Patty HoytProfessional Organizer

November13, 2013

Organizing for the AD/HD Brain

What is AD/HD?

First identified in the 1930’sImpairment of the executive functions of the Pre-Frontal CortexInitiating, focusing, organizing & prioritizingCreative, curious, brave, open minded, intellectually quick and innovative

AD/HD

What is AD/HD?

What is AD/HD

• AD/HD is marked by a difficulty in performing consistently at one’s evident level of intelligence, skill or attention.

What is AD/HD

AD/HD Treatment

•Medication

•Education

•Behavior Skills

Behavior Skills

Behavioral Skills

• Learn your strengths

• Self-management strategies

• Create customized systems, routines and structure (Organize!)

Learn Your Strengths

Learn you Strengths

• Learning Modalities• Auditory

• Visual

• Kinesthetic

• Tactile

• Smell

• Verbal

• Emotional

• Cognitive

• Intuitive

Auditory

• Focus sustaining music

• White noise

• Periods of silence (reactive to sound)

• Timers (auditory cue)

Visual

• White board with top priorities

• Calendar stand

• Label everything!

• OOSOM

• Create open or transparent systems

• Display racks or open shelves

• Create a visually calming area

Kinesthetic

• Rocking chair or treadmill

• Out-basket or printer across room

• Exercise

• Move Stool

• Gum

Tactile

• “Perfect Writing Instrument”

• Appealing textures and surfaces

• Fidget toys and smooth stones

• Beware the tactile/emotional connection

Taste/Smell

• Identify aromas that inspire, calm or promote focus

• Get help with mold or mustiness in home

• Eliminate smells that cause sensitivity

Verbal

• Oral• Positive self talk

• Nonjudgemental sounding boards

• Say/repeat steps out loud

• Written• Journal

• Read to learn or motivate

• Take notes for reminders or inspiration

Self-management Strategies• Get enough sleep

• Take medication

• Eat healthy

• Eliminate distractions

• Plan ahead

• Develop support system

• Should

Organize

• Forming New Habits

• To-Do lists

• Planners

• Time-Management

• Beware of Clutter

• Clutter Control

• Getting Started

• Hub

• Room by Room

Organize-New Habits

•Tie a new habit to an old one

•Make the habit as easy as possible

•Make the habit hard to ignore

•Put reminders everywhere

•Visualize yourself doing the behavior

Organize-New Habits

•Practice “instant corrections”

• Failure is a part of learning

•Problem-solve & experiment

•Mark your calendar

•Reward yourself

Organize

•To Do list• Comprehensive

list

• Daily list

• Prioritizing tasks

• Make appointments with yourself for tasks

• Take advantage of motivation moments

Organize

•Daily Planner

•Choosing a planner

•Regular planner review

•Tips

Organize

•Time & task management• Review the plan

• Transfer specific tasks to daily To Do list

• Pay attention to sequencing tasks

• Schedule self-care

• Keep plan realistic

• Start and End times to tasks

• Use Analog Clocks

Beware of Stuff

• The more stuff you have, the more you must find a place to put, and the more you'll have to clean, repair, and eventually replace.

• Stop buying things you don't really need just because they are a bargain.

• The more stuff you have, the more time it takes to locate it.

• You can always get more stuff, and you can always get more money. But you can never get more time.

Organize-Clutter Control

•S.P.A.C.E. method•Sort - Group like with like•Purge - Love it or lose it•Assign a home •Contain - Get the right storage to fit

•Equalize -Maintain you system

Organize-Clutter Control

•Oosoom’s• Labels

• By the door basket

• Stubby To-Do Lists

•Create Routines• Daily

• Weekly

• Monthly

Organize-Getting Started

• Clutter is unmade decisions

• Quality over quantity

• Create a crisis

• Set Deadlines

• Anticipate shot-term interests

• Keep, Toss/Recycle, Donate, Sell?• Maybe Pile?Bag for 6 months - if not used,

it goes

Organize-Getting Started

• Manufacture Motivation

• Catch the “mood” wave

• Create Organizing Occasions

• Avoid Overwhelm• Reduce Distractions

• Break things down

• Body Double

• Small goals -short increments

Organize-Getting Started

• Finish one project at a time

• Be creative-themes

• Take Breaks

• Self Talk

Organize-Create a Hub

• Create a “Hub”• Keys, calendar, mail, wallet, phone

• Central Location, but close to door

• Accessible to the whole family

• Include trash & recycling

• Four Categories• Bills to pay

• Action

• Phone

• File

Organize-Room by Room

• Clothes- Fit, last worn, mending, multiple items

• Books/Magazines-time to read, current issues, can you find it on-line, donations to libraries & book exchanges

• Collections-joy, value, gather favorites

• Kitchen-Create zones, multiple items

• Paper-important paper in safe, transfer key info, find the rest online

• Desks- daily on the desk, weekly in the desk, monthly in the room, less in another room

Organize-Last Thoughts

• Focus on what you choose to be important

• Set small, achievable goals (write them down)

• Stay positive

• Analyze your obstacles

• Failure is learning

Last Thoughts

• "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." — Henry David Thoreau

Resources

• ADHD KC -www.ADHDKC.org

• CHADD - www.CHADD.org

• ADDitude Magazine -www.Additudemag.com

• National Association for Professional Organizers - www.NAPO.net

• Institute for Challenging Disorganization- https://challengingdisorganization.org

• Patty Hoyt - phoyt517@gmail.com, (913)-912-0504