Disorganized Brain = Creative Brain?

       
Eric Barker's review of Steven Johnson's book below is bursting with thoughts to ponder. Makes me want to read the book. What about you?

"In Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation, Steven Johnson posits that "the more disorganized your brain is, the smarter you are" in reference to the results of a neuroscience experiment by Robert Thatcher.

Across the board, in Johnson's book and other sources it seems pretty clear that creativity is messy.

Ideas need to be sloshing around or crashing in to one another to produce breakthroughs:

• Johnson cites research showing that the volume of ideas bouncing about make large cities disproportionately more creative than smaller towns.

• Having multiple hobbies allows your brain to subconsciously compare and contrast problems and solutions, forming new connections at the margins of each.

• Similarly, reading multiple books at the same time vs serially lets your brain juxtapose new ideas and develop new connections.

• Wandering minds are more creative.

• Studying a field "too much" doesn't limit creativity -- it does the opposite. More ideas banging about just produces even more ideas.

• The "accept everything" mantra of brainstorming doesn't work. Debate is far more effective. Let those ideas fight.

• ADD and bipolar disorder are both associated with greater creativity. When you're drunk or exhausted your brain is poised for breakthroughs.

• Even with teams, it's better to mix up experience levels, familiarity with one another and other factors to keep things rough around the edges."

More on the brain and organization:

Disorganized Brain Activity May Lead to Teens' Illogical Decisison-Making

How Sleep Helps Keep Your Brain Organized

Clutter and the Brain - Dr. Peter Whybrow

 

Refocus Each Morning - ADHD or Not

    
I have been doing some business coaching with a client who has ADHD. He likes to process verbally, so we meet together at the beginning of each day. This is what we do:

- Review what happened the previous day.

- Look at today's schedule to see what is coming up.

- Determine the priorities for the day.

- Prioritize the tasks: which is the most important and the most urgent, second most important and urgent, etc.

- Schedule less important and urgent tasks later during the week.

- We also evaluate to see if strategies are working.

- And at times, we brainstorm to solve problems and come up with new ideas. 

My client's busiest time is at the end of his day, so he likes to refocus in the morning during his less busy time. By going through this process, he is able to stay focused during the day. And knowing I'm going to show up each day motivates him to stay on task. :)

I absolutely LOVE helping him be more effective, and we're starting to see our efforts pay off. 

You can do the same thing, too! If you prefer, going through this process at the end of your day might be even more effective, as you'll be poised to jump start your day tomorrow. 


More on staying focused:

Foods That Help ADHD Focus

Do You Have a Mid-Afternoon Priority Check?

Five Ways to Prevent Procrastination from Zapping Your Energy and Productivity

You Don't Have to Have ADD to Appreciate Skoach - An ADD-Friendly Online Planner

      
I've been working with a business coaching client who has ADD, and he hasn't found a calendar/planner that works well with his ADD. I discovered Skoach, an online planner system designed especially for those with ADD.  

But you don't have to have ADD to enjoy this system. It's colorful and a lot more interesting than just a calendar full of words. One aspect I particularly like is the Commitment Bar, which keeps you  from becoming over-committed.

The price is as low as $8 per month and syncs to your smart phone.  

The only drawback I saw was that it only allows for one person's calendar. For example, my client coaches softball and each of his daughters has a softball schedule. He wanted to able to see both his and his daughters' schedules at the same time.


 
Here's some information from their website: 

"You can’t lose it! You can’t break it! You can’t leave it behind! Get Skoach, and you’ve got it covered!

Skoach was developed by internationally recognized ADHD authority Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. , author of best-selling ADD-friendly Ways to Organize Your Life.  Many of the ideas she developed in her book have been incorporated into Skoach.

Designed to help develop better executive functioning skills, Skoach is user-friendly enough for those in middle-school and sophisticated enough for adults.   Skoach makes the perfect time management partner for those with ADD (ADHD).  Here's why:

• Helps working memory with multiple types of reminders.
• Helps planning by providing a template for the week on which to build a schedule.
• Helps create structure and prioritization by placing every task in a category and time range.
• Helps improve time management through the Commitment Bar -  that guards against over-commitment.
• Supports coaching so that parents, teachers, or coaches can access Skoach accounts to provide oversight.

If you have ADHD (ADD), get Skoach. You’ll wonder how you ever got along without it!"

More on ADHD:

If Your Child Has ADHD, You Have a 1 in 4 Chance of Having It, Too

Organizing the ADD Household

Understanding the ADD Mindset

 

Creating Order for the Disorganized Child

  
          I found the following article to be a helpful resource for parents of disorganized children. It was written by Carolyn Stone, Ed. D., an ADD expert. 

"Many parents talk to me with frustration about their children who strew their things throughout the house and then cannot find what they need when they need it.  Some of these children have ADHD or a learning disability that we know makes it hard for them to organize stuff.  Others are simply immature or undiagnosed.  Whatever the case, it is irritating for parents and children alike for parents to constantly remind children to put things away. 

The first step is to get your attitude in shape.  If you are taking this behavior personally, you are probably quite angry about it.  “I didn’t have children to be a maid!”  Of course not.  Deal with your anger.  Accept that your child is not behaving the way you had hoped he would.  It does no good to blame yourself or your child.  When you can calm down, you will be ready to engage your child in some problem solving. 

Most children need to be taught systems for keeping things organized.  Children with ADHD and learning problems have brains that find this type of activity quite difficult.  Teaching them requires more repetitions and more patience.  That said, children can be taught to take responsibility for keeping track of their things, even if they have learning disabilities.  They need patient coaching, but they can learn to be responsible.  Don’t give up and become the maid (or butler).

Now you can address the problem.  Try not to solve everything at once.  Rome wasn’t built in a day.  What part of the messy chaos disrupts the family the most?  Is it the frantic looking for shoes  and homework in the morning?  Is it the dirty dishes and socks in the family room?  Choose one issue and begin.   At a calm moment start the conversation without blaming.  Blame only makes most children (or teens) feel bad and often want to argue. So describe the problem, 'It’s really upsetting for you and me in the morning when you can’t find your things.  Do you have any ideas about what would help?'  Perhaps you child has ideas, but if you are just beginning this process, he or she might not. 

Now you can suggest things like having a bin near the door where shoes and boots go.  Or suggest that the last step of homework is to pack the backpack and put it near the door.  If your child resists, listen to her objection and find out why.  This could help develop a solution that is more durable.  Once your child agrees to a new arrangement, you will need to cue her about it.  When she responds to the cue, make sure you praise her.  This is the best way to help a child learn a new behavior. 

Good luck with initiating some routines that help your disorganized child stay a little more organized."

More on disorganized children:

Help for Parents of Disorganized, Inattentive and Forgetful Kids

Parenting a Disorganized Child

Disorganized Teens - Symptons of ADHD

Getting Organized for School - A Successful Day Starts the Night Before

   

If Your Child Has ADHD, You Have a 1 in 4 Chance of Having It, Too

     

The following iVillage article, "Coud You Have ADHD?" by Jeannette Moninger published Mar 8, 2012 describes how parents are discovering that they, too, have ADHD when their children are diagnosed with it.  

"Life was chaotic for Alyson English. 'My mind constantly raced from one thing to the next. I assumed that’s how it was for everyone,' says the 33-year-old mom from Huntsville, Ala. Indeed, that’s how it was for English’s son, too, when he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at age 6. 'While researching his diagnosis, I realized I had the same symptoms when I was a child, and I still had them,' says English, who was finally diagnosed with ADHD when she was 31.

An estimated 9 million adults have ADHD, and that number is expected to grow thanks to better diagnostic tools and a heightened awareness about the disorder in both kids and adults. 'We weren’t as aware of ADHD decades ago, which means many adults were never properly diagnosed when they were children,' says Zinia Thomas, M.D., a psychiatrist in St. Louis. While kids with the disorder are thought of as fidgety, hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive, ADHD looks different in adults.

Signs of Adult ADHD
Distractibility
 
'The lives of adults with untreated ADHD are littered with half-finished tasks,' says Dr. Thomas. That’s because they procrastinate, underestimate a project’s scope or get easily sidetracked. 

Poor Organization
Adults with ADHD have rooms and work spaces that are strewn with papers; their keys and important documents “vanish;” and bills and appointments often get overlooked.  

Rudeness
Poor impulse controls manifest as interruptions, excessive talking and inappropriate, sometimes volatile, reactions. 

Accidents
Adults with ADHD are four times more likely to be in a car crash because they’re easily distracted. 

Relationship Woes
Adults with untreated ADHD are twice as likely to be divorced or separated. 

Work Struggles
Frequent job changes and poor performance reviews are common because it’s difficult to manage tasks and stay organized. 

Family History
One-fourth of kids diagnosed with ADHD have a parent with the disorder.

Getting Help
If these symptoms sound familiar, talk to your primary doctor who can refer you to a mental health specialist such as a psychologist or psychiatrist for diagnosis and treatment. Medication is a treatment option -- for some it can be a life-changer -- but it isn't always necessary. 

Therapists, life coaches and professional organizers can help adults with ADHD develop better time management and organizational skills with or without meds. The result? 'What I thought was anxiety was actually ADHD,' says English. 'Once I had the right diagnosis and treatment, my life got a complete organizational makeover, which made everyone in my family happier.'"

 More on ADHD:

Foods That Help ADHD Focus

Experts Give Advice for ADHD Adults

ADHD Organization - Decision-Making

 

 

New Data Sheds Light On The Cause Of 'Brain Clutter'

          

RTTNews ran the following article yesterday, which I thought was very informative. I hope you enjoy it.  I'm fascinated by ADD research and try to keep up with it, as we always have girls with ADD in our home. Plus ADD has an impact on organizing one's time or space.

"New data collected by a research team at McGill University in Montreal has discovered the lack of attention common in patients of ADHD, OCD and Tourette syndrome could be linked to the malfunctioning of one specific type of brain cell.

This lack of focus, commonly referred to as 'brain clutter,' has previously been thought of as a default in the brain's prefrontal cortex, but now researcher Julio Martinez-Trujillo is suggesting that the malfunctioning of neurons that normally help filter information may be to blame.

'Contrary to common beliefs, the brain has a limited processing capacity. It can only effectively process about one per cent of the visual information that it takes in,' Martinez-Trujilo tells sciencedaily.com. 'This means that the neurons responsible for perceiving objects and programming actions must constantly compete with one another to access the important information.'

For the study, Martinez-Trujilo and his team examined the ability of animals to process visual stimuli. They then analyzed the performance of these neurons depending on each animal's ability to filter information. 'What we found when we looked at the behaviour of the neurons in the prefrontal cortex, was that an animal's ability to successfully accomplish a single action in the presence of visual clutter, was dictated by how well these units suppressed distracting information,' he adds."

More on ADD:

Organizing the ADD Household

Understanding the ADD Mindset

More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

 

Foods That Help ADHD Focus

          
I learned from Ramona Creel about an article on WebMD that suggests foods to help people with ADHD to focus or extend their focus. I found it very interesting. Here's an excerpt:
 
"Scientific research on ADHD diets is limited and results are mixed. Many health experts, however, do believe that diet may play a role in relieving ADHD symptoms. WebMD's ADHD expert Richard Sogn, MD, points out that whatever is good for the brain is likely to be good for ADHD. Brain researcher and ADHD expert Daniel Amen, MD, recommends these ADHD diet suggestions.

• Eat a high-protein diet, including beans, cheese, eggs, meat, and nuts. Add protein foods in the morning and for after-school snacks, to improve concentration and possibly increase the time ADHD medications work.
• Eat fewer simple carbohydrates, such as candy, corn syrup, honey, sugar, products made from white flour, white rice, and potatoes without the skins.
• Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and some fruits (including oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples, and kiwi). Eating complex carbs at night may aid sleep.
• Eat more Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in tuna, salmon, other cold-water white fish, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive and canola oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are also available in supplement form."                                                                                                                                                                                          More on ADHD:
  

  Understanding the ADD Mindset

  Help for Moms with ADD

  Review:AgendaWorksPlanner     

                                                                                                    

ADD and a Clutter-Free Desk - It's Not Impossible!

      
Jeff Hamilton writes about the challenges of living with adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Here's his description of how he manages to keep his desk clutter-free:

"ADD and a messy desk, that's a bad combination. You may work out of your home, in a cubicle within an office building or your desk could sit in many different locations. No matter where it sits or how big it is, a mess is a mess and it can push you right off your path of productivity.

If you are challenged by ADD, you need to work on things in order to be successful in managing it. If your desk is messy it creates distraction, chaos, items are easily lost, we become disorganized, frustrated, procrastination can occur, it impacts time management, productivity goes down and slowly......we lose control.

My desk clutter solution is simple and involves two easy things

1. My note book - I write everything down in my note book. It keeps all my thoughts, to-do's and things I need to remember in one organized place where it's easy to find. From that, I tend to schedule tasks into my Outlook calendar.

2. I've gone electronic - no more paper, no more piles of crap, no more cluster. If I have something I need to review and I don't have time, I'll place it on my book shelf and then schedule the time to review it at a later date in my Outlook calendar. My bills/invoices arrive via email, which is also good for the environment.

Other items that are paper based can be scanned and filed on your computer.

Keeping your desk clean and uncluttered is a must-do for people with ADD. ... Besides the basic computer requirements, I have only a few things on it: Kleenex, my note book, a picture of my kids and some flowers to show the sensitive male side of me within ;) That's it. My desk set up is a clean, lean production machine!!


More on organizing with ADD:

More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

Organizing the ADD Household

Disorganized Teens - Symptons of ADHD

 

Experts Give Advice for ADHD Adults

         
Margarita Tartakovsky's article 12 Tips for Getting Organized for Adults with ADHD cites advice given by ADHD coach Laura Rolands and ADHD expert Ari Tuckman:

"Organizing is a challenge and a chore for most people. But when you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), symptoms like distractibility, forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating can make getting organized seem impossible.

But there are small steps you can take to organize your space and your life. Below, attention and ADHD coach Laura Rolands and clinical psychologist and ADHD expert Ari Tuckman share their strategies for getting a handle on clutter and creating a clean space. 

1. Start small. When it comes to organizing, one of the mistakes people with ADHD make is to try to work on everything at once, said Rolands, who operates LSR Coaching and Consulting.

The second mistake, according to Tuckman, is letting your space become unbearably disorganized. So the disorganization becomes doubly overwhelming, and you give yourself more reasons to avoid it.
'Pick one area to clean for today and make it an area that is not too large,' such as 'one section of your kitchen counter or one corner of your living room,' Rolands said.

If this is still overwhelming, think of an amount of time that feels comfortable to you, such as 10 minutes, she said. Set your timer, and organize until you hear the ding. Timers also serve as great reminders that you need to move on to your next project. 

2. Work on one small area each day, Rolands said. Again, this helps you avoid getting overwhelmed and easily distracted. 

3. Organize on a regular basis. As Tuckman said, 'We don’t expect one shower to last all week, so it’s the same with organizing.'

Find yourself slipping? 'Remind yourself that although being organized takes some time, it also saves time when you’re able to find things quickly and with less stress,' he said. 

4. Shrink your stuff. 'The less you have, the easier it is to organize what’s left,' said Tuckman, who’s also the author of More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD.

Some items will be easier to part with than others, he noted, while you might hold onto items just in case you need them later. But he reminded readers that 'If you can’t find it when you need it, you may as well not own it.' 

5. Downsize regularly. In addition to getting rid of the things you own, be strict about buying more things and letting clutter in your life in general. 'The less stuff that comes into your life, the less you need to manage, so get yourself off of mailing lists and resist the temptation to buy those unnecessary little items,' Tuckman suggested. 

6. Keep your system as simple as possible. Having an easy organization system 'makes it more likely that [you] will stick with it, which is the ultimate goal,' Tuckman said. For example, use file folders with brightly colored labels, Rolands said. Using different colors makes them easier to find, Tuckman said.

Too distracting? 'Use one folder for all bills related to the house, rather than creating separate folders for each bill,' he said. 

7. Color-code email based on the sender. 'This way, you can see emails from your priority customers, family members and bosses first,' Rolands said. 

8. Create a simple system for your home and office mail. Mail is something that easily piles up and creates tons of clutter. So organize mail every day. 'Give yourself a few options such as File, Toss, Do and Delegate,' she said. 

9. Carve out time to clean the clutter. Rolands suggested that readers 'Make an appointment with yourself to organize.' 

10. Limit distractions, Rolands said. If you don’t want to be organizing in the first place, there are tons of things that can pull for your attention. So turn off the TV and computer, and let your phone go to voicemail. Also, consider other common distractions that stop you from accomplishing your tasks and avoid those. 

11. Ask for help. You don’t have to organize alone. For starters, you can ask someone to simply be in the room as you organize. 'Having someone else present tends to keep us working longer and [with] fewer distractions,' Tuckman pointed out.

If you’re having particular trouble creating a simple organizing system, ask a friend to help or hire a coach, Rolands said. 

12. Check out helpful resources. Rolands likes the National Resource Center on AD/HD for anything ADHD-related and Families with Purpose, 'an organization dedicated to helping busy parents create a meaningful family life for themselves and their children.'

Also, ADDitude magazine offers a variety of free downloads on organizing and other ADHD information.

Ultimately, do what works best for you. 'There is not a one-size-fits-all [system] with regard to anyone, especially adults with ADHD,' Rolands said. Tuckman added, 'Don’t expect yourself to enjoy [organizing], just do it anyway.'

More on ADD/ADHD:

ADHD Organization - Decision-Making

ADHD Organization - Time and Energy

Organizing the ADD Household

 

Help for Moms with ADD

   
I found the following review this morning on Strollerderby.

The review is written by a mom with ADD about a book written by a mom with ADD. Katherine Ellison spent a year researching and writing after being diagnosed with ADD at the same time her son was diagnosed with it. The result - Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention. 

"Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Katherine Ellison has trouble paying attention. She’s impulsive, hot-tempered and disorganized. She’s also brilliant, creative and often inspired.

So when her son was diagnosed with ADD, she looked into the diagnoses for herself. Yes, her psychiatrist said, that would be you.

Knowing she and her son both had ADD was only half the battle: Katherine still struggled with what to do about it. So she did what she knows best: she wrote about it. She spent a year paying attention to attention: in herself, in her son, in their relationship.

She researched treatments, from medications to meditation. She took notes. She bared her own soul about what it was like to live with this disorder – and to parent through it.

The result is Buzz, a recently published memoir about her year of paying attention.

I’m the kind of mom who gets up from a game to fetch her child a glass of water and forgets, by the time she’s arrived in the kitchen, why she’s there. I’ll start unloading the dishwasher or making a snack and ten minutes later an exasperated kid yells, “Mommy! Can I have my water yet?”

So when I had a chance to review Buzz, I pretty much had to leap at it.

Given my own challenges with attention, it’s maybe not shocking that I haven’t read this book cover to cover yet. Not only does Ellison have a lot to say on the subject, but she’s nailed the emotional challenges of being an ADD mom perfectly.

The rattling monologue; the sudden lapse in attention; the hot temper you struggle to control; the dizzy feeling when you get overstimulated and the whole world spins for a few minutes.

The book is a rich blend of memoir and research, detailing everything from the history of impulsive behavior to experimental modern treatments. Not that I skipped to the back and read the appendices when my mind wandered in the middle of chapter three or anything.

Katherine’s insightful, personal writing offers two things I’ve been yearning for as an ADHD mom: that huge sense of relief that comes from knowing I’m not alone, and a treasure trove of solidly researched information and advice on how to handle parenting with my brain chemistry. This book is a gift to parents with ADD. I suspect I’ll be handing copies of it out like candy at Christmastime."

More on ADD:

Help for Parents of Disorganized, Inattentive and Forgetful Kids

Organizing the ADD Household

ADHD Organization - Time and Energy

Help for Parents of Disorganized, Inattentive and Forgetful Kids

             
The following article, "A Parent's Guide to Executive Functions - Helping Disorganized, Inattentive, and Forgetful Kids" published on Q-smart not only offers valuable information, but reviews several books on the subject. 

"Executive functions are the brain skills that children and adolescents use for a variety of thinking tasks – including organization, planning, attention, self-control (also called regulation, self-monitoring or emotional control), self-awareness, flexibility, initiation (motivation), and working memory. These are skills that develop throughout youth, sometimes into a person’s early to mid-twenties.

So if your child is forever losing personal items, gets to homework at the last minute, has melt-downs over small things, or isn’t achieving as expected in school, you may be looking at delayed executive skill development.

Executive dysfunction is found in children and teens of all ability levels. It is a common in children with learning disabilities and ADHD. It is also frequently seen in children with very high IQ – think “absent-minded professor.”

So before you punish your child, demand a meeting with school teachers, or ask your child’s doctor for a prescription, there are two key things to know:
1) It’s not usually an attitude problem – it’s a brain processing problem
2) These skills can be improved.

In order to help your child develop these critical skills, there are a few parent-friendly books on the topic.

The primary book is “No Mind Left Behind – Understanding and Fostering Executive Control – The Eight Essential Brain Skills Every Child Needs to Thrive” by clinical psychologist Adam J. Cox, PhD. This book clearly explains the eight different executive functions, what is “normal” for certain age groups and when there is cause for concern. It offers practical improvement strategies for both parents and teachers of children and adolescents. The author also has a wonderful website that includes an executive skills checklist so you can review if your child may have a challenge with one or more executive functions, a newsletter, and lots of practical parenting information.

Another similar book is “Late, Lost and Unprepared ” by psychologists Joyce Cooper Kahn and Laurie Dietzel. Along with offering hundreds of common-sense interventions for a variety of situations, these caring authors remind us to be compassionate and offer empathy to children with these problems.


Also, 'Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide to Assessment and Intervention' by school psychologist Peg Guare, EdD and neuropsychologist Richard Guare, PhD is an excellent guide for clinicians wishing to review the assessment and treatment options.  They also wrote the more parent-geared “Smart But Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential.”

Being an informed parent about executive skills can save you and your child a lot of unnecessary stress, conflict and failure. These books provide valuable resources to help your child or teen to be successful in school and life."

 More on disorganized kids:

Parenting a Disorganized Child

Disorganized Teens - Symptons of ADHD

Getting Organized for School - A Successful Day Starts the Night Before

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Help for ADD Disorganization

    
School starts tomorrow for our foster daughters. I predict a spa day! :) 

Great article from US News and World Report Health by  Nancy Shute :

"Adults who struggle with being disorganized, late, and distracted as a result of having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy that teaches them how to solve problems, use calendars and lists effectively, and write down distractions instead of being distracted by them, according to new research in the Journal of the American Medical Association. But CBT not only helps the 4 percent of adults with ADHD; it also helps children who struggle with schoolwork and friendships because of the disorder.

[Struggling at Work? If It's ADHD, There's Help]

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a technique that teaches skills for handling life challenges or overcoming negative thoughts. CBT for children with ADHD is aimed largely at improving their behavior through praise and rewards that motivate them to calm down enough to cope with school or other challenges. Parents or teachers would be trained to reward a child with praise or small treats for paying attention and responding to requests, for example. That's different than CBT for adults, which teaches thinking and self-management skills. Although CBT doesn't cure ADHD, it does make it easier for children to get along in a world that's often intolerant of typical ADHD behavior, explains Richard Gallagher, an associate professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine. Gallagher is working on a randomized, controlled study that is trying to see if CBT can help children with thinking skills like managing time, keeping track of homework assignments, and planning ahead.

[ADHD Summer Treatment Programs]

The beauty of CBT is that it's very practical, designed so that a person can learn and practice new skills, and then apply them to make life better. Good CBT typically takes 12 weeks of sessions, though some families continue for nine months. Behavioral therapy for ADHD is offered by a number of organizations, including the Institute for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Behavior Disorders at New York University's Child Study Center and the Duke Child and Family Study Center in North Carolina. But most families don't live near an academic medical center with a research program on behavioral therapy for ADHD.

[ADHD Drugs Don't Help Children Long Term]

Parents can find an individual therapist who does cognitive behavioral therapy, but it's tricky shopping; many counselors say they do CBT, but really don't follow its simple yet rigorous requirements. A good place to start is the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, which certifies CBT therapists and has a therapist finder on its website. (Here's a blog post I wrote recently on finding good CBT therapy for children, with a nuts-and-bolts explanation of CBT.) Even if a therapist isn't listed with the ABCT, you can use the organization's description of good cognitive behavioral therapy to figure out if a therapist you're considering knows how to deliver it.

The new study on CBT and ADHD, conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, gave adults who were already being treated with medications such as Ritalin for ADHD 12 weekly one-on-one counseling sessions. The sessions focused on skills training in organization and planning, setting priorities, problem solving, and learning how to persevere in stressful situations. After the training, two-thirds of the participants saw a 30 percent improvement in ADHD symptoms, while just one-third of the control group, which learned relaxation techniques, had improved. The study was led by Steven Safren, director of behavioral medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital's department of psychiatry, and author of the book Mastering Your Adult ADHD: A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program Therapist Guide (Treatments That Work) (Oxford University Press, 2005). The book is written for therapists, alas, but there's also a guide for adults with ADHD; the guide's website includes a six-question quiz: Do You Think You Have Adult ADHD?

For a positive look at the benefits of ADHD, check out my interview with psychiatrist Ned Hallowell on how to make the most of your child's ADHD. He has ADHD, and his kids do, too. He's convinced that ADHD can help kids master a fast-paced world, if they learn to manage the condition effectively."

More on ADD/ADHD:

ADHD Organization - Time and Energy

Helping Your ADHD Child Get Organized

ADHD Organization - Decision-Making

Three Steps to Time Management

Organizing the ADD Household

I came across an article by Keath Low entitled ADD and Organizing Your Home. His tips are great whether or not you have a family member with ADD.

"Organizing a household can help a person with ADD or ADHD function more effectively from day to day. It can also help relieve some of the responsibilities that family members without ADD/ADHD take on. David W. Goodman, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, provides some ideas on how you can better organize your home if someone you love has ADD/ADHD. 
     

Central Calendars

 

A family calendar organizes all of the information for the household in one centralized location. Social engagements, doctor appointments, school events, birthdays -- all of these important dates can be written down on the calendar. 

The calendar is like a “the memory bank” for the ADHD individual -- a place to consult about upcoming events or appointments. The calendar relieves non-ADHD family members of having to be the source of this information. This ultimately reduces feelings of exhaustion, frustration and resentment that can arise from having to be consulted about every coming and going. If questions continue after consulting the central calendar, then the individual can go to a family member for clarification.

     

Visual Cues

Visual cues include any visual prompts, such as lists or colorful notes, that remind the ADHD individual about important things to do. Visual prompts may include taping a colored index card with a written message (such as directions to take a morning dose of medicine) to the mirror. Even better, says Goodman, “Velcro the medicine bottle to the mirror!” That is a prompt that is hard to miss. 

For many people, routines are simply an integral part of the day, often performed mechanically and without much thought. Individuals with ADHD don’t have these automatic routines. Each day is a new experience for those with ADHD. That is why lists, order, and prompts are so vital. 
     

Auditory Cues

Audible alarms can be set to go off to remind an individual to do something. Watches, cell phones, digital organizers, and computers --these items have alarms that can be set. 

All of these types of reminders can be incorporated into an individual’s life. It is very difficult for ADHD individuals to remain consistent; however, this is where a non-ADHD family member can provide oversight and additional support. 
      

Routines

Doing things in the same sequence, at the same time day after day -- these are routines. Routines are regular and unvarying. They follow a repeated course of procedure, and are often common tasks or chores. 

One simple routine that is extremely effective for organization is for the ADHD individual to empty his/her pockets in a central place immediately upon entering the door when returning home at the end of the day. The identified location may be as simple as a wicker basket that will hold keys, a wallet, glasses, etc. The main point is that the location contains all these necessary items, and that the routine of putting these items in place is repeated day after day after day. This strategy keeps things from getting scattered throughout the house, making the morning rush a little easier. 
      

Divvy Up Household Responsibilities

Another way to relieve some of the burden off those without ADHD is to systematically divide up household responsibilities. This makes it clear who is responsible for which tasks. It may be that a non-ADHD family member is better at the details that come along with paying the bills. Perhaps the ADHD partner enjoys the creativity that comes along with cooking. Spouses can get together and identify who is going to do what. This helps to ensure equity in the relationship."


More on ADD: 

Visual or ADD Organizers - Keeping Your Desk Organized

Understanding the ADD Mindset

ADHD Organization - Decision-Making

Helping Your ADHD Child Get Organized

More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

 

Review - AgendaWorks Planner

Clayton over at AgendaWorks sent me a planner to review and try out on my 13-year-old foster daughter. This will be her third planner for the school year - need I say more? The AgendaWorks people design planners for Sylvan Learning Centers, schools, ADD students, and for the general public. Their agendas are suitable for middle school through college.

The planner begins with a section on how to use the planner, how to prioritize tasks, and a daily action checklist comprised of reminders, focus-keepers, and work-ahead prompts. Next comes a section on study strategies and guidelines.

The next section has every kind of schedule you can imagine - yearly, monthly weekly, class schedule, grade tracking, and finally daily calendars - one page per day, except for the weekend where Saturday and Sunday share a page.

Each daily page has a column for an hourly schedule, followed by a to-do list. The other column has sections for six classes, including the assignment, its priority compared with other tasks for the day, when it is due and a box to check when the assignment is completed.

Following the daily calendar pages is a section called "Your Life Is Now," prompting the student to consider his/her purpose in life, multi-slacking(tasking), making a difference, building relationships, being aware of current events, and cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset.

Learning Resources follow: a learning styles inventory with descriptions of each type of learning style, setting goals, test taking, reading to learn, guidelines for creating an essay, project planning, and note taking. "Cheat sheets" contain pages on equivalencies; formulas and equations for circumferences, surface, volume, algebra, geometry, trig, and physics; the periodic table; and world maps.

The final section of the planner is a personal directory for friends' names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.

I must say that this is the most comprehensive planner I've seen for students! I wish I had written it! It provides students with a calendar that keeps them focused, and the resources needed to understand and use the calendar, as well as to be successful in school and life.

I highly recommend the AgendaWorks planner. I've not seen any other calendar that comes close to the way that the AgendaWorks planner helps students get organized, stay focused, set priorities and goals, and adopt life and learning skills.

We've tried the agenda for one day, and my foster daughter loves it! She got her homework done in record time yesterday. I think she likes the fact that she's using something college students use. I'm having both of our foster daughters read the Learning Resources section - a couple of pages a day.

Comments?

More on homework:
Getting Organized for School - Organizing Homework
Helping Your Child Organize Large Homework Projects
Getting Organized for School - Study Shows Flashcards Help Improve Memory

Getting Organized for School - Charts

As permanent houseparents for our foster daughters, we are trying to create structures and routines for their success. One is pretty structured on her own, but the other is a creative, free spirit. She is so much more interested in how she looks than whether she has all her books in her book bag!

After many attempts at creating a routine, I decided to go with a chart - one part for the morning and one part for after school/evening. I've broken it down to individual tasks - getting up with the alarm, getting dressed, doing hair, eating breakfast, etc. in the morning, and homework, loading her book bag, playing, dinner, chores, shower, etc. for the afternoon and evening.

Now our free spirit doesn't have to think about what needs to be done, she just looks at her chart. We tried it out yesterday, and she did so well that she had extra time to read. She wasn't too thrilled about the chore part, though. But it's better than saving chores up until Saturday and having endless work!

I divided her chores up into bite-size pieces: dusting, vacuuming, toilet, counter, bathroom floor, washing one load of laundry one day, drying it and putting it away the next, etc.

I haven't asked her yet if she wants to put stickers on her chart - I won't be surprised either way. She is 13 after all, but she's still a little kid, too!

How do you create routines and structure for yourself and/or your family?


More on routines:
Getting Organized for School - Start the Night Before
Creating Routines and Systems
The Real Problems Behind Kids' Excuses To Get Out of Chores

Disorganized Teens - Symptons of ADHD

Happy Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Yesterday our temp at lunchtime was 69 degrees! Lovely lunch outside. :)

I've noticed that school supplies are out already. So my thoughts today will go in that direction ... preparing for school.

I came across an article entitled ADHD: Not Just for Little Kids by George Schulz, Ph.D. I thought this might be helpful to you if you suspect your teen (or anyone else in your family for that matter) may have ADHD.

The article cannot be republished or copied, so I couldn't include it here. Please click the link above to read it - it's very enlightening.

If you suspect ADHD, have your child examined before school starts to get the year off to a good start! ADHD happens when a neuron is not firing properly, which is corrected by appropriate meds.

Even though many parents don't like the idea of ADHD medicine, it is still considered the best solution. If your child is near-sighted, you wouldn't refrain from buying glasses. Your doctor will also instruct you in behavior modification as well - ways in which ADHD symptoms can be reduced: physical exercise, for example.

A friend of our daughters was not diagnosed with ADHD until he was a teenager after suffering scholastically and emotionally for years in school. Another adult friend just started on ADHD meds as she is going back to college and needs to be able to focus. ADHD is hereditary, so if your child has ADHD, it is likely that a parent has it, too. It is not something you outgrow - take it seriously!

Comments? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

More on ADHD:
Understanding the ADD Mindset
Helping Your ADHD Child Get Organized
More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

Understanding the ADD Mindset

It's been a nice weekend - we've gone to the ballet, to a play of Cinderella, painted t-shirts, went for a walk, went to church, did some photography and cooking together, and saw Pink Panther 2. Is it any wonder that I love Mondays? :) On to our blog for today:

Understanding the ADD Mindset

If you live with or work with someone who has ADD, it may be helpful to understand the ADD mindset to give you more understanding and empathy. Here are some tips from Susan Lasky's article in NAPO News (National Association of Professional Organizers):

ADDers experience:

- "A tremendous amount of guilt and self-effacement ("Why can't I do stuff that is so simple?")

- Regret, shame and even grief ("That's another project I started but never finished.")

- Anger/depression from being criticized by others for so many years (often seen in those (my word) who can't follow the examples of their born-organized mothers)

- Unrealistic expectations having to do with their ability to complete tasks and the amount of time it will take."

Let us not add to their burdens by being impatient or critical!!

How do you encourage those around you who have ADD? If you receive this blog via email and you'd like to comment, use this link.


More blogs about ADD:

Helping Your ADHD Child Get Organized

More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

ADHD Organization - Time and Energy

More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

Happy Friday! I enjoyed the pleasure of being with the PTA for Brunswick, OH Preschool last night. They asked me to share about organizing their toddlers' rooms, toys, paper, and artwork. Seems like a very active and involved group!

Today I'm getting myself and our house organized to receive our last foster house. Have a great weekend!


More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

Lauren Davidson, a professional organizer and mom of an add child offers the following tips to organizers dealing with parents of ADD children. Just thought you might like to eavesdrop:

"For individuals with ADD/ADHD, it takes a holistic approach to help them stay focused. Sleep, nutrition, exercise and attitude can go a long way towards reducing stress-related difficulties with distraction.

Some things that are usually helpful:

Build in routines - homework in the same place, at same time every day.
Verbalize the process ("Now we are doing math, after we can take a break")

Break tasks down to make them more manageable. EX. 15 minutes of reading, then take a NON-TV/VIDEO break. Chat, do a few stretches or yoga poses, draw a picture together - just a mental break.

Make sure the environment is conducive to staying focused - quiet or with white noise, no TV, clutter or extra people around. Gross motor play, a nutritious snack and go to the bathroom before settling down to a task.

Let the child fidget with something while they work. Silly putty, a squeeze ball, "hair ball", pen clicker are all good options.

These are just a few tips. ADHD is an impairment of the executive function of the brain, so even in an organized environment the child is liable to be distracted, impulsive and fidgety.

Individuals with ADHD learn visually. It can help the child to have a visual schedule of the day. As he completes a task, he can see the next item (should be fun/rewarding) as a picture, which is more real than a word.

Above all, the parent should arm his/herself with patience and a lot of love, and be ready to sit next to the child to help him stay on track. It will be a lifetime process for the child to learn how to compensate for the challenges and leverage the strengths (of which there are many with ADHD).

www.adda.org is a great resource for more tips.

I guess the real golden nugget is to refer your client to someone who specializes in ADD/ADHD organizing or a pediatric ADD coach.

If the parents make it their Mission to learn everything they can get their hands on regarding ADHD, in order to help their son succeed in a neuro-typical world, they will not regret it.

Raising children with neurological differences (it's not just a learning difference!) can be frustrating and sometimes (frankly) depressing, but it can also be the most rewarding experience of your life. I speak from personal experience :)

Hooray, differences!"

What do you find that works with your ADD child? (If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.)

Visual or ADD Organizers - Keeping Your Desk Organized

Good Monday Morning! Hope you had a great weekend. We had a fun one with our girls. Among the several things we did over the weekend, we watched a movie on TNT called Gifted Hands which is about Dr. Ben Carson.

It's an inspiring story about a boy rising out of anger, low self-esteem, and ridicule to become one of the most famous and respected neurosurgeons today. I've heard him speak and his life is truly motivating! It looks like TNT is showing it several times, so if you have a chance, the movie is well worth your time. Now, to today's topic ...


Visual or ADD Organizers - Keeping Your Desk Organized

Rather than filing or piling, it is better for the visual or ADDer to keep things visible. In a recent article in NAPO News (National Association of Professional Organizers), Susan Lasky suggests storing like items in magazine holders on a shelf above the desk.

Lasky recommends that the magazine holders be color-coded and labeled to reflect the contents. Consequently, action files or works in progress will not be forgotten, but will be kept neatly in one place. New additions to the topic can be dropped into the magazine holder.

What are your systems for keeping your important stuff visible yet neat?


Similar posts:
ADHD Organization - Time and Energy
ADHD Organization - Decision-Making
Helping Your ADHD Child Get Organized

ADHD Organization - Time and Energy

When Joyce Rubik, an ADHD coach who has ADHD herself, spoke to NAPO Northcoast last month, she suggested several action points to help people with ADHD:

- Having a calendar is non-negotiable! One that involves writing. As I said in the previous post on this subject, a person with ADHD remembers what he/she writes down. That person MUST get into the habit of consulting the calendar continuously.

- If something must be brought to an appointment, she suggested writing a note next to the appointment describing where that "something" is located, so it will be easy to find. Joyce told us that she wrote a "T" with a circle around it next to the entry in her calendar for her speaking engagement with NAPO Northcoast. That was a signal to her where she had placed her notes and directions to our location.

- The best time of day for clear focus is 10 or 11 am. When activities are scheduled earlier than that, it's difficult for the ADHD mind to be focused.

- In addition to medication, bevhavior modification is essential. Exercise increases dopamine levels. Twenty minutes of aerobic exercise provides the equivalent effect as 1 1/2 hours of medication.

Back in the day, when I was a volunteer for our church youth group, I distinctly remember that one of our guys hadn't taken his ADHD meds. He compensated by running every chance he could while we were doing a service project of tree planting.

- Joyce told us several things NOT to say to a person with ADHD: "You're not trying hard enough." "Do your best." "I know it's hard, but you can do it."

I hope these blogs have been helpful for those of you who have ADHD or have a family member or friend who does. Please share some of the things that have worked for you!


Related posts: ADHD Organization - Decision-Making, Helping Your ADHD Child Get Organized