Organized Kaos

Making Life Manageable!

5 Ways To Use A Timer

Posted by coachkimcollins on November 1, 2011

   

Purchase at My Clever Container Shop item# 0544

Purchase at My Clever Container Shop item# 0416

  1. Use a timer to get you started on something that feels overwhelming. Set it for 5 minutes to just get started.

  2. Use a timer to keep you moving. For example, if you want to clean several rooms in the house, set the timer for a 20 minute work session in each room.

  3. Use the timer to create a sense of urgency. Only allow yourself 45 minutes to work on or finish up a project.

  4. Use the timer to take a break. Set your timer for a 5 – 10 minute break several times a day.

  5. Use the timer to track your time use. Increase your time estimation skills by actually timing how long certain routine tasks really take. For example – do you know how long you really take in the bathroom? Time it and find out!

Posted in Clever Container Products, Productivity, Time Management | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Listen to Your Body

Posted by coachkimcollins on September 6, 2011

Are you listening to your body? If you were to check in with your body right now, what would it tell you? Would it tell you that you are hungry, thirsty, tired, stressed, that you’ve been sitting at the computer too long, or that you have to go to the bathroom?

I tell my clients all the time that if you don’t listen to your body – eventually it will be heard!

Listening to your body is particularly difficult when you have ADHD. If you are constantly distracted by things or get easily caught in hyper-focus, it’s hard to remember to pay attention to what your body is telling you.

Ignoring messages of pain and discomfort can eventually have permanent repercussions. So, it’s important that you set up a system that reminds you to check in with yourself.

  1. Establish a timeframe to check in with yourself, like every 30, 60, or 90 minutes.
  2. Decide what you will ask yourself during your check in. For example, what do I need to start doing or stop doing to feel focused and energized right now?
  3. Choose a reminder tool to use like your computer, your cell phone or a habit changing device called MotivAider.

Posted in ADHD, Health Habits | Leave a Comment »

How Are Your Weekends?

Posted by coachkimcollins on August 31, 2011

Are you spending the weekends the way you want to? Most of the time we are so focused on creating structure during the weekdays, we forget about planning how we will use our time on the weekend.

The weekend presents a challenge for many people with ADHD because the built in structure of work and school are not present.

The first thing you want to think about is, how exactly do you want to spend your weekend? Do you want to use your weekend to take care of household chores so that your weeknights are free? Or do you prefer to take care of your chores during the week so that your weekends are free for rest and recreation? Another option is to balance your chores between weeknights and weekends so that you will have time for finish up chores and get some recreation.

The important thing is that you think about how you want to spend your time and plan a loose structure so that you control your weekend instead of your weekend controlling you.

  1. Make a list of things that must be done on the weekend and post it where you will see it.
  2. Plan weekend activities as a family and put things on the calendar.
  3. Make a habit of getting the kids to prepare for the week (doing homework , chores, and getting clothes ready) Friday night or Saturday morning to avoid the last minute Sunday night  chaos.
  4. Alternate weekends with other parents to shuttle kids around for weekend activities.
  5. Choose at least one fun or relaxing thing to do every weekend.
  6. Try to establish one weekend a month where you don’t do anything you don’t what to do.

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Jump Start Your Brain And Get Tasks Done!

Posted by coachkimcollins on May 5, 2011

  1. Do something physical. Every time you exercise you are helping your brain’s executive functioning abilities. I usually recommend doing some jumping jacks, running up and down the stairs a few times or taking a quick walk.
  2. Meditate before you jump into a difficult or boring task. Just take 5 minutes (set a timer) and focus on your breathing, take a quick power nap or visualize yourself successfully completing your task.
  3. Drink some water. Dehydration can impact your ability to stay focused and can impair your short-term memory and the recall of long-term memory.
  4. Take a Green Break. According to Kathleen Nadeau, PhD “Taking breaks to refresh your energy and concentration is an effective way to increase your chances of completing your task.” Because the color green has a calming quality, Nadeau suggests facing something green (particularly something in nature) and focusing on it while taking deep breaths.
  5. Get motivated with music. Music has to power to change your state of mind. So, pump up to music to get you in the mood to work.
  6. Be accountable. Tell someone else what you plan to do and when you will be finished. Then arrange to check back in with them when you are done.
  7. Try the 5 minute method. Set a timer and just start the task for 5 minutes. Once the timer goes off you can decide whether you want to continue or transition to something else.
  8. Create a Benefits & Consequences Card. The ADD brain rarely remembers the pain of the past and the goal of the future. So it may be helpful to write on an index card what the benefits are for getting the task done and what the consequences are for putting it off. Post the card in front of you so that you are reminded of these things in the moment.
  9. Talk through your task with someone else. Sometimes you just need to talk about a task with someone to clear your mind and organize your thoughts. Set a 5 – 10 minute timer and call someone you can use as a sounding board. A brief conversation may be all you need to get started.
  10. Create an endpoint. Write out what your goal is for a single work session, define how long the work session will be and plan a reward for when your are done .

Posted in ADHD, Productivity | 1 Comment »

Procrastination Question

Posted by coachkimcollins on March 18, 2011

How do you tell the difference between when you are procrastinating versus when you are intentionally delaying?

Please post your response in the comments section below.

Posted in Productivity | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Get Your Taxes Done in 7 Days!

Posted by coachkimcollins on March 18, 2011

This year taxes are due April 18 2011. That means you have 4 weeks from today to get your taxes done (if you haven’t done them already).

For all you tax procrastinators out there, here’s a way to “Get Your Taxes Done in 7 Days!”

Days One & Two: Gather your tax information –locate all your tax paperwork, such as your W2’s, 1099’s, interest income statements, and receipts. Put them all in an envelope and write: “Taxes 2010” in big black (or red) marker.

Day Three: Download your tax forms or install your tax software – Block out 45 minutes to work uninterrupted. Get all the tax forms you need from the IRS and fill in your basic information (name, address, social security, income etc.). Or, if you use a software program like TurboTax or Tax Cut, install it and transfer the previous year’s information.

Day Four: Enter your credits and deductions. Enter all the information that you are sure about. Leave any questions for the next day.

Day Five: Research any information that you are unsure of or have questions about. Ask your accountant, call the IRS, or search online at the IRS website.

Day Six: Enter your state tax information.

Day Seven: Check your work and submit!

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Hyper-focus

Posted by coachkimcollins on January 12, 2011

Are you tired of getting caught in hyper-focus at the wrong times?

The ability to hyper-focus or concentrate intently on one task for a long period of time can be a gift when it’s not standing in the way of accomplishing other things that are important. Here are some strategies that may help you rein in your hyper-focus so that you can use it when you need it.

  • Pay attention to what types of activities or tasks you tend to hyper-focus on and plan to do those types of tasks when you are not in danger of missing an appointment or deadline.
  • Practice stopping. Set a timer across the room (out of reach) to go off every 30 – 60 minutes and no matter what you are doing  – stop, stand up and go turn off and reset the timer. By practicing this you are conditioning yourself to work in 30 or 60 minute blocks and to react to the alarm when it goes off.
  • You can also place a post-it note on your timer to remind you why it’s important to stop and move on to the next task.
  • It may be easier to break away from a task when you make it small enough to do quickly. So, break your tasks into bite-sized action steps that take 5 – 15 minutes.
  • Plan time to hyper-focus. Clear the decks of other essential projects and then allow yourself to work on a task for a large chunk of time. You might want to have someone call or come and get you so that you won’t work too long without taking a bathroom or food break.
  • Afraid of interrupting the flow of creativity that hyper-focus brings? Learn to bookmark your spot so that you will be able to come back to where you left off. Practice this by using the last 5 minutes of a task to tie up loose ends and note what you were thinking and what your next step should be.

Posted in ADHD | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

“More or Less” List for 2011

Posted by coachkimcollins on January 10, 2011

Believe it or not but we are already over a week into the New Year. Have you already dropped your New Year’s Resolutions? If so, instead of giving up completely why not try to make a “More or Less” list for 2011.

Start by making a list of what you want More of and then figure out what you will have to do Less of in order to get More of what you want. For example, I want more free time in 2011. Therefore, I will hold my weekends sacred for just me, my family and friends. In order to have More free time I will have to check my email Less on weekends.

The trick is to think in non-perfectionist terms so that you will feel successful even if you do just a little More or a little Less than you did last year!

Posted in Personal Development | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

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