On a Personal Note...

Late May and early June brings on a time of transition for so many.  Children may be shifting from their school year routines to their summer plans.  Families may be slowing down a bit to enjoy more of the summer days or activities. There might be planning in the works for vacations and special gatherings.

For many, the change of focus and structure is much welcomed and considered a real blessing.  In some cases, the change brings on a need to integrate some changes around structure or new guidelines on how we embrace our day. 

Even we, as coaches, explore this balance as we embrace the fun and opportunities of summer while still approaching our day to get the important things done. All our best for your summer!

Robin, Kay and Katherine

Is Structure Considered A Dirty Word?

How do you feel about the word structure?  Is it a welcome blessing or does it bring on feelings of overwhelm or resistence?  Structure is defined by many reference points as a way to build, to arrange, to provide a framework, to organize, to pattern.  With ADHD, we may have a love-hate relationship with structure.  We love it and need it to stay on track and navigate our way through responsibilities or the day.  We hate it and resist it because it doesn't always fit with our creative strengths, all the great ideas that we come up with, or our need to disengage and refuel. 

One approach does not fit all when it comes to integrating structure.  First of all, structure is not just about how you go about your day. It includes how you manage responsibilities, belongings and personal needs in a way that brings out the personal best in you.

Creating your "Just-Right" approach to structure.  Finding a balance and giving yourself permission to design structure in a way that works well for you is key.  

Here are a few ideas and tips for finding your just-right approach:

Navigating your day: Think of structure as the flow or pattern to your day.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when building structure into your day. 

• A good day starts with a plan otherwise you are at the mercy of your whims.  Taking a few minutes to map out the flow of your day ahead of time typically leads to a better experience.
• Begin with a solid start-up routine, a sequenced pattern of habits to get you going.  
• The ideal flow of your day is a matching game.  Use most productive time of your day to complete top priorities. Save your less productive time for the things you can do blind-folded.

Managing your responsibilities:  

• You don't need to do everything as you think about it -- create a visual to capture and track your thoughts about to-do's.  Keep that visual in front of you to help plan and prioritize what comes next.
• Minimize the start-up process with systems.  Create a system that allows you to easily engage in what you need to do.  For example if paying bills is overwhelming, create a folder that keeps everything together in one place to make it easier to get started and finish. 
• Are you the right person for the job?   Think about your strengths and what you do best and delegate or trade-off responsibilities to create a better fit.

Belongings:

• Less is more!  Clutter is an energy drain.  Having too many belongings to manage is guaranteed to create pile ups, dominish our energy levels and fester into frustration.  Either get rid of clutter or find better ways to manage it.  
• Managing Pile-Ups:  Is it papers, dishes, clothes?  It's all about the system.  Pick one pile-up that is a problem. Consider what works and what doesn't. Explore what you can do to rearrange to make it easier to manage.  
• Gamify your clean-up.  My favorite tactic is to set the time for 5-10 minutes and create a challenge to beat the timer as I would tidy or clean up a room.  Finding a strategy that allows you to make it interesting and fun will help you with the things you like to do.  

Personal Needs:

• When you have ADHD, self-care is critical to maximize your lifestyle, personal effectiveness and well-being.  Consider how you structure your meals, sleep, exercise habits, and needs to refuel. What is one area you could work on this month to make it easier to integrate into your lifestyle? 
• A checklist is a great way to remember and easily manage things like doctors appointments, dental care, personal supplies, buying cards to acknowledge birthdays and anniversaries, etc.  Turn it into a template that you can check off as you go.  Create reminders to help you remember to address them in bulk that works for you and your situation.

Designing an ideal structure takes time, and maybe some support.  We hope you found some of these ideas and tips helpful.  Don't try to do it all at once. Focus on what resonates for you and start there.  ADHD Coaching support can also be beneficial to help you explore and create your ideal structure.  In fact, we have two of our virtual programs starting up this month that you might find very helpful when it comes to the Big 3 ADHD related executive function challenges: Time Management, Organization, and Planning and Prioritization.

Upcoming Events:

Our Women and ADHD Group Coaching Program Starts Tonight! 

Meets virtually twice each month | 2nd & 4th Monday Evenings | Begins at 8:00 pm ET, 7:00 pm CT, 6:00 pm MT, 5:00 pm PT |  Sign up today -  June 11th, 2018 - to get the special "Pilot Rate" for only $47/month!!!

• Two virtual sessions per month for collaboration, group coaching and support.
• Explore a new topic each month with a special focus on Women and ADHD
• Connect with a group of kind and caring like-minded women with ADHD.
• Grow your understanding of ADHD as your greatest gift and not just an unwelcome curse.
• Discover and create your own unique approaches to life to get more done.
• Learn skills, strategies and helpful approaches to reach your goals and optimize life experiences.
• Receive ongoing coaching support to establish and work on personal and professional goals.

Our topic for this month is Optimizing Self-Care For Success. Even if you already have plans, still consider signing up, we will get you the recording to review before our next session.  
Click here to learn more about this program:

Brilliant Me! Wired to Win with Adult ADHD Cornerstone Workshop:

Goes for 7 Weeks | Tuesday Evenings, June 19th - July 31st, 2018 | Begins at 7:30 pm ET, 6:30 pm CT, 5:30 pm MT, 4:30 pm PT | This is a small group and we have just a few spaces remaining!   Enroll today!

Click here to learn more about this program.

Coming in July:

School is out for the summer - Yeah!  But you may be wondering what you can do now to make the most of your next school year.  if this is your thinking, we have a few great programs starting up that may be of interest.   We are currently looking for 4-6 high school students for a four week back-to-school group in July.  We will offer our annual Middle School Smooth Sailing For Success Summer Workshop early August.  Be sure to let us know if you have any interest in this so we can get that information to you as soon as it is available.  WeCare@ADHDCoach.life.

CONNECT WITH US

Got Questions?  We have answers!  Email us at WeCare@ADHDCoach.life.  

Interested in Coaching?  Click here to access our calendar and schedule a get acquainted session with one of us to explore the difference coaching can make in your life.