celebration of Get Organized Month, Make it Easy for Your Family to be Organized

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make it easy for your family to be organized

 

Family organizing is a service I especially love! Often I hear about the most disorganized people in the family, the areas that are most disorganized, and the impact of disorganization. This year make it easy for your family to be organized.

 

Declutter together

Get a quick start on family organization with a big declutter together. Everyone grabs a bag, goes to their spaces, and makes decisions about their stuff. However, this is hard! Parents have spent money on things, kids have not used stuff, and then there are memories associated with stuff. Be bold and let go of more than you can imagine.

  • Set a time on your calendar to declutter twice in the month of January so that you can let go of as much as possible.
  • Make it easy by setting a timer for 30 minutes, loading all the bags into the car immediately, and offering a snack at the end of the session.
  • Set a time once a month to declutter and keep a designated donation bin available for everyone all year.

Ask your family what was most difficult to let go of and what was easiest to release. Encourage and coach each other.

 

Meet for a Family Meeting

A family meeting brings everyone together for communication, calendaring, and connection. Make it easy with a short agenda (dates, responsibility reminders on a chart, and quick decisions) and make it fun (meet while standing, meet with crazy glasses, meet with music.) Make sure you meet weekly to keep things running smoothly. If you get off track, start right back up again. A google calendar for everyone gives you all the opportunity to post dates and be proactive. Everyone likes to be informed about fun!

 

Chart instead of chat

As families, we do a lot of “did you remember” and “don’t forget.” Skip that with charts. Use charts in a variety of ways, whether it is a responsibility chart for who does what or a menu for what is for dinner. Charts make stuff visible.

Routines reinforce charts so place your chart where you see it daily as a reminder. Charts can be on a dry-erase board, a clipboard, or a laminated checklist attached to the items needed to do the work or printed to recycle after use.

 

Have a rule for bedtime

Be sure everyone is getting a good night’s rest! Good sleep hygiene can make it easier to get to sleep. That includes setting a time all devices are charging, everyone is in their jammies, and people are doing their restful routine. Parents need a bedtime too!

 

Make it a routine to reset

There is a weekly remedy that is failproof for easy organizing! That is a weekly reset. Much of what is needed is to toss trash and get everything back to its place. Busy families need time to reset each week. Each Sunday evening set a time and use a timer for 15 minutes of reset. Your home will be surprisingly organized very easily!

 

Get everyone on board with being organized by focusing on individual benefits and a team approach to organizing your home. Working together, supporting each other, and connecting about priorities make it easy to be organized.

 

In Celebration of Get Organized Month, Make It Easy to be Productive

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make it easy to be productive

 

The link between organizing and productivity is clear! The more organized you are, the more productive you can be. That is not always enough. Make it easy to be productive with these tips and tricks.

 

List it and prioritize it

Writing stuff down is a remarkably important part of being productive. Make it easy by speaking into your Notes or other apps to make a list. Then go back, categorize and prioritize the list. End with the three Most Important Tasks (MITs) for one day.

 

Time block it

Match your MITs with time blocks that connect to your energy level. Set up a time block that gives you both structure to get stuff done and the freedom to work for a long-ish period of time.

 

Chunk it

It is easy to get overwhelmed and shut down when you are working. Create a manageable, small chunk of work to do to feel accomplished.

 

Break it up

Intervals of work and reset make work easier. The Pomodoro Method, with alternating times of work and a 5-minute break, highlights how effective this strategy is for many people.

 

Template it

If you are doing the same task or responding to the same email repeatedly, create a template to use to accomplish this. A template is can be a checklist or a pre-written response. You can also establish standard operating procedures for a task or project. These automate your work.

 

Communicate it

Meetings and email work best when used to communicate proactively.  Be efficient and effective with email by checking it only three times a day. Move information into project collaboration tools. Set dates to meet to create momentum for a project.

 

Energize it

Know what energizes you when you need a break. That might be a walk, adding a team member, or giving yourself a break. Managing and matching your energy to a project makes it easier to accomplish.

 

 

Making it easier to be productive involves managing your time well, using your productivity tools wisely, and taking care of yourself.

In Celebration of Get Organized Month, Make it Easy to Get Organized

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make it easy to get organized

 

January is National Get Organized Month. New year resolutions always include getting organized. You may think, “I would love to organize my home or office, however, organizing can be overwhelming and take a lot of time.” How do you make it easy and straightforward?  Check out these tips to help you get a jump start on getting organized this year.

 

Trash or recycle it

The easiest way to get started is to hunt for trash and recycle. Walk your space with a trash and recycling bag. It is easy to know what to let go of. Already you are seeing a big difference in your space.

 

Right size it

Contrary to Marie Kondo, start small not pulling everything out. Pick one small area, category, or zone. Starting small keeps you from being overwhelmed. Start with only shirts, or plastic ware or your junk drawer. When you see one category of stuff grouped together and compare what you have, it is easier to let go of stuff. Once you have conquered a small spot, you have confidence in your organizing.

 

Time it

Set a timer to get started and create momentum. Just 15 minutes in one spot makes a big difference. Get started in your bedroom or bathroom, recycling, editing, and resetting your stuff.

 

Bag it

Having a designated spot to place stuff as you declutter makes it easy to let stuff go. Have a shopping bag ready in your closet to drop in clothes, shoes, and bags as you decide to declutter. Set a space in your guest room or garage for items ready to donate.

 

Make a game of it

Pull in your family to do a team effort on organizing. Set a timer and “beat the clock” by gathering items to donate. Host a laundry party where everyone folds and puts away their stuff.  Play the matching game with socks. Making a game of organizing is fun and effortless.

 

Calendar it

Want to add a big chunk of organizing to your schedule? Add decluttering dates to your calendar to set up an appointment with yourself to organize.

 

Reset it

A family reset is a time each week to get stuff back to where it goes. Gather your family, set a timer for 15 minutes, and go! Once stuff is back at its home, you feel organized, and your space looks tidy.

 

 

Start the new year with practical, efficient, and simple strategies to reach your organizing goal.

The Benefits of Gratitude during the Holidays

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benefits of gratitude during the holidays

 

The holiday of Thanksgiving brings gratitude into focus. We see ourselves around the table sharing what we are grateful for. All too often, even the day after Thanksgiving, we are too busy to experience the gratitude we remarked on throughout the holiday season and beyond. Make your holiday especially meaningful with a gratitude practice.

 

Benefits of Gratitude

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. A gratitude practice boosts your immune system, improves mental health, and creates resilience.

 

Gratitude during the holiday season

Throughout the holiday season, create a gratitude practice that includes recognizing the positive aspects of your life and that impact.

Here are a few ways to practice during the holidays:

  • write a short note in your journal using holiday color gel pens
  • notice the smells of the holidays and what those evoke
  • text someone as they come to mind and use holiday emojis
  • do a little unexpected for someone who makes your day easier every day, such a kind word of appreciation
  • pray for those in your community and family
  • write a card expressing what is special to someone who you are close to and have not expressed regularly
  • slow your pace to be able to appreciate the season

 

Practice gratitude with those around you with these ideas:

  • gather your family or friends each evening during dinner and talk about one thing you are grateful for today
  • place a gratitude jar in your kitchen with a pen and slips of paper so that each person can add to the jar each day during the holidays
  • walk and talk with your family, friends, and colleagues sharing what you are grateful for today
  • say thank you and explain why you are grateful to colleagues at work
  • notice other’s strengths and “superpowers” authentically

 

Gratitude moving into the new year

While the holidays seem too busy, it is the best time to experience gratitude. Take the next step into the new year with a gratitude routine. This new habit will bring you the joy, connections, and health you want.

Practicing Routines during the Holidays

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practicing routines during the holidays

 

 

Holidays disrupt our routines with extra tasks to do and more events and parties to attend. We get off track with our daily self-care of bedtime, healthy eating, and mindfulness. Practicing routines during the holidays is most important because our routines keep life moving smoothly. Here are strategies on how to keep your routines while you enjoy the holiday season.

 

Make it easy

Rely on your trusted tools to help you and make routines easy. That lie we all tell ourselves, I don’t need to write it down because I will remember, especially applies during the holidays. Charts, planners, and dry-erase boards are our visual way to track our routines. We all need a road map so make it easy on yourself to chart your progress and keep on track. It is especially important to prioritize your activities and tasks for yourself and your family.

 

Prioritize wellness

Prioritizing always helps you stay on top of your routines. Mental well-being and physical wellness are important to enjoying the holiday season. You can rethink ways to include exercise in your day by walking stairs instead of the elevator, exercising with a quick class online, taking a walk to see holiday lights, and being sure to move hourly. Mental well-being can include setting boundaries for yourself with respect to holiday activities. Boundaries like how late you stay at a party and how many parties to attend help you stay true to your routines.

 

Keep it simple sweetie

It is tempting to overschedule your day to add in extra tasks and activities. Instead, look at the regular rhythm of your day and add simple bookends to each part of your day. These bookends or stopping points coincide with your regular routine.  Keeping it simple so that you have the same important pauses that keep you in line with your routines.

Mealtimes and bedtimes are examples of simple routines to keep. Have regular meals that fit into your day.  That might be breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or a series of meals with intermittent fasting.  Keep your schedule to fuel your body.  Determine a bedtime for you to ensure adequate rest so that you can be most productive. Your routine can be this simple during these busy times.

 

You might ask, what about all the extra tasks and activities fitting in? Keeping your health, wellness, and productivity going is foundational to your holiday fun. Adjust a little of your basic routine as needed, but remember to keep it going.

 

 

 

 

Really! Happy Holidays with ADHD

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really, happy holidays with adhd

 

The joy of the holiday season can be overshadowed by chaotic, frazzled, over-committed holidays. It is tempting to enjoy all the delights of the season, especially for those with ADHD. To really enjoy your holiday, it helps by setting up strategies for organization and time management. Now is the time to set up systems that empower you and your family throughout the holidays

 

Create a holiday notebook

Tired of reinventing your holiday activities each year? It is time to start a holiday notebook. In the notebook, create these tabbed pocket dividers with these topics:

  • Calendars for this year and the previous year’s activities including holiday traditions
  • Gift closet inventory
  • Gift list for family, friends, and work
  • Tipping list for family hair, nails, and other service providers
  • Holiday cards from prior years and for this year
  • Vendor list for holiday cards, photographer, ornament purchases, and more
  • Budget
  • Meals, menus, and recipes
  • Décor and photos from previous years’ decorating

Keeping all this information together helps you save time and energy, as well as stay organized. You may decide from year to year to discontinue one or more activities. Keep it in your notebook for future reference.

 

Host a family meeting

A family meeting brings everyone together before the holiday season. Post a family calendar for everyone to write dates of upcoming events and parties. Discuss everyone’s favorite activity and be sure that one activity is included on the calendar. Host this meeting the week of Thanksgiving to be sure you are on top of all dates.

 

Make a list and check it twice

Make a list of everyone’s activities and tasks for the holidays. Now prioritize that list. Knowing what is coming up and deciding what is most important to each family member and yourself helps us be realistic and also have fun. Add these to a calendar to see when activities and events overlap. Start early with this and host a family meeting weekly to be sure to stay on track.

 

Tracking Rudolf and Santa

We are all ordering online, tracking gifts, and praying for their arrival. Use a dedicated email address for shopping and a folder in your inbox for receipts. Having one place to look for these details saves time and keeps you organized.

 

Gifts, gifts, and gifts

Getting stuck in finding the perfect gift? Move forward with gift cards, experiences, or a small something that you especially love. There is a reason why Oprah’s favorite gifts are given. Choose a gift-giving strategy that works for you and your budget. Kids and teens love gift cards they can use as they like. Adults appreciate that little gift of self-care such as lip balm. Families love time together at a special event. Being thoughtful is what is most important, not the gift itself.

 

Holidays are for everyone, including you as head holiday merry-maker. We get over the top with activities and fatigue. Keep routines and self-care a priority to make the most of your holiday joy!

 

 

 

ADHD 2022 International Conference on ADHD

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adhd2022
My work with my clients is my priority. And also my professional development, learning, and training. Continuing education and career training allow me to develop new skills, stay up-to-date on current trends, and advance our work together in sessions. It is my commitment to be on the leading edge of training for our work together.

Learning from ADHD experts

Over the last three months, I have attended seminars on ADHD and anxiety, addiction, and oppositional defiance through ADDA-SR. Last summer, I was privileged to attend the ADHD Intensive. This month I attended the International Conference on ADHD. What did I learn?
  • A strong foundation and commitment to self-care prepare you best for every other part of your work, managing your home and relationships.
  • Coaching is a positive strategy for processing information and creating strategies for home, work, and life.
  • Whether you are a child or an adult with ADHD, there are ways to make change happen when you are ready.
  • Setting strong positive boundaries helps us navigate difficult relationships. These boundaries include both options that are desirable and non-negotiable.
  • More research on ADHD is needed to help with assessments and medications for ADHD.

This information reinforces much of what I know to be true. However, taking these experts’ information to my clients is my next step with my coaching and hands-on work.

 

Collective joy in a community of learning

Conferences, Summits, and community learning are coming back after uncertain times. For me, it is a true joy to sit and listen with my colleagues in person to experts and authors. Taking notes, reading materials, and discussing information bring life to learning. I call this collective joy in that we are all together learning and engaging.

There is so much joy in meeting new colleagues and reconnecting with my peers. Time spent together in person, experiencing conferences together, discussing our work, and meeting new people bring purpose to my work. I love connecting with my colleagues who work in this specialty.

 

I am grateful for the opportunities for professional development this year and going forward. It is who I am to continue learning, seeking information, and sharing that with everyone around me.

 

 

ADHD Friendly Tips for Connection

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adhd friendly tips for connection

 

The value of connection is priceless for all of us. During the pandemic, relationships are what kept us moving forward. For those with ADHD, connection is the solution for support. That connection includes work with colleagues, daily life with family and friends, and those around us in our environment. There are many ways to do this, and here is a short ADHD- friendly list to help you.  We know that these connections empower us and enhance our lives.

 

Double up

Make connections by doubling up on both connection and another positive activity. Take a walk or an exercise class with a friend. You are getting exercise and connecting.

Do it now

Thinking of a friend? Send a quick text just to say hello.

 

Dinner time

Work to have a regular dinner time multiple times a week and always once on the weekend. Do not worry so much about what you are serving as making sure everyone comes to the table to talk. Talk about the highs and lows of the day to know more about everyone’s emotions that day.

 

Family meeting

Family meetings promote communication and organization. Host a weekly meeting for your family to talk about calendars, responsibilities, and upcoming holidays.

 

Communicate gratitude

Sadly, and rarely, do we hear about the beauty of a friendship. Share the impact that person has on you and the strengths of that person when you connect. Being grateful moves us toward happiness. Be someone else’s cheerleader today.

 

Remember a birthday

Just a quick text or a snail mail card makes a difference for you and your connection. Keep a list of birthdays and a stash of cards to send at the beginning or end of the month for all the birthdays coming up or just passed.

Play games online

Online games connect you to others with the same interest and in the global community. Join in the games with your kiddos.

 

Join a book club

Book clubs are where people are enjoying books and connecting.

Connect through spirituality

Our communities are filled with those practicing spirituality at temples, synagogues, mosques, and churches. Reach out to those with similar paths, attend, and join a community. These foundations have many activities to connect to others regularly.

 

Use social media wisely

Connect with others on social media positively. Often there are groups to join with common interests. Set a time to sparingly join online to prevent hyperfocus.

 

Volunteer

We make connections when helping others. Volunteer and do good while connecting.

 

Connection is so important that it should be a time block on your calendar. Take time this week for one small step.