Life in the Fast Lane

I’ve been memed!

Ponn from Empower Women Now has tagged me with a group writing project for the Ultimate Guide to Productivity, which was instigated … sorry, initiated by Ben Yaskovitz. Ben shares his simple rules for this meme. Its purpose is a means for a collective project on productivity.

I’m a compulsive multi-tasker. I joke at times that I suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder, but when I sometimes stop to think about it, I think I have a serious problem!

KEYS – Keys! Where are my damned keys?!

Pens – where did I leave my freakin pen?

Phones – the phone rings and when I get off I can’t find the papers I was working on before that damned phone rang. Hell, I can’t even remember what it was I was working on in the first place! Photo by Simcah.

I think of something to add to what I’m writing but know myself well enough that if I stop my train of thought I’ll lose it. But once I finish my thought, I’ve already forgotten my brilliant idea. Trying to go back to what triggered the idea in the first place is futile.

I get bored. I get bored if I find the project overwhelming. My thoughts stray and my mind wanders – suddenly that show on TV looks like fun, or I decide I need a little sweet treat, or finish doing some paperwork because I know it will just take a few minutes. “I’ll come back to this as soon as I’m done.� But I don’t. I’ve completely forgotten about it and find myself giving the dogs a treat. DOH! I’ve gotta get that story done!

I’m making a bird bath and go to get the mold, and can’t find the bloody spatula I had in my hand. I just HAD it! I retrace my steps and I can’t find it ANYWHERE.

I have a hard time completing projects. I don’t know why, but when there’s very little left to finish it but minor details, I stop, planning to come back to it. I’m off to the next one. But coming back to finish it seems painful. Photo by Mig14.

I walk into a room and forget what I went there for when I get there. All the time.

How can you cope with issues like these to be more productive?

Hang a key holder beside the main door you use. Do. Not. Pass. Go. until you’ve hung those keys up. I repeat … do NOT go past that door without hanging them. I don’t care if the phone’s ringing, just do it.

Pens – Put. The. Pen. Down. Before you leave your desk. Always.

DON’T touch anything till you get off the phone. Doodle if you must, but leave the desk alone, and everything on it. STOP yourself as soon as you catch your hands wandering.

Give yourself a specific amount of time to take a break from that tedious project. Bring a kitchen timer with you so you don’t lose track. Write a note on your hand if you really must to remind you what it was you were working on. Sticky notes don’t work – they get lost like everything else.

If a brilliant idea pops in your mind while you’re writing, write 2 simple words down that will remind you of your train of thought — right in front of your face where you can’t miss or lose it, or down the page of the sheet on your monitor window.

I can’t work in silence, it’s too distracting. Seriously! I keep the stereo or TV on low enough that I have background noise, but not loud enough that it distracts me. Works for me, anyway.

Break an overwhelming project down into stages. Do them in order as you’ve broken it down into. Don’t go running off to work on another phase just because you had a clever idea. Remember the 2 word theory for writing it down instead. Take a break if you find your mind wandering again. But don’t leave without that kitchen timer!

Use your timer to set a length of time that you’re going to work on that project you don’t want to do. Stick to it until it goes off no matter what. Focus. Focus. Take a break with timer in hand, then set the timer once again to work some more. Photo by Dakinewavamon.

When you’re building that fence and go to get more screws, put. the. drill. down. Yes, I’m talking to you like you’ve got a gun in your hand. Put. It. Down. Now go get your screws.

Force yourself to finish that last tidbit on the project you’ve been putting off. Slate a time and just do it.

As for forgetting what you went into a room for, that’s a lost cause. So is trying to stop yourself from checking your email when you hear one come in. It’s futile. I won’t condemn you for giving in to it. After all, who could expect us to completely reform?

How do you know if you really do suffer from Adult Inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)? Here are some of the symptoms:

You:

• often fail to give close attention to details
• make careless mistakes in work or other activities
• have difficulty maintaining attention with tasks
• are easily distracted by irrelevant sights, sounds and extraneous stimuli
• don’t follow through on instructions
• fail to finish chores or duties in the workplace
• have difficulty organizing tasks and activities
• often lose things necessary for tasks or activities like pens or tools
• are forgetful in daily activities
• have difficulty following instructions carefully and completely

If you have Adult Inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder, you often have difficulty keeping your mind on one thing. You may become bored easily with a task and bounce to the next task and the next after that.

Organizing and completing a task is troublesome, though you may give undivided and effortless attention to activities and topics you enjoy.

You frequently find that focusing deliberate, conscious attention to learning something new is extremely difficult.

You typically find your mind drifting every few minutes.

Hahaha, that’s got my name written all over it! The definition for ADD in the Webster’s dictionary has my picture in it.

A little tidbit:
Attention Deficit Disorder ADD and ADHD has been identified as a national epidemic. Some argue that symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder don’t point to a disease, but a personality type. Groups of this line of thinking argue against medicating to help people exhibit “acceptable” behaviors.

Don’t try to give ME any drugs! I am not an animal — I am a human being!

So with that I now I tag …

MattK
Sexyinred
Vlad
Risza

Here are some further reads for others who have contributed their tips:

Ponn from Empower Women Now – her Business Coach
An excellent post from Alister Cameron for Passion and Productivity
Blog Rumble – Maximizing Productivity
Janet Barclay – Ultimate Guide to Productivity
Engtech – 14 Tips to Get More Done in Less Time
Reflections on Balance – Work-Life Balance and Productivity
Wendy Piersall – Ultimate Guide to Productivity
Adam Kayce – How Productivity Comes from Clarity
Dawud Miracle – How To Stay Focused For Greater Productivity
Chris Garret – My Productivity Secret – The Joy of Flow State
Gayla McCord – The Ultimate Guide to Productivity – MomGadget Style
Tony Clark – Building a Home Business One Weekend at a Time
Alex Fayle – Be Aware, Make Choices
aaron Potts – How to become a Productivity Super Hero
Tara Robinson – Zugunruhe Ultimate Guide to Productivity: Time Budgets
Andy Bear – Blogging Productivity & Criticizing Goals
The Kiss Business – Ultimate Guide to Productivity
Vlad – My Ultimate Guide To Productivity
Grad Money Matters – Productivity Tip for Students
Alaeddin’s Blog – Automation: My Ultimate Guide to Productivity
Confessions of an Infomaniac – Ultimate Guide to Productivity: My Secret
Thoughts & Philosophies A list of all that have contributed to date with articles, with links to the posts.

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