Special Report:

ADHD Management Tips

from the Experts

Brought to you by ADHDmanagement.com,

Your Go-to Guide for Living with Adult

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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Dear Friends,

In honor of the launch of ADHDmanagement.com, I asked my friends and colleagues to contribute to a special report on tips for livingly happily and successfully with adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I heard back from some the top experts in the world of ADHD who took the time to share their very best tips with our readers.

The result is this special report that you’re reading right now, which contains 20 tips from experts in the world of ADHD—many of whom have ADHD themselves! You’ll no doubt recognize many of the names, including authors Drs. Ned Hallowell, Patricia Quinn, Kate Kelly, Ari Tuckman, Stephanie Sarkis, David Giwerc, and 14 other doctors, psychologists, coaches, and educators who actively work with and for adults with ADHD.

The tips contained in this special report are simple and practical pieces of information, advice, and inspiration that you can use right away to take concrete, positive steps to manage your ADHD and move forward in your life.

On behalf of the team here at ADHDmanagement.com and all the contributors, we wish you all the best and hope you enjoy this special report!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Koretsky, SCAC Managing Partner and CEO of ADHDmanagement.com

P.S. You’ll no doubt want to share this Special Report: ADHD Management Tips

from the Experts with your friends, family, and colleagues. Please send them to http://adhdmanagement.com/subscribe/ so that

they can download their very own copy of the report!

Managing Overwhelm

Stress Management = ADHD Management! The more stressed out you are, the more your ADHD challenges will present themselves and the harder life becomes. But the more you’re able to manage your stress, the easier it becomes to build—and practice—your ADHD management skills. Jennifer Koretsky, SCAC Managing Partner and CEO of ADHDmanagement.com & ADD Management Group, LLC Author of Odd One Out: The Maverick’s Guide to Adult ADD

Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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Knowing Your ADHD

Understand your own unique ADHD. Become educated about how it affects you day-to-day and from situation to situation. ADHD is a complex, often misunderstood condition. Symptoms can present so differently from person to person and throughout one’s lifespan. Actively educate yourself to better understand your ADHD and how to best manage it. Keath Low, MA About.com Guide to ADHD

Resisting a distraction takes mental effort which drains off mental energy for more important tasks. So get rid of potential distractions before they can distract you: turn off the cell phone and email alert; move the extra stuff off your desk, etc. You’ll have more focus for what matters. Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA Author of Understand Your Brain, Get More Done: The ADHD Executive Functions Workbook

The most powerful technique I know for dealing with ADD (or ADHD) is to train yourself to take a step back when you are spinning, or in overwhelm. Most of us have developed a habit of "trying harder" to attack a task or problem. Instead, develop a new habit. When you notice that you are overwhelmed, close your eyes and focus on your breathing for a few moments. This practice can dramatically cut down on the amount of time you spend in overwhelm. Kate Kelly, MSN, SCAC Founder, ADDed Dimension Coaching Group Co-author of You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!

Don't let shame over little "screw ups" lead to avoidance, making consequences worse. Instead, ACT AS IF you were confident: laugh at yourself, apologize and simply move on. When you take mistakes in stride, instead of being paralyzed by shame, you will behave more functionally and improve others' perception of you.

Bonnie Mincu, MA, MBA Senior Certified ADHD Coach & President, "Thrive with ADD"

If you learn to Pause and Pay attention to the signals of distress that you feel in your body, you can choose to change negative, dominant patterns of thinking that create disharmony in your body—and you can stop these patterns in their tracks. You can then work on a new pattern of thoughts to serve you well. David Giwerc, MCC Master Certified Coach, Founder and President, ADD Coach Academy Author of Permission to Proceed: The Keys to Creating a Life of Passion, Purpose and Possibility for Adults with ADHD

Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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Positive Thinking

Set priorities to help reduce impulsivity when asked to take on more responsibility. Rather than say yes to more than you can handle, know your priorities and decide how each opportunity fits with those priorities. Decide your top three priorities to start. Laura Rolands, MILR ADHD Coach and Consultant

Managing ADHD successfully is impossible without self-awareness and self-acceptance. Understanding your authentic self (strengths and weaknesses) in a non-judgmental manner opens you up to using many ADD-friendly tips. Full acceptance means understanding your personal pitfalls and being proactive and realistic as to how to address them, even if it is in an unconventional manner. Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Planning & Organization

Turn cleaning tasks into a speed contest. Set a timer for fifteen minutes, then clean your desk/kitchen/garage (pick one) as quickly as possible. You may be so pleased by the results that you may decide to set the timer for another fifteen minute cleaning sprint. Jeffrey Siegel Blogger, Jeff's ADD Mind

Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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When you and/or your spouse/partner have ADHD, managing money can be a challenge. To decrease the amount of money-related arguments in your relationship, consider keeping separate checking accounts. You may still want to have your spouse's name on the account so they have access to your funds in the event of an emergency. Stephanie Sarkis PhD NCC LMHC Author of ADD and Your Money: A Guide to Personal Finance for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder

Do you leave a lot of things undone? If you’ll take a brief pause before beginning to map the task/project through to completion, you’re much more likely to see the task/project through. That brief pause and mental mapping process can help you enjoy an easy completion. Barbara Luther Master Certified ADHD Coach, Wind Beneath Your Wings

Tools are supposed to make your life easier. To do lists and calendars are only useful if they work for you. They don’t need to be pretty or perfect or done some way you read in a book, and you aren't being graded on them. They need to work for you! Becca Colao MA, SCAC Backing Independent Growth

Accept the fact that your home may never be as organized as your friends' homes. It’s best to create your own systems according to what works best for you, even if your systems are very different from those of your friends, family, and coworkers. Respect what works—snooty neighbors and Martha Stewart be damned. Erin Korey Managing Partner and COO of ADHDmanagement.com & ADD Management Group, LLC

Money & Finances

It’s easy to determine if your medication is working if you know what to look for. The main goal of treating AD/HD is to reduce symptoms to normalize functioning. To do this you will want to set target symptoms and treat until these symptoms fall within the range for people without AD/HD. Instead of subjectively rating improvement, you (and your physician) can monitor progress weekly by rating your target symptoms. If target symptoms do not respond, medication dose can be increased or a change made to another medication. Patricia O. Quinn, MD Director, National Center for Girls and Women with ADHD Author of 100 Questions & Answers About AD/HD in Girls and Women

Get the Facts! ADHD Medications work 75-80% of the time so it is worth the process (albeit sometimes laborious) of working with your doctor to find the right medication. Many people are reluctant to try ADHD medications out of fear. You may worry about side effects—or have experienced side effects—but don’t give up! Theresa Cerulli, M.D., Neuropsychiatrist Medical Director, Cerulli and Associates & Instructor, Harvard Medical School

Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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Creating a system for managing finances is challenging, especially if you have ADHD. A key reason financial systems fail is that they become too complex and impossible to maintain. Instead of focusing on creating a complex, perfect system, focus on creating a system that is easy to use and maintain. John MacKenzie, MBA Blogger, Adult ADD and Money and Special Assistant, ADDclasses.com

People always ask for a list of ―ADD-Friendly Jobs.‖ Like snowflakes…people with ADD are all unique. It is a far better plan to assess your passions, interests, skills and strengths, and thereby come up with your OWN list of jobs that will be right for YOU! Wilma Fellman, M.Ed., LPC Career Counselor Author of Finding a Career that Works for You

Career

Treatment Options

Who’s on your team? Take stock of the people who ―get‖ AD/HD, who help you when you need their partnership or advice. Who’s missing on your team? Do you need to add – a knowledgeable doctor, therapist, coach, an organizer, financial planner or one really good friend? Linda Anderson, MA, MCC Master Certified Business and Personal Coach, Getting Clear

Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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Quite often people with ADD / ADHD feel isolated and alone. It doesn’t have to be this way though. Community and connection are keys to understanding and treating ADD / ADHD. Connecting with an in-person or online support group can make a world of difference in living successfully with ADD / ADHD. Tara McGillicuddy, SCAC ADHD Support Mentor, Founder and Director of ADDclasses.com

Support

This notion that you can’t be successful with ADHD is absolutely preposterous. I can name Nobel prize winners, Pulitzer prize winners, CEOs, professional athletes, billionaires—not just millionaires, but billionaires. It’s time to blow that myth up that you can’t be successful with ADHD. It’s true that it can devastate your life. If you don’t manage it correctly, it can ruin your life. But if you do manage it correctly, it can take you to the very heights. That’s why it’s so critical that people understand it and really get the proper help. Edward ―Ned‖ Hallowell, M.D. Child and Adult Psychiatrist and Founder of the Hallowell Centers Author of Driven to Distraction, Delivered From Distraction, and many other best selling books.

Inspiration

Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts

Get more tips, strategies, and resources for managing adult ADHD at www.ADHDmanagement.com .

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Thank you for downloading this Special Report: ADHD Management Tips from the Experts! If you found this report helpful, then you’ll no doubt want to share it with your friends, family, and colleagues, or maybe even your patients or clients! Please send them to http://adhdmanagement.com/subscribe/ so that they can download their very own copy of the report. Thank you! We here at ADHDmanagement.com appreciate your support, and we look forward to being ―Your Go-to Guide for Managing Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder‖!