The Watch That Saves My Life Every Day

I love, love, LOVE this watch!! I recommend it to any and all of my clients who have issues with time management, ADD or being easily distracted.

I do believe it has saved my house from burning down countless times, as well as helps me parent my easily distracted kid.

The reason this watch is so different from any other watch is the "Countdown Timer" feature. (A feature that is, alas, not on the men's version of this watch!)

The countdown timer works simply: just press the upper right button once and it will set an alarm to go off in one minute. Press it twice and it will go off in three minutes. Press it thrice (LOVE saying thrice!), and it will go off in 5 minutes. You can press it up to seven times in a row to get an alarm up to 30 minutes in the future. (You can also set one alarm each day for a certain time: say you need to take a pill at noon each day.)

This little feature saves me from burning down the house when I leave the stove to go get the mail. I set my watch for one or three minutes, and if I get distracted by a neighbor, weeds or simply a squirrel (SQUIRREL!!) it starts beeping on cue and I remember to go back inside. I don't even have to look at the watch–I simply press the button and count how many times I press it.

It helps me parent because when I am being implored to let someone stay at the park "Just a few more minutes!" I can set my watch to 3 or 5 minutes and when it goes off, well, that's it. Can't argue with a watch like you can with your mom! (Well, OK you can argue, but it's a wee bit easier to say, OK, time's up!"

I know it's not the most stylish of watches. It harkens to 1978 very loudly. (Which was when, by the way, I bought a different digital watch with a seconds timer so I could time the prints and film I was developing in the darkroom. Oh, yeah, that dates me....)

The silver is a bit dressier and is the one I graduated to after I first bought the black plastic one. The gold one just looks a little too brassy for me, but it might work for someone. I wear mine every day and the finish does not seem to tarnish or wear off. They are also "Water Resistant."

All can be found cheaply online at Amazon (around $15) and I've seen them every so often at K-Mart or CVS for up to $25.00. Even the top price is well worth it in my estimation.

Casio Women's LA11WB-1 Daily Alarm Digital Watch

I receive no compensation from Casio or any other entity for my recommendation for this watch, nor do I sell this watch. Occasionally I give this watch to a client!

Have you found a wonderful ADHD therapist?

The ADDitude magazine website has a great article titled 

"The 10 Worst Therapists for ADHD Adults."

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/7287.html

No, this article doesn't name names! It's a quick and easy to read "slide show" describing the kinds of therapists you DON'T want to have if you are an adult living with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

1. The Disciplinarian
2. The Drug Pusher
3. The Researcher
4. The Nervous Nellie
5. The Comedian
6. The Blame Gamer
7. The Quick Fixer
8. The Distant Judge
9. The Fuzzy Comforter
10. The Dream Dissector

They do give a list of traits you DO want in your therapist at the end of the article.

Have you had a good experience with your therapist or counselor around ADHD (or clutter or hoarding) in the Sonoma or Marin County area? I'm always looking for good professionals to refer my clients to. A great support team for many of my clients often includes a therapist or counselor.

CHADD Support Group in Santa Rosa

I am passing on this information about the Santa Rosa, CA CHADD
(“Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder”) support group.

You are cordially welcomed to a newly revived Santa Rosa CHADD* Support Group meeting this Tuesday!

When: 7pm to 9pm, Tuesday, March 29th

Where: The Glaser Center (Unitarian Universalist Congregation), the Green Room
547 Mendocino Ave., downtown Santa Rosa

What: A NEW location in a comfortable room with new facilitators
Agenda:
1. Welcome & Introductions & Getting Started
2. (Voluntary) check-in by participants; visitors
3. Relevant current events and topics of group interest
4. Suggestions for the next meeting and Wrap-Up
5. Invitation to continue the conversation at a near-by restaurant/coffee shop

For past CHADD support group participants:
·         This new group replaces the monthly Wednesday night CHADD meetings that met at the Quaker Meetinghouse on Guerneville Rd.
·         Please come at 7 pm and see old friends, make new ones and help us create a great group!

For those who've never before attended a CHADD support group:
·         Do you or someone you know have ADD/ADHD?
·         Do you wonder if you have it, or have you recently been diagnosed with it?
·         Are you dealing with the emotional impact of ADD/ADHD?
·         Are you wondering what to do next or where to go for help?

Our goals are to provide all participants with
·         Information and resources leading to improved lives
·         A community based on mutual support, understanding, fellowship and camaraderie
·         An enjoyable evening of stimulating discussion, humor, encouragement, and hope

Thank you for forwarding this email to anyone who might benefit from attending.

Parking:
Downtown street parking is free after 6 pm and parking is also available at the city parking garage directly behind the Glaser Center ($.75 per hour).

For more information, please email Barry at thruthedoorway@yahoo.com or call (707) 888-8223.

Radio Interviews Fridays in January 2011

January is "GO Month" (Get Organized) and I'll be on the radio!!

Be sure to tune in to KSRO (1350 AM) on Fridays in the month of January. Local Sonoma County organizers Diane Judd, Susanne Otteman and yours truly (Margaret Pearson Pinkham) will be interviewed each Friday at 12:30-1:00 pm by the host of the Elder Care Show, Kira Reginato. She's devoting the whole month to Organizing for Elders. In case you miss the shows, podcasts will be available at www.ksro.com/podcasts.aspx.

Friday January 7
Susanne Otteman, owner of Organize This! in Sonoma, will talk with Kira about the ABC's of organizing, simple tools and techniques for getting started and staying organized and the benefits of working with a professional organizer.

Friday, January 14
Margaret Pearson Pinkham, owner of Organize in Harmony in Sebastopol, will discuss various aspects of chronic disorganziation, hoarding, compulsive acquiring and working with mental health professionals.

Friday, January 21
Diane Judd, an estate organizing specialist based in Petaluma, will review the importance of ready access to vital medical and legal documents, the value of home inventories and the responsibilities of benig an executor.

Friday January 28
The three organizing experts will return to the studio for an "Ask the Organizers Panel" to answer questions submitted by The Elder Care Show listeners. Submit your questions in advance to eldercareshow@gmail.com or phone 707-762-5433.

And remember, if you miss a show, you can listen online or download it later at: http://www.ksro.com/podcasts.aspx

Be sure to check out her other shows! They are really informative and fascinating. Thank you Kira for giving us the opportunity!

Teleclass Tidbit-Working with Students with ADHD

Teleclass Tidbit

One bit of advice from last night's NSGCD class "Working with Students with ADHD" presented by Sacramento organizer Holly Graff, CPO®, was one I use myself.

The "Time-Timer" clock is a cool little (or big) gadget that lets you visually see how much time you have left for a project. Also available for your computer and now an iPhone app. http://www.timetimer.com/

2009 NSGCD Annual Conference

I'll be attending this wonderful conference put on by the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization for Professional Organizers and related professionals (therapists, coaches, etc.).

Learn more about the conference at the NSGCD website.

AlphaSmart Neo

Recently, a client of mine proudly showed off a new device she had purchased that is helping her with her writing tasks. It's called the AlphaSmart Neo keyboard. It's basically a portable digital typewriter. When you are ready to download your text into a word processing program, you just plug it into your computer where you can do your formal editing and formatting. Or you can print directly from the Neo to your printer.

Apparently it is quite popular in the schools for teaching kids keyboarding and writing, and has a "cult" following among journalists and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) novelists. (The AlphaSmart makers have donated loaner Neos to NaNoWriMo organization.)

At first thought, one would think, "Well, why not just buy a laptop?"

Well, on second thought, there a number of reasons why this little device is so much better than a laptop...

1. It's a whole lot cheaper than a laptop. Around or under $200. Way less on e-bay. Drop it and break it and you are not out next month's rent or mortgage payment. (And many users remark at how durable it is.)

2. It's distraction-free. I think this is one of its biggest plusses. No internet connection. No other programs. No checking e-mail. No games. If you have writing to do, that's all you can do. Many of my clients have ADHD and anything can distract them from a task at hand. If you've taken your little AlphaSmart Neo onto the back deck to get the next chapter of your book written, chances are good you'll do that. (Unless there happen to be a lot of pretty butterflies flitting around!)

3. It will last for 700 hours on 3 AA batteries! Whoo-doggies that's exciting to me! I'm lucky to get 4 hours on my brand-new rechargeable laptop battery before having to plug in again. I can't go cross-country on one charge. But with a little Neo in your bag, no excuses for not writing the whole way OVER to the other coast AND back! (Even if you're on a car-trip!)

4. Gets your thoughts down easily and quickly without having to retype in your handwritten notes. Plug in, hit a key and your text is in the mothership.

5. It's quite light at just two pounds. Even a Macbook Air is three pounds. So think two cans of beans. Or peas. Or pineapple slices--whatever your favorite canned food is!

One word of warning, though. AlphaSmart also sells the "Dana" model which has Palm OS app capability and internet. As one blog commenter said "any on-ramp to the web is a gateway to sloth."

ADHD and Me, by Blake Taylor

Today at the Jackson Theater at Sonoma Country Day School

Blake Taylor "Growing up with ADHD"

Time: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

In his book, ADHD and Me, Blake Taylor gives us an inside look at what it's like to grow up with the condition known as ADHD. Blake is currently a sophomore at UC Berkeley but wrote ADHD and Me during his last two years of high school. Parents, faculty and counselors know how tough it is to deal with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but they don't know what it's like to grow up with it. "I have something to say that no adult can say," comments the nineteen year old author, Blake Taylor.

This complimentary event is geared to counselors, educators and parents and is a offered by Sonoma Country Day School in partnership with Sonoma County School Counseling Association.

Visit Blake Taylor online at www.youngwithadhd.com

Click here for directions to the school, or cut and paste: http://www.scds.org/inside/contact/

ADHD Awareness Week

So, I've just become aware that this is ADHD Awareness Week!

You can attend a "virtual" conference, set for September 22-24 (next week). You still pay a conference fee, but you can attend via phone or listen to MP3 recordings of it! Since it's right before the NSGCD conference, I'm thinking about "attending" by downloading the recordings and listening to them later while I exercise. One of the many wonders I've discovered since joining the 21st Century and using an iPod. (Really, if I can do it, anyone can! I'm 47 and certainly not a techno geek. I typed--yes I said typed my college papers on a typewriter.)

Anyway, it's only $247 to attend (and there are a number of sessions, so by listening to the recordings, you can hear all of them.) If you want a CD as well as written and printed transcripts (they are covering all the modality bases), it's $100 more.

http://www.adhdconference.com/

I encourage you all to learn about ADHD if you haven't already. And even if you don't attend this conference, try picking up a copy of "ADDitude" magazine--I saw it at Barnes and Noble yesterday, or looking at their website. There are usually some free downloadable tip sheets. ADHD is not just about kids--kids grow up to be adults with ADHD, and those are our co-workers/spouses/siblings/parents!

http://www.additudemag.com/

Another great resource is the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, the ADDA.
http://www.add.org/

Wow! Just as I was typing this, I got an e-mail from the ADDA about two teleclasses this week--one tonight and one tomorrow. This week, they are free to members and non-members. What a great resource! (Yes, it's probably a symptom of ADHD that I would go and look at my incoming mail in the middle of writing this!)

Wednesday, September 17
Speaker: Nancy Ratey
Title: "The Disorganized Mind: Coaching Your ADHD Brain to Take Control of Your Time, Tasks, and Talents"
Time: 9:00 pm EST (That's 6 pm Pacific)

Thursday, September 18
Speaker: Dr. Stephen Hinshaw
Title: "Q and A - Everything You Wanted to Know about AD/HD - But Didn't Know to Ask!"
Time: 9:00 pm EST (That's 6 pm Pacific)

Go to http://www.add.org/awareness/ to get the log-in info for these classes.

And, no, this was not a paid announcement for the ADDA or ADDitude Magazine. Just great resources!

Margaret

The AD/HD Breakfast Plan: Feeding the Brain

This post has been a Tip Sheet in my brain for a long time now.

While I am not a nutritionist, I certainly have done my reading and study about AD/HD and diet. And I think most doctors who are up on this will back me up. I'm open to your opinions and suggestions.

After suggesting to a client that getting protein with breakfast is really important for the AD/HD brain (and for that matter, all brains), and helping with focus, she commented "But I don't really know what other protein other than egg I could eat?"

The tips I'm about to give are geared toward people who don't have much time or have a hard time organizing their time, and therefore, often skip breakfast altogether or usually eat whatever sugary carbohydratey (is that really a word? I think not) item they can lay their hands on.

Since I'm a vegan, my first tips will all be vegan in nature. This is what I know best because I live it and try it out all the time. I will offer some non-vegan (I know I will rot in vegan hell for this) suggestions at the end. Keep in mind that not all veg'n (I"ll use veg'n to mean both vegetarian and vegan) items, like veg'n sausage are equivalent to the meat version since the meat version will have other health consequences like cholesterol and more fat.

OK, here are some protein sources. I'll give some ideas on how to use them after the list. Don't forget to think outside the "BOX" of American-type breakfast items. There's no law that says you can't eat a peanut butter sandwich at 6 am.

And don't forget to drink lots of water! The brain needs to be kept moist. A dry brain is not a happy brain. And a dry AD/HD brain is just trouble waiting to happen!

The Vegan List

• Tofu (You knew that was coming, right?) See my recipe on my Vegan blog for tofu omelettes--not exactly a quick meal, but scrambling it would be easier.
• Tempeh (I linked it so you could figure out what it was)
• Nuts or nut butter (Please don't eat anything you are allergic to!)

• walnuts
• peanuts
• cashews
• almonds

• Sausage alternative (My fav is Turtle Island's Tofurky Beer Brats)
• Hot Dog alternative (My fav's are Light Life's Smart Dogs or Tofu Pups which are gluten-free)
• Oatmeal
• High protein cereals
• Soy milk
• Soy/rice/coconut yogurt
  Yes, there is a really wonderful new coconut-based yogurt by Turtle Mountain on the market called So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt). A little higher in fat than soy and actually low in protein, but boy is it tasty--if you like coconut, that is. I'm trying to reduce my overall soy intake.
• Energy Bar
• Protein Shake/Smoothie (powdered or home-made)
• Frozen waffle
• Cheese alternative (Follow Your Heart Cheese, Daiya Cheese)
• Cream Cheese alternative (Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese and Follow Your Heart Cream Cheese)
• Beans

The Non-Vegan List

• Meat
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Sausage
• Red meat
• Etc.
• Eggs (scrambled, fried or hard-boiled)
• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt

So here are some ideas on how to put these items together:

Breakfast Burrito-Throw some beans, scrambled tofu (or egg) and some taco sauce and you have a meal to run out the door with. If you can't sit and eat like a human, that is. Thought: make a big batch of scrambled tofu (tofu, onion, herbs, curry or turmeric) mix with a can of flavored beans and/or some taco sauce and freeze small bags of it. Get this out and microwave inside a tortilla, (or spread on toast). Or just buy healthy frozen ones and keep them in the fridge.

Smoothie: Any combination you like of milk or milk alternative, fresh or frozen fruits, nuts or nut butter, yogurt or protein powder. A little vanilla maybe, a little agave nectar and whir that all up in a blender. Leave the raw egg to Rocky, though, OK?

The mega bowl of cereal: Involves no cooking whatsoever. Buy some nice healthy tasty cereal (low or no sugar of course), throw in a couple tablespoons of nuts, cut up a piece of fruit add your milk or milk alternative or yogurt/alternative and you have quite a hearty meal. I know–I do it every morning. My favorite right now is Kashi's Autumn Wheats with some almond milk or 1/2 container plain or vanilla coconut yogurt mixed with a little water, 2 tablespoons walnuts and whatever fruit is ripe in my yard or I have gotten from the store. This month it's peaches and blackberries.

Peanut butter on toast: a classic. If you are too rushed, just grab a spoonful of peanut butter. For fruit add some sliced bananas.

Waffle treats: Frozen waffles are not half bad! Try a topping to bump up the protein: cream cheese, peanut butter or some fruit or yogurt.

Outside the "breakfast box" ideas: a hot dog, whole wheat pasta with a little olive oil/butter/butter alternative and cheese/alternative. It's so easy to cook up a whole bag or box of pasta and then keep in the fridge all week to heat up for quick snacks. If you can't do wheat, then Trader Joe's carries a nice brown rice pasta that's pretty good. Whole grain pastas will have some protein in them.

OK, enough for now....

If you'd like a tip sheet of this information (which will probably be in a more legible format) just e-mail me and ask for it. margaret@organizeinharmony.com

Liability notice: Readers should see their doctors before making any major dietary changes in their lives. I am not a nutritionist.

All posts on this blog are Copyright of Margaret Pearson Pinkham and Organize in Harmony. Text may be used without permission only with attribution to Margaret Pearson Pinkham and Organize in Harmony and for informational purposes only, not monetary gain. Of course I'd like to know how and when you are using my work. If there is going to be monetary gain, I'd like to be in on it. I believe in Karma. If you misuse my stuff, it will come back to haunt you.

Just say "No!"

Well, actually, don't just say "No!" Say it with style...

Many of my clients have time management issues. Sometimes it's from difficulty with managing the concept of time, but often it's because they have filled their schedules by saying "yes" too many times to too many people.

ADDitude Magazine (a magazine devoted to adults and families living with AD/HD) recently ran a sidebar called "12 Clever Ways to Decline," written by Ramona Creel of Onlineorganizing.com. I'll add my cleverness at the bottom.

12 Clever Ways to Decline

1. I'm in the middle of several projects.
2. I'm not comfortable with that.
3. I'm not taking on any new responsibilities.
4. I'm not the most qualified person for the job.
5. I do not enjoy that kind of work.
6. I do not have any more room in my calendar.
7. I hate to split my attention among projects.
8. I know you will do a wonderful job yourself.
9. I need to leave some free time for myself.
10. I would rather help out with another task.
11. I have no experience with that.
12. I have another commitment.

Personally, I'm a little leery of #10 and #11. Only use #10 if you really want another task, and you're not trying to get out of doing something. And with #11, the other person can too easily come back with "So this is how you would get some experience." That's been used on me! For me, #11 is only good for things like flying an airplane, surgery of any kind, higher math and giving hair cuts.

Here are my additions:

13. Let me check my calendar and get back with you.
This gives you time to decide which "no" you are going to use. You also get to confirm for yourself that your calendar is full. Make sure you have filled your calendar. You know you can fill your calendar with things like "Bubble bath: 6 pm," "Nap: 2-4 pm," "Wash the dog: 11-12 pm," "Play computer solitaire: 7 am -3 pm." I'm serious, be sure to schedule all the fun things you like to do. (Well maybe computer solitaire for 8 hours is a bit extreme.) But it helps you avoid the next excuse...

14. Oh, the last time I did that they had to call the fire department.
Now this is a very specific excuse. Feel free to substitute a more appropriate agency–paramedics, police, park rangers, health inspector, social services, the IRS, Coast Guard, National Guard, Marines etc. Yes, this one does border on the "little white lie." (I hope.) But it gets the other party to say no, not you!

So, if you think you would have trouble using any of these, I suggest practicing. Take the ones you like, put them in your own words, stand in front of a mirror and repeat them until they roll off your tongue. Call it a fire drill if you like. When the time comes to use one, it will be right there for you, sound natural (do give a short pause first and look like you are mentally checking your calendar) and get the job done. The job is to avoid a job you don't have time for or just don't want to do.

It's been nice "No-ing you!"

Hundred acre wood a-ha moment!

I proved one of my own points last week.

While in the midst of a full-on Disneyland-induced ADD moment, I was surprised by a moment of peace, sanity and clarity.

We had taken our young daughter for a two-day visit to the realm of Mickey, princesses, and churro-laced mania. (By the way, the churros are really good.)

It was the morning of day two, and we had already decided that the line for the Nemo submarine ride was too long and we would head straight over to "Critter Country" to see the Winnie the Pooh area and ride. (Good idea–it was the only ride we were able to hop right on.)

Thank goodness we did.

As soon as we got there, I felt a wonderful sensation come over me. I felt calmer, more focused and less frenzied. I took a look around and figured out why.

Critter Country was filled with large green trees (most of them real), lots of wooden structures (most of them not real), and lovely wooden benches to sit on. It was the closest thing to real nature I was going to get in this land of fakery.

The point I proved is this: the natural world can help you focus and calm your mind. It's the basis for my Organize in Harmony offspring: Organized by Nature.

I'll be bringing this aspect to my regular practice more and more in the coming months: using Mother Nature to help us calm our minds and bring focus to what we are doing with our organizing projects. Something about green trees that lets our pre-frontal cortex do a RAM-dump and start with a clean disk.

It can be as easy as sitting in your backyard for 5 minutes or taking a walk in your neighborhood and observing the trees and flowers. Or maybe getting in the car and visiting a city, county or state park and immersing yourself for an hour or two. Or a national park and immersing yourself for a day or two (a week or two?). Or even just a little meditation at your cubicle while listening to a nature sounds CD.

Just don't think you have to go to Critter Country.

(But the churros are really good....)

Chronic Disorganization, ADD and Hoarding, Oh My!

October was the month of conferences and I'm glad we'll be heading into the quiet weeks of just major family holidays!

It was actually the end of September when I attended the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) Annual Conference in Mt. Laurel, NJ. We had two main wonderful speakers whose expertise was in ADD and people who hoard. Both areas are such huge issues right now in the field and it was great to hear the most up-to-date information. Among the attendees, we realized that collaborative therapy (client, therapist and organizer) is the way to go with our clients in great need. We'll be bringing this message to the world of therapists and coaches in the next few years! On a personal (and professional) note, I sat for my Level III peer review and received my official CPO-CD (Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization) title and lapel pin. Sixteen months of study and mentoring have come to a close! And yet the work continues....

Conference #2 was the ADDA Regional Conference in San Francisco. (Attention Deficit Disorder Association) Again, more wonderful information about adult ADD.

Conference #3 just wrapped up this last weekend in San Ramon. The NAPO-SFBA (National Association of Professional Organizers-San Francisco Bay Area) held their regional conference. I co-presented a session with colleague Kim Anker-Paddon (soon to be of the LA area) on ADD with a twist. We called it "Nature and Nurture: It all A.D.D.s up!" Kim spoke on the "traditional" organizer ways to help our clients with ADD (or AD/HD--same thing) and I spoke about some new ideas I am using about how nature and other natural methods can help people focus. (Some great studies have been done by Stephen Kaplan and Andrea Faber Taylor and Frandces Kuo.) I'll write more about these ideas and studies soon.

I actually passed on another great conference in SF--the Mental Health Association's Hoarding and Cluttering Conference. There just wasn't enough time for me to attend this one, but Kim did and she said it was wonderful. I attended last year and heard Randy Frost speak. He is one of the authors of the new book "Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring and Hoarding." Also a must-read for anyone who has this issue or has a loved one with hoarding problems. The problem is more widespread than anyone can imagine--and such a heartache for all involved. Marin County is starting a task force on the situation.

Well, there is certainly enough fodder in my last month of conferences to blog daily for quite awhile. Please tune in soon for more detailed information about all the topics mentioned today.

Have a Happy (and safe) Halloween!
Margaret,