You may have received a diagnosis of ADHD from a professional, sat in a meeting regarding your child’s diagnosis and realized that you have the same qualities, or you read about ADHD and knew that this is your story.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

I’ve never liked the term ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder focuses only on the negative aspects of this group of traits. But, since the term provides a meaningful shortcut in discussions about educational settings, employment, and other conversations, I use it.

When working with clients, or presenting to parents and professionals, I focus on the qualities of ADHD. These can include difficulty with:

• Time management
• Organization
• Attention to details
• Following directions

• Driving – directions, impulsivity or inattentiveness
• Self-esteem and motivation
• Writing – organization of thoughts, fine motor challenges
• Reading – light sensitivity, avoidance
• Anxiety

Consider also the gifts that come with ADHD. You are often intelligent inventors, entrepreneurs, and creative original thinkers excelling in non-traditional learning or work environments. You have compassion, live in the present and easily inter-connect with others. You see the big picture and motivate others with your enthusiasm and energy.

Some adults notice that their ADHD, which was a significant challenge in school, is no longer much of a problem. These individuals have usually found a job where movement is allowed, spontaneity and novelty are frequent, and detail work is at a minimum.

Others experience ADHD significantly impacting their life and find the need to take medication during their adult years. Some adults take it daily while others have determined with their physicians that the only time they need ADHD medication is when they have a very detail-oriented activity to complete.

With or without medication, it is important to use strategies that correspond to your gifts. Here are a number of strategies that adults have found helpful. Remember that you might wish to personalize them for your style.

USE A CALENDAR (paper or digital) to keep track of your appointments and deadlines. Carry it with you at all times.

TO-DO LISTS I used to carry a small pad of paper to list and check off items. In today’s digital world there are many free apps for smartphones to assist you. Since I forget to look at them, I now use the “all-day” portion of my iPhone calendar to list these specific tasks on the day that I’m most likely, or most need, to complete them. I use the calendar’s specific time slots for appointments.

ACKNOWLEDGE COMPLETION of your to-do items for personal reinforcement. I place an X in front of each to-do item to confirm its completion.

LONG TERM PROJECTS Chunk these into manageable tasks. I find it helpful to not only put in the due dates, but also to note the day I will tackle each project/task.

SET ALERTS If you are going to need an hour to arrive at your destination, be sure that your alert notifies you sufficiently in advance of departure time. It’s also wise to set an additional alert the day (or hours) prior as reminder.

ALARMS Set multiple alarms, possibly across the room. There are also vibrating-pillow alarm clocks. You might awaken a half hour prior to your get-up time to take your ADHD medication; then when the real alarm goes off it is easier to engage the day.

ORGANIZATION and CLEAN UP

• The entire project does not need to be completed in one attempt.
• Begin at a specific section like your desk surface or kitchen countertop, or start in a corner and move around the perimeter of the room.
• Instead of saving stacks of magazines to read later or keep for reference, access articles and information from the web.
• Use a dark bag for garbage. A clear or different color can be used to collect items for donation. Everything else gets put away.
• Use totes, buckets, crates, etc. to store groups of items together.
• Provide visibility for what you use often.
• If you are a collector limit items to a specific area/bucket. No room for new items? Sell or donate.
• Give yourself an incentive for each completed task.

Life with ADHD means you have likely experienced a number of incidents that led you to feel less than others. School, social events, family, and bullying can make you believe that you don’t fit the expectation and must not be okay. This is not true!!

Honor who you are, display your gifts to the world, and present yourself confidently to the younger generation and your peers. It’s time to be proud of Who You Really Are.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield, MI. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties; work or school related anxiety; ADHD; Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders; and those who wish to Remember and Become Who You Really Are. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www. SpiralWisdom.net for more information.

This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to replace medical care.

Avoid over-scheduling and learn how to balance your child’s time.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Even during these difficult economic times, many families provide their children with enrichment activities: T-ball, soccer, gymnastics, dance, martial arts, hockey, horseback riding, football, academic tutoring, and the list goes on and on. While these children are the fortunate beneficiaries, important opportunities can be missed and difficulties can arise when a child is over scheduled.

Providing structured activities and play dates is especially beneficial when a child is shy or is shunned by peers. If this child only has the opportunity to connect with other children when s/he initiates, there will likely be continued isolation and minimal opportunity to learn social interaction skills. Providing this child with activities is very helpful for social and emotional development.

In addition, the shy or isolated child tends to passively engage in computer and video gaming. Gaming is desired because it effectively distracts children from distressing feelings and thoughts. Interacting with computers (games or programming) does not require the child to process dialogue, intonation, body language, emotions or manners. Therefore, it can leave a child one-dimensional.

Additional benefits of planned activities include teamwork, following a schedule, having structure, and learning to follow rules. Be sure that your child or adolescent can actually derive these benefits. It is not as helpful if the parent is the juggler and steps in when there are problems with teamwork or rules. (For additional discussion about supporting your child in these lessons see Effective Communication,  and Independent Children.)

Parents need to be cautious of how many activities that they provide for their child. A child who has many arranged activities may lack the opportunity to think for one-self, express creatively and problem solve. These are important skills that also increase resilience and delayed gratification. The amount of involvement is based on your child’s personality and needs.

Time management

• Begin with a visual representation of your child’s schedule.
• Create a Monday through Sunday calendar in half-hour increments. 7am to 11pm is generally recommended.
• Write each of your child’s activities into the daily schedule blocks.
• Include: school, clubs, sports, doctor or therapy appointments, tutoring, after school classes, work. Include activities where this child accompanies another.
• Consider religious education, religious services and family time (visits to grandparents, etc).
• Include before school, after-school, evening and weekend activities and travel time.

Evaluate the schedule

• Your child has personal / creative time
• There is opportunity for social connecting
• There is ample opportunity for rest, relaxation, exercise and sleep
• Your child can eat and snack nutritionally

Next assess the balance to assure maintenance of grades. When I do this exercise with students I often find that their complaint that they ‘have no time to do homework’ is correct. I may recommend that they remove an activity or two. I can also, through this method, help students to identify time for homework completion and studying that they didn’t formerly see. Here’s how to do this:

• Look to see if there is time for daily homework; block it in
• On days that the schedule doesn’t seem to allow for homework point out the necessity to use the brief opportunities (sometimes only 15-20 minutes) in the car, on the team bus, while waiting to gather as a club, etc
• Look at course requirements – if there is a quiz or test every Friday for instance, and Thursday is an extremely busy day, then Wednesday should be assigned as the study day for that weekly quiz. Block this into the schedule.

I hope that you have found this useful to evaluate your child’s busyness factor and to use time effectively and efficiently.

This process can be applied to help adults manage time, too. You won’t likely forget to include all your family members’ activities in which you are involved; but remember to include personal restorative time as well!

Do you have additional tricks that you use? I’d love to hear from you.

Judy Lipson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and educational strategist in West Bloomfield. She helps clients of all ages who have learning difficulties; work or school related anxiety; ADHD; Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorders; and those who wish to Remember and Become Who You Really Are. Contact Judy at 248.568.8665 and judylipson@spiralwisdom.net, and visit www. SpiralWisdom.net for more information.