| Attention deficit disorder (ADD) wasn't recognized until | | | | straight. In fact, it's probably impossible! How will you |
| about twenty years ago. Before that time, children | | | | remember what times dinner should be when your |
| who didn't sit still in their desk chairs, who seemingly | | | | husband works a different schedule every week. Or |
| daydreamed all the time, and couldn't meet homework | | | | how can you remember which kid has what obligation |
| assignments were considered "bad" kids, whose | | | | or appointment when? And what about your |
| parents had failed to give them sufficient discipline. The | | | | business? How can you remember everything that |
| only option was to spank or punish them on a daily | | | | you need to do to make that run smoothly at the |
| basis. We still don't know what repercussions that type | | | | same time? You can't! But there is a way to do this all |
| of parenting had on kids who just couldn't do any | | | | efficiently and take the load off your mind. |
| better. | | | | Get yourself some sort of planner. |
| Fortunately, those ideas are for the most part in the | | | | Microsoft Outlook's calendar works well for this. If you |
| past, and these symptoms have been attributed to | | | | have standing appointments or obligations, plug those in |
| ADD, or when hyperactivity is added, ADHD (attention | | | | immediately. Or, if you run a home business, you're |
| deficit hyperactivity disorder), even though some | | | | probably in front of the computer a good part of the |
| people and even some doctors still attribute those | | | | day. Be sure to plug things into your calendar as they |
| behaviors to "bad parenting." But attention deficit is | | | | arise. Keep it open all day, too. That way you'll be able |
| definitely a neurological difference from what science | | | | to see what comes next and keep your day humming. |
| might see as a "normal" brain. Though no prescribed, | | | | If you don't have Outlook, try another piece of |
| scientific tests have been determined to pinpoint the | | | | software called Time & Chaos. But if you'd rather |
| causes of ADD, certain behaviors, which are | | | | have something with you all the time, buy a personal |
| continuous for a period of six months or more and | | | | data assistant, like a Palm Pilot, or get a cell phone with |
| which disrupt a person's life, are seen as attention | | | | scheduling capabilities. If you prefer to enter |
| deficit. | | | | appointments by hand, a simple wall board or wall |
| Only recently, however, have theses patterns been | | | | calendar, with big squares so that you can enter |
| acknowledged in adults. Recent statistics show that | | | | information into them, will work, too. It all depends upon |
| 70% of children with ADD will outgrow it by the time | | | | your personal preference. |
| they're teenagers, but it's now recognized that 15 to | | | | Another great program that will keep everything |
| 20% still exhibit symptoms into their adulthood. ADD, | | | | straight is called "Simpleology." It's Mark Joyner's |
| when not treated by medication or counseling, can lead | | | | "Simple Science of Getting What You Want." Go to |
| to bigger problems like addiction, depression, | | | | and join for free. Actually, the first part of the course, |
| career-related issues, and difficulty forming strong | | | | Simpleology 101, is free to use every single day. The |
| inter-personal relationships. | | | | program even comes with desktop software that will |
| Counseling and proper medical treatment, when | | | | handle all of your "to-do" items for you. |
| needed, can help tremendously. But when you have | | | | ADD sometimes makes it very hard to stay organized, |
| ADD, you need to find ADD-friendly systems to help | | | | so you must commit to building a system with one of |
| you just get through the day. So, what's an | | | | these options and to follow it religiously. If you start the |
| add-friendly system? | | | | day organizing, and free your mind from worrying that |
| If you're a work-at-home mom, with your own | | | | you won't get something done on time, you'll be more |
| business, and you have ADD, you probably have a lot | | | | productive. |
| of trouble keeping everything you need to remember | | | | |