Our research results were announced at the CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD) conference in Atlanta, Georgia on November 12, 2010.  I encourage you to read the Executive Summary and final report on the Edge Foundation’s website.

A few highlights of the study include:

• ADHD coaching according to the Edge Foundation model is effective in assisting students to improve their self-regulation, study skills and will.
• Students who participated in the study built confidence, improved time management and organization skills, and improved their approach to learning.
• Qualitative interviews showed that coaching helped students to set more effective goals and to reach them in more efficient and through less stressful means.

While I was not personally a coach during this study, I have been trained in the same model used at the Edge Foundation by Jodi Sleeper-Triplett of JST Coaching, LLC and am so pleased to see positive results from this highly rigorous study.  I encourage you to read more about the results of the study and let me know your comments and questions.

If you have ADHD, I recommend that you commit to spending 5 minutes each day making a quick plan.  Once each week, spend 10 or 15 minutes.  If this is a task you dislike, set a timer so you know you’ll be free when the buzzer sounds!

When planning your week and day, make sure you are working towards your top priorities.  Ask yourself a few questions regarding each meeting, task or other assignment to help you decide what are the highest priorities in a given day or week…

• How will this task or meeting move me towards my goals?
• Is this task or meeting important?
• Does this task feel important just because it is urgent?
• Is there another way for this task to get accomplished?

If you commit to asking yourself these questions for at least 3 weeks, experience tells me that you’ll see a positive change in your prioritization skills. Are you ready to commit?  Leave us a comment and let us know your plans!

PS – We have an exciting call coming up on Monday, June 14, 2010.  Turmoil to Tranquility:  Tools for Increased Productivity.  Register today to make sure you don’t miss out on the call or the recording!

If you were not able to listen to the teleclass, I hope you’ll have some time to listen to the recording of Recording: 6 Strategies to Apply ADHD Coaching Techniques.

I shared the following strategies that you can apply to your work, family and personal goals:

1. Ask Insightful Questions:  For more information, check out my post titled Ask Insightful Questions – Just Like a Coach!
2. Practice Active Listening
3. Focus on what works for YOU
4. Build in accountability for yourself
5. Build structure into your daily life
6. Plan – even if only for a few minutes each day.

After you have a chance to listen to the call, leave us a comment with your feedback.  Hope you enjoy it!

Recording: 6 Strategies to Apply ADHD Coaching Techniques

The call will be held on Wednesday, April 14th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Register today with the form to the left. I will cover how the ADHD coaching process works and how you can apply the techniques in your everyday life. Are you someone who

* struggles with time management?
* could use a new approach to getting organized?
* has ADHD and wants a new resource?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please sign up on the form to the left and join us April 14th! I’ll see you on the call!

• Just start!  Don’t wait for your solution to feel perfect – you just might wait forever.
• Commit to work the solution you select for at least 21 days.
• Take a small step each day if you are concerned about being overwhelmed.
• Remind yourself each day why it is important to overcome this barrier.
• Find an accountability partner – a coach or friend can help you stay on track!

When are you going to implement your solution?  Leave a comment with your solutions, questions and inspirations!

Your next step is to brainstorm solutions to your barriers.  Take 10 minutes to brainstorm solutions – right now!  Don’t evaluate how hard they will be or how well they will work.  Just write down all of the solutions that enter your mind.

Next, you might need to do some research.  Pick one barrier and spend another 10 minutes searching for solutions on the internet.  Set the timer before you get started and limit your time to just 10 minutes.  If you have ADHD, you know it will be easy to get lost on the internet.

Let us know what solutions you identify and if you need some extra help getting started!  Check back tomorrow for ideas regarding implementation.

• best friend
• co-worker
• spouse
• significant other
• kids
• parents
• siblings
• pets – sure, they might have an opinion!

What barriers did you identify?  Let us know in the comments section.  Check back tomorrow for the next step to breaking down your barriers!

February 8, 2010
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.    FREE to CHADD Members or $5 donation

Coaching can provide children and teenagers who have ADHD with an avenue to set goals, develop robust action plans to achieve them and become more accountable for the follow up.  During this presentation, you will learn about coaching and how you can apply coaching tools at home.

Attend this meeting of the Western Wayne County CHADD chapter to learn what coaching does and how you can immediately apply the principles to your challenges.

Pre-registration is not required.  Meetings are held at Northville High School, room 141.

If you are interested in joining CHADD, see their website at www.CHADD.org.

Laura:  Can you tell me what you like most about coaching?

Joe:  It helps me accomplish goals that I want to accomplish.  

Laura:  What goals have you set through coaching?

Joe:  The goals that I have this summer are goals like reading books and writing about my day.  When I was in school, I had a goal to finish my homework on Friday, not over the weekend.

Laura:  Did you have any other goals during the school year?

Joe:  I had a goal to achieve the National Physical Fitness Award in school.  

Laura:  How did you plan for it?

Joe:  I did a bunch of exercises like crunches, push-ups and running.  I planned my exercise at the beginning of the week, and I checked my progress at the end of each week.

Laura:  Did you achieve your goal?

Joe:  Yep, I achieved the National Physical Fitness Award!  

Laura:  That must have been pretty exciting!

Joe:  Yeah!

Laura:  Is there anything you don’t like about coaching?

Joe:  Nope!

Laura:  Would you recommend coaching to other students?

Joe:  Yeah, to other students who have a hard time planning out their week.

* Client’s name has been changed to protect his privacy.

This interview shows just a glimpse of what coaching can do.  Goals might be to do more reading, achieve an award or overcome procrastination.  As I have said before, there are no right or wrong goals.  Goals are determined by the client depending on their needs and priorities with their coach’s support.  I want to express my sincere appreciation to Joe for letting me interview him.  Please let me know your thoughts and any questions that you have.

Attention-related challenges include: 

• Social issues due to impulsivity
• Hyperactivity
• Late or missed tasks
• Time management challenges
• Project management struggles
• AD/HD or ADD

At each stage of the process, client needs are be addressed by coaching sessions, brief check-in sessions and e-mail correspondence.  Coaching sessions and check-in sessions are typically done over the phone.  

Contact LSR Coaching and Consulting, LLC to schedule a complimentary session and learn how coaching can help you or your child!  

What other questions do you have about attention-related coaching?  Enter them in the comments section and we’ll cover your questions in a future post.