Organization | Untapped Brilliance

Ten Reasons to Set Goals when you have ADHD

Posted on April 25, 2010 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

Goal setting is a wonderful tool for adults with ADHD as this keeps you focused on what is important in your life.

Without goals your natural default position is to be fighting fires every day and you lose control of your time. Here are the top ten reasons to set goals when you have ADHD

Setting goals puts us in the driver’s seat of our lives.
Goals allow us to live our best life, since they encourage us to stretch ourselves and reach your potential
You can accomplish much more when goals are set. Projects are completed quicker, and you can accomplish much more of them!
Goals inspire us and propel us into action
Setting goals is fun and exciting. It is exciting to think what is possible, and to challenge ourselves.
By setting external goals, we also develop internal characteristics and skills, which stay with us long after the goals, have been achieved.
Setting goals and reaching them increases our sense of self-esteem.
Goals keep us going through the less interesting tasks. Even when a task is dull and tedious, we still feel the desire do it because we know it’s part of a bigger picture.
Goals give our life clarity and meaning. They keep us focused on what is most important, and help us to minimize distractions.
When a goal is achieved, nothing can beat the sense of accomplishment. We really need to enjoy the feeling and celebrate the victory, since we can draw on this wonderful feeling when we are working towards our next goal!!

Pin It

emailTen Reasons to Set Goals when you have ADHD

Filed Under: Adult ADHD Tagged: adhd, Adult ADHD, assertiveness, decision making, Goals, health, memory, organization, procrastination, routine

What is the difference between ADD and ADHD?

Posted on April 25, 2010 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

395670 difference gsWhat is the difference between ADD and ADHD?

What is the Difference Between ADD and ADHD?

Want to Listen to this article? Click here.

ADD and ADHD are very often used interchangeably and it can get a little confusing. However, it is really a question of terminology. Over the years as more is learned about ADHD (the current official term) the name has changed to reflect the most recent findings.

In 1980 ADD was the term used to describe someone who had Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD was the term used to describe a person who has Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Prior to 1980, ADHD was of course present but was called a wide range of things, most of which would be considered highly insulting if they were used today.

Then in 1987 ADHD became official term for anyone who was diagnosed with what was previously ADD and ADHD. It was at this time that American Psychiatric Associated stated that ADHD was a medical diagnosis (rather than psychological) that could cause behavioural issues.
In the 1994 publication of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) The National Institute of Mental Health, (or NIMH) stated that the definition of ADHD is a “Disruptive Behaviour Disorder” where high levels of inattention, hyperactivity or a combination are constantly present in an individual.

3 types ADHD have been identified, which are:

ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive Type: Is characterized by mainly inattention, and so people have problems focusing, completing tasks, are easily distracted and seem forgetful, disorganized and careless.

ADHD-Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: Is characterized mainly by hyperactivity and impulsivity. Paying attention is not a major problem. However, they seem to act and speak before thinking, have lots of energy and always on the go.

ADHD-Combined Type: In this instance characteristics on both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsivity are present.

To conclude, ADD and ADHD describe the same condition but ADHD is currently the official and most up to date term.

Does Everyone Have ADHD These Days?

Is ADHD Becoming More Wide Spread?

emailWhat is the difference between ADD and ADHD?

Filed Under: Adult ADHD Tagged: adhd, Adult ADHD, hyperactivity, organization

ADHD Entrepreneurs

Posted on April 24, 2010 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield 1 Comment

Why are there so many ADHD entrepreneurs? As an ADHD Coach I couldn’t help but notice just how many of my ADHD Coaching clients were also entrepreneurs. In fact many successful ADHD entrepreneurs are also household names such as:

Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Airlines.
Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish Founder and Chairman of IKEA stores.
David Neeleman, Founder and CEO of Jet Blue Airways.
Paul Orfalea, the Founder and Chairperson of Kinkos

Here are the five reasons I have identified why adults with are attracted to having their own business

You have a sense of adventure, are risk takers and exceptionally creative, none of which can be fully utilized when you work in a traditional job.
Cubical = Prison. When you have Adult ADHD working in an office 8 hours a day is like a prison sentence. They feel their soul shrivel up when they enter the office in the morning.
Red tape frustration. You can see the answer to a problem, or see how something could be done much better. Yet in a big company it could take months for that change to be implemented. When you are your own boss you can make it happen that very day.
Time. When you are in a groove you work faster than your non ADHD peers. One client told me that he could get his work done in 1 hour, but then he had to sit around and pretend to look busy for the next 7 hours. That is boring and stressful.
Body clock. Most people with ADHD find it really hard to wake up in the mornings. Plus they have a huge creative phase around 10pm. When you work for yourself you can work with your body clock to maximize the productive times.

Ps if you are one of these fabulous ADHD entrepreneurs you might enjoy my Virtual workshop Untapped Brilliance, How to reach your Full Potential as a Entrepreneur with ADHD

Filed Under: Adult ADHD Tagged: achievements, adhd, Adult ADHD, Goals, hyperactivity, organization

Time management tip

Posted on April 23, 2010 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

Attending meetings, appointments and lectures punctually can be a real problem for adults with ADHD. The passage of time seems to travel differently you. One client described beautifully how time passes for him: “If I look at my watch and its 11:00am.Then in my mind it’s 11:00amuntil I look again. I might look again in 2 minutes, or 4 hours. But its 11:00am until I have actually looked at the watch again to see what the hands are now saying”.

A great technique that is really helpful in ensuring you get to appointments on time is to set an alarm on your cell phone to let you know when you need to leave for your appointment. For example, if you have a dentist appointment at 1pm, allow another 15minutes before you leave to gather your belongings together, keys etc., and you know it takes 30 minutes for the drive and 15 minutes to find parking and walk to the building then you would set your alarm to go off at 12 noon. No matter how engrossed you are in your activity the alarm will alert you that it’s time to leave. Using your cell phone for your reminders is a great tool because it’s an item that most people always have with them.

Filed Under: Adult ADHD Tagged: Adult ADHD, memory, organization, time management

Coping with ADHD at work

Posted on March 8, 2010 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield 2 Comments

Want to listen to this article? Click here.

Coping with ADHD at work can be a challenge. However there a 5 simple tools and strategies that when you implement them in your office you will feel you aren’t just coping with ADHD but flourishing, as when you can organize yourself at work you can achieve what you know you are capable of.

Whiteboard -People with ADHD like to be able to see all the projects they are working on at once in case they forget one. Since it’s not usually possible to have all your projects in clear sight and maintain a tidy work environment, a whiteboard is a great office accessory. It will help to stay on track and not forget anything. Use your board to write down all your on going projects and update it regularly.

Timer -Use a simple kitchen timer to help keep you on tasks for work that requires concentration. Concentrating takes lots of effort so it’s natural to want to avoid it. However if you know you only have to concentrate until your timer rings, tasks are no longer overwhelming. Set your timer for 30 minutes at a time. Only work on that task until the timer goes off. If you feel like checking email, picking up the phone or taking a walk… do it after your timer goes off.

An Idea’s Notebook -When you are working on a task, it’s easy to get distracted with lots of thoughts, ideas, and worries about the tasks that you aren’t working on. Have an idea’s book next to you and jot those thoughts down and then go back to the original task. You will be able to focus much better, safe in the knowledge you won’t forget those concerns. Using a notebook not a piece of paper is much preferable since it’s less likely to get lost.

Healthy Snack -No matter how well intentioned you are, you won’t be able to concentrate or focus if you are hungry. Keep a good supply of non perishable healthy snacks close to hand and never let yourself get too hungry, almonds, raisins and V8 are a few examples.

Clutter Free Environment – This can be tricky at first, but once you have experienced how happy you feel when you walk into your office and you see clear surfaces and the floor, there is no going back. Nothing distracts you, or makes you feel overwhelmed and eats into your time like clutter. Take 15 minutes a day to clean your office and then once it’s ship shape spend a few minutes each day doing maintenance.

The results will leave you feeling productive and proud of yourself!

Pin It

Filed Under: Adult ADHD Tagged: adhd, clutter, declutter, organization

ADHD Websites

Posted on February 2, 2010 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

As an ADHD coach I am always looking for helpful resources that will help the your symptoms of adult ADHD. Below are 3 helpful site to make your life easy and even fun.While they aren’t specifically designed as ADHD websites they do target areas of life that many adults with ADHD struggle with.
1)      www.passpack.com
Remembering things is a real challenge for adults with ADHD. Passpack is simple tool that is designed solely for you to store all your passwords and user names for all your favourite websites. It’s secure, free, and can be accessed from every computer you use. A word of warning, don’t forget your password to Passpack!!!..because of its secure nature, if you forget this password there is no way to retrieve it.

2)      www.zip.ca
Adults with ADHD love watching movies. Perhaps because it’s a good way to escape your busy mind for a couple of hours, or if you are watching a movie at home it keeps you company and makes doing mundane tasks more interesting. However it is easy return movies late and then incur late fees.
There are companies now that send your chosen movies to you in the mail box. You watch it and return it in a pre-paid envelope. No late fees, and there are 1000′s of movies to choose from. If you live in Canada, Zip.ca is a great service. If you live in another country google ‘movies delivered to your door’ and a similar service will be listed.

3)      www.freecycle.org
Clutter is a huge problem for adults with ADHD! One of the reasons clutter is hoarded in your home is that it can be hard to part with your belongings. Knowing that a special, but no longer used, item of yours is going to a good home really helps to release it. The phrase ‘one mans junk is another mans treasure’ is so true. Freecycle.org is a website that allows you to give an item of yours to a person in your area . The idea is that for every item that has found a new home, means one item less in a landfill. Word of warning.. this is a really great resource! and when you see what other people are giving away it can be tempting to want to add belonging to your home… Be mindful of this!
Your challenge this week is to visit each these ADHD websites and see if you think it would be helpful to your life.

Filed Under: Adult ADHD Tagged: adhd, helpful resources, organization, web tools

Blitz Those Tolerations !

Posted on January 18, 2010 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

Last week I was traveling from Europe to Canada and I had the worse flight experience I have ever had. Approximately 15 times a minute my seat would get hit or kicked by the passenger behind me. Causing my seat and body jolt forward and then pulpit backwards. It was a 7 hour flight, so that is A LOT of jolts!

I did all the usually actions, spoke nicely to him, ask the flight assistant if I could move to another seat (there weren’t any), the flight assistants all spoke to the gentleman. All to no avail. In the end all I could do was tolerate the situation. What was interesting about the situation was I wasn’t able to do the things I usually love to do when flying. I wasn’t able to enjoy my novel, the work I had taken with me, have a nap or even enjoy a film. The only activity that was possible was to watch mindless TV comedies, which helped to block out reality. This experience got me thinking, if in our daily life we are tolerating annoyances then they are seriously stopping us from achieving our potential. Rather than pursuing activities that engage our brain, and nurture us, having to tolerate annoyances means we do activities that help us tolerate life rather than grow and develop.

In order to untap your brilliance and allow your full potential to shine, it’s important that you first realize what things in your life you are tolerating and then start to get rid of them.

Tolerations range from the mundane for example, a broken light bulb, to a relationship that is no longer working

Adults with ADHD tend to have more tolerations in their lives than others. This could be because they get distracted, and so keep meaning to do a task but then jump to something else, because they never feel they have enough time to address the toleration, or they don’t feel they deserve better…a result of low self esteem. Tolerations are often mundane to fix and a little boring, so it’s more interesting to do other things.

So its time to blitz those tolerations! You will have so much more mental and physical energy when you and you will also feel so much more cheerful, relaxed and healthy too.

1)Walk round your home, your office and car and take an inventory of everything you are tolerating

For example, a broken drawer that is difficult to open and close. All your socks seem to have holes in so you have to sort through numerous ones before you can find a pair to wear. Your guest room is full of clutter and it sucks you energy every time you walk it.

2) Think of all the people in your life, is there anything you are tolerating there? Perhaps someone is also criticizing you, or talks about other people behind their back

3) Are there any personal habits that you have that you are tolerating? Perhaps smoking even though you don’t want to. Never recycling, even though you would like to.

4) Are there any health issues that you have been meaning to get looked at? Have a mole removed, teeth cleaned, ingrowing toe nail looked at.

When you have your list don’t be daunted by its size. The more the better. Set yourself the challenge of addressing one thing on the list a day. Perhaps a phone call to book an appointment with your dentist one day, a conversation with your friend who is very negative the next. With each toleration being taken care of you will notice how much your quality of life improves and be in a much better space to achieve what is important to you!

Filed Under: Adult ADHD Tagged: adhd, Adult ADHD, health, organization, tolerations

ADHD in Adults

Posted on July 6, 2009 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield 2 Comments

ADHD in adults can result in you struggling with certain unwanted behaviours, however ADHD in adults also means good things too! Just like adults who don’t have ADHD, not all people with ADHD have the same talents and strengths. However, there are a group of positive talents that are often seen in people with ADHD and below are five of them. Give yourself credit for the things you do well. This in turn will boast your confidence and self-esteem.

Great Company

The combination of your vibrant energy and sense of humour make you a great person to be around. Friends want to spend time with you and strangers naturally gravitate towards you.

Compassionate

You are compassionate to other people, causes and animals. Your sensitivity helps you to relate because you have less inhibitions than a non-ADHD person. You will be the person who helps a lady with a stroller or speaks loudly to protest against something you believe in.

Impulsivity

Impulsive actions allow you to take action quickly. This allows you to do things that many people think of doing, but by the time they take action, the moment is lost.

You think swiftly and act swiftly. Your impulsivity also means you make decisions quickly, which can be a huge gift, as some people can spend hours agonizing over something that can take you a matter of seconds to decide.

Spirit of Enquiry

You have a spirit of enquiry and love to gather facts on many different subjects. You can hold interesting and informed conversations on a wide variety of topics. Your natural thirst for knowledge keeps you young, whatever your biological age and also makes you an interesting person to be around.

Weakness Can Become Strength

While this article is about celebrating your strengths, sometimes a weakness can become your strength. An example I see quite often is having an organized environment. Some adults with ADHD, once they discover how calm and happy they feel with a tidy environment, become experts at keeping their environment super tidy. They become more efficient at creating and keeping their environment tidy than any person who did have a clutter problem.

This Week’s Actions

Do you recognize yourself in any of the above talents? Just because they come easily to you, remember not everyone has them.
For each of the five points above, ask yourself:
- Is this a trait I have?
- When have I noticed/experienced it recently?
- How could I maximize this trait and use it more to my advantage?
Keep a record of when you feel good about one of your talents, or get positive feedback from another person. You can refer back to it to this list give yourself a lift at times when you aren’t feeling so good about yourself.

Filed Under: Adult ADHD, Untapped Brilliance Blog Tagged: organization, positive

An Organized Environment

Posted on May 18, 2009 Written by Jacqueline Sinfield Leave a Comment

furnitureAn Organized Environment Having an organized environment helps adults with ADHD feel calm, focused and able to function at their peak. However, having ADHD also means achieving and maintaining an organized environment is really hard. One of the biggest challenges is the accumulation of clutter. In my book, Untapped Brilliance, I have a chapter about achieving a clean, tidy and organized environment and I am always interested to learn more about this subject so I can in turn pass the information on to my clients. It was with fascination that I read organization guru Julie Morgenstern’s book SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life: A Four-Step Guide to Getting Unstuck.

Julie makes the connection between hoarding your belongings and staying stuck in life. It is really hard to move forward in life when you have the physical and mental reminds of the past. She gives a powerful personal example of how her old belongings were preventing her from moving forward.

Her childhood passion for theatre led her to be a theatre director. Then when her circumstances changed and she was a single mum, she started her own business as a professional organizer. Her business was going well, however she noticed it had reached a plateau. Due to lack of storage, she had six boxes of theatre production books (her old life) housed under her dining room table. By getting rid of those boxes, she witnessed a remarkable growth in her business (her current life).

Because getting rid of things is so hard for people with ADHD, I really liked Julie’s philosophy as it gives a deeper meaning to getting rid of your clutter. She suggests picking a theme for the next chapter of your life. This theme acts as a mental guide to help you get rid of your belongings that reflect your old life’s chapters.

So are you ready to create a beautiful living environment for yourself? One that helps you move forward in the direction of your dreams? Here are the five steps:

Pick a theme for your next life chapter. Are you a singleton, empty nester, freshly graduated or about to embrace a new healthy lifestyle? Identify yours and then use a few positive words to describe your theme.
Write list of every area you want to declutter. You probably know where your clutter is lurking in your house. There might be a little in every room, or you might have one room that is “off limits.” Writing it down gets it clear in your mind and acts as a great reminder of what you have done, once you start putting checkmarks beside areas that you have decluttered.
Grab your kitchen timer and work for fifteen minutes a day on the Decluttering process. If you are inspired to do more than fifteen minutes, go for it, but don’t burn yourself out in one day. Then you won’t be able to face Decluttering again for months.
If you are unsure if you should part with something, remember your theme. Does this item fit in with where you are going in life?
Reward yourself along the way. The benefits of decluttering are huge; however, they aren’t always obvious in the beginning. Give yourself treats and rewards every time you do your Decluttering.

Pin It