Posted by coachkimcollins on May 3, 2012
Poor nutrition is associated with low morale and decreased productivity in the workplace. Think about the last time you were starving… how productive were you?
Whether you are skipping meals or eating poorly, your nutritional choices have an impact on your health and productivity.
Studies show that when your blood sugar drops, your brain is less able to focus and control your impulses. So, when you have ADHD, eating right is even more important to help manage your symptoms.
1. Make sure to eat a brain-friendly diet:
- Fewer simple carbohydrates (candy , sugar, white flour)
- High in protein (beans, cheese, eggs, nuts)
- More complex carbohydrates (vegetables, oranges, apples, pears)
- More Omega-3 fatty acids (tuna, salmon, walnuts)
- Water
2. Remember to eat. Let’s face it – when you get caught in hyper-focus sometimes it’s easy to forget to eat. That’s why establishing certain times of day that you consistently stop what you are doing and eat, is a good idea. Set an alarm to remind you to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, make sure that you always carry a healthy snack with you so that you are never caught without an energy boost.
3. Make meals simple. Don’t make meals more complicated than they need to be. Make a list of the foods you and your family like and create a meal plan around them. It can be as simple as having chicken on Mondays, pasta on Tuesdays, fish on Wednesdays, and then adding a vegetable and a side. If you don’t to cook or are short on time, try using a food preparation service like Let’s Dish or Dream Dinners. You can have them prepare a month’s worth of meals for you to pick up and stick in your freezer. If you like to cook – focus on simple 3-ingredient meals during the week or prepare big batches over the weekend to eat throughout the week.
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Posted in Health Habits, Productivity | Tagged: Dream Dinners, Healthy Eating, Let's Dish, Meals, Nutrition, Productivity | Leave a Comment »
Posted by coachkimcollins on April 24, 2012
Believe it or not, sleep has a big impact on your productivity in the workplace. Studies show that one in four American adults struggle with insomnia at least 3 times per month. Because these insomniac workers show up at work tired and functioning at a low capacity, they are costing their employers an estimated $67 billion a year in lost productivity.
When you’re sleep deprived, your brain has an especially hard time ignoring distractions and controlling impulses. Sleep recharges your brain so you wake up ready to face the challenges of the day.
Arianna Huffington editor of The Huffington Post shares a story on TED about how she was so sleep deprived that she fainted from exhaustion, broke her cheekbone and had to have several stitches in her face. Sadly it took an incident like that for her to realize the importance of sleep. She now preaches the restorative power of sleep and believes that we can all sleep our way to increased productivity and happiness.
Here are some things you can do to improve your sleep habits:
- Discuss your sleep issues with your doctor to make sure that there is no underlying medical condition causing your sleep problems.
- Change your bedtime in increments. So, instead of going from a 1am bedtime to a 10pm bedtime. Try going to bed 10-15 minutes earlier until you’ve worked your way to your bedtime goal.
- Set a bedtime alarm go off an hour before bedtime. If you tend to get caught up watching TV or on the computer, place the alarm clock in another room so you will be forced to get up to turn it off.
- Establish a wind down routine that slows your brain down in preparation for sleep. Choose a quiet relaxing activity like taking a warm bath, reading, listening to music, or meditation.
- Post reminders of the importance of sleep in your life.
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Posted in Health Habits, Productivity | Tagged: Arianna Huffington, Habits, Sleep, TED, The Huffington Post | Leave a Comment »
Posted by coachkimcollins on January 13, 2012
Maybe instead of looking at what you want this year, you should look at who you want to be.
Here is an exercise to help you figure it out:
- Take a blank piece of paper and write at the top “I want to be a person who…”
- Then, set a timer for 60 seconds and write down all the words that come to your mind without censoring or erasing.
- Next, take this list of words and phrases and find pictures, images, and even songs – anything that evokes a visual or emotional representation of your words.
- Put these items in a physical folder or a digital folder. Set a recurring reminder to look at these things on the first of every month.
- By the end of the year you can evaluate if you have become the person you wanted to be.
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Posted in Personal Development | Tagged: Exercise, reminder, timer | Leave a Comment »
Posted by coachkimcollins on January 10, 2012
It’s a New Year and you know what that means… New Year’s Resolutions. And, if you are like most people, “Getting Organized” is somewhere on your list.
Well, now is a good time for it because, January is Get Organized Month!
Getting Organized doesn’t have to as hard as it seems. There are lots of resources to help get started and stay organized.
- If you have continually tried to get organized but you just can’t do it on your own, maybe it’s time to call in a professional. Check out the National Association of Professional Organizers to see what they do and to find someone in your area.
- If you are not ready or can’t afford a professional, maybe you can find someone to be a body double (someone who is willing to just sit in the same room with you while you organize your stuff). Consider asking a local CHADD member to be your body double and then you can reciprocate.
- If you have a lot of old tech gadgets cluttering up your up your life, check out this article on Mashable: 10 Ways to Trade Your Old Electronics for Cash.
- If you have a lot of junk that you want removed – consider calling a junk removal company like 1-800-GOT-JUNK. They ensure that your junk gets recycled, donated, or disposed of responsibly.
- There is a new organizing magazine called Getting Organized that has a lot of wonderful tips and resources; you can even get a digital subscription so it doesn’t add more clutter to your environment.
- When you have gotten rid of the clutter – it’s time for the fun part…Organizing the things you have. Visit My Clever Container Shop to see what fun new organizing products are in the new 2012 catalog!
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Posted in Organizing | Tagged: Body Double, CHADD, Get Organized Month, Getting Organized Magazine, junk removal, national association of professional organizers, New Year's Resolutions, organizing products | Leave a Comment »
Posted by coachkimcollins on January 10, 2012
Wow, it’s already the second week on January and I feel like I’m already behind. Did the New Year sneak up on you, because it certainly did for me.
As I get older time seems to go by faster and faster. That’s why I think it’s important to slow down and think about how you are spending your time, what really matters to you, and appreciating where you are right now.
I was starting to feel bad that I was late sending out a New Year’s post but in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter? No!
Better late than never – I am posting Happy New Year to Everyone!
“Don’t sweat the small stuff…and it’s all small stuff.”
― Richard Carlson
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Posted in Holidays | Tagged: happy new year, New Year, richard carlson, small stuff | Leave a Comment »
Posted by coachkimcollins on December 9, 2011
This year I’ve decided to take some of the mental stress and financial fatigue out of the holidays. When one of my friends told me that she was frantically trying to get her holiday shopping done. I took this opportunity to suggest that we not exchange Christmas gifts this year but instead, celebrate the holidays by giving the gift of sharing our time together. With some relief, she said that was a great idea and she would love to just get together over the holiday vacation.
It seems that everyone I have suggested this to is filled with relief that they don’t have another gift to get or receive. Gift giving and receiving can be a burden especially in a down economy when people are unsure about their financial and job situation.
So, I have pledged this year to put a twist on giving gifts. Here are some ideas:
- Share the gift of spending time with someone instead of exchanging material goods
- If you really want to give something – make a donation to a charity in their name.
- And, if you are tired of struggling to choose the “perfect” gift for someone, why not give them the gift of buying their own gift. Buying gift cards can be a great alternative to traditional holiday shopping. First of all, you can buy gift cards just about anywhere. Second, it takes the pressure out of finding the “perfect” gift and ensures the recipient gets exactly what he or she wants.
Here are a few more holiday ideas:
- You know those photos that you always say that you will get around to organizing? Here’s a great solution – Ritz Camera has a service where you can bring in all your old photos and they will scan them and make a CD or DVD for about $50 for 400 photos.
- Do you know someone who needs the gift of organization? How about a subscription to the new magazine Getting Organized! You can buy a digital or print subscription.
- Check out this online topic: Handling Holiday Stress and ADHD:
| Who: |
|
Marie Paxson, former CHADD president |
| When: |
|
Wednesday, Dec.14, 2011, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (Eastern time) |
| What: |
|
Handling Holiday Stress with ADHD |
Does the upcoming holiday season conjure images of family togetherness, decorated homes, elaborate meals and feelings of peace, joy, and harmony? Maybe it just…doesn’t? We all recognize the “perfect” holiday is pretty unrealistic. But individuals and families affected by ADHD have an even tougher time experiencing even some of the joys of the season. Luckily, there are solutions and strategies available to pave the way for a more peaceful holiday season and some easy-to-implement backup plans if things fall apart.
CHADD Past President Marie Paxson tackles questions on the upcoming holiday season and ADHD stress in our December Ask the Expert Chat. Participants will get the chance to ask how they can make the season merrier by facing holiday stress head-on and plan events where ADHD symptoms are a concern.
Please click here at 2:45 PM (Eastern time) the day of the chat and follow the instructions on that page to sign in and participate. This is an online chat only and there is no audio.Transcripts: Available to CHADD members one week following the chat.
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Posted in Holidays, Organizing | Tagged: Getting Organized Magazine, Gift Giving, Holidays, Ritz Camera | Leave a Comment »
Posted by coachkimcollins on November 14, 2011
I have recently begun working on a project powered by AARP, YouTube, MyAssist, and other key partners. The Life Reimagined Project asks the question “What’s Next” in your life? As an ADHD Coach I typically work with clients on a more micro level of discovery. However, looking at the big picture of “What’s Next” is an important aspect in creating your own future.
The Life Reimagined Project invites people of all ages and stages of life to share their stories of inspiration, discover their strengths, and connect to mentors and peers who will support and help them further their dreams.
I hope that you will join me in helping yourself as well as others, reimagine their lives. This is a great opportunity to educate those who are not familiar with how ADHD truly impacts people. And, it will give you a chance to share your wisdom and experience with those who are struggling to make their way through the ADHD maze.
This is the alpha stage of this project and any feedback you provide will make this a great place to Inspire, Discover, and Connect!
Join me at The Life Reimagined Project and make a difference!
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Posted in Personal Development | Tagged: AARP, Life Reimagined Project, Mentoring, What's Next | Leave a Comment »
