As a business owner I know the importance of being organized, but as a person with ADHD I know how challenging it can be. My company, Re-Focus: The Creative Office, evolved from my mission to help my son manage his schoolwork into a line of organization tools for tracking everything from passwords to college applications. I’ve learned a lot – and continue to learn a lot – about the power of organization. I want to remind people that organization is the key: once you are organized and focused, you can be brilliant! Here, I’d like to share my tried-and-true tips to make organization your superpower.

 

1. Identify your inefficiencies.

 

When my son was in elementary school, he struggled to manage his schoolwork and was diagnosed with ADHD. The first thing I did to figure out how I could help him was observe his daily routine. In my experience, the best way to start a project is to recognize your baseline. You may choose to focus on one responsibility or portion of your day, or re-evaluate your entire daily, weekly, or monthly routines – the scope is up to you. Start by observing the steps you take to complete tasks each day. By becoming mindful of your actions, you will be better able to recognize where you can make improvements.

 

2. Develop workarounds.

 

Everyone can be great, but sometimes the environment around us doesn’t let us become who we really are. Once you recognize aspects of your routine that aren’t serving your goals, allow yourself to find a way that works for you.

 

When I was helping my son with his schoolwork, we noticed that he did much better in his morning lessons versus afternoon lessons. With that knowledge we found ways to address his needs and make his schedule work better for him. If you find that you work better during certain times of the day, give yourself permission to use that to your advantage that instead of work against it.

 

3. Set your new routine.

 

Becoming and staying organized requires consistent effort. I highly recommend incorporating into your routine is what a call a “brain-dump”: setting aside a specific time to outline all your upcoming tasks and to-do’s. This idea inspired our To-Do/Appointment List Premium Legal Pads. You may choose to make your to-do list each morning, each evening, every Monday, every Friday, the first day of the month, the last day of the month – whatever works best for you personally, as long as you stick to it! During the process revamping your schedule, setting aside time to refocus will help you stay on track.

 

4. Get support.

 

As they say, “teamwork makes the dream work.” Soliciting the support of the people in your life will help you make improvements to your routines and adhere to them.

 

When I was working remotely and taking care of my son, I involved him by setting up a little desk for him and giving him a schedule for the day. Children and Teens want structure. You can provide that structure in a fun environment that allows you to do your work. This will allow you to focus on your work and their anxiety will be lowered by including them in your life.

 

Beyond my family and friends, I’ve worked to build a community of organization-enthusiasts. I’m always finding new sources of wisdom for getting organized and managing symptoms of ADHD. The advice and guidance I’ve received throughout the years has been so invaluable that I decided to start a podcast to make it available to everyone!

 

5. Go at your own pace.

 

It’s not a race; that’s the best advice I can give everyone! Rushing to reach your goals will degrade your results over time. Take your time to do things at your own pace to ensure the best results.

 

I hope you find these tips inspire you to realize your own potential to use organization to achieve your goals. You can find Re-Focus: The Creative Office products to support your journey at your local Staples. I encourage you to keep up with me and my journey at time2refocus.com