College – Page 2 – Focus For Effectiveness

Work With Your Strengths, Values and Passions

In this Venn diagram there are three intersecting circles where your strengths, values and passions might be written.

In the circle on the bottom are the things you do well – the many strengths that you have, the things that people compliment you on, and the things about yourself that you might feel most proud.

In the circle on the top left are the things that are important to you – your values, the meaning or purpose in your life. It could be love, service, supporting a cause that you feel strongly about – there is no right or wrong here. It’s what drives you.

In the circle on the top right are the things that you love to do – your interests, your passions, and for those with ADHD, sometimes the things that you find yourself doing instead of what you set out to do. These are the things that you would do for free, but hopefully get someone to pay you for.

The place where the circles intersect is where people are most happy, at their best and most successful – and this is where our ADHD challenges don’t show up as readily, if at all.

Think about it: You are doing what you love to do, you are really good at it and it’s important to you. You are happy. You lose track of time. You are rocking it, whatever “it” is. And it feels good.

Have you ever been on the field and just zoned in on the ball, perhaps surprising yourself or others about how focused and determined (and successful) you are? Have you ever been visited by your muse when you are doing something creative, and the words or images flow seemingly without effort?

Positive psychologists would call this the state of “flow“ but you might call it “being in the zone,” “totally immersed,” or “in the moment.” It’s this place where you are obviously at your best – it’s no coincidence that this is also the place where your “ADHD shadow” is the smallest. You might call this high noon for the ADHD shadow, where the shadow exists, but it isn’t very apparent to yourself – or to others.

So recognizing that we all have our moments of flow, the question is: How can arrange our lives so that we are more engaged, more successful, and happier more of the time?

Ask yourself:

What is important to me? What do I value most highly?
What are my strengths? What do I do particularly well?
What really interests me? What do I feel passionate about?

The answers to those questions will help you find ways to have more “in the zone” moments where you are at your best – and able to do your best.

And, of course, if we can be of assistance to you as you strive for more of those positive moments, contact us at info@FocusForEffectiveness.com.

Succeeding in College

Here’s another tip from Roxanne Fouché appearing in the book, 365 Ways to Succeed with ADHD: A Full Year of Valuable Tips & Strategies from the World’s Best ADHD Coaches & Experts!!!

Available from Amazon.com

College can be particularly challenging for students with ADHD because academic expectations increase while there is a decrease in external structure. Students may have difficulty prioritizing competing demands on their time as there are varying class times and new daily routines. Even if it wasn’t necessary in high school, many college students find it extremely useful to use paper or digital planners to map out their days, scheduling the actual times that they plan to accomplish their goals: going to class or work, studying, eating, sleeping, laundry and other errands, exercise and/or social activities.

College and ADHD

Academically, college can be a challenge for any student – but especially for one with ADHD, learning disabilities or related issues. Academic expectations increase in college at a time when there is a decrease in external structure from parents and school. There is often limited feedback on class progress, as tests occur infrequently, and daily homework is rarely assigned to ensure that students are keeping up with their reading or other assignments. Students often have difficulty independently forming daily routines (waking up, going to bed, eating, studying, exercising, taking medication, doing laundry, and other chores), especially because their class schedules typically change from day to day. In addition, students may have difficulty prioritizing competing social and academic demands while enjoying the newfound freedom to make their own decisions.

There are several ways to set students up for success at college. Students with ADHD may be eligible for accommodations in college, whether or not they had a 504 plan or special education services in high school. Such accommodations might include testing in a separate and quiet environment, extra time for exams, note taking assistance, and/or priority registration among other accommodations. Students and their parents should contact the disabilities office at the college to find out the department’s procedures for beginning this process.

Another very helpful option is coaching for college students so they might discover personalized tools and strategies that allow them to successfully set goals, manage time, begin (and complete!) tasks, maintain focus, organize and prioritize, as well as balance life’s demands.

Call us today for a complimentary consultation to see how coaching might help you or teen succeed in the college environment.

Getting Things Done

One common frustration of people with ADD/ADHD is not being able to accomplish the things that need to get done. Sometimes we know what we need to do and just can’t seem to “make ourselves” do it. Sometimes, we are so overwhelmed with the sheer number, or the complexity, of the things that need to be done that we just don’t know where to begin. Sometimes we know the things we need to do, and are determined to accomplish them, but distractions get in the way of our best intentions.

In order to get things done, the first step is figuring out the stumbling blocks. Once we know what’s getting in the way, it’s easier to know how to move forward. In getting through the tedious or boring tasks, we can keep ourselves on track by working in small increments with breaks, as needed, until we finish the task and can reward ourselves. In getting past the overwhelm of complex tasks, we can break down the tasks into do-able steps, giving ourselves intermediate due dates for accomplishing them. If distractions are an issue, we can set up our working environment to minimize distractions, by listening to soft music with earphones, or turning off email notification on our computers, for example.

Of course, everyone is different and what works for one person may or may not work for another. (And it’s often the case that what works one day may not work the next.) Pay attention to what’s getting in the way and experiment with ways to use your strengths while working around your challenges.

Call us for a complimentary consultation to explore how coaching might help you work smarter and accomplish more.