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?

Have ADD / ADHD and you want to manage your time better.  You have come to the right place!

• The average person today receives more information on a daily basis, than the average person received in a lifetime in 1900.
• Taking five minutes per day, five days per week to improve will create 1,200 little improvements over a five-year period.
• The average person gets 1 interruption every 8 minutes, or approximately 7 an hour, or 50-60 per day.
• The average person uses 13 different methods to control and manage their time.

If you’re thinking that time management courses only work for people WITHOUT the added complications that ADD / ADHD throws in the mix…

STOP RIGHT THERE!

I have partnered with ADD Classes to offer the 4-week Adult ADD Time Management Intensive to prove you wrong!

Check out all of the details today so you don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity…

Let me know if you have any questions and register ASAP to take advantage of a $50 discount.  The enhanced version is close to selling out, so don’t delay!

If you don’t see the Blog Talk Radio player below, go directly to Practical ADHD Strategies to listen.

What do you think?  Can these strategies help you get there on time?

Start small when trying to get more organized.  Pick one room, one stack of papers or one drawer to start.  There is temptation to tackle the whole office or house at once, but this typically adds to our stress level.  If you focus on one small step, maintaining it and moving on to the next small step, we are more likely to be successful in staying organized.

Here are some small steps to get you started…

Colors

Set up simple file folders that work for you. Label them in bright colors and use them!  Color code to prioritize email by the sender. This way, you can see emails from your priority customers, family members and bosses first. Taking care of priority emails will help keep your email organized.

Schedule It

Make an appointment with yourself to organize. Spend 30 minutes or less at first. Any more time can get overwhelming. If you have ADHD and can make hyperfocus work to your advantage, you might want to plan ahead and schedule a block of a few hours in one day. Check in with yourself – how much time works best for you?

Timers

When you start organizing, set timers to sound 10 minutes before you need to move to your next assignment. Use these 10 minutes to clean up your current organizing project.

Systematize

Set up a simple system for yourself when going through mail whether at home or the office. Give yourself a few options such as File, Toss, Do and Delegate. If you have trouble setting up a system for yourself, hire a coach or partner with a friend to figure out a system that works for YOU.

Motivate

Identify a reward for yourself when you accomplish a small organizing goal. Anything that will keep you going and that is affordable for you is a good idea.

Focus

I know it can be hard to focus on eliminating disorder when you have ADHD.  You would not have this challenge if it was easy!  To limit distractions when you are getting organized, turn off your computer and don’t answer the phone.  This will help you focus on your organizing goals, which will allow you to complete them sooner.

Let me know below which of these tips you will implement to help you reach your deadlines!

Okay, I’m not able to change the clocks, but by implementing some of the tips below, you can create more productive hours in your day.

Plan

Start by planning your day. If you know what you need to accomplish and identify when you can accomplish it, you increase your odds of getting it done. Don’t feel like you have time to plan?  Start with 5 minutes for your daily planning. Even just a small amount of planning can really help.

Track Work Time

After you plan your day, estimate how much time each task will take.  This is a great double-check on your planning. If you have planned 16 hours worth of activities into your workday, chances are, you cannot get it all done.  No one could!  It is a sign that you need to prioritize what gets done and take a few things off the list.

The most powerful part can be when you go back at the end of each task and note how much time each one actually took you to complete. You can develop more accuracy in your plan and become more realistic in the future.

Prioritized “To Do” List

Use a prioritized “to do” list instead of giving every activity equal weight. During your weekly planning time, take a minute to assign a priority to each task. This will help to ensure you don’t waste time on low priority tasks

Limit your Time Spent on Email

Email uses a lot of time.  To control the amount of time you spend, consider checking your email only a few times each day. If you check your mail each time you get a new message, you time transitioning between your current task and checking that email. You’ll spend less time on email if you check it in chunks of time.  I do this and spend about 50% less time on email than previously.

What do you think?  Can you add more productive hours to your day?

You have ADD / ADHD and you want to manage your time better.  Check out the Adult ADD Time Management Intensive for the help you need.

• The average person today receives more information on a daily basis, than the average person received in a lifetime in 1900.
• Taking five minutes per day, five days per week to improve will create 1,200 little improvements over a five-year period.
• The average person gets 1 interruption every 8 minutes, or approximately 7 an hour, or 50-60 per day.
• The average person uses 13 different methods to control and manage their time.

If you’re thinking that time management courses only work for people WITHOUT the added complications that ADD / ADHD throws in the mix…

STOP RIGHT THERE!

I am partnering with ADD Classes to offer the 4-week Adult ADD Time Management Intensive to prove you wrong!

Check out all of the details today so you don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity…

Say No

If your ADHD causes you to be impulsive, chances are that this carries over to your finances.  This can cause you to stretch your finances too far by making purchases that don’t fit with your income.  Say “no” to purchasing in the moment instead of saying yes… especially high priced items.  This gives you a chance to evaluate whether or not you need the item and whether you really even want it.  If saying “no” seems too harsh, practice saying “maybe”.  You can always go back and purchase it later!

Automate

It can be difficult to remember to pay bills when you have ADHD.  It can also feel like such a chore that you just never get around to doing it.  Automate as many of your bills as possible to take some of the work out of the process.  You can do this through your bank and/or through the company you are paying.

Keep Track

Whether you use technology or an “old fashioned” checkbook register, it is important to keep track of your money.  Easier said than done right?  Make it simple so that you stick with it.  You do things like check your balance on-line once per week, set up low balance alerts with your bank, or review your register once per week.  Set a goal to keep track and establish reminders for yourself.

Get Assistance

Learn more about how to manage your finances and gain success with your money.  Getting assistance to help you improve your money management can go a long way towards becoming successful with ADHD and money.  I recommend the ADHD & Money Management Online Seminar at ADHD Management with Dr. Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, Ph.D.  She speaks internationally, and appears in national media outlets frequently covering the topic of ADHD and money management.

What are YOUR keys to financial success?

Join Colleen Bain, MAED and me as we discuss ADHD at the Online Association of Brain Trainers.

• Thursday, March 8, 2012
• 7pm eastern (6pm central, 5pm mountain, 4pm pacific)

We will discuss the following:

•  What makes productivity difficult for adults and children with ADHD
• The best known strategies to keep students with ADHD productive in school
• Successful ways adults can increase productivity at work
• How families can become more productive at home.
• How can teachers help students with ADHD be more productive at school?

To register:  go to the Online Association of Brain Trainers

The Online Association of Brain Trainers was founded by Colleen and it’s primary mission is to

The primary mission of the Online Association of Brain Trainers (OABT) is:

“to provide a central online community where parents, teachers and professionals using or interested in brain training can connect, communicate and collaborate around the awareness, education, and services of brain training and how it relates to the transformation of students into independent learners.”

I’m looking forward to the interview and hope you will join us!