Category Archives: Goals

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8 Resources for Setting Goals When You Have ADHD

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Effective goal setting is important for everyone.  If you have ADHD / ADD, it is even more critical.  Being clear on where you are headed can help you focus more and improve your effectiveness.  Without this focus, you may have a bigger challenge in achieving your goals.

Below, I have pulled together some of my favorite goal setting articles here at My Attention Coach to provide you a one-stop “shopping” experience.  Let me know your thoughts!

Goal Setting 101

Clear goals that use the SMART acronym do more to move you towards success than any number of New Years resolutions.  This article shares some quick tips to ensure that your goals are SMART.

 

Set Specific SMART Goals — overcome attention challenges

As you probably already know, the S in SMART goals stands for Specific.  Even though we know that it means, it can still be difficult to make sure a goal is specific.   Read this article for tips.
 

Measure for SMARTer Goals — overcome your attention challenges

The next element of SMART goals is M – Measurable.  When goals are measurable, we objectively know when we achieve our goals.  Without something to measure, you will never know when you reach your goal, or worse yet, when you do not reach it.
 

Achievable, Ambitious, ADHD or Attention – what does the A mean in SMART Goals?

The A in SMART goals can really stand for a few different concepts.  I think they all have validity and usefulness for my attention and ADHD coaching clients.  This article explains.  
 

Be Realistic for SMART goals that get Results

The R in SMART stands for Realistic, and it is so important to be realistic when you are setting your goals. This article will help you to be more realistic!

Timely Goals are SMARTer

To achieve more with your goals, you need to make them timely or timelined.  This means setting deadlines.  When you have ADHD, it is important to set timely goals with deadlines to help you keep focus on the goals.

Review Goals to Get Focused

ADHD can cause trouble staying focused on your goals.  Especially annual goals that are set early in the year.  This article will help you review your goals to help you stay (or get!)  focused.

Prioritizing ADHD Goals

All of your goals are important to you and prioritizing them allows you to focus your valuable time and energy.  When you have ADHD, prioritizing your goals can be extremely difficult, yet it is an important skill to develop.

Let me know your thoughts and any questions below.

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Goal Setting 101

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What resolutions did you set at the beginning of 2011?  Which of those resolutions are related to your ADHD?  I prefer goals to resolutions as you probably know.  Clear goals that use the SMART acronym do more to move you towards success than any number of New Years resolutions.

Take some time to review your goals or to set some new ones.  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
    • Making goals specific give you a better idea of where you are headed.
    • Take the example of getting organized.  Saying I want to be better organized might move you in the right direction, but saying that you want to clear all of the extra clutter from the file drawers in your home office is likely to motivate you more.
  • Measurable
    • When you set your goals, make sure you can measure them.
    • Having measurements lets you keep track of whether or not you achieve your goals.
  • Attainable
    • Goals need to be attainable.  Many times, when talking to clients, I learn that their goals are often set in a manner that makes them unachievable.  As you  know, this can be frustrating.  When looking at your goals, look at them to make sure they are attainable.  If not, break them into smaller steps.
  • Realistic
    • You must be realistic when setting your goals. If ADHD tends to make you impulsive, it is especially important for you to focus on setting realistic goals. When you set goals, double-check to make sure you are being realistic.
  • Timely
    •  When you have ADHD, it is important to set timely goals with deadlines to help you keep focus on the goals.
    • To reinforce the deadlines you set for yourself, I recommend that you write them down in your planner or calendar.

To learn more about goal setting strategies, register for the teleclass I am offering in August with my coaching colleague Dale Davison.  Goals and ADHD: Practical Strategies that Work for You!

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Goals and ADHD: Practical Strategies that Work for You

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Goal setting can be difficult when you have ADHD.  Join us – Certified ADHD coach Dale Davison, M.Sp.Ed and me for an introductory class where we will share practical strategies for setting and achieving goals that work for you – the adult with ADHD.

Join us for 30 minutes to learn how to

  • set powerful goals that you can actually achieve
  • set goals that will motivate you
  • set goals that will increase your focus
  • set goals that will increase your productivity

This will be easy  and convenient…  Call from either your home or office on

Monday 8/22/11  2:30 – 3:00 p.m. EDT  (1:30 – 2:00 p.m. CDT)

or

 Tuesday 8/23/11    9:00 – 9:30 p.m. EST or  8:00 – 8:30 p.m. CST

We really encourage you to join us live so you can get your own questions answered, but the recording will also be available for those of you who can’t make it to either of the teleclasses.

Cost:  complimentary / free
Register by:  9 a.m 8/22/11 to receive call-in number and password

 

 

Interested in more strategies and support that work?  Join us for our group coaching by phone starting August 29.  Go from Turmoil to Tranquility!

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Accessing the Power of Gratitude

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Why gratitude?

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery.

But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. I know this can be especially true for my clients with ADHD.  And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. And that can take some time.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.

Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.

There are many things to be grateful for: colorful autumn leaves, legs that work, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm jackets, tomatoes, the ability to read, roses, our health, butterflies. What’s on your list?

Some Ways to Practice Gratitude

  • Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way.
  • Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures.
  • Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your nighttime routine.
  • Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation.
  • When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.
  • Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks for gratitude.

As you practice, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be delighted to discover how content and hopeful you are feeling. That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work.

What do you think?  How can you practice more gratitude?

Author’s content used under license, © 2011 Claire Communications

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Review Goals to Get Focused

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ADHD can cause trouble staying focused on your goals.  Especially annual goals that are set early in the year.  Review your goals today to get yourself focused.  Doing so can refresh you on personal and professional priorities for 2011.

Goal Review

To review your goals, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What progress have I made towards my goal?
  • What adjustments do I need to make regarding my goal?
  • What milestones can I set to to ensure I am making progress to meet my goal?
  • How can I keep my goals present for myself in my day-to-day activities?

Do a quick review and leave your comments here to let us know how it has helped you.

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