Strategies and Resources
from the Coach's Toolbox

by Mary Jane Johnson, PCC, ACT

Over the past 12 years as a support group founder/facilitator, National ADDA board member and president, editor of the first newsletter for adults with ADD, and now as an ADD Coach I have collected an abundance of resources that have been helpful to both ADD coaches and their ADD clients. In this article I am going to share some of the ideas and resources that I have found to be most helpful in my coaching practice.

I compiled the resources that I collected into what I call my "Coach's Toolbox" (a spiral bound book) that I can refer to easily when talking with clients. It never ceases to amaze me how many gadgets, gizmos and organizational tools are available, especially on the internet. There is something for almost every need; therefore I am continually updating my toolbox with new finds. I often refer a client to one or two websites of interest when we are working on specific issues of concern, so they can do some research on their own.

Many of my clients come to me with organizational and time management issues that are common in adults with ADD. Finding a planner that works for the individual is one of the first steps we might take. I usually ask that the client use some kind of planner or calendar. If they are currently using something that they like and/or has worked for them in the past we continue with that system. I also suggest the planner that I use. It is called the Planner Pad (www.plannerpads.com).

Unlike other planners where you have to flip from section to section to write things down or find what you need, the Planner Pad is like a spiral bound notebook that opens up to two pages that lay flat and show your entire week at a glance. The layout on the two 8 1/2 x 11 pages allows you to categorize lists (top section), prioritize your daily action plan by pulling from those lists (middle section), and schedule appointments, etc. (bottom section). This process is referred to as funneling and keeps all your notes in one place rather than scattered around on scraps of paper or legal pads. By having everything for the week in one place where you can see it, you are less likely to miss important things that you need to do that week. The Planner Pad is thin, light weight, simple and easy to carry.

I suggest that the client find a couple of different color pens or markers to use for writing in their planner (or calendar). One color for work items, one for family appointments, etc., and another for personal items. This helps to see what is what at a quick glance. A "teacher supply store" (most cities have several) is an excellent place to shop around and try out different writing utensils in order to find what might work comfortably.

I also encourage the client to make appointments with themselves and write them in their planner. This is a time to reward themselves for follow through on plans, projects and commitments, and ensures that there are always joy breaks or playtime built into their schedule.

An interesting concept is the "family organizer", a notebook that is used as command central for the entire family (http://organizedhome.com/content-36.html), rather than using a personal planner. This website also provides planner pages you can download and place in a 3-ring notebook. A different take on the family organizer is the Planning Center (www.marshplan.com/family.htm) which is a magnetized planning board that can be hung on the refrigerator.

Here is a great family planning idea that was shared at a support group meeting a few years back. Purchase one of those large, blotter type desk calendars with big squares (found at Office Max) and hang it in an easily accessible place (probably in kitchen or family room). Place a clock with large numbers above or next to the calendar. Each family member is assigned a color and all of their activities, appointments, assignments due, etc. are written on the calendar (with times noted, etc.). This is especially helpful in the family made up of more than one individual with attention difficulties and provides a visual reminder of upcoming events.

If you are looking for ideas for organizing different areas of the home you might want to visit www.123sortit.com. This website is divided up into home and business organization and provides a multitude of ideas. Another good site for organization tips is www.organizedtimes.com. If you are looking for a professional organizer to come into your home check out the website of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) at www.napo.net.

Another helpful organizational tool or system is a "tickler file". This particular file is set up with a folder or slot for each day of the month. It serves as a reminder or storage place for things such as theater or game tickets, tax forms, correspondence that needs to be responded to or handled by specific dates, etc. By checking the file for each day you can stay on top of due dates, etc., and know that what you need will be right there in the file folder. This system can be set up with 31 file folders (numbered 1-31, one for each day of the month) and another 12 file folders (with the names of the 12 months). The current month folder would be placed in front of the 31 folders (to show what month it is), and the other 11 (month) folders at the back. Items that need to be remembered at some future date can be placed in the appropriate month folder to later be sorted into the daily folders when that month arrives. One example of a tickler file can be found at www.overhall.com/tickler_file.htm .

Another great use for the tickler file. Purchase all of your family and friend's birthday, anniversary, and graduation cards for the year and place them in the folder of the month you need to send them out. You might even want to add some postage stamps, or pre-address and stamp the envelopes before putting them in the folders.

Some organization and time management books that I have found useful include: Best Organizing Tips, Stephanie Winston (Simon and Schuster); Taming the Paper Tiger, Barbara Hemphill (Kiplinger Books); Organizing for the Creative Person, Dorothy Lehmkuhl (Crown Trade Paperbacks); The 15-Minute Organizer, Emilie Barnes (Harvest House); Get Your Act Together, Pam Young (Harper Perennial); Time Management for Unmanageable People, Ann McGee Cooper (Bantam); You Can Find More Time for Yourself Every Day, Stephanie Culp (Better Way Books); and Take Back Your Life, Odette Pollar (Conari Press).

For clients that have difficulty with finances and paying their bills on time I have found that the "Easy Bill Paying System" offered at www.getorganizednow.com/ezbill.html can be quite helpful. This system provides a step-by-step bill paying system, complete record of your bill payments at a glance, pocket folders, pre-printed bill category labels, a handy clear storage pocket for miscellaneous receipts, all in a handsome 3-ring binder. Also offered at the same website is the "Easy Organizer". It is not just a planner. It is loaded with tools to help plan, schedule, remember events, keep in touch, stay fit, make decisions quicker, get your family on an organized schedule, prioritize, keep track of great ideas, and much more. The website belongs to Maria Garcia, who has written a book entitled "Get Organized Now", and is packed with organizational ideas as well as a very active message board.

To save time and reduce the amount of paper a client needs to handle, I encourage my clients to check out the Direct Marketing Association's privacy web page at www.thedma.org/consumers/privacy.html for information on how to get their name permanently off phone, mail and email lists.

Time estimation is also an area of difficulty for many clients. We start working on this by having the client track their time on a sheet of paper. This is set up with three columns: the name of the task, the amount of time the client "thinks" it will take to complete the task, and the amount of time it "actually" takes to complete the task. After tracking their time for a week or two they begin to see why many of the things on their To Do list never get accomplished. The next step might be the use of a timer, either a simple kitchen timer, or one of the timers or watches found on websites such as (www.hearmore.com/store) or (www.watchminder.com).

I encourage them to block out an amount of time to work on a task (i.e. 15 minutes to clean out a drawer, 60 minutes to work on term paper), set their timer, and stay focused on that task alone until the timer goes off. This is great tool to help them grasp how long it takes to complete a task, as well as helping them to stay focused on one thing at a time. During these specific blocks of time I suggest that a writing pad be kept nearby so that they can jot down any outside thoughts that may interfere with what they are presently doing. Writing these things down as they come up helps the client clear their mind and stay focused on their present task, rather than getting up several times to do other things. They become more comfortable with staying focused on one thing at a time, knowing that they can attend to these tasks at another time.

If the client chooses a vibrating timer (that clips to waist band or goes into a pocket) or watch they can also use this to remind themselves of things they need to attend to throughout the day (meds, appointments, etc.) without others being aware that they are using a timer. The timer can also be set as a reminder to leave for work at a certain time in the morning, or if you need to phone someone at a specific time, etc.

A good idea I came across for saving time is to set up a mailing center in your home. Include a postal scale (available at office supply stores), stamps (various denominations), different size envelopes, and padded mailers. A postal-rate chart can be obtained at your local post office or on its website at www.usps.com.

Another timesaver - keep a few generic gifts on hand (toys, picture frames, books, candles, etc.), that are suitable for last minute birthday, get well or thinking of you gifts. If you find yourself in a gift-buying crunch, gift certificates to toy or sports stores and theaters are another choice. When in a real bind you might take advantage of the free virtual gift and greeting card websites on the internet. Try sending your favorite person virtual chocolate from www.virtualchocolate.com; or virtual flowers at www.virtualpresents.com/flowers.html; or virtual presents at www.virtualpresents.com. Surprise a friend with a virtual vacation to explore Paris at www.visitparis.com or fun in the sun in Hawaii or Cancun at www.virtualgifts4u.com/vac. Virtual greeting cards for all occasions can be found at www.bluemountain.com. I love to send these to clients for special occasions or when they accomplish a goal they have been working on.

There are a couple of videotapes that I have found to be helpful to the ADD coach and client as well. "Outside In: A Look at Adults With Attention Deficit Disorder (1999) which can be ordered from National ADDA at www.add.org, and "Me, My ADD Coach and I" (2000) which can be ordered by calling 1-877-5ADD-VIDEO. This kind of video can be especially helpful to the ADD client who has never met other adults who have been diagnosed with ADD and gives them something they can relate to. There are several other videos about adult ADD on the market today as well.

When clients are seeking more information on ADD issues I often suggest they check out the www.add.about.com website, one of the best on the net. This website provides information for ADD individuals of all ages. The National Attention Deficit Disorder Association addresses adult ADD issues on their website www.add.org. A website that has tons of links to issues around ADD is Balance Check's ADD/ADHD page at http://user.cybrzn.com/~kenyonck/add/bc_home.html (this site has not been updated for a couple of years, but has a lot of good information).

I know that I have offered quite a few ideas and resources in this article. I hope you will find at least one or two that will be helpful to you as a coach or an individual with ADD.

This article was first seen in ADDvance Magazine

Mary Jane is a professional certified coach who works with adults with ADD. She was the founder, president and facilitator of the Parents of Hyperactive/ADD Children parent support group, and the ADDult support group in Toledo, Ohio for over ten years. She was on the founding board of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, and president for three years while gently guiding the organization into focusing on adult ADD issues. Mary Jane was the editor and publisher of the first adult ADD newsletter, ADDult News; edited 3 books on adult ADD; and has been given several awards for her work in the ADD arena. She graduated from ADD Coach's Training (ACT) through the Optimal Functioning Institute, was certified through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and now splits her time between her full time career as an administrative secretary and coaching her ADD clients. She is currently on the ADDA Board of Directors and holds the position of Vice President of Programming. You can contact Mary Jane at her email address mjjaddcoach@Yahoo.com.