Thanks to all of you who watched my video and chatted with me at the ADHDexpo!

“3 Keys to Designing your Life to Fit so you can Flourish with ADHD” 

What a session!   I got very emotional in this talk.  Surprised myself.  I got so passionate I almost cried at the end. Was it inspirational? or too much?  

Got a lot of great feedback…Everyone seems to have a favorite metaphor (I love metaphors)  What’s your favorite?

Would love to hear your comments!  Will reply to all!

VIEW THE VIDEO HERE   

Let’s keep the conversation going! Share your comments, review and thoughts below.

Here’s some feedback I got…thanks so much!

  

TIPS FROM THE CHAT - On Getting Paperwork Done, Designing Your Own Strategies and  Creating easy buttons. 

Think of designing your perfect way to get things done like a hunt  -your mission is to find all the clues to how you work…and then use them to design a strategy.  The clues are all there…just takes a bit of detective work to find the criteria that will help you design a better way to get started, finish, or transition out of a hyperfocus.   Remember, No one else’s shoes are going to fit you. Think of this as “tailoring” and outfit to fit you.  First, you need to know where you are going to wear the outfit, and what your measurements are.   : )

Think of designing a process for starting.  Like a “template” for doing the paperwork. Templates have saved my life. From status reports to time sheets. I set up a model of how the thing should look…refer to the model…and then tweak it to each case. Status reports take half the time when you have an outline and then just keep tweaking the one you did last week.   

Oct 19 2011, 2:28 PM

Marr (guest): can housework become automated to make it easier to do?

Oct 19 2011, 2:29 PM

Ariane Benefit: Housework is the easiest to automate!

Oct 19 2011, 2:29 PM

Ariane Benefit: Closets too.

Oct 19 2011, 2:28 PM

Ariane Benefit: Without hope, you got no place to start right?

 Oct 19 2011, 2:29 PM

Sachiko Okano: I actually made a template but, getting started was the problem because I was constantly getting distracted by phone calls, pagers,

 Oct 19 2011, 2:29 PM

Ariane Benefit: So then you need a template for getting started! : )   like turn off the phones etc.pick the right time

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:29 PM

Sachiko Okano: wow… didn’t think of that

 

 Oct 19 2011, 2:30 PM

Ariane Benefit: That’s why shifting the way we think is more powerful that using other people’s tips

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:30 PM

Marr (guest): mornings I’m fresher so Sat morning doing stuff.as I work during day elsewhere

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:30 PM

Sachiko Okano: I was told to ignore the phone, e-mails after 2pm and just focus on the documentation but there were too much stuff to do and always ended up running around till 5 and left the documentation to the next day which became a huge pile by end of the week

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:31 PM

Ariane Benefit: Afternoons are the WORST for ADDers to get documentation done.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:31 PM

Sachiko Okano: oh…

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:31 PM

Sachiko Okano: first thing in the morning?

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:31 PM

Marr (guest): or sorting through stuff too?

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:32 PM

Sachiko Okano: it’s true. I was an excellent case manager because i’ve done impossibles.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:32 PM

Ariane Benefit: Think of it like this. Every day you start with quart of decision-making power and ability to focus. As the day goes on it empties. If you don’t find a way to refill it, you will run out. But, if you get a good night’s sleep you will automatically wake up to a fresh quart.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:33 PM

Sachiko Okano: That’s true. I was able to function better in am. still is

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:33 PM

Ariane Benefit: Automate as many morning decisions as you can…and then when you get to work…you will find it easier to get your documentation done so it will take have the time it would take you to do it in the afternoon.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:33 PM

JeanJ (guest): So true. After a full day of teaching and admin stuff, I’m totally burnt by about 2-3 in the afternoon. Nothing else gets done

 

 

Ariane Benefit: Automate as many morning decisions as you can...and then when you get to work…you will find it easier to get your documentation done so it will take half the time it would take you to do it in the afternoon.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:33 PM

JeanJ (guest): So true. After a full day of teaching and admin stuff, I’m totally burnt by about 2-3 in the afternoon. Nothing else gets done

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:34 PM

Sachiko Okano: I am creative and impulsive and driven when there’s impossibles as ADD, so I was great at what I did. So, it’s been devastating that I had to leave

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:34 PM

Sachiko Okano: only if I knew these strategies before… but oh well. I’m learning now

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:35 PM

Ariane Benefit: It’s never too late….

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:35 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: I hate afternoons for work

 I prefer to take a nap

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:35 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: I doze off at college

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:35 PM

Ariane Benefit: LOL…that’s why I’m here chatting now…it’s my lull time..and this kind of thing energizes me : )

  

Oct 19 2011, 2:36 PM

Sachiko Okano: I remember charting in AM, and I got so hyper focused that I neglected going into the unit to see patients!!

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:37 PM

Ariane Benefit: Well the good news is you got started…now you need a template for easing out of hyperfocus…a timer, something. Experiment and play…have a few options…cuz the same one every time will eventually get boring and stop working.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:39 PM

Marr (guest): I set my alarm clock with snooze and rehit to and add in extra time to do so for transitioning.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:39 PM

Sachiko Okano: oh,,, the transitioning time!!! novel idea!!

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:39 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: I use my cellphone with calender notes and alarms

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:36 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: I’m watching your VDo and chatting with you at the same time @Ariane

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:36 PM

Sachiko Okano: The job required so much of anatomy that my time management skills with no structure didn’t do well either i guess

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:37 PM

Sachiko Okano: Designing it is great but I think ADD needs a certain amount of structure… no?

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:38 PM

Ariane Benefit: Design is structure. it’s a flexible structure.

  Design has criteria and requirements…art is a blank canvas…not design.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:38 PM

Sachiko Okano: have a timer is a great idea….like now, I should set a timer so I don’t get hyper focus on this online and neglect the whole day of errands

 

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:39 PM

Sachiko Okano: what is the criteria and requirements?

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:40 PM

Ariane Benefit: Think about it like this. a House is a structure, but within it you can do whateer you want…that’s the design part. A playground is a structure, but you can be free within it. A recipe you have to follow…but a simple list of ingredients you can design your own recipe.

  

Oct 19 2011, 2:39 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: You mean go with the flow and observe it somewhat? @Ariane

Oct 19 2011, 2:41 PM

Ariane Benefit: Ratna – yes…designing conditions that allow you to go with the flow

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:42 PM

Sachiko Okano: flexible but automated structure..

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:42 PM

Ariane Benefit: woo hoo! exaclty…different templates for different days. And the templates are a structure that is adjustable. Like having a pair of pants you need to hem to fit you. you can ADJUST it. That is the key.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:41 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: cool @Ariane ….yeah adjust to the need of the moment right?

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:43 PM

Sachiko Okano: so, first thing in the morning, I should design/adjust the templates of the day..

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:44 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: I love your energy in the VDO @Ariane

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:44 PM

Sachiko Okano: i agree

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:44 PM

Ariane Benefit: To do lists are never gone Sach...change the criteria so that you can feel energized by success. how about I’ll do one or 2 thngs a day – I find that I make to do lists just to implant the stuff in my mind. I go back to them later and the stuff is already done. I don’t have to actually FOLLOW the list…I use it to SERVE me not DICTATE to me.

 

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:45 PM

Marr (guest): me to — your approach is more energizing too I think.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:41 PM

Sachiko Okano: I better start making templates to structure my now no-job days to get to-do list done

 before i start another job, I really want these to-do list to be gone

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:44 PM

Sachiko Okano: easier said that done… I need to get my mind to it and be discipline enough

Sachiko Okano: right. to-do list is always there but there are to-dos that’s been there forever that has to be done kind of things.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:45 PM

Ariane Benefit: Sach…once you have the templates..you usually don’t have to make new ones every day.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:46 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: I feel good if I can successfully complete atleast one task from my to-do

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:46 PM

Sachiko Okano: like calling dr to make appts. get smog check done etc.  I don’t get nothing done or get so many done that i exhaust myself

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:47 PM

Sachiko Okano: so, my template is to get one or two a day done…

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:47 PM

Ariane Benefit: my morning template: coffee, feed cats, shower, dress (etc.) In what ever order I feel like. I don’t do email first because I tend to get stuck there. Other than that, I can do stuff however I feel like.

 I have a template for coffee, a template for dressing. The best templates don’t require writing down. I structure the environment to make it easy to remember

Oct 19 2011, 2:47 PM

Sachiko Okano: oh so true. I can’t start looking into e-mail. i will never get anything done

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:49 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: Yeah Music helps a lot … I got a playlist for every situation . Hope you get a desired phone soon@ Moreen

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:49 PM

Sachiko Okano: that is saving me so much grief over how messy my dressers get and how fast I can find my clothes i’m looking for

 

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:50 PM

Ariane Benefit: Notice your personal patterns and instead of feeling like you are being bossed around them…use that knowledge to REdesign the way you are doing things

 

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:50 PM

Sachiko Okano: My next goal is make a template for the morning…. make breakfast for my son, lunch box, gt ready myself and take him to school

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:50 PM

Moreen S Silver: thanx i am a musician also and am learning music therapy by finding music that helps me with stress etc

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:51 PM

Sachiko Okano: if i can get up in the morning on time… let’s start from there…or better yet, going to bed on time…aaaa so much to work on.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:51 PM

Sachiko Okano: But Ariane, it’s a great start. got to start somewhere….This has been really really helpful. I really am feeling hopeful right now

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:52 PM

Sachiko Okano: Thank you

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:52 PM

Ariane Benefit: cool. Sach. My thing was I put things in my dresser in the order I dress. Top drawer underwear (all the same kind so I don’t have to decide) Second Drawer Short sleeve tops then 3rd long sleeve…4th bottoms. It’s like having it all laid out. other dresser has all my night and lounge wear – closet has jackets sweaters adn dresses – stuff that would wrinkle

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:53 PM

JeanJ (guest): color-coding my closet helped me a TON (i won’t lie, my mom did it for me, but still)

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:54 PM

Sachiko Okano: you see, if it’s folded, then I am too inpatient to look through without messing them up

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:54 PM

Ariane Benefit: SACH – that is a great start! start anywhere and tweak as you go…I love playing with my systems till they fit me like a glove. When I thought I had to do it “right” it was agony. Now I use my own feelings as a guide…no one elses.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:55 PM

Marr (guest): scroll up so you can get some of Ariane’s advise. Wonderful.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:56 PM

Ariane Benefit: Jean I love this. All these ideas are examples of how you guys are finding what works for YOU and that is all that matters! There is no RIGHT only what FITS you and FEELS GOOD. Just like when you have the perfect outfit on.

THAT IS THE POWER OF IMPROVISATIONAL DESIGN

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:57 PM

Marr (guest): I just put my every day shoes in box at the bottom of my closet and it works for me better then organizers as I can dump them in.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:57 PM

Marr (guest): it’s the first time somethings worked well for me like that & so simple.

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:57 PM

Ratnadeep CrashMike Nath: I bought a mini voice recorder to record tunes that come to my mind … Its a great tool … I record my to-dos too at times

 

Oct 19 2011, 2:57 PM

Marr (guest): I just put my every day shoes in box at the bottom of my closet and it works for me better then organizers as I can dump them in.

 Oct 19 2011, 2:57 PM

Marr (guest): it’s the first time somethings worked well for me like that & so simple.

 

Oct 19 2011, 3:01 PM

Marr (guest): Ariane thank you!!!!!!