Most major drug companies would like us to believe that there is only one possible route that we can take after the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. This route is the one that always ends in the prescription of powerful drugs with which to ‘manage’ the condition. There is, however, a growing realisation that these drugs are not the miracle cures that parents are so often promised.

Research is pointing to the following very troubling consequences of long term ADD/ADHD drug use:
•    Stunted growth
•    Loss of long term motivation
•    Mood swings (Leading, in very extreme cases, to suicidal thoughts)
•    Substantial risk of abuse and addiction

As if the above were not bad enough it is becoming clear that the effectiveness of these drugs decrease over time.  They are therefore often not much more than temporary ‘band aids’ and do not make any difference to the underlying causes of the condition.  These facts are causing more and more people to ask the question: “Is there not a better way!?” Here at ‘3 Steps ADD’ we have always answered the question with an enthusiastic ‘Yes’. This is, in fact, exactly what the three steps are about: A better, natural, way to cope with and triumph over ADD/ADHD.
Pharmaceutical companies tried very hard over the years to paint those who advocate natural responses to the condition as being part of a lunatic fringe.  This is getting harder and harder to do as modern research is pointing to some real successes with natural approaches. 

The fact that there are a number of treatment options that can produce positive outcomes points to the fact that every person is unique. Different techniques will therefore work for different people. It is also a confirmation of the emerging scientific consensus that ADD/ADHD is not a single unified condition but rather a range of conditions.  It therefore makes perfect sense that different ‘ types’ of ADD/ADHD will have to be treated in different ways.

A major article in a recent issue of US News and World report provides an excellent overview of the different drug-free methods that have proven successful in the management and treatment of ADD/ADHD. This article confirms the philosophy that we have been teaching here at ‘3 Steps ADD’. Many of the methods that are detailed in the article are discussed at length in ‘3 Steps to Conquering ADD-ADHD’ and on this website. They include:

Positive Parenting: ADD/ADHD is a recognised neurological condition. This does not mean, however, that positive behavioural techniques and parental guidance cannot make a difference in addressing the condition. Tried and tested parenting techniques (e.g. setting routines, providing a stimulating and nurturing environment and adapting your interactions with your children according to their personalities) can go some way towards alleviating many of the more challenging aspects of the condition.

Nutrition: I firmly believe that nutrition is one of the most important keys to addressing the growing epidemic of ADD/ADHD. Many are the effects of the condition can be traced back to neurotransmitters in the brain not functioning as they should. Very often this is due to the building blocks needed for these transmitters (i.e. fats, vitamins, minerals etc) not being present in the body. This situation can often be very effectively remedied by following a balanced and carefully worked out anti ADD/ADHD diet.

Sufficient sleep: I have already pointed out in an earlier article that many instances of ADHD misdiagnosis can be traced back to a lack of sleep. Ensuring that a child gets the right amount of sleep appropriate to his/ her developmental stage can therefore be one of the most important things that a parent can do to improve attention.

Exercise: There is growing evidence that aerobic exercise can have a marked positive effect on children’s ability to pay attention. Many people would say that you certainly do not need academic studies to tell you this! Earlier generations were very aware of the positive benefits of physical activity and reaped the benefits in the form of better physical and mental health. In our day and age it is perhaps a bit more difficult to make exercise part of your daily routine but it is a discipline that is certainly well worth pursuing.

Exposure to the natural environment: One of the most interesting and most effective approaches to dealing with ADD/ADHD is to make sure that children are regularly exposed to the natural environment. More research is needed on why this is the case. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the natural environment is so effective in stimulating the whole range of our senses. The bottom line is perhaps that we all need to realise that time spent outside should be seen as an essential part of growing up.

The approaches listed above should make it clear that there are many options available for the treatment of ADD/ADHD. These options may perhaps not have the endorsement of ‘Big Pharma’ but that is perhaps exactly the point. None of them involve pumping your kids full of dangerous drugs! I am convinced that natural approaches can work, otherwise I would not have invested so much time and energy into ‘3 Steps ADD’. It is for this reason that I am delighted with the growing willingness to challenge the accepted orthodoxy on how the condition is to be managed.

(Please check back next week when I will discuss some of the other natural methods that was mentioned in the US News and World Report Article)

The problem of misdiagnosis would not have been all that serious if the only thing that diagnosis led to was a renewed focus on the role of lifestyle factors (e.g. diet, sleep patterns, parental discipline) as a means of behaviour modification. The fact is, however, that an ADD/ADHD diagnosis almost invariably leads to a child being placed on powerful medication. It is as if we are sleepwalking into a world where we think that it might just be a good idea to medicate the next generation at levels that previous generations would have found almost impossible to believe.
The sad fact is that most prescriptions are made by professionals who are a) Not adequately trained to make a proper ADD/ADHD diagnosis and b) Under pressure (especially from teachers) to come up with the ‘right’ diagnosis.

Many doctors who immediately prescribe drugs for the treatment of ADD/ADHD justify their actions by saying that they are simply trying to see if it will work. There are two huge problems with this approach. It is firstly highly irresponsible to reach for the ‘nuclear option’ first! In most other areas of medicine physicians will start with the least invasive and dangerous treatment options first. It seems, however, that this piece of common sense good practice does not apply when it comes to children with behavioural issues (that may or may not be due to ADD/ADHD). The second problem is that ADD/ADHD drugs act like ‘steroids for the brain’. They will lift performance regardless of whether a child has ADD/ADHD or not. This is why Adderall is such a hotly traded commodity on college campuses around exam time! The fact that it ‘helps’ is therefore no proof of the existence of ADD/ADHD or an indication (due to the existence of the law of diminishing returns) of long term improvement. The big question is: What price will your child (and society) have to pay for a brief spike in performance?

The answer to the above question is the reason why I am so passionate about alerting people to the existence of non-narcotic solutions. It is my belief that ADD/ADHD medication can be implicated in the epidemic of addiction that is destroying thousands of lives. There have also been several cases in which these drugs were cited as one of the contributing factors to violence and suicide. These outcomes are terrible and reason enough to do your best to keep your child off ADD/ADHD drugs. They could, however, be only a small part of the picture. There is more and more evidence that ADD/ADHD drugs could be one of the leading causes of one of the most pernicious and troubling aspects of modern life: Unmotivated boys and young men

In his excellent book Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men, Dr. Leonard Sax analyses the problem of young men who are ‘failing to launch’ (i.e. still living with their parents in their late twenties and early thirties). He makes it clear that this is a complex issue that do not lend itself to easy generalisations. He does, however, ask the question whether ADD/ADHD medication could not at least be partially to blame. He points to an experiment where young male rats were given doses of the types of medication commonly used for the treatment of ADD/ADHD. The long term result was that the rats become lazy and unmotivated! This was due to the fact that the drugs damaged a key area of the brain that regulated motivation. Dr. Sachs rightly point out that this experiment has not yet been replicated in humans but as he so brilliantly puts it: “Would you like to volunteer your son for trials?”

The implications of this research are troubling to say the least! Could it be that we are reaping the whirlwind (in the form of thousands of young men failing to realise their potential) because we are, as a society, so prone to reach for the medicine cabinet rather than investigating alternatives. I want to strongly urge you to quit following the crowds and to stand firm on the conviction that it is a fallacy that the solution to everything can be found in a medicine bottle. Especially as the bottles under discussion contain substances that are dangerous in the here and now and could have consequences that will come back to haunt you decades down the line!

Recent studies have shown that symptoms associated with fetal overexposure to alcohol are often mistaken for ADD/ADHD.  Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a serious condition (or perhaps, more correctly, range of conditions) that afflict many children whose mothers used too much alcohol while they were still in utero. The impact that FASD can have on a child’s health and wellbeing can be nothing short of devastating and it is one of the reasons why alcohol is best avoided during pregnancy. Some of the most common effects of FASD include the following:

Stunted growth: Children with FASD tend to show up on the lower percentiles in terms of height and weight.

Skull and facial abnormalities: Some studies suggest a strong link between facial and cranial defects and alcohol overexposure.

Damage to the central nervous system: Perhaps the most serious impact of FASD is the havoc that it wreaks on the central nervous system. This can range from stunted brain growth to the development of serious neurological conditions (e.g. epilepsy and seizure disorders). This damage can also manifest itself in the  form of functional disabilities or development disorders. The most common among these are:
•    Problems with social/adaptive skills
•    Reduced memory capabilities
•    Lack of impulse control, attention, social perception and judgment
•    Sensory problems
•    Difficulty in mastering motor skills

It is obvious that this last list can very easily be mistaken for a description of what medical professionals are looking for when attempting to diagnose ADD/ADHD! This fact has serious consequences for those suffering from FASD. The abovementioned study, conducted by the University of Toronto in conjunction with the Hospital for Sick Children at Surrey Place Center, found that it is likely that many FASD children are not receiving appropriate help and care because of ADD/ADHD misdiagnoses.

The main area of concern that the study (which compared 33 children with FASD, 30 ADHD children and 34 children with no disorders) flagged up was the issue of social interaction. It is suggested that FASD children who are not correctly diagnosed early on are in grave danger of developing serious behavioral problems if the condition is not responded to correctly. One of the authors of the research report, Joanne Rovet, had the following to say about this: “In terms of social cognition and emotional processing, the core deficit in FASD appears to be in understanding and interpreting another’s mental states and emotions. These problems with social cognition and emotion processing may underlie the severe conduct problems seen in children with FASD.  It is imperative that these children receive assistance in social and emotional processing domains, specifically targeting interventions to deal with their unique deficits.”

This study shows, once again, how dangerous the current ‘trigger happy’ attitude to ADD/ADHD diagnosis can be. It also underlines that the problem of misdiagnosis can cut both ways. On the one hand it leads essentially healthy children into a system where they have to have to unnecessarily take dangerous drugs on a daily basis. It also keeps, on the other hand, children who need highly specialized care and treatment (as is the case with FASD) from receiving it because many physicians are almost conditioned not to look beyond the ADD/ADHD label.

If you suspect that FASD could be a factor in your child’s problems you should take heart. Many excellent interventions and treatment methods for the condition exist. It should therefore never be seen as a ‘life sentence’ to a low functioning and problem filled life. The most important thing is to simply get together the courage to take the first step. Many parents of FASD children hesitate to seek help, or to flag up maternal alcohol use during pregnancy as a possible factor, because of the social stigma that is sometimes attached to the condition. I want to urge you however to refuse to allow possible past mistakes to overshadow your child’s future. If you have the courage to seek it you will find that help is available and the condition can be successfully managed in most cases.

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More information about the University of Toronto study can be found here.

More information about FASD, and about managing the condition, can be found here.
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It does not take a genius to work out that the words used above are a world away from how most of us would describe food today. Our relationship with what we put in our mouths has been so radically altered that our forebears would probably have shaken their heads in amazement at our strange beliefs and habits. The problem is that the changes in our perception had some pretty spectacular negative fallouts, the magnitude of which we are only now beginning to understand. Yet understand them we must, because I firmly believe that many of our modern ailments, including many ADD/ADHD cases, can be traced back to poor food choices. Over the next few weeks we will examine the impact of some of these choices by focussing on our modern ‘answers’ to perceptions about food listed above. This week we take a look at the wholesale abandoning of the belief that food should be natural.

It is very difficult to put something in your mouth these days without also taking in quite a few chemicals that were certainly not part of the original composition of your food source. There are several drivers behind this phenomenon. They include:

• ‘Protection’ of food sources: Humankind has always tried to protect our food sources, this is evidenced in the fact that scarecrows date back millennia! Modern man has taken this quest for protection much further by developing a vast array of powerful pesticides to protect food sources. Good crops resulted but at what price?

With the next few articles we will delve a bit deeper into the issue of how our diets can make a real difference in the process of conquering ADD/ADHD. Before we can do that, however, we will have to take a brief look at the issue at the heart of ADD/ADHD: Attention.

We are sometimes so used to an acronym that we completely forget what it stands for. I suspect that this is often the case with ADD/ADHD. This is a pity since the acronym accurately describes the problem that we are dealing with, a problem with paying attention, an ‘attention deficit’. The difficulties that people dealing with ADD/ADHD experience when it comes to attention lies in two related but distinct areas:

•    Some people find it very difficult to focus
•    Other people find it very difficult to deal with distractions

So what is the difference between these two types of ‘attention deficits’? With the first the primary problem is that someone find it very difficult to ‘zone in’ on a particular topic, object or behavior regardless of the physical environment. He/she would find focusing equally difficult in a crowded room or in a bare cubicle. With the second type the outside environment is the determining factor. People with a distraction problem often find it almost impossible to pay attention when they are placed in lively environments but tend to do better when they are placed in more ‘neutral’ settings.

The distinction made above between the two basic types of inattention may seem trivial but it cuts to the heart of how the brain pays attention and is therefore a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to dealing with ADD/ADHD. It means that different people will need different things to improve their attention:
•    Some people will have to learn how to ‘tune’ in‘. This can be compared by placing a magnifying glass over an object. Everything will remain fuzzy until you manage to place the glass at precisely the right distance and angle.

•    Other people will have to learn how to ‘tune out’. I am a frequent flyer and I always take a set of top quality noise cancelling headphones with me when I fly. Their effect borders on the miraculous. One flick of a switch and it is as if the outside world ceases to exist. This is a good analogy of the kind of ‘tuning out’ that some people will need to learn, the filtering out of distractions to the extent that they become almost irrelevant.

There are many differing theories about ADD/ADHD, but one thing that almost everybody is agreed on is that at least some of its effects can be traced back to neurotransmitters in the brain not fulfilling their function properly. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals that are responsible for carrying ‘messages’ between brain cells and it does not take a genius to work out that failures in this area could have serious consequences. Some of these consequences are perhaps all too familiar to you: inattention, impulsiveness, daydreaming and hyperactivity. The list goes on.  The interesting thing is that brain scientists are beginning to discover that failures of neurotransmitters related to the types of inattention mentioned above (lack of focus and distractedness) take place in different parts of the brain.

The brain pays attention in two basic ways and you can perhaps already guess what these two ways are. The first is top down (or willful goal oriented) attention. This is where set out to concentrate on completing a specific task (like reading this article for example). This type of attention is centered in the prefrontal cortex (the so-called ‘executive centre’) of the brain.

The other type of attention has to do with the response of the brain to outside stimuli or distractions. It is sometimes called bottom up (reflexive stimulus responsive) attention. This is where the brain ‘snaps to attention’ due to the influence of something in the environment. This type is centered in a totally different part of the brain namely the parietal cortex to the back of the brain.

This insight, namely that different types of attention emanate from totally different parts of the brain, has interesting implications. It means, at the very least, that we will need to pay much closer attention (!) to the kind of ‘attention deficit’ that we are dealing with when discussing a specific case of ADD/ADHD. I will profile this issue in a bit more detail in the next article by discussing ways in which we can identify the different types of inattention. I will also begin to look at the role that nutrition can play to combat them. See you then!

By nature, people with Add are born with a temperament that is often intense and very emotional. We react strongly to our environment, and often, we overreact. On the other hand, when the emotions become so overwhelming that we can’t handle them, we may stuff them down. That doesn’t work either because eventually, that stuff comes out, and it usually isn’t pretty!

Your emotions are your emotions – they make up who you are. But there are ways to get a hold of them such that you manage them well while enjoying the human experience of feeling.

Examine your current methods of coping with emotions. Are you expressive about your feelings or do you keep them to yourself? If you don’t know your coping style, pay attention to your emotions and identify them as you feel them. Then watch how you respond to them.

Next, pay very close to your feelings of anger. Adults with ADD often have problems dealing with rage and anger. In fact, we can even become “addicted” to anger because it releases the “feel good” chemicals, neurotransmitters. Just like that runner’s high you’ve heard about, we can get a “buzz” of good feeling. Some call it an adrenaline rush. Whatever you call it, your anger needs to be handled appropriately so that your expression of it will be productive, not destructive.

We ADDers have a tendency to be impulsive and sometimes, we miss those social cues that tell us to behave in certain ways. Thus we end up doing something silly, inappropriate, or just downright stupid! Our typical response to having done these things is to become defensive. Instead, own up to it and move on. It’s much easier than trying to offer a plausible explanation for something you’ve done that didn’t make any sense!

Depending on how we dealt with our ADD as children, there’s a good likelihood that our self-esteem has taken major hits along the way. As adults, this can seriously affect our relationships with others as well as how we do just about everything. If this is you, get busy building a new, more healthy self-esteem. Focus on your strengths. Be grateful for the “good stuff” there is to having ADD.

Many adults with ADD resort to medicating themselves with alcohol or drugs. They will tell you that these substances are the only ways they can “shut off” their brains and get their emotions to lessen. It simply is NOT true! While you may feel a temporary escape for what you feel are uncontrollable feelings, the key word here is temporary. The buzz or the high wears off, and typically, your emotions will feel even stronger and more unmanageable than before. Then you have to use more and more of the substance to get any relief. Don’t get caught in this trap because it is a hard one to dig yourself out of at some point.

ADD adults are prone to depression. If you combine the self-esteem issues, problems with managing emotions, and the energy it takes to keep your ADD brain under control, then you are a sitting duck for having depressive symptoms. Therapy can really help with this as the depression brought on from ADD is typically one that responds well to talking about it and finding alternative ways to deal with your feelings.

ADD and your emotions do not have to ruin your life. You are merely going to have to do more work to keep things under control than the rest of the world. On the other hand, having ADD can be a good thing. Instead of punishing yourself for the ways your ADD hurts you, try focusing on the good things ADD has brought into your life. We are way cooler than we give ourselves credit for!

If you are like most of us, you will have a large list of actions that you are not doing at the moment. So how do you figure out what to do and what not to do, and feel good about your choices?

The answer is at once simple and complex – trust your gut/intuition. If you have worked through the first four steps, then you can use your gut along with your thought processes to make good decisions. The author, David Allen, came up with three models that will help in your decision-making process. And while you won’t be given any answers, you will be able to frame your options more intelligently and practically.

The Four-Criteria Model for Choosing Actions in the Moment

You are sitting at your desk at 9:00 AM trying to figure out how you will choose what to do. There are four criteria you can apply.

1. Context: While some actions can be done anywhere (phone calls, drafting a letter, etc.), there are others that require a specific location (sitting at your computer, etc.). This is the first factor in deciding what you can do now.
2. Time Available: When do you have to do something, or how much time will it take to do it? If you have an action that will require 30 minutes, but you have a meeting in 15 minutes, you won’t be able to do that particular action now.
3. Energy Available: Are you tired? Some actions require more mental and physical effort than others.
4. Priority: Given your responses to the first three criteria, what action will give you the best payoff? This is where your “gut” comes in to play. You have to learn to trust your judgment right now!

The Threefold Model for Evaluating Daily Work

When you are busy getting things done, there are 3 different kinds of activities that you can be engaged in.

1. Doing Predefined Work: This means you are working from your “Next Actions” list. This is the stuff you previously determined need to be done.
2. Doing Work as It Shows Up: We’ve all been there – things pop up without any warning. It’s up to you to decide if you really need to attend to them at that moment or if you can put them off.
3. Defining Your Work: This means you need to clear up your in-basket, emails, voice mails, and breaking down your new projects into actionable steps. You will be defining things that need to be done at some point, but not right now. You are adding to your lists so that they are complete and your ADD brain is free from distractions.

The Six-Level Model for Reviewing Your Own Work

In order to know what your priorities are, you have to know what you must work on. This model helps you decide what your priorities need to be. Allen uses an aerospace analogy.

• 50,000+ feet: Life
• 40,000 feet: 3-5 year vision
• 30,000 feet: 1-2 year goals
• 20,000 feet: Areas of responsibility
• 10,000 feet: Current Projects
• Runway: Current Actions

Runway: Current Actions – This is the entire list of accumulated actions you need to take – calls, errands, emails, social activities, etc. This makes up for a ton of hours, about 300-500 hours worth, if you stopped and began doing everything now.

10,000 Feet: Current Projects - There are probably about 30-100 things you have to do. Most of these things are short-term activities but need to be done now.

20,000 Feet: Areas of Responsibility – Most of the projects or actions that you need to take are because you have certain responsibilities. Your job holds different responsibilities than those of your family, your personal life, etc. Listing and knowing these responsibilities helps you determine what to do now versus later.

30,000 Feet: 1-2 Year Goals – These are things that you either want to do or to get rid of to accomplish your goals.

40,000 Feet: 3-5 Year Vision - These are your even more long-term goals that have the possibility of changing what it is you need to do now.

50,000 Feet: Life – This is your “big picture” view of what you want your life to be like, to stand for, what you ultimately want to accomplish.

Neither of these models is better than the other. It is purely a matter of your choosing what works best for you. It is also a choice of what makes the most sense to you and to your gut.

Now you have the entire plan for getting your ADD brain and life organized and running smoothly. Get out there and get going!

Just to review, there are five stages involved in the mastering of your workflow:

- Collecting

- Processing

- Organizing

- Reviewing

- Doing

We have reached the third stage in the process: organizing your “stuff.” If you

have been “working” this program, then you will now have nonactionable and actionable items. You will take these two groups and use the categories below to make up a total system for organizing.

Nonactionable Items Actionable Items

Trash List of projects

Incubation Tools Storage/files for project plans & materials

Reference Storage Calendar

List of reminders of next actions

List of reminders of things you’re waiting for

All of the organizational categories have to be physically contained somehow. A list merely refers to some sort of reviewable reminders. An example would be a list of “To Do” and “Projects List.”

An incubation tool is a file, list, etc., of things that “someday” or “might be” actionable, but not now. It is information that you don’t necessarily want to throw away because it “might” be important later. It can also be a reminder to do something in the future, such as: “After January 1, set up doctors’ appointments for the coming year.” You can probably see where the word “incubating” is appropriate here. This is a particularly good tool for the ADDer since we can become quite scattered and not remember things that need to be done at a later time.

Reference storage is pretty self-explanatory. It contains files, letters, etc., that you can retrieve when required, but no real action is necessary.

A project list is really any desired result that requires more than one action step. So it really isn’t about the total project, but rather it should include all of the steps that you’ll be taking to complete it. The author recommends doing this so that you will have “markers” along the way to remind you there are more left to complete.

Don’t worry that your list isn’t prioritized or has no order to it at all. Remember, we are trying to “empty” the ADD brain onto this list so that you have an idea about what needs to be done.

Storage/Files for project plans and materials is where you keep all the reference materials for your projects. If you are used to keeping computerized files, then I would suggest keeping all of your files that way. If you keep physical files, keep all physical files. It becomes confusing to keep files in different places and in various manners. Also, try to keep your folders out of your sight. The ADD brain has a hard enough time trying to stay on task. It is easy to become distracted by things sitting on your desk. Not seeing them constantly will help you to remain focused.

The Next action category is an important one. This is where you will list every action that needs to be taken “next” on each project. You need not track things that must be done in less than 2-3 minutes. What does need to be listed is every action that needs to be taken and when it should be taken.

A calendar is where you might rack a lot of the “next action” items. There are only three things that go on this calendar:

• Time-specific actions: appointments such as a meeting, lunch planning session, etc.
• Day-specific actions: things that need to be done on a certain day, but not at a certain time such as the completion of a report or the purchase of airline tickets, etc.
• Day-specific information: this is the information you may need to know that doesn’t necessarily require action – information such as directions to the beach, or the name of the new babysitter coming that night

What this does is help you eliminate those “To Do” lists that you may have scribbled everywhere on your calendar. You are streamlining your system and your ADHD brain will thank you!

The Next actions list is where your action reminders go. These are all of the “over 2-3 minute” tasks that you cannot delegate. For example, “call the Jones about dinner on Friday,” or “get with Sarah to brainstorm ideas for sales meeting” are action reminders.

What if you have too many action reminders? Break them into smaller sub-categories such as “calls,” or “errands.”

So get to work – streamline your workflow – and you will begin to see almost immediate results! And you know how anyone with ADHD hates to wait!

We began this series by introducing you to author David Allen’s book that addresses stress-free productivity.  As you recall, there are five stages of mastering your flow of work:  Collect; Process; Organize; Review; and Do.  This article will focus on the second stage – Process.

Remember that your goal is to “empty” your brain of these things you must do if you want to decrease your level of stress.  In order to do that, you must identify and collect those things that are on your mind and then make a plan about how you will handle them.

Why is there so much stuff in your brain?  Simple. 

• You have not determined what you ultimately want the outcome to be
• You have not determined what the very next physical action should be that will move you toward completion
• You have no system for keeping reminders of what needs to be done, when, how, etc.

There are three basic requirements for managing your tasks if you want to be stress-free rather than frazzled, exhausted, and overwhelmed!

1. If it is on your mind, then you can’t clear your mind.  This is where the “collect” stage comes from.  You take what’s on your mind and collect into various categories that you will address at some point.
2. In order to complete a task, you need to clarify what it is you must do.
3. Once you’ve got the decisions made about your plan of action, you will need to develop a system of reminders that you can view on a regular basis – this makes up stage 2 – organize!

The first step in organizing your “stuff” is the ask yourself a simple question:

What do you need to do about each email, voice-mail, memo, or self-generated ideas that are collected?

The answer to this will form the basis for how you organize your work.  So rather than throwing all of your emails, for example, into a pile, you will organize your emails based on the action you have determined to take on each one.  Here’s how you do it.

Let’s say your basket of emails is full.  Take those emails and use as practice to learn the process for organizing.

1.      What is It?

Stupid question?  Not at all!  What is the email about?  Is it a company memo sent via email about the change in dress code?  Maybe it’s an email that outlines the process for using the company insurance.  Take the time to look at each one so that you know what it is.

2.      Is it Actionable?

Obviously, there are two answers:  Yes or No

If no action is required, you’ve got three choices about how to handle that email.

-         Throw it in the trash

-         No action is needed now, but might need it later (incubate)

-         This is useful info that you may need for later (reference)

If action is required, you’ll have to determine two things about each item.

-         What “project” or outcome have you committed to?

-         What’s the next action required?

If it’s about a project, you can start a “Projects” list where it will serve as a reminder that action is required.  The

next action” is the very next physical, visible activity that needs to be done in order to move toward completion.

3.      Do It, Delegate It, or Defer It.

Once you have decided what action needs to be taken, you have three options.

-         Do It:  If your action can be done in less than two minutes, then do it as soon as you make your decision to act.

-         Delegate It:  If your “action” will take longer than two minutes, ask yourself if you really have to be the one to do it?  If someone else can just as easily take the action, delegate it right away.

-         Defer It:  If it may take longer than two minutes, but you are the one who must do the action, you can defer acting upon it until later.  You can put it on your calendar with a specific due date or you can determine that you will do it as soon as you can.

You are well on  your way to getting a handle on your workflow if you begin using the first two stages.  Next time, we will look at organizing your results!

One of the hardest things for a person with ADD to do is to “get” and “stay” productive. Remember the ADD brain is on overload. It doesn’t always know how to filter important stimuli from all of the rest distractions. The result? You can’t pay appropriate attention to anything!

Understanding that concept gives you further insight into why productivity is often very difficult for a person with ADD to achieve and maintain. But is it entirely possible for you to be overwhelmed with your “TO DO” list and still get things done in an efficient manner.

How do you do that? In his book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, author David Allen, says that we stress ourselves out to the extent that everything seems like an urgent matter, and in the wake of fretting about all o fit, we end up getting very little done! Add to that our ADD organizational weaknesses, and you have a fine mess on your hands!

David Allen maintains that even those of us with the worst organizational abilities can find new ways of getting things done. In fact, he believes that it is possible for us to be productive and relaxed at the same time. Sounds to good to be true, doesn’t it?

Allen first suggests that you take an inventory of your life. What do you value most? Time with your family? A job well done? Free time? Whatever it is, he says that this will give you an edge to deciding how to go about getting your life organized. In other words, when you realize what is the most important to you, you begin to see tasks differently. You are better able to determine what is keeping you from doing what you value most and you can find a way to change. He has devised the “five stages of mastering workflow” to help you get started:

• Collect
• Process
• Organize
• Review
• Do

For this article, let’s talk about the first stage. What are all of the things that demand our attention? For most of us, the list seems to never end. But it is important to know how to collect those things in order to process them and begin to get some sort of hold on them.

First, try to define what items on your “To Do” list require some sort of action – i.e., emails, letters, etc. These are “incomplete” items that take up a lot of worry space in your brain and can actually keep you from moving ahead because you are too overwhelmed to do anything! In order to manage what he calls “incompletes,” you will need a collection process.

A collection process is merely a way to organize these items into a system that resides outside of your brain. This includes both low- and high-tech tools such as:

Paper Calendars: to put items that require attention by a certain time

Paper and Pads: notebooks, pads, spiral notebooks, etc. to help you keep “To Do” lists, random ideas, shopping lists

In-Baskets: easy and basic way to “sort” your items into a system that makes sense to you (i.e., a basket or tray for bills, letters that need a response, phone calls, etc.)

Electronic Note-Taking: the computer, PDA, your phone

Auditory Capture: perhaps by using a voice recorder on your phone or a handheld microcassette recorder

E-mail: to send yourself a reminder, organize your emails for responding, etc.

Whatever you use, the most important thing to remember is that you MUST get all of this information out of your head and somewhere externally. And don’t let your system become so elaborate that it is nonfunctional. Too many in-baskets, for example, will tend to cause you to become even slower in your productivity.

The other factor in collecting is to make sure you empty your “buckets” of items on a regular basis. You need not finish everything to “empty” it, but you do need to look at an item, decide what needs to be done, and then either do it or decide what action needs to be taken.

In the next article in this series, we will look at the second stage, “Process.”

This is what I call the “Finish It Rule’’

It’s a common thing with Adult ADHD. For me, it’s about 75%. I get the thing launched…it’s going well enough to exist, but it’s not really polished. So, what I did is, I recently hired someone, and their only job is to finish all the stuff that I don’t finish.

They’re happy, because they’re learning about all the really cool, creative things that I’m doing, and how to pull things like this together. This person is very, very organized, very meticulous, doesn’t have Adult ADHD like me, and is very good at just sitting down and focusing on something until it’s done, regardless. I’ll tell you, he’s one of the most valuable people in my company. I can’t believe how well it’s working. He’s finishing all the stuff that I’ve left unfinished.

I’d like to bring up another point here, which is something people with Adult ADHD need to ask themselves: “Does everything actually have to get done?” “Does everything you start have to end up finished?”…

Answer: The direct answer to that is, “No. It absolutely does not.” It’s okay to leave some things unfinished if it’s not going to impact you financially, spiritually, emotionally or mentally in a way that’s very negative. How many times have you heard, “You’ve got to finish what you start”? We hear it from parents, teachers, everybody. They are usually really focused people without Adult ADHD, who only start one project at a time.

If you are a highly creative person with Adult ADHD you automatically start multiple projects at a time, and you should set an expectation for yourself that not all of your projects are going to be finished… or be amazingly successful. But some will — and in the end that’s all anyone can say — Adult ADHD or no Adult ADHD.

When to Drop a Project

Here’s the other side of that question. If you’re at 85% done and you just can’t finish a project, you’ve got to ask yourself:

“Is this project worth finishing?”

Answer: If you say, “No,” drop it. Immediately.

Answer: Yes. If you say, “Yes. It is worth finishing. I’m just having trouble with this last 15%,” you know what you do? Of course, you use all the Adult ADHD focus principles that we’ve talked about before…

Find out if there is someone without Adult ADHD, who can help you finish it. Or, if you’re the only one who can do it, you use all of the other tricks and techniques:

• Involve all your senses.
• Set a deadline for yourself with rewards.
• Set timers.
• Do mini-deadlines.
• Chunk It – (break everything “bite-size” chunks)

In fact, all those things we just mentioned–using senses, mini-deadlines, and timers, are great techniques for focusing with Adult ADHD.