The 5-Minute, Open-Palm, Exploding Mess Technique

ArticleSoft.com » Self-help » Motivation » The 5-Minute, Open-Palm, Exploding Mess Technique

The 5-Minute, Open-Palm, Exploding Mess Technique

Author: Tellman Knudson | Total views: 46 | Word Count: 833 | Category: Motivation | Date: May 3rd 2007

Search for: ADD, ADHD, adult ADD, adult ADHD, attention deficit, organization

Back in the 1960s, people were concerned that because of all the modern conveniences we'd have, we would have to learn to do something in our "leisure" time. In 21st century, most of us wonder, What's that We're working harder and going faster than ever before. And because the world is so busy, we often put off tasks that we hate to do. It's that old ADD procrastination, the approach-avoidance factor, that kicks in and leaves some things unattended to.

This happens to everyone, whether they have ADD or not, but adults with ADD find this frustration compounded by procrastination or just plain inaction. What can you do to release the anxiety you may be feeling over your inability to complete the things you know need doing

The very first thing you should do is decide if it's a task that needs to be done or just something that you've been wanting to do for a long time. Brain dump it. Keep a notepad nearby and write your brilliant ideas down. That way, you won't have them nagging you at the back of your brain because they're out of your brain and on the paper. Or, is this something that the people in your social circle think you "should" do Those things are probably not that important. Let's take house clutter, for instance. Society says you should have a neat, clean house. And you may say, "Well, I just won't invite people over. Then, I won't have to worry about it." But if you can't find your contact lenses for three days in a row, you have a problem.

In this case, it's a need, not a want, and not something that other people think you "should" do.

What's the solution The easiest way to deal with the clutter in your house is to hire someone to help you. If it's really bad, you may need to hire an efficiency expert, someone who will come in and force you to deal with your mess. Once that's done, you can hire a housekeeper to keep things orderly, even when you mess them up.

But if you're on a tight budget, you probably can't hire anyone to do these things for you. You have to do them yourself. And wherever will you find the energy

Simple. Don't try to do things all at once. Start by taking five minutes a day. It's amazing what you can do in that short span of time. For instance, do you have a desk drawer that's overflowing with bills, things that need taken care of, your checkbook, etc. Take five minutes and clean out that drawer. To make sure it's only 5 minutes, set a timer. If you aren't finished when the timer goes off, stop. Don't allow yourself to go any further, no matter how far into the task you've gotten.

If you do the 5-minute work order, you'll avoid procrastination. You can stand anything, aside from sheer torture, for 5 minutes, right It's not that much time taken from something you'd rather do. Set some time up, maybe in the time before starting your daily routine, or just after you get home from work at night. When you've cleaned out the underwear drawer, start with the cosmetics drawer or the bathroom cabinet, or whatever. You can have everything cleaned up by taking just 5 minutes per day.

Maintenance is the key, and if you set up some ADD-friendly systems while you're doing your 5-minute routine, it will all work out well. If you lose your contact lenses case and just can't seem to keep it in the bathroom medicine cabinet, put a small dish or container right beside where you take them out at night and throw your lens case in there. Or keep your car keys in a basket or on a hook right next to the front door. Have a hook for your purse, too, or a tray on the dresser where you can toss your wallet.

Anything you can do to make things easier for yourself, you should do. Most ADD people just don't like complications when it comes to unimportant things, like hanging up clothes. You will always need to hang some, so be sure you have plenty of hangars and that your closet isn't overstuffed. And think "open." Tossing things is easier than opening a drawer, folding, and closing the drawer again. To some people, that's simple stuff, but to people with ADD it can be a hassle. So, find yourself some bins that you can put non-wrinkle stuff into like baskets and bins. All of these methods will help.

But we're human and can easily fall back into our old habits of disorganization. If that happens, or the minute you suspect it's happening, go back to the 5-miute-a-day routine, and get it back under control. You'll be glad you did. You won't be running around screaming,"Where's my stuff" again.

Article Source: ArticleSoft.com

About the Author

Certified hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner, Tellman Knudson, is CEO of OvercomeEverything, Inc. Visit his comprehensive collection of ADD information, Instant ADD Success at http://www.instantaddsuccess.com/

Copy and Paste Article Code.

Remember: The article body, title, author bio and links may not be changed or removed. By publishing this article, you agree to all the terms in our Terms of Service.

Back in the 1960s, people were concerned that because of all the modern conveniences we'd have, we would have to learn to do something in our "leisure" time. In 21st century, most of us wonder, What's that We're working harder and going faster than ever before. And because the world is so busy, we often put off tasks that we hate to do. It's that old ADD procrastination, the approach-avoidance factor, that kicks in and leaves some things unattended to. 
 
This happens to everyone, whether they have ADD or not, but adults with ADD find this frustration compounded by procrastination or just plain inaction. What can you do to release the anxiety you may be feeling over your inability to complete the things you know need doing 
 
The very first thing you should do is decide if it's a task that needs to be done or just something that you've been wanting to do for a long time. Brain dump it. Keep a notepad nearby and write your brilliant ideas down. That way, you won't have them nagging you at the back of your brain because they're out of your brain and on the paper. Or, is this something that the people in your social circle think you "should" do Those things are probably not that important. Let's take house clutter, for instance. Society says you should have a neat, clean house. And you may say, "Well, I just won't invite people over. Then, I won't have to worry about it." But if you can't find your contact lenses for three days in a row, you have a problem. 
 
In this case, it's a need, not a want, and not something that other people think you "should" do. 
 
What's the solution The easiest way to deal with the clutter in your house is to hire someone to help you. If it's really bad, you may need to hire an efficiency expert, someone who will come in and force you to deal with your mess. Once that's done, you can hire a housekeeper to keep things orderly, even when you mess them up. 
 
But if you're on a tight budget, you probably can't hire anyone to do these things for you. You have to do them yourself. And wherever will you find the energy 
 
Simple. Don't try to do things all at once. Start by taking five minutes a day. It's amazing what you can do in that short span of time. For instance, do you have a desk drawer that's overflowing with bills, things that need taken care of, your checkbook, etc. Take five minutes and clean out that drawer. To make sure it's only 5 minutes, set a timer. If you aren't finished when the timer goes off, stop. Don't allow yourself to go any further, no matter how far into the task you've gotten. 
 
If you do the 5-minute work order, you'll avoid procrastination. You can stand anything, aside from sheer torture, for 5 minutes, right It's not that much time taken from something you'd rather do. Set some time up, maybe in the time before starting your daily routine, or just after you get home from work at night. When you've cleaned out the underwear drawer, start with the cosmetics drawer or the bathroom cabinet, or whatever. You can have everything cleaned up by taking just 5 minutes per day. 
 
Maintenance is the key, and if you set up some ADD-friendly systems while you're doing your 5-minute routine, it will all work out well. If you lose your contact lenses case and just can't seem to keep it in the bathroom medicine cabinet, put a small dish or container right beside where you take them out at night and throw your lens case in there. Or keep your car keys in a basket or on a hook right next to the front door. Have a hook for your purse, too, or a tray on the dresser where you can toss your wallet. 
 
Anything you can do to make things easier for yourself, you should do. Most ADD people just don't like complications when it comes to unimportant things, like hanging up clothes. You will always need to hang some, so be sure you have plenty of hangars and that your closet isn't overstuffed. And think "open." Tossing things is easier than opening a drawer, folding, and closing the drawer again. To some people, that's simple stuff, but to people with ADD it can be a hassle. So, find yourself some bins that you can put non-wrinkle stuff into like baskets and bins. All of these methods will help. 
 
But we're human and can easily fall back into our old habits of disorganization. If that happens, or the minute you suspect it's happening, go back to the 5-miute-a-day routine, and get it back under control. You'll be glad you did. You won't be running around screaming,"Where's my stuff" again. Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesoft.com" target="_blank">ArticleSoft.com</a> About the Author: 
Certified hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner, Tellman Knudson, is CEO of OvercomeEverything, Inc. Visit his comprehensive collection of ADD information, Instant ADD Success at http://www.instantaddsuccess.com/

Tags: ADD, ADHD, adult ADD, adult ADHD, attention deficit, organization