Feelings vs. Taking Action

One of the best things I have learned over the years, is that I have to get beyond feelings to get things done. We often justify procrastination by saying, "I just don't feel like it." The problem is that once we use that excuse, we keep not feeling like it, while time is passing by, and our brain is telling us that other people don't care that we don't feel like it. The boss needs the report, or the teacher has set a due date for the project.

How do you get going when you don't feel like it? Do your best to look for a reason to feel like it, such as how much better life will be when you have done what is expected of you. But, if that doesn't work, accept the fact that you will take action, regardless of your feelings. Take one small step, and then another. As you take action, your feelings will often catch up with your ability to get something done. You will find that what you have been putting off, and making a big deal in your mind, is actually not that hard. You will begin to feel that you can accomplish it, and so you will.

There are many times in life when we don't act on feelings alone. For example, we may feel like telling someone off, but we don't. We may be so angry that we feel like hitting someone, but we don't. We cannot act on emotions alone. We do the right thing, and we can do the right thing when it comes to taking action.

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If you'd like help to become more organized and productive, please contact me via my website (below) or just call me at 610-299-5191, or 717-872-7424 to find out more. Coaching is available by phone or e-mail wherever you are.

© 2009 Organized Enough® LLC

Organizing and Productivity Coaching for ADHD Students
http://www.organizedenough.com/

Keys - Lost and Found

I had been faithful the night before in putting my keys on the rack when I came in the door, so where were they when I was ready to pick up my grandchildren from their swimming lessons? I used to lose my keys all the time, and it has actually been a few years since I have lost them. Through a lot of trial and effort, I created new habits that have been working for me. What went wrong this time? I searched the house, and as I watched the clock, knowing I was supposed to leave soon, I was painfully brought back to those old feelings of anxiety and frustration as I searched the house for my keys. Based on my own experience, what I have read, and the experiences of the clients I coach, the experience I had is similarly repeated by others when keys get lost, but can be prevented.

LOST KEYS

• When it was almost time to leave, I grabbed my keys off the key rack, and went out to my car.
  
• I noticed that I had a box for Goodwill that had to be moved to the trunk to make room for my passengers.
• I then had to take another box out of my trunk and put it in the garage to make room for the Goodwill box.
• It was then that I discovered the keys were lost.
• I did not remember putting the keys down. I searched the car, the trunk, the garage, the kitchen, my office - more than once.
  
• I eventually found them on the floor in the kitchen, right below the key rack.
  

HOW I COULD HAVE PREVENTED LOSING MY KEYS (and saved a lot of time)

• The trip I was about to make was not a part of my usual routine, so I should have been especially aware of my surroundings and my actions.
  

• The habits I have created over the years to keep me from losing my keys were actually done automatically in this situation, but I was not aware of it. I lost my keys because I first lost conscious awareness of what I was doing. I had actually attempted to put the keys back on the rack in the kitchen while I moved the box, but they fell on the floor. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, but thinking about where I needed to be, and watching the clock.
  
• We tend to lose things during times of transition: coming into the house, leaving the house, changing classes, getting in and out of the car or school bus. These are the times I need to remind myself to be more aware of my actions.
  
• I needed to take a breath and relax. When anxiety and stress mount in a situation, we are not able to think clearly, and only become more anxious. I didn't remember trying to put them back on the key rack, I didn't hear them hit the floor, and probably looked right past them when I was searching.

I have proven to myself over the past few years that I can stop losing my keys, but I must have started to take it for granted. When I am outside my normal routine, and in times of transition, I need to put my thinking cap on, and watch what I am doing. Hopefully, I have learned my lesson. I have so enjoyed the lack of stress and the time saved when I can just pick up my keys and walk out the door.

If you'd like help to become more organized and productive, please contact me via my website (below) or just call me at 610-299-5191, or 717-872-7424 to find out more. Coaching is available by phone or e-mail wherever you are.

© 2009 Organized Enough® LLC

Organizing and Productivity Coaching for ADHD Students
http://www.organizedenough.com/

Check your bills and find money

As a person with ADHD, I don't like paying attention to detail, but I have found that if I don't pay attention to my bills, it can cost me. I have simplified most of my bill paying, thanks to online banking and automatic bill paying. This gets bills paid on time, but I still need to take time, at least once in awhile, to go online and look through the individual bills. I discover extra charges and fees that I would not have noticed. With a few phone calls I can solve the problem and get the money back in my account, and so can you.

I just did some bill paying this morning, and discovered an extra $9.99 charge on my cell phone bill. I looked through the bill, and found it was for a premium text messaging service. I pay a fee for unlimited text messaging, but this was a charge from a private company. I knew that I would not voluntarily add an extra $9.99 to my bill, so I called the cell phone company. They gave me the phone number of the private company - so I had to make another call. I was told I had signed up for a "word of the day" service. I guess I did, but thought it was for free. Instead of reading the agreement, which slipped in the information about the $9.99 fee, I just checked that I had read it. I had started to receive the text messages, but thought it was from someone I was following on Twitter, which is free. The company was very cooperative. I was told that they would cancel the service and issue me a refund. It wasn't brilliant for me to have gotten myself into this, but at least I got out with no charge.

A couple of months ago, I changed banks, which involved changing all of my automatic bill paying information with all of the companies I deal with. Some of these companies still tried to get the payment from the old account, resulting in charges for in extra service charges and late fees. Because I took the time to review the bills, I discovered the fees. A couple of them slipped by for a couple of months, since I don't check them every month. I ended up getting back over $100.00 that I would have missed, since they were not large amounts. For example, one was for $39.00, another was for $25.00, and another was for only $10.00. Sometimes, it's as easy as asking. Even if you are guilty of a late fee once in while, and don't make a habit of it, most companies will give you a one time courtesy of removing the fee.

Every little bit helps, and although not a fortune, I would rather spend the money on things I need than give it to companies who are taking my money because of a mistake. I find it is easier to get into the details of the bills when I set aside time to do it, without interruptions. Once I am in that mode, it gets easier. It's time worth spending.

© 2009 Organized Enough® LLC

Organizing and Productivity Coaching for ADHD Students
http://www.organizedenough.com/

Memorial Day weekend - relax and enjoy - even if you have ADHD

Memorial Day Weekend - relax and enjoy! For some people, that's just a given. If you have ADHD, you may be participating in activities that are fun and relaxing, but your mind is forever active. As a person with ADHD, it has taken me a long time to learn to truly relax when I have the opportunity.

I may be sitting on the beach, and along with the sun, and sounds of the ocean, my brain is processing projects I need to start, uncompleted projects, the house I should have cleaned before I left, and more. I have learned to get beyond that by planning how I spend my time. I now schedule time during the week to work on housework, work on my business, and time for guilt-free rest/play time. If you know that there will be a time next week when you will be working on the things that start going through your head when you are trying to relax, then you can let go of them, and enjoy. Rest time is planned rest time, and can truly be peaceful and rejuvenating. Imagine that!

Enjoy the weekend, and take the time to remember all those who have given so much for our country.

Get should's off your shoulders

Should's weigh us down and drain our energy. I should work on that project. I should call that friend. I should lose weight. I should exercise. I have discovered that when I say "should" what it really means is that I am only thinking about it, and don't intend to do it - at least not right now. Nontheless, these thoughts keep circulating in my head, and take up time and space in my life. Now, instead of "shoulding" on myself I decide, and you can too.

• Decide if you can do it today. If so, then schedule it, and take care of it today.
• Decide if it can or even would be better accomplished on another day. If it can, then put it on your calendar, and forget about it until then.
• Decide if you want to do it at all. Maybe it is a friend who you no longer have anything in common with. Maybe it's a creative project you started, like scrapbooking, or building something, and you lost interest, or your life just doesn't allow time for it now. Let it go.
• Decide if what you think you should be doing are "should's" that other people have placed on you. You should volunteer for a committee, or bake something, or organize trip, and so much more. You don't have to please everyone, and you can say "No." If you feel like you have to say more, just say "No, I can't." Let it go.

I have found that when I change "shoulds" to decisions, I have lifted a heavy weight off of my shoulders. I have more energy, and a clearer focus for the things I decide to do.

© 2009 Organized Enough® LLC

Organizing and Productivity Coaching for ADHD Students
http://www.organizedenough.com/

Hand Washing - Are you doing it correctly?

New cases of swine flu are still being reported every day. Fortunately, most people who have suffered with it have recovered. We are told not to panic, but to do what we can to prevent it. One of the most important things you can do, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Mayo Clinic, is to wash your hands frequently. Washing them frequently won't do the job, unless you take the time to do it correctly. Everyone is in a hurry, some more than others, and I have been paying attention to how people wash their hands. Some just rinse, and don't use soap; other use soap, for about two seconds, and call it done. Here's a refresher on the correct way to wash your hands to help you stay well. This is from information I gathered from the web, as well as what I learned when I worked at a hospital.

• Wet your hands first under running water - warm water is best
  
• Then apply soap - liquid or bar soap are both fine - and lather
  
• Rub your hands together - not just your palms. Wash the back of your hands; under your fingernails; between your fingers - you can do this by folding your hands and rubbing your fingers together
• It is important that you do it long enough. The Mayo clinic recommends at least 15 to 20 seconds. I have heard that you should wash your hands for at least as long as it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song
• Rinse your hands with warm water
• Dry them with a clean regular towel or paper towel
• When you turn off the faucet, you should turn it off with the towel

If soap and water is not available, it's o.k. to use the alcohol based hand sanitizers. For more on the hand sanitizers and hand washing you can visit the Mayo Clinic site http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/HQ00407
The main thing is to take the time to do it right. The time you take washing your hands and doing it correctly, is worth more than the time it would take you to be sick.

Copyright 2009 Organized Enough LLC
Organizing and Productivity Coaching for ADHD Students http://www.organizedenough.com

Does your small group need a speaker?

Kathy Schlegel, owner of Organized Enough®, L.L.C. is available for Public Speaking engagements for your club, association, class, school, or corporate environment - such as Lunch and Learns. These talks are fun and entertaining and tailored for each group. Your time is valuable, and Kathy makes sure you will take home organizational tips and tools that you will remember and use.

Topics include, but are not limited to the list below. If you'd like an organizing topic not included here, just ask.

• Procrastination: It's the little things that count - People who have trouble getting started are often told to break things down into small chunks. How small is small? In this seminar you will learn how to peel back the layers to get to what may seem insignificant that is keeping you from getting started.
• How to get rid of the "big but" - When people are disorganized and overwhelmed they often say to themselves or hear others saying that they are good at something, but.... These are things like "You are so smart, but -you don't study hard enough and don't get good grades," or "My child is so caring, but -- he is so hyper," or "My boyfriend is so wonderful, but --he always forgets my birthday."
• How to get organized for school success - Tips and strategies, as well as "show and tell" of items that will help you or your student get organized and turn assignments in on time, keep track of their papers, and get good grades.
• Study skills for the struggling student - Some students can study for hours, and still not do well on the test. This seminar will give you creative ways to study smarter, not harder, and do well on your next test.
• Organizing a home study area - Students who have papers out where they can see it aren't going to put them away, because they are visual, and are afraid if they put it away, they won't find it again. This seminar will help you create an Organized Enough working space. You'll learn how to leave papers out on the desk, how to work with filing systems without drawers, and still be organized.

To schedule Kathy to speak to your group, please send an e-mail to kathy@organizedenough.com or call 717-872-7424 or 610-299-5191.

Ten tips to get your homework done and turned in, even if you have ADHD

1. Make a list of all the homework you have to do.

2. As you complete each assignment, check it off on the list.

3. Write down how much time it will take to do each assignment. Do this by deciding how much time you think the assignment will take, and then double it. This is the time it will take to do the assignment, not counting breaks. If you have a long-term assignment, decide how much time you will work on it this time.

4. Decide what your reward will be when you do what you have to do and your homework is completed. Maybe you can watch a tv show, play video games, get on the internet, read a book, or whatever you decide you can't do until you are done your homework. Write that down.

5. Use a digital timer (You can get them in a kitchen store in the mall, or I like the ones from Pampered Chef.) Set the timer to work for 20 minutes at a time. Then set it for your 5 minute break. This is just a short break: stretch, walk around a little, get a glass of water.

6. Clip the timer to your clothes, so that if you walk away, you will hear it when it goes off.

7. If your break comes at the end of an assignment and you will be starting another one when you get back, get out everything you need to start the new assignment before you take your break. For example, open the book to the page you will start on. If it's math, sharpen the pencil. Then, when you come back from your break, it will be so much easier to sit down and start.

8. Get a plastic 2-pocket folder that pops into your 3-ring binder so you don't have to open the rings each time. Label one side "Take home," and label the other side "Take to school." When you get homework sheets, papers to take home, etc. put them in the take "Take home" side right away. When your homework sheets are completed, and forms are completed, etc., put them in the "Take to school" side right away. No more lost homework sheets, and everyday you can turn in your homework because you know where to find it. When you have checked off the last assignment, put the folder back in the binder and the binder in the backpack along with your books.

9. Put your backpack near the door so you can pick it up on your way out in the morning.

10. Reward time! You have a completed assignment sheet, which means you have done all of your homework, you know where it is so you can turn it in, and your backpack is ready for the next day! Congratulations!

copyright 2009 Organized Enough LLC
Organizing and Productivity Coaching for ADHD Students http://www.organizedenough.com

Three questions to move beyond procrastination, even if you have ADHD

“The future depends on what we do in the present.”
----Mahatma Gandhi

Students of all ages know when they are getting down to the wire to get their papers or projects done and turned in on time. Knowing it's due won't help if you aren't doing anything to complete it. Here are three questions to ask yourself when you get stuck that can help you move forward.

1. Is this the best use of my time right now?
-Tell yourself the truth. We can fool ourselves by doing "busy" work that isn't helping us get done what is the most important thing to get done right now.
-When you look back at the end of the day, did you use your time wisely?

2. What’s stopping me?
-Do you fully understand the directions?
-Do you need more information before you can proceed?
-Are you having trouble deciding? Perhaps it’s picking a topic or a thesis statement. Decide and move on.
-Are you seeking perfection? Organized Enough works! What only seems like “good enough” to you is very likely to be better than someone else’s perfect, so give up on perfection and settle for what is only good enough in your eyes.

3. What is the NEXT step?
-What is the next thing that has to be done to move the process forward?
-Don’t worry about ten steps ahead. You can only do one thing at a time.

The next time you find yourself stuck, knowing what you should be doing, but not getting started, ask yourself these questions - and get going!

Remember that if it's due - you must do!

copyright 2009 Organized Enough LLC
Organizing and Productivity Coaching for ADHD Students http://www.organizedenough.com