Cell Phone: Lifeline to Sanity

I held off on joining the ranks and getting an i-Phone until recently for two reasons: I didn’t want to pay the additional data fees, and as usual, the technical learning curve was daunting and unnecessary. I am at an age where peer pressure doesn’t dominate my decisions, and I can legitimately bury my head in the sand and expound on how my flip phone has served me well for years and effectively provides its intended purpose: calling and texting. When an opportunity arose to “get me in” at a discounted rate, I entered the smart phone world and have found it an invaluable tool in a more successful navigation through life with disabling ADD.
The first “plus” afforded me with the new phone was the ability to combine the features of my i-Pod, digital voice recorder and phone. Two less items to lose or find when I needed them. As I began to explore the infinite realm of apps, a world or organization and convenience was opened in the palm of my hand.
I immediately downloaded the dictionary and A.P. Stylebook apps. This was huge! With me all the time for instant reference and convenience. I still always carry and use my ubiquitous pen and 3×5 note cards, but at the earliest convenience can transpose those notes to my electronic notepad, complete with headings for easy reference. And the ability to record a verbal thought and transpose it to a “written” note was explosive. (I realize that this sentiment really makes me sound old.)
I used to almost panic when placed in a situation where I had to wait e.g., the post office, doctor’s office, in the car picking up a child. But now I occasionally find myself leaving early, increasing my wait time and, thus, greater opportunity to augment or organize my electronic notes, check my e-mail or more realistically, play Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12, or ascend to the next level of Angry Birds.
A recent survey of a specific demographic revealed that they would theoretically surrender almost anything in their lives if it were necessary to keeping their i-Phone. At the time I found that appalling. But now, not so much.

My 9 Best ADD Coping Tips (Part ll)

6. No Trip Without an Item — Since the ADDer has difficulty completing projects, and even remembering the initial purpose for entering a room, complete a single task, even if only minimal, every time you get up to do or get something. Throw away a piece of paper from your desk, put your keys where they belong, charge your cell phone, put a pair of misplaced shoes or socks where they belong…anything. By the end of the day, even if you have had difficulty crossing anything off your list, you have still made progress.

7. Be In the Moment — It is not OCD that makes many afflicted with ADD repeat tasks. If at the moment I go to lock my front door, and my thoughts suddenly dart to something completely unrelated, by the time I get to my car I actually can’t positively remember the action of locking the door, thereby mandating another walk up to lock it. I mentally have to stay focused by saying “I am locking the door” while doing it in order to assure remembering that I did it.

8. Always Carry a Pen

9. Complete, Then Tweak — Since further debilitating perfectionism often accompanies ADD, it is important to remember that quite often “good enough” actually is. I’ve missed many deadlines due to spending too much time “perfecting” a project element, thus crippling the project as a whole. If someone merely wants a “first draft” of something by a certain date, complete it well enough to submit. If there is then time, go back and tweak to your heart’s content.

My 9 Best ADD Coping Tips (Part l)

1. Get ready FIRST — For instance, since I must take my daughter to school, I should have been completely ready to walk out the door at the given time e.g., completely dressed, shoes on, keys found, back door locked and  dog inside, BEFORE working on my Blog while waiting for my daughter to get ready. Instead, I desperately bang out some thoughts, while in the back of my mind leaving enough time to prepare for leaving. Now, engrossed in Blog-thought, the time will suddenly be upon me as I face the mad dash to find everything and rush out the door against a time crunch.

2. The Never-Lost Parking Tip — I start at the beginning of the aisle closest to the door of where I am going, proceeding down that aisle —  however far it may be, and however many other closer spots in other aisles I may see on the way — until I find a spot. If it is far, I consider the walk good for me. The advantage and actual time saving is that on my way out I never have to wonder where I parked my car. (Since my mental fog may have blacked out my parking destination, the time and frustration saved from this habit is noteworthy.)

3. A Place for Everything — Keys, wallet, shoes, phone and most things I use every day have a specified place of rest. Honing the habit of replacing them to their spot has helped me interminably. Note: I am a huge fan of Velcro.

4. Take Naps — My schedule occasionally allows me to take a short nap during the day. Being as sleep deprived as I am, the mental boost garnered from even a 20-minute respite is invaluable.

5. Don’t Stray — Focus is key, and it is difficult for some to realize or appreciate the extreme amount of effort an ADDer must apply merely to focus…on anything. When looking for a physical document or other piece of paper on my desk, the diversion caused by even a glance at a receipt or photo or statement or letter is what will throw me “off scent” and barking down a trail other than was initially intended. Navigating the Internet is obviously a challenge.

New Pants!

For me it is the bi-polar extremes, the highs and lows, that I find utterly exhausting–physically and mentally. The defeating fatigue of waking up early charged with ambition and armed with yet another revised and so seemingly doable to-do list, only to find myself reclining safely in my office, drained and desperately trying to justify the last few hours of my life. I may have done a lot of things, even a few from the list, but usually little to consider as “advancing” my short- or long-term goals. Few if any to be considered as accomplishments or even the requisite, endless and mundane tasks of maintaining a car, house, family or career.

I find defeat even in accomplishment. For instance, I have perfected the process of creating to-do lists. As the world became increasingly enthralled with electronic organizers and “smart” devices, I prided myself on my proven and much more reliable and user-friendly method of utilizing 3×5 index cards and always carrying a pen in my pocket. And this is just the end-user portion of the system, preceded by the transposition of tasks from the longer “master” lists on 6×8 index cards and the transitional legal pads (white for temporary disposable notes, and yellow for more permanent professional notes; telephone transcripts; references and ideas for future posts, commentaries, letters to the editor, short stories, novels and Toastmasters speeches; and ideas and sketches for future artistic endeavors).

Whether or not you buy into it or believe it to be a “real” condition or affliction, Attention Deficit Disorder is very real to those dealing with its effects on their lives. I have chosen this as the leitmotiv for this blog. It will be diverse, varied and scattered, such is the ADD mind.