Hybrid Work Productivity Strategies for ADHD
The only things we can count on right now is change at home and at work. That is the current situation with working from home and working at the office. There is an evolving hybrid work plan in most companies with days at home and days in the office. As the uncertainty continues, start planning now for your organizing and productivity in hybrid work spaces.
Tools of the trade
Start with trusted tools for your work, at home, office or hybrid. Your access to these tools ensures your success regardless of the location. Good organization makes it easy to transition between work spaces.
- Pick a planner that works for you. You may choose digital as the way to go with planners and documents. Thanks to Microsoft we can access Outlook in the cloud and on multiple devices. It’s easy to access online wherever you are and have alerts pop up on your devices as reminders. With Google and gmail, there is a suite of options available to assist you with planning your time and managing your resources. If a paper planner is what is best for you, the Planner Pad gives you options for yearly, monthly, and weekly scheduling. There is space for notes and strategies for list making. You can add a TUL notebook for extra notes.
- Create multiple sets of organizing supplies needed for work. That includes cords, chargers, pencils or any other supply you use frequently. Having these in both work spaces eliminates frustration and helps you get started on your work. A well established set up helps you get started on work. If you need an additional set in your car that can help too!
- Choose a work bag with compartments. One compartment is dedicated to your device, another to supplies, another to cords and chargers. Keep it compact and easy to carry. Use your setting up time as a an initiation strategy for work. Be sure to pack you bag each night in preparation for your transition to the office.
Managing projects
If you have lists of lists, it is time to think about a project management tool. Whatever the tool, it has to be easy to capture and categorize tasks. There are strategies like Getting Things Done with categorized lists or Kanban with To Do, Doing and Done. Asana, Trello and Click Up are digital tools to create and categorize tasks. Whichever tool you choose, your frequency of use and agility with the tool make the difference.
Managing time and energy
The more you use your planner, the more productive you will be. It is your guide for work. Add every event consistently and use your Weekly Planning Time effectively. Use your weekly planning time to assess in what space you will be most productive given the work that week. The variety of spaces can be a bonus in productivity. Add a 30 minute recap time each evening to be sure you have added dates and information that came via email, text and other communication.
It seems like the amount of time we have and the speed at which things are happening are changing. This change feels unsettling. Have you notice how everything, from school drop off to meeting times, take longer? Take this information and add extra time for this and transition time into your schedule. Be sure you have accounted for the extra steps that we don’t remember like parking your car and walking to the office.
Managing communications
There is a greater need for empathy as hybrid work unfolds. Everyone is “going through something” right now and that empathy will help support you and those around you. Take extra steps to share how things are today, since every day is very different right now. Expect that some days you are going to need Plan B and C to feel productive.
Your home and office teams are going to need more support with general communication. Now is the time that family meetings are especially valuable. As things change so do responsibilities at home. Be sure your home team works well together by creating partnerships. Take extra steps to communicate goals and deadlines with easy to use visual tools such as charts. Be sure to include deliverables, responsible parties and deadlines. Share these frequently to help your colleagues manage deadlines and work in chunks.
Incorporating self care
Transitions create evolving self care. The bandwidth you have depends on the self care you do. Continued self care will help you through this transition and other changes that are coming daily. Be sure to calendar in the time you end the day and the days you will take off for vacation. If possible, give yourself the gift of one day to have no plan or time line.
Your mobility is a positive for energy and productivity. Your agility is an asset as you move between spaces to use the energy of that space to get work done. Being organized helps with high energy, positivity and productivity. It is all a work in progress as we transition, find patterns and look at new ways to be productive in multiple environments. Most importantly give yourself time to adjust and ample self care.
Healthy ADHD Habits and Exercise Routines
Research has long shown that exercise and physical activity have a strong positive impact on the brain and for areas related to ADHD. Exercise boosts executive function, attention and working memory. So what is it that keeps us from regular exercise? It is getting organized and creating better habits to incorporate exercise and movement into our daily lives. Creating new habits can be daunting. The consistency of habits are the most difficult. Think of all the ways to incorporate exercise that can engage you in multiple positive ways. Check out these many ways to incorporate exercise habits.
Use transition time for self care
Early in the day or early evening can be good times for self care. These are when other transitions occur, such as dropping off kids at school or coming home from work. Use this existing transition as a time for exercise.
Creating rules that reinforce goals
You can start exercising with small changes to what you already do. Make rules that enforce your commitment. These rules can be park farther away from the store to walk a longer distance when shopping. Take the stairs when possible instead of an elevator. Walk to the farther bathroom in your home and office. Any of these strategies accomplish the goal of walking more steps in a day.
Track your success
Our devices have built in trackers for us to acknowledge our success. You can see how many steps you walk in a day on any of these devices. Make it a goal to walk 10k a day from just your usual activities. Look each evening at your step count before you place your devices in the common charging area. Aim to improve rather than set a lofty goal.
Make it fun
Have you longed to go kayaking or play pickleball? Start a new exercise routine that includes competitive sports or games. This is especially valuable for brain health as you are learning a new skill and physical activity.
Buddy up
Work out as a family, join a Pilates class, or join a fitness group. There are many ways that people are partnering to get more exercise and create connections. As hybrid work continues, there are exercises groups continuing that started during the pandemic.
Start or continue with a challenging sport
Technically difficult sports have technical movements that include an array of brain areas that control balance, timing, sequencing, and concentration. These sports include ballet, martial arts, white water rafting, and gymnastics. As an athlete of a challenging sport, you are both overcoming symptoms of ADHD and building coordination.
Mix it up
Make exercise more engaging by having a variety of options. If you belong to a YMCA, you can try a variety of classes. At home you can play basketball or football with your kids, take a walk with your partner, or have a family dance party. Variety keeps you going, especially if you decide you are tired of one type of exercise.
Make the commitment
The moment you realize that you are missing something in your day, you know you are committed to exercise. It’s a game changer for how you feel about your work and your day.
Remember its good to experiment
Looking at a variety of options helps you commit to exercise. The habit you are building is the habit of lifetime exercise rather than the rote activity. It’s not that you must be perfect at the routine, you are aiming for small daily commitment to exercise.
What is my exercise strategy? I love my weekly Pilates and my class, as well as my daily walks listening to podcasts. On weekends I hop on my bike with my husband and check out the greenbelts in my neighborhood. When you look forward to this self care time, you love to exercise and work hard to never miss a day.
6 Habits that Productive People with ADHD Use to Get Stuff Done
October is National ADHD Awareness Month.
To “celebrate” this month, I am sharing 4 very important habits for living your best life with ADHD
in 4 blog posts throughout the month.
We think that in order to be more productive we need a new app, digital tool or planner. The role of habits is often overlooked as a way to get more stuff done. Habits are powerful productivity tools because these bridge the gap to getting started, creating a work flow or finishing up your tasks and projects. Check out these habit productive people use to get stuff done.
Write dates and tasks in a planner
Productive people use their planners with skill. They write all the tasks and dates in their planners to be sure they are accountable for their work. By making it a habit to write stuff down, they are able to work on deep work without having to remember all the details.
Work as a team
Team work makes the dream work. Together everyone achieves more. Working as a team, productive people do what they do best and delegate the rest. They are accountable to each other in accomplishing assignments because everyone relies on each other.
Get organized just good enough
Productive people organize papers, digital files, and emails just good enough to get your work accomplished. Being overly organized with complicated systems or not organized enough with distractions can stall you out and prevent getting started. Productive people start a work session with a warm up of getting materials together to get stuff done.
Break tasks and projects into manageable chunks
It is overwhelming to see so many tasks and projects ahead, especially if there is a lot do for one project. Productive people break tasks and projects into manageable chunks. They act on one task or step at a time to keep moving forward with work.
Set up time blocks for email and administrative tasks
Email becomes a distraction as much as social media. Administrative tasks are boring and can be neglected. Productive people set a time block for these tasks throughout the day and week. They check email just often enough and work from the Two Minute Rule (If the task takes less than two minutes, do it.) Setting up time blocks keeps you from getting distracted and allocates time for what might be missed.
Prioritize every list
Lists grow and grow. Productive people know that every list requires prioritizing. That is they choose the three Most Important Tasks each week. They limit the number to three tasks that align with their Quarterly Objectives. Some projects on the list also move to the “Parking Lot,” waiting for a better time to begin or determine importance. Productive people know that not everything can be done at the same time.
Use one of these tips productive people use this week. See how much more productive you can be!
Healthy Habits and Morning Routines for ADHD
October is National ADHD Awareness Month.
To “celebrate” this month, I am sharing 4 very important habits for living your best life with ADHD
in 4 blog posts throughout the month.
Establishing a successful habits and positive morning routines make for a great day! Successful habits are those that are consistent. A positive morning routines gives you the foundation for a productive day. A smart morning routine consists of a series of habits.
Prepare and organize the night before.
A productive day always starts the night before with preparation. Mornings can be less stressful when you are already set up for success. Being ready to go in the morning means having your backpack or bag packed with everything already stashed in it.
Pro tips to prepare:
- As your kids get in the door, unload and reload athletic bags and lunch boxes.
- The final step for homework is to load the backpack and place it by the exit door.
- Connect your and your kids’ devices to the central charging spot by 8 pm.
- Everyone do a quick calendar check to be sure there are no surprises the next day.
Simplify meal prep.
Easy, quick and on the go food insures good nutrition. Protein is most important for everyone to do their best.
Pro tips to meal prep:
- Set up a lunch station for your kids to pack their lunches. Use pantry and refrigerator bins to stay organized.
- Pack lunch primarily the night before. Most items can be grouped together so lunch is all set.
- Prep breakfast and keep breakfast simple. Breakfast could include healthy fruits and nuts, a smoothie, or a microwave egg bite. Stay away from sugary cereals or carbohydrates.
- Limit the meal options. Rotate the what is offered rather than give a range of options at a single meal.
Build in extra time for your morning routines.
Distractions and sluggishness slow down you and your family in the morning. It is unlikely that everyone in your family is a morning person. Not to worry – add in extra time for your morning routine.
Pro tips for extra time:
- Give everyone extra time to get up. Be sure there are multiple alarms set. Use alarms like the Sonic Boom to help wake deep sleepers or use wake up light with Sunrise alarm clocks.
- Be proactive about time awareness. Allow three times as much time as you think to eat breakfast or get dressed. Work backwards to set time lines for leaving the house to arrive on time at work and school.
- Take medications immediately upon waking up to kick in as you and your family are getting ready.
Set early bedtimes for everyone.
Getting to sleep and getting rest are difficult for those with ADHD. Setting an earlier than required bedtime means you will be prepared to rest regardless of whether you fall asleep quickly.
Pro tips for best rest:
- Place everyone’s devices in the common charging station earlier than you think.
- Use a gratitude practice, meditation and prayer before bed as a transition to bedtime.
- Keep consistent for the time of bedtime each day. You might need to leave early from an event in order to keep consistent.
- Know what works best for you and your family.
Place visual reminders to help your routine.
Hair brush, tooth brush and grooming tools can be strategically placed for everyone to look and feel their best before they leave.
Pro tips for looking your best:
- Keep your kids’ grooming tools in first floor area to get this done immediately after eating and before leaving.
- Organize your grooming tools for easy access. That includes make up and hair products for kids and parents.
- Check lists for grooming, writing on a mirror or post it notes are visual reminders for each step of grooming.
Remember what not to do in the morning.
If you have one thing that immediately takes you off track, be sure you eliminate this. Once you go this direction, you know your routine will be off track.
- Check email
- Turn on the tv
- Play a video game
Your morning routine will take a bit of work and time to become consistent. Don’t worry if it takes longer than you think. Recognize baby steps and successes for everyone!
Healthy ADHD Habits and Gratitude Practices
October is National ADHD Awareness Month.
To “celebrate” this month, I am sharing 4 very important habits for living your best life with ADHD
in 4 blog posts throughout the month.
Throughout these uncertain times, gratitude has improved our quality of life and general well being. When we are grateful we are energized and connected. Gratitude strengthens relationships, a part of our personal and business lives.
The Value of the Habit of Gratitude
Everyone wants to experience more joy in their lives. Gratitude predicts hope and happiness. Grateful people are happier overall, have a more positive outlook on life and feel more connected to others. Gratitude elevates your mood, increases optimism, and improves your well being.
We’ve been growing in our knowledge about gratitude and habits. Science shows we can train ourselves to experience thankfulness by intentionally being aware of the differences in our lives. The practice of acknowledging abundance and connections can help us experience happiness. Practicing gratitude is a skill and a routine that we can add to our daily lives.
Practice of gratitude is especially important for those with ADHD. People with ADHD can think negatively about themselves and their experiences. They are critical of their themselves in terms of achievements and lack perspective on all the positive accolades. Practicing gratitude is like practicing self care. Gratitude will focus your thoughts on specific parts of your day and life that are going well currently and in the past. In addition, gratitude helps with sleep in pushing negative and anxious thoughts back. A better night’s rest helps your executive function.
Habits can be difficult.
Habits require consistency, which is one of the most difficult actions for people with ADHD. You might get off track or change the plan after a short time despite the intention and goals. If you miss a day of the routine, negative thoughts creep in with discouragement. Finally it is easy to give up too soon on a habit. The key is to be intentional about follow through and knowledgeable about how long it takes to create a habit. Research shows that creating a new habit can take from three to eight weeks. Track your success, allow yourself an occasional “oops,” and remind yourself why the habit is important.
Commit to a gratitude practice.
Life is ramping back up and it may be hard to find a time for your gratitude practice. Researcher Brene Brown says that more than feeling gratitude, we must have a practice that shows this. Here are several times throughout the day you can spend time in gratitude. To start a gratitude routine, choose one of these times to be intentional about your gratitude practice.
- As you start your day during a time of meditation
- During your morning or evening shower
- Waiting in traffic
- Waiting in the car pool line
- As a prayer before a meal
- Before bed with your family
Starting your gratitude practice can be a joyful action. Here are eight ways you can intermittently share your gratitude for yourself and with others. Just like a smile is “contagious,” so it gratitude.
- Write a thank you note to someone who made a difference for you and mail it.
- Write a note to a family member in your home sharing what you appreciate about something they helped you to complete.
- Volunteer at a local philanthropy to share your skills and acknowledge your gratitude for that option for people in need.
- Take a 5 minute walk and acknowledge the beauty of the greenery and scenery around you.
- Write in a gratitude journal each evening.
- Write a note of gratitude and place it in a gratitude jar.
- Create a photo album in your phone named Grateful. Add photos to it each day.
Start to notice how gratitude is impacting your life in creating joy and cultivating resilience.
9 Ways to Maximize Your Storage in Your Home
Have you wondered if there are more storage options in your home? We want to maximize our storage options with value, function and flair. The value of additional storage is to easily access what we need and have a home for all items. It is most functional when we use additional storage in an area where those items are needed. Of course we want an attractive option with flair. Check out these 15 ways clever ways to be more organized and functional with the space you have.
A note of caution before we proceed. Having more storage space is not license to over purchase. Keep in mind realistic amounts of purchases with respect to your and your family needs. It’s tempting to over stuff our space so refrain from creating a difficult to access amount of items in your home.
Go vertical
There is a lot of wall space in your home and your garage. Use taller bookshelves, add additional upper level shelving, and use over the door storage to add storage options.
Categorize
Group items you use together in the space these are used. When grouped together, you can consolidate the amounts in a clear container.
Find under, upper and lower space
You can store items that you need less access to in less accessible spots. Use shallow, under the bed storage with wheels or shoe organizers under your bed for additional storage. Add flair with a decorative basket for upper store.
Double up
Use furnishings as storage. Think ottoman with hanging files, dresser as gift wrap organizer, or closet as an office space.
Divide up
Use dividers in spaces to create function and access. In your junk drawer have slots for each item stored there. In a room, use a screen or an IKEA bookcase as a room divider and storage.
Clever containers
Decant into your favorite glass container or use a favorite tea tin as storage in your spaces. These items turn visual clutter into attractive, functional organization.
Zone options
Segment spaces in a drawer or a room by thinking about zone options. A zone is a space or area dedicated to one use, within the space itself. A kitchen is a great example with the zones for prepping, cooking, serving, and containing leftovers. By adding specific zones, you are grouping items you use together.
Store on the back of any door
The back of any cabinet or closet door is great to add storage with either a shoe organizer or rack. It makes access super easy for any items. Use cabinet doors to store towels, paper towels or rubber gloves. Use any closet storage for toys, grooming items, jewelry or any small items.
Hire a professional
It’s not a luxury to hire a professional organizer, closet designer and/or installer for your home. It adds value to your home sale which sells your home quickly. You will enjoy your closet, most especially your primary closet, with more space dedicated to your personal needs. Professionals come to your home with ideas you can implement on your own.
Look around your space and see where you can add a little more storage with these clever ways to add homes for all your items.
15 Minute Tasks that Keep You Organized
Would you be surprised to know that in just 15 minutes you can make a difference in your organizing? It is true! There are many small tasks that can make it easy for us to maintain systems and processes that we have established. Check out these small ways to make a big difference.
Put away items you purchased
Busy lives have a lot of items coming in. These come from Amazon subscriptions and routines purchases, as well as projects and upcoming events. Take 15 minutes to put away what you have purchased and consolidate the items. Counters and floors stay clear and your home stays organized.
Try on items you purchased
You run to the store for that one item to complete an outfit. Maybe you purchased more exercise clothes to add new tops and bottoms. It was easier to try on at home, you thought, than in the store. Try these on within the week of purchase to return and credit back your extra purchases.
Return items you purchased by mail
It is easy to over purchase items online. You might have purchased multiple sizes or styles or a variety of the same item. Order using one email account and print the return slip within a week of purchase. As you might already know, Amazon has a 30 day return policy. This way you don’t accidentally “own” more than you need of any item.
Drop off items and make returns frequently
With my planner pad, I look at the week ahead to see where I can drop off items when I am in the vicinity. During your weekly planning, check ahead to group your errands and drop offs. If you have noticed, there are more drop off bins for donations than ever. Drop off at one of these you pass with just a 15 minute stop.
Consolidate items you purchased
We are preppers! With all the uncertainty, all of us are purchasing ahead. Consolidate what you purchase and rotate your “stock” to be sure it is all kept together to know what you have.
Review your calendar at night
A quick review of your calendar for the night before makes your next day more predictable and you are prepared for what is ahead.
Check your calendar in the morning
It might seem redundant to check at night and in the morning. However, it is about being prepared. Overnight you might have remembered something to add to your calendar or thought about an extra task. Checking your planner twice a day makes for your best work.
Keep a master list of tasks, errands and projects
I advocate to write stuff down either digitally or on paper. Keeping your master list clears your mind. Not everything can be done on the list, however you are keeping your thoughts for deep thinking. It saves your working memory from being over taxed.
This list of 15 minute tasks is just the beginning of small ways to stay organized. Choose one or more to keep you organized and productive.
We specialize in working with ADD/ADHD clients. Whether in your home or your office, we motivate, empower and affirm our clients in their quest for organizing and productivity! 