My Attention Coach » Get Focused http://myattentioncoach.com Thu, 28 May 2020 19:24:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Ten Ways to Simplify Your Life http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/ten-ways-to-simplify-your-life/ http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/ten-ways-to-simplify-your-life/#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:38:46 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1857 These days a chorus of thousands has taken up Henry David Thoreau’s advice to “Simplify, simplify.” And for good reason. Few among us would deny our lives are too complicated and filled with too much stress.

Simplicity is about eliminating clutter – from your mind, your home, your relationships and your lifestyle. Add simplicity to your life to help you gain more focus on your priorities and pay attention to what’s important.  Following are ten ways to begin.

  1. Get a clear idea of what you want your life to look like. This picture will help you discover what you must eliminate. Use your creativity to create an actual picture or just visualize it in your mind.
  2. Let go of projects, roles or self-imposed obligations that take up time and keep you away from what you really want.
  3. Say No to what you don’t want in your life. Say Yes to what you do want.
  4. Schedule “break” days for yourself where you don’t do anything but what you really want. Don’t cancel them.
  5. Make a “to do” day and get all those chores and errands done in a single day.  List them all before you start so you don’t forget!
  6. Create space. File away or toss out; give away, sell or trade.
  7. Make and return phone calls only during certain hours.
  8. Shop only when you have to. Question your purchases. Consuming less is good for the planet, too.  This can help save money too!
  9. Ask for and accept help. Delegate chores. Hire work done when possible.
  10. Remember to breathe, to ground yourself and be physically present.

A gratitude list will help you discover what really matters to you. Simplifying means making choices that will improve the quality of your life.

What do you think?  Can you use these tips to simplify your life?  How else do you simplify?

 

 

Author’s content used under license, © 2008 Claire Communications

 

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/ten-ways-to-simplify-your-life/feed/ 0 ADHD and The Phone http://myattentioncoach.com/listening/adhd-and-the-phone/ http://myattentioncoach.com/listening/adhd-and-the-phone/#comments Sat, 05 May 2012 18:40:19 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1823 Do you have trouble staying focused while you are on the phone or work with clients or employees who seems to lose focus?  ADHD causes very real and sometimes significant challenges when trying to focus during a phone call.  This is especially true for people who work virtually or in a different location from their boss.

I shared my 6 top tips on a recent episode of the Practical ADHD Strategies radio show.  The tips are listed below, and you can listen to the 15 minute show here for more details:  Practical ADHD Strategies.

  1. Determine how long you can effectively focus during a phone call.  Not sure?  Experiment!  15 minutes might be perfect for one person and 45 minutes could be the best option for the next person.  What works best for you?
  2. Go to a place without distractions during phone calls.  Conference rooms, dining rooms and quiet hallways are all options.  Where is the most quiet place in your work location?
  3. Close your computer when you are having a phone call.  If you need the computer during phone call, close all unnecessary programs… especially email and internet browsing.
  4. If you tend to be distracted and lose focus during phone calls, think about ways you can use written communication to stay focused.  Can you text that update to your Virtual Assistant?  Can you send your boss a quick status update by email?
  5. Ask your employee or client with ADHD about their personal preferences.  What works best for them to stay focused?
]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/listening/adhd-and-the-phone/feed/ 4 Get Focused on Your ADHD Goals http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-your-adhd-goals/ http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-your-adhd-goals/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:29:45 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1343 What resolutions did you set at the beginning of 2011?  Which of those resolutions are related to your ADHD?  As you know, I prefer the concept of goals to resolutions.  Clear goals that use the SMART acronym can do more to move you to your successful vision than resolutions that are so easy to declare on New Years Day.

Two months of the year have passed and it is now time to Get Focused on your ADHD goals.  Whether it is getting organized, staying focused, starting a new project or something else that I have not contemplated, you owe it to yourself to get focused.

To start, take some time today to make sure your goal is SMART.

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Realistic
  • Timely

Next, focus on your action steps.  What is ONE step you can take today towards that goal?  Remember, it all starts with ONE step.  Share it here!

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-your-adhd-goals/feed/ 0 Get Focused on Phone Calls http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-phone-calls/ http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-phone-calls/#comments Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:29:03 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1340 What phone calls have you been delaying?  Identify at least one today that you can make and check off your to do list today.  This accomplishment might be just what you needed to get focused today.

Can’t think of a phone call you need to make?  Check my list below to double-check before closing this Get Focused reminder!

  • doctor’s appointments
  • school scheduling
  • sick friend
  • family member needing your support
  • tutor appointment
  • dentist appointment
  • orthodontist consultation (this one was on my list for MONTHS! – feels good to have it scheduled)
  • lawn service
  • summer plans

Just pick one and get it done today.  What calls are on your list?  let us know here to help others brainstorm as well.

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-phone-calls/feed/ 0 Relax to Get Focused http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/relax-to-get-focused/ http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/relax-to-get-focused/#comments Sun, 20 Feb 2011 13:29:57 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1320 Take some time today to just relax.  Focus on you and your relaxation!  Enjoy the day.

How do you relax?

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/relax-to-get-focused/feed/ 0 Plan Your Weekend to Get Focused http://myattentioncoach.com/planning/plan-your-weekend-to-get-focused/ http://myattentioncoach.com/planning/plan-your-weekend-to-get-focused/#comments Sat, 19 Feb 2011 13:49:40 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1318 Spend a few minutes to plan your weekend to get focused today.  Whether you have ADHD or not, you can increase your chances of getting more done when you have a plan.

Spend 10 Minutes

If planning is something new for you or if you really do not like doing it, start small.  Spend just 10 minutes and see if it helps you get more done.

  • Use your planner or a piece of paper and write down the top 5 things you need to accomplish this weekend.
  • Estimate how much time it will take to accomplish each.
  • At the end of the weekend, look back at your list and see if your estimates were accurate.  What did you learn and how can you adjust your plan the next time?

What do you think?  Will planning help you this weekend?

PS – Do you need help getting more done with ADHD?  Register for our FREE teleclass on Wednesday, February 23rd from noon – 1:00 p.m. eastern to learn 4 Keys to Getting More Done with ADHD.

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/planning/plan-your-weekend-to-get-focused/feed/ 0 Get Focused on the Positive http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-the-positive/ http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-the-positive/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:29:13 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1281 Do you have trouble focusing on what is positive for you?  Spending some time focusing on what is going well can really help boost your mood and allow you to focus more on your work the rest of the day.  Even if this sounds difficult for you, identify just one thing that has gone well for you in the past few days.

How will you get focused on the positive today?  Share your thought here!

Remember to register for our free teleclass:  4 Keys to Getting More Done with ADHD

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-on-the-positive/feed/ 0 Self Care is Important to Getting Focused When You Have ADHD http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/self-care-is-important-to-getting-focused-when-you-have-adhd/ http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/self-care-is-important-to-getting-focused-when-you-have-adhd/#comments Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:29:05 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1307 Taking care of yourself sometimes falls to the bottom of the to do list when you have ADHD.  To help you get focused, I recommend making self care a priority.

Today, I am happy to share a resource from my friend Cheryl Heppard who provides both business and health coaching.  Cheryl created a great handout regarding ways to show love for yourself in honor of Valentines Day.  When I read it, the handout includes some great ideas for self care.  Download the handout, print it and post it somewhere prominent to help you remember to take care of yourself.  You deserve it!

I Love Myself Everyday and Everywhere (from Cheryl Heppard)

Thanks to Cheryl for sharing this great resource with us!

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/self-care-is-important-to-getting-focused-when-you-have-adhd/feed/ 0 Get Focused with Positive Self-talk When You have ADHD http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-with-positive-self-talk-when-you-have-adhd/ http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-with-positive-self-talk-when-you-have-adhd/#comments Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:29:41 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1302 When you have ADHD, it might seem like you hear a lot of negative feedback.  Much of this feedback may even be from yourself.

There are many different names for this, but the name is not important.  It is simply that voice in your head that tends to tell you what you cannot do.  If this is the case for you, chances are that this can affect the focus you need to work on your goals and other priorities.

Take a minute today and see what you can reframe from a positive direction.  How can you make that voice give you some positive feedback?

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/get-focused/get-focused-with-positive-self-talk-when-you-have-adhd/feed/ 1 Learn Strategies to Improve Focus with ADHD http://myattentioncoach.com/adhd-coaching/learn-strategies-to-improve-focus-with-adhd/ http://myattentioncoach.com/adhd-coaching/learn-strategies-to-improve-focus-with-adhd/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:29:02 +0000 Laura Rolands, ADHD Coach http://myattentioncoach.com/?p=1299 ADHD can cause challenges with getting focused.  The reason I started my Get Focused series was to help you identify strategies and reminders to help you focus.

Today, I encourage you to learn and implement 3 new strategies to help you gain more focus.  Make a plan to stick with it for 66 days.  Recent research says it may take that long for a habit to form.

Here are a few ways to identify the strategies right here at My Attention Coach…

What are your favorite strategies?

]]> http://myattentioncoach.com/adhd-coaching/learn-strategies-to-improve-focus-with-adhd/feed/ 0