 |
|
|
|
|
Organizing
the ADD Client #1 Working with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) clients tends to be a lot of fun as they are full of energy, ideas, and creativity. In order to make our time productive with clients who have ADD, as professional organizers there are a few tips we might remember. What most people with ADD have in common is impulsivity--they often act before they think. Additional symptoms are hyperactivity and inattentiveness. Regardlessly, knowing someone has ADD, doesn't necessarily give us a fixed template from which to work as professional organizers--each client is still an individual. Some ADD people have been successfully treated, minimizing their symptoms; others have not found a way to best handle their ADD; and some may even be misdiagnosed,or worse, undiagnosed. Common denominators among ADD clients who call in professional organizers, however, are multiple unfinished projects, over- commitments, clutter/pack- ratting,or "hiding." Hiding refers to a behavior where the person covers up their messes well, in closets, storage lockers,bulging drawers, neat piles, etc.. No matter what the case, if they really have ADD, chances are they have spent a lifetime not being able to explain how stuff and messes accumulate all around them. They may even be embarrassed over having to ask for help for something they "should" be able to do themselves. Champion ADD clients for having enough follow-through to get more organized by asking for assistance. Help in this area often enables them to better focus their energy in areas in which they enjoy and excel! Just being acknowledged for their efforts and accepted for their failures, often makes the difference between an overwhelmed ADD client and a relieved, excited ADD client ready to get to action. As they often have difficulty staying on track due to an intense interest in many things in their environment that need to be organized, being open to helping them figure out what the next step is in the organizing process is our best bet. Bringing our expertise in as organizers, we can help them prioritize between immediate organizational goals,(such as finding and paying overdue bills), intermediate goals,(such as designating locations to keep commonly misplaced items like keys), to longer term goals, (such as an office/home where items are readily accessible and easily remembered). Most of all, remind them of the successes that they are having throughout the organizing process as well as the light at the end of the tunnel. Seek
Solutions
Contact us at findit@seeksolutions.com.
All Rights Reserved. © 1995-2004 Shannon Seek, CPCC, Seek Solutions. |