We live in a world where information is vast and often may seem infinite. The challenge is how to find it when you need it and how to organize it so you can retrieve it quickly and easily when you need it. You can download, upload, share or create anything. The question is do you know how to retrieve this information quickly and when you need it?
There are two basic forms of information, hard copy and soft copy. Hard copy is the information that is physically in hand; magazine articles, print outs, presentations etc. Soft copy is the information that is digital; shared files, internet etc. We must work to find a filing system that will help you to sort information in both forms. It can make things a lot simpler and easier if you use the same large categories, systems and strategies for both your hard copy filing systems and your hard copy filing systems.
We have found the easiest way is start with major categories and then introduce minor categories. For instance the broad categories could be Administration, Operations, Marketing and Finance/Accounting. Now depending on where you are in life, your minor categories could vary.

Life Situation	Administration	Operations	Marketing	Finance/Accounting
Home	Home insurance, warranties, household goods	Maintenance schedules for home and car, family member schedules, shopping lists	Resumes, Employment information, Life Purpose/Mission	Taxes, Licenses, Bills
Business	Office Equipment, Office Management	Forms and Policies, Structures and Procedures, Deadlines	Advertising, Web 2.0	Budgets, P&L, Bills
School	Clubs, Sports, Sororities, Hobbies, Contact Lists	Class schedules, Exam dates, d/w/m schedules	Transcripts, Portfolio, Job Applications, Resumes, Career Coaches, Networking	Parking Permits, Student Loans, Grants, Banking information, Bill

· Administration- organizational aspects
· Operations-scheduling and deadline aspects
· Marketing –promoting yourself or your business
· Finance/Accounting – tracking of money

There are two key elements to your filing system; using the same categories and visual stimulation system throughout both your hard copy and digital filing systems. We recommend color coding for each of the categories; administration in blue, operations in yellow, marketing in red and finance in green. Every subcategory is put in a folder of that same color. You can even color code your file folders online by changing the font color to match. This way you are always working with the same colors and categories. The set up may be time extensive so you may want to employ a friend or coach to help you get started with this process.
Once you get started with the filing system that works for you, you will be encouraged by the time and energy you save when locating information.

Managing Stuff Challenges of ADD and ADHD

The accumulation of stuff happens like breathing. As we live, stuff seems to accumulate in our offices, homes, dorm rooms and we have the daunting task of figuring out what to do with all this stuff. We have papers, pens, folders, magazines, books, tests, notes, quizzes, contacts; and the list goes on and on.

It is common to have a filing system in place for about 80% of all this stuff where we are likely to remember where it is and have an easy time of retrieving this information. It is the last 20% that often bog us down and distract us from the tasks at hand. Often it is nice to have a trusted person or coach, who will help with this part of the process. This unbiased outside opinion can help with deciphering your needs and thought processes.

We have found many methods that work in filing systems from index filing and labeling to color coding. In my experience I have found that I utilize a few techniques to maintain my filing systems. First I have a color coding system where red is for clients, yellow is for office stuff, blue is for household stuff and so forth. I have typed a list for the outside of the filing cabinets that is also color coded and lists the file names. This way we can quickly scan the lists to see what file drawer we need to go into for the information needed. Also with the color coding on the lists, it is a subtle reminder for our filing system and the colors used.

This system has worked well however I am constantly tweakin g the system and moving items to where they are more efficiently found. For example, all electronics come with a disc and an owner’s manual. There are three files that these would fall under; electronics, office and household goods. Originally we put these items in the household goods file folder. As we needed the information, we found that we were looking in the electronics folder first so we moved the information. Now we find our information in the first folder making our search much more efficient.

The final responsibility of the trusted person/coach is to ensure that we aren’t keeping items that are unnecessary and bogging down our lives. This person needs to understand your threshold for change and discarding items prior to making recommendations. Some coaches would be able to assist with this process.

To set up this system make take some initial investment of time and money however in the long run you will save time and money through efficiency of finding needed information. The accumulation of stuff happens like breathing. As we live, stuff seems to accumulate in our offices, homes, dorm rooms and we have the daunting task of figuring out what to do with all this stuff. We have papers, pens, folders, magazines, books, tests, notes, quizzes, contacts; and the list goes on and on.

Common Challenge # 5 - Project Completion

Common Challenge #5 – Project Completion

Let’s go on an interactive journey together. You will need to have a few pieces of paper, a couple of writing instruments preferably in different colors and time to think about projects. Let’s talk completing a project.

We have all completed projects. Projects come in all shapes and sizes; from cleaning your room to presenting your idea in a board meeting. Now bring to mind your most recent completed project, using a different color writing instrument answer each of these sections of questions regarding this project.

As you recreate your processes, notice what type of encouragement you received along the way. Did your friends and family keep you going through process? Was it co-workers or mentors that encouraged you? Did you encourage yourself?

Now let’s notice the work space where you completed your project. Was it clean and tidy? Was it small or large? Did you have all the tools to complete your project within a place that made sense to you?

Lastly let’s notice the time constraints it took to complete your project. Did you set aside 15 minute intervals? Did you spend one full weekend completing the task? Did you set up meetings with others to work on certain aspects of the project? Did you record the project in your day planner?

Once you have looked at your answers, you can start to determine your work habits. Every single person is different in how they will succeed in completing a project. Take a moment and re-read how you successfully have worked in the past. One of the keys to success is to create the atmosphere where you will succeed.

Let’s look at our Big Goal study from April 24th entry on Challenge #3. The goal was “I want to read for an hour a day for five (5) days per week starting tomorrow and continuing for three months.” We didn’t look at our previous habits. Now, we should define the work space and how to stay encouraged along the way. Where will the reading be done? Is it the library at a desk or in a comfy chair with hot tea? Can you read sitting upright or do you need to be more relaxed to absorb what you are reading? Let’s suppose from the exercise above you determined that you need a quiet place with no distractions so you set up a nice chair in a corner of your home to read for your one hour.

Also from the above exercise, you may have determined that you need to have a weekly check up on your progress but this person needs to be impartial to you. To complete your big goal, you decide you need to hire a coach for a weekly check up and assessment of the goal. Your coach will encourage you through the process and help you reassess your progress on the project. This will help to keep you accountable to completing the project on time. Now, you have the analysis to create an atmosphere that will encourage success on your projects in the future. You have evaluated what makes for a successful completion of a project and know how to attain the correct tricks and tools to aide you along the path.

Time Planning and Management

Time is elusive and if you have ADD tendencies, you may find many miscommunications relating back to time management. Everything from over committing to remembering is a challenge for those with ADD/ADHD. Sometimes deadlines are missed, co workers or friends are disappointed and we tend to get down on ourselves if we can’t find a fix for time management.

Through my coaching career, I have found that taking the time to find the correct time management plan is worth the effort. There is a myriad of planners to choose from and it all comes down to what will work for you. As you are shopping, look at color, style, pattern, size. You may ask; do I plan daily, weekly or monthly? You may ask, are the appointment spaces large enough to write in? Do I want to type and use a virtual calendar? Does anyone else need to have access to my calendar? Essentially what you are doing is trying to strike a balance between ease and effectiveness of your day planner.

Once you have determined what will work best for you. The work begins; the allotment of time or time management. Every day has a finite amount of time and every person has, what seems like, an infinite amount of tasks to complete. Do you ever feel like your “to do” list never ends?

Your day planner will help you organize your tasks so that all the balls you are throwing in the air are completed. Think of your day planner as your safety net for life, it will catch the balls you are throwing so that none land on the ground. As tasks begin to come in, you and your coach will analyze the deadline, the time needed to complete the task and the time you have available to do this. Sometimes you may find that you need to allot more time on either side of a project for unexpected interruptions in your day. You will record your time in your day planner. As you get more comfortable with your planner, you will be able to do this analysis yourself and continually, throughout the day, place tasks in specific appointment times. This technique will help you to meet your deadlines and keep yourself from over committing. It will force you to make choices about what is most important on a daily basis. Because of the finite number of hours available, one must choose what is most important for us to spend our time on. Finally the action of recording tasks on the calendar will help you to remember your projects.

At the end of each week, you and your coach will be able to track what is important to you and what is continually moving. You will have the tools necessary to figure out what needs delegation and what you have passion to complete.

Ultimately, you will be completing projects by their deadlines and have time to allocate to what truly inspires you. A key to time management is assigning a day and time to do everything instead of having the never ending to do list.