Taking the time each day...

...to clean my work area, is CRITICAL TO FUNCTIONING.

I can't imagine there's a person with ADHD out there that would not benefit from at least trying this. It keeps the mess manageable. It gives you a chance to organize your brain in a literal, tactile, visual way.

Okay okay, I can't say that I know how everyone should live their work lives, but...if you struggle with work organization I highly suggest it...because after years of doing this, and trying different ways, I generally DON'T STRUGGLE MUCH WITH WORK ORGANIZATION ANYMORE.

When we take the time to practice positive coping techniques it can become easier over time, and it cans become easier, more of the time, and...it is NOT a waste of time to do this, to try this, to at least give yourself a chance to see what works for you.

I do not organize myself in the same way in each workplace. Some people might benefit from trying that, but for me, it works better to find a method that works for THAT job.

Here at my desk at the theater (yes, I work at a theater) I have a long list of email folders where I can stash my emails into logical categories...and most importantly can stash and rediscover those emails QUICKLY. I may love organization but I'm still impatient. It's better than swearing and getting pissed and ruining my afternoon and wasting time and totally derailing myself because I can't find something.

I have a "TO DO" folder, and in that folder, are about 5 other folders that pertain to specific projects. Those folders themselves are not perfectly organized within at all times. But as I go through my day, when the paper starts to accumulate and I feel my brain getting ready to explode, I can just toss things into their proper folder until I need them (things like post-its...scraps of paper...lists...printed emails). Then when I think "oh, I need to be working on my Promotions" I go to the Promotions folder and look, a pile of shit that all relates to Promotions is already there, and then I can have fun organizing it as I think about the project and prioritize its parts. Then I can stack all of the items in the order of attack that makes the most sense...and feel good knowing that I have set myself up for success. Because the next time I open that folder, I will look at the "thing" on top first and off I go on my journey to completion.

Long term projects require repeated sorting.

If you looked at my desk (and didn't watch me while I'm working...or fall victim to a random tangent of my chatter) you would have no clue that I have ADHD. Not that appearances are what I'm caring about here.

What I'm caring about here is that I'm one of the most organized people that people who know me, know. It's not a competition, but it does feel good.

Try it, you might like it. You don't have to do it the same way I do it. But as I've said many times before, you owe it to yourself and everyone else around you to try. If you don't know where to start, read about how other people organize themselves. Personally, I find it more useful to look at how I work...and go from there. Buying tons of organizing systems and boxes and crap won't "fix" you for you...it's more about developing a good relationship with yourself.

So go to it...have a nice chat between you and you...and maybe a cup of tea...

Dear dancilhoney: I don't whore out for free!

I got a comment that I'm declining to post. Normally I'm not into "censoring" or deleting comments because I like transparency with my dialog. That's the key to this situation though: it wasn't part of a dialog, it was a blatant "ad" for an alleged ADHD drug.

So, I just wanted to clear something up.

Whoever you are, username "dancilhoney", until you decide to send me a substantial check, which clears into my bank account, I will not be posting YOUR ads. I work hard, I need money, and I don't whore out for free.

I'd be delighted if some drug company wanted to pay me to post an ad here, actually. I could use some spare income, and heaven knows my audience is interested in information about ADHD.

I don't agree with everything that drug manufacturers do, or all of the ways that they conduct business, but to say that they do NO good in the world would be, from me, hypocritical. I love my ADHD drugs.

So...if you actually want to pay for adspace on my blog, by all means, we can probably work something out. Until then: go fuck yourself.

A Challenge...

...it's a fact of life that we can't make every moment of our lives ADHD-friendly.

Today I am living that fact.

I have discovered that regular exercise is a helpful ingredient to my sanity. I'd gotten into a pretty cool routine of walking first thing in the morning with the dogs, then walking again at lunch and then maybe again in the evening.

And sometimes, during the day, a random quick jaunt around the neighborhood really clears my head. Or a zippy bike ride...I think REALLY well on my bike!

Today, it's about 10-below zero out, and with wind chill, it feels like 20-below. Going outside to get some fresh air, for more than 5 minutes, is just not an option (I don't thaw well).

I always take the stairs when I'm at work, but I'll probably take some gratuitous trips up and down just for the heck of it.

If you need me, I'll most likely be found jogging up and down the stairs of this Victorian mansion, adding my footprints to the history of the house....

...the stomach has a limited capacity...or it should...

I was at a loooong meeting at work today. It's important to clarify that I was really enjoying the meeting...but, if you've read this blog long enough, I'm sure you know what's coming next: I always have a hard time sitting still for a long time, and this very productive, valuable and really inspiring meeting was 5 hours long.

At a certain point I had to start finding strategies for either keeping still/paying attention while in my seat, or simply giving myself acceptable reasons to get up and move around.

I do this thing sometimes, where I just rotate my ankle. You can do it under the table, it's not noisy, and I enjoy feeling my brain shift from white noise to comprehension of the conversation at hand, as I begin to circle my foot. It's literally like flipping a switch and suddenly I'm enjoying the conversation because I can HEAR it! And follow it!

Opening and closing my pen cap was another good one (it's a quiet cap).

My other strategy may have been less, um...grown up, but it helped: I kept getting up to go grab a cookie off of the plate of cookies on the other side of the room. I was able to move in a direction that wasn't disruptive to the conversation...I ate about...5 of them? (Large ones...) And 3 brownies. This strategy might not be the best for everyone but I still have weight to gain back after my Christmas-era explosion of illness. I knew I'd gone beyond the realm of normal cookie consumption however when the Executive Assistant happened to be at the table with me and said, with a genuine smile "you CANNOT eat more of those cookies". I took one more. And I know how I roll, I know that when my brain is in that mode, I'm going to hear more and be a more productive participant if I can get up and move around.

And MMMMMMM cookies! (I have no shame...)

Enjoying this blog...

...check it out! Another perspective on the search for answers with a unique brain...

Wine, Cigarettes and Stilettos

I suck at Ping Pong

This morning, I rolled into work with a "Ritalin, I don't need no stinkin' Ritalin" attitude.

And I didn't.

Until there were two people having a conversation on either side of my desk and I couldn't follow it at all.

I took the Ritalin.

How far is too far...

...I've become my step-daughter's designated homework helper, at her request. And so, after her brothers are in bed, we camp out at her desk and do what must be done.

Generally, she needs the most help with her math assignments, and of course, third grade was the first of many years of math nightmares for me. I'm a better tutor than I thought I would be though...

One evening last week she tells me "I figured something out. If I do something with my hands while I'm working, it's easier for me to think.". I told her this was great, that I often have to do the same thing, and that she could pick something to "do" with her hands while we worked on homework. She chose the squishing of Squinkies. If you don't know what a Squinkie is, all you need to know is that they are tiny and rubbery and satisfying to pull and squish with your fingers.

It seemed that her theory was, indeed, correct, HOWEVER...she is 8 and she is discovering this for the first time...so drawing the line between productive fidgeting and just plain messing around was not yet clear.

I tried being instructive with my reminders, letting her know that "you have to remember, when you pick a thing to do with your hands, and other people are around, you have to pick something that will not bother other people". Or "you need to pick something to do, it needs to be something that is not distracting to you". And of course "you really need to pick ONE thing to do, NOT FIVE", after she began SPINNING in her chair.

Finally it came down to "doing something to help you think better, and just plain messing around are NOT the same thing".

Line drawn. Homework was completed...eventually...