• If you know that you are spending 3 hours on Facebook, you can save some time by shortening the time!
• When you see that you are super productive between 10am and noon, you can schedule your most challenging times during that time.

Below are a few ideas that you can use to figure out where your time goes.

Weekly Snapshot

Use a Weekly Planning Snapshot to keep track of your time in one-hour increments over the next week.  At the beginning of each hour, write (or type) how you spent your last hour.  Make it short; write for 30 seconds or less.  At the end of each day, look at how you spent your time.  Where did you spend your time?  What were your productive times?

Estimate Your Time

When you are planning your day, estimate the amount of time each task will take you to complete.  Add up the time you estimate.  Does the total equal more than the amount of time you have to work today?  If it does, you need to take some things off the list.

At the end of the day, compare your estimates to the amount of time your tasks actually took you to complete.  How close were you?  How can you adjust your estimates to be more accurate?

Notice

Yes, this sounds too simple to be helpful, but it can work.  Spend the next week consciously noticing where you are spending your time.  Tell your inner critic to be quiet and let you just pay attention to time.  At the end of each day write down or record what you noticed during the day.  Noticing where your time goes will give you new insight into time wasters and time savers that work for you.

Which one of these strategies will you try this week?

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Check out the companion 15-minute radio show episode!

Choosing the right planner for you and your lifestyle is very important, especially if you are busy, overwhelmed by your To Do List and/or have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD).  This is true no matter what profession you hold and no matter what your age.  By third grade, even elementary school students need some type of planner or way to keep track of assignments.

ADHD Creates Significant Challenges

for people when it comes to using a planner and therefore managing their time.  Your list might be too overwhelming, you might forget to look at your planner or perhaps there are other reasons.  I am frequently asked to recommend the best planner for someone with ADHD.  The bad news is that there is not one best planner.  The good news is that I can still help you select the best planner, especially if you have ADHD.

Prioritize

If you have determined that you need a better system of planning (or just need to start one!), I first recommend that you select the planner characteristics that are most important to you.  The checklist at the end of this article will help you identify those characteristics.

To use the checklist, place a check mark next to each characteristic you would like to have in a planner and indicate an A, B or C priority next to each characteristic you check.

• A = planner must have this
• B = would be nice for planner to have this
• C = not so important to me

After you  select which characteristics are important, take the list with you to the store or have it next to you while you search on-line.  This will help narrow your search and end up with a planner that really works for you.

Select Your Planner

After you have picked your characteristics, it is time for shopping.  A couple of sites to investigate are www.FamiliesWithPurpose.com, www.FranklinCovey.com and www.DayRunner.com.  If you are interested in electronic planners, be sure to review free sites (i.e. Google Calendar) in addition to all of the devices that are available.  If you have a smart phone, integrate with available on-line tools if that will help you remember to use it every day.  Once you have selected your planner, work with it for at least one month before evaluating it’s effectiveness.  If it doesn’t work for you after trying a new planner for at least a month, you may want to consider something different.  Commit to USING it before you discard it though.

Using Your Planner

Here are a few tips to help ensure that you use your planner.

• If you currently use multiple planners, try to consolidate into one.
• After you purchase your planner, commit to using it for at least one month.
• Keep it in a location where you will review it every day.
• Review it at the same time each day to help enforce your habit.

The right planner can make a big difference in getting more done, and more importantly getting your high priority tasks done.  Share your comments to let us know how the check list works for you.  Good luck with your planner search!

Planner Characteristic Checklist

• _____  Month-at-a-glance view
• _____  Week-at-a-glance view
• _____  The ability to see each day separate from all others
• _____  Spiral bound so I don’t lose any pages and can have the entire year in one product
• _____  Binder format so I can add and remove pages as needed
• _____  Zippered binder so I don’t lose any pages
• _____  Electronic with no need to print
• _____  Electronic with the ability to print a To Do List
• _____  Electronic with the ability to print an appointment schedule
• _____  Paper so I can write in it when needed
• _____  To Do List available for every day
• _____  To Do List for the whole month
• _____  To Do List for each week
• _____  Room to plan for multiple roles (i.e. Employee, parent, spouse, business owner)
• _____  Calendar and To Do List integrated into one planner
• _____  Calendar and To Do List separate from each other
• _____  Small size for easy portability
• _____  Large size for ease of writing and room for more items
• _____  Medium size as a compromise between small and large
• _____  Time slots for meetings and appointments all day
• _____  Specific time slots included in the Calendar section
• _____  Pockets for other items such as cell phone or wallet
• _____  Wall calendar format
• _____  Portable format
• _____  Attached strap so it can be carried like a purse or briefcase
• _____  Price is no object
• _____  Budget = $______
• _____  Add your own characteristics here:  __________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________

© 2011, LSR Coaching and Consulting, LLC

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.

Make a List

To help overcome all of these issues, make a grocery list today. Better yet, keep a running list for a few days and plan a shopping day later in the week when you have some additional time.

What strategies do you use to get focused on your groceries.  Share them here with our community!

Ready to implement positive change regarding your ADHD?  Check out Turmoil to Tranquility online coaching.

Have a productive week!

Choosing the right planner for you and your lifestyle is very important, especially if you are busy, overwhelmed by your To Do List and/or have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD).  This is true no matter what profession you hold and no matter what your age.  By third grade, even elementary school students need some type of planner or way to keep track of assignments.

ADHD creates significant for people when it comes to using a planner and therefore managing their time.

Your list might be too overwhelming, you might forget to look at your planner or perhaps there are other reasons.  I am frequently asked to recommend the best planner for someone with ADHD.  The bad news is that there is not one best planner.  The good news is that I can still help you select the best planner, especially if you have ADHD.

Prioritize

If you have determined that you need a better system of planning (or just need to start one!), I first recommend that you prioritize what planner characteristics are important to you.  The checklist at the end of this article will help you focus on your priorities and provide you with a template of what needs to exist with your next planner.

To use the checklist, place a check mark next to each characteristic you would like to have in a planner and indicate an A, B or C priority next to each characteristic you check.

• A = planner must have this
• B = would be nice for planner to have this
• C = not so important to me

After you  select which characteristics are important, take the list with you to the store or have it next to you while you search on-line.  This will help narrow your search and end up with a planner that really works for you.

• If you currently use multiple planners, try to consolidate into one.
• After you purchase your planner, commit to using it for at least one month.
• Keep it in a location where you will review it every day.

Select Your Planner

After you have picked your characteristics, it is time for shopping.  A couple of sites to investigate are www.FranklinCovey.com and www.DayRunner.com.  If you are interested in electronic planners, be sure to review free sites (i.e. Google Calendar, Cozi) in addition to all of the devices that are available.  If you have a smart phone, integrate with available on-line tools if that will help you remember to use it every day.  Once you have selected your planner, work with it for at least one month before evaluating it’s effectiveness.  If it doesn’t work for you after trying a new planner for at least a month, you may want to consider something different.  Commit to USING it before you discard it though.

The right planner can make a big difference in getting more done, and more importantly getting your high priority tasks done.  Share your comments to let us know how the check list works for you.  Good luck with your planner search!

Planner Characteristic Checklist

• _____  Month-at-a-glance view
• _____  Week-at-a-glance view
• _____  The ability to see each day separate from all others
• _____  Spiral bound so I don’t lose any pages and can have the entire year in one product
• _____  Binder format so I can add and remove pages as needed
• _____  Zippered binder so I don’t lose any pages
• _____  Electronic with no need to print
• _____  Electronic with the ability to print a To Do List
• _____  Electronic with the ability to print an appointment schedule
• _____  Paper so I can write in it when needed
• _____  To Do List available for every day
• _____  To Do List for the whole month
• _____  To Do List for each week
• _____  Room to plan for multiple roles (i.e. Employee, parent, spouse, business owner)
• _____  Calendar and To Do List integrated into one planner
• _____  Calendar and To Do List separate from each other
• _____  Small size for easy portability
• _____  Large size for ease of writing and room for more items
• _____  Medium size as a compromise between small and large
• _____  Time slots for meetings and appointments all day
• _____  Specific time slots included in the Calendar section
• _____  Pockets for other items such as cell phone or wallet
• _____  Wall calendar format
• _____  Portable format
• _____  Attached strap so it can be carried like a purse or briefcase
• _____  Price is no object
• _____  Budget = $______
• _____  Add your own characteristics here:  __________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________

For a PDF version of this guide, register here:  Choosing Your Planner Guide

First, identify your time management challenges.

Time management likely means something different to everyone.  The first key to improving time management is to identify your challenges and determine what you want to achieve.  Spend some time on this step so you can really uncover your challenges.  Consider these questions as you consider your challenges:

• What does effective time management look like?
• What can you achieve if you improve your time management?
• What strengths can help you with time management?

Second, set a SMART goal regarding time management.

If you want to improve your time management skills, you need to set a clear goal.  You might be tempted to set several goals all at once.  Please don’t.  Instead focus on one goal that follows the principles of SMART goal setting.

• Specific:  Be specific to help you develop a clear goal that will help you focus.  Read Set Specific SMART Goals for more information.
• Measurable:   Make measurable goals so you know when you arrive.  Read Measure for SMARTer Goals to learn more about this important component.
• Ambitious:  While I recommend that you focus on one area of time management make sure that you set a goal that stretches you a little bit – be ambitious.  For more insight about the “A” of SMART goals, read Achievable, Ambitious, ADHD or Attention – what does the A mean in SMART Goals?
• Realistic:  To balance the Ambitious component, review your goal to ensure it is Realistic.  For more, read Be Realistic for SMART goals that get Results.
• Time:  Set a time limit on your goal.  When will you achieve it?  This helps build in the accountability that you need.

Third, implement a time management action plan.

You know your challenges and you have a SMART goal.  Now you need to develop and implement an action plan that will help you manage your time better.  Keep you action plan to five or fewer items.  The secret here is in the effectiveness of your action plan, not in the number of your actions. Below, I am listing some potential actions that you can implement.  Remember, you do not need to implement all of them, especially since not all of them will apply to your specific challenges and goal.

• Develop a morning routine to get yourself and/or your family going to start the day.
• Use an evening or bedtime routine to get sleep started more effectively.
• Set a timer 10 minutes before you need to leave for a meeting.
• Make a MUST DO list to ensure you focus on your priorities every day.
• Use a planner (more on this in step four).
• If you procrastinate, work on that big project for just 15 minutes every day.
• If you hyperfocus, set a timer to signal when a task should end.
• Check email twice per day.

Fourth, use a planner that works for YOU!

I am a huge proponent of planners.  Many of my coaching clients ask my advice regarding which planner is the best.  I am sorry to say, there is not a best planner.  Just like there is not one time management goal that works for everyone, a planner choice is very personal.  The good news is that my article Choosing the Right Planner  can help you identify and use the planner that will serve you best in the coming year.

Do you need help with developing your action plan?  Let us know by leaving a comment and we’ll write an article to help you!

Make a Plan

When you have ADHD, making a plan can be the most difficult and important part of studying. Difficult because it may go against your nature of acting in the moment.  Important because it can make your studying less stressful and more effective.  Experiment with this concept.  Next time you have a test, think about how long you should study.  Break your studying into time chunks over several days if possible.  Put the time into your calendar, planner, phone or somewhere else that you will see it.

Implement Your Plan

I can hear your protest now.  “But Laura, I can make a beautiful plan, but I won’t implement it.”  Once you have made your plan, it can feel a little overwhelming to implement it.  Focus on the first time chunk.  What day will you start your studying?  Where will you go to study?  What is your reward when you finish.  Do what it takes to implement your plan, even if it seems like a very small step.  Getting started will help you gain momentum.

Read Your Notes

You are thinking, “of course I’ll read my notes”, but I mean for you to read them aloud.  Especially if you are an auditory learner, this can help you study more effectively than if you try to read your notes silently.  I have one client who has been reading multiplication facts aloud to himself for a couple weeks.  Just one set of facts each evening (3×3, 3×4, 3×5 … 3×11) two times through.  This client reports that this simple act of reading the facts aloud is already helping with his middle-school math class.  Could this strategy help you to study vocabulary?  math?  other subjects?

Take Breaks

Taking breaks can seem to be counter intuitive to my clients.  Many would rather push through all of their work and hope that hyperfocus helps them study.  By taking even a short break, you can give yourself a chance to rejuvenate and recharge to get ready for more studying.  A brisk walk can help even more.

Let me know your thoughts on these effective study tips.  What are your favorite study tips for students with ADHD?  What works for you?  Share here and help others learn from you!