| The term "attention deficit disorder" (ADD) wasn't | | | | about your kids? How will you keep soccer practice, |
| even around until the 1980s. People saw children | | | | dance lessons, and dental appointments straight? And |
| exhibiting behaviors like the inability to pay attention, | | | | if you're trying to run a business, too, how can you |
| lack or organizational skills, rude communicational | | | | meet all these obligations without messing things all up? |
| behaviors, and hyperactivity as bad parenting. Their | | | | Train yourself to some type of planner. |
| profound response to these "bad" children was to beat | | | | Microsoft Outlook has a great feature in its calendar. |
| them into submission. | | | | You can use it to plug in all your appointments and to |
| Fortunately, those ideas are for the most part in the | | | | keep your "to-do" list straight. Since you're working a |
| past, and these symptoms have been attributed to | | | | home-based business, you probably are at the |
| ADD, or when hyperactivity is added, ADHD (attention | | | | computer for a good part of the day. Leave the |
| deficit hyperactivity disorder), even though some | | | | calendar open in your task bar and plug in |
| people and even some doctors still attribute those | | | | appointments that you need to remember as they |
| behaviors to "bad parenting." But attention deficit is | | | | arise. Get outlook to remind you by setting up an alert |
| definitely a neurological difference from what science | | | | that will pop up five minutes or more before the |
| might see as a "normal" brain. Though no prescribed, | | | | appointment is due. |
| scientific tests have been determined to pinpoint the | | | | If you don't have Outlook, try another piece of |
| causes of ADD, certain behaviors, which are | | | | software called Time & Chaos. But if you'd rather |
| continuous for a period of six months or more and | | | | have something with you all the time, buy a personal |
| which disrupt a person's life, are seen as attention | | | | data assistant, like a Palm Pilot, or get a cell phone with |
| deficit. | | | | scheduling capabilities. If you prefer to enter |
| Only recently, however, have theses patterns been | | | | appointments by hand, a simple wall board or wall |
| acknowledged in adults. Recent statistics show that | | | | calendar, with big squares so that you can enter |
| 70% of children with ADD will outgrow it by the time | | | | information into them, will work, too. It all depends upon |
| they're teenagers, but it's now recognized that 15 to | | | | your personal preference. |
| 20% still exhibit symptoms into their adulthood. ADD, | | | | But if you want something really high-tech and user |
| when not treated by medication or counseling, can lead | | | | friendly at the same time, try Mark Joyner's |
| to bigger problems like addiction, depression, | | | | Simpleology at His "Simple Science of Getting What |
| career-related issues, and difficulty forming strong | | | | You Want," also known as Simpleology 101 will |
| inter-personal relationships. | | | | organize every bit of time in your day and help you to |
| Treatment and/or counseling alone can make a huge | | | | see what you want in your life and to get it. Use it |
| difference for adults with ADD. If you have ADD, it's all | | | | every single day. Simpleology even has a desktop |
| about finding ADD-friendly systems to help you cope | | | | solution that you can download to see your day plainly, |
| because it's important to know a) that they exist and | | | | every minute you're in front of the computer. |
| b) that you aren't alone. So, let's talk about | | | | Organization is a difficult process for people with ADD, |
| ADD-friendly systems for a moment. | | | | so you may have problems meeting some things that |
| For instance, let's say you're a work-at-home mom | | | | are expected of you. If you implement one of these |
| with adult attention deficit. How are you going to keep | | | | systems, and just organize your day right from the |
| your schedule straight? If your husband works weird | | | | start, you'll soon be better organized and right on time |
| hours, will you be able to remember when a good time | | | | for each thing you have to do. |
| to have dinner is, or whether to have it at all? What | | | | |