One Good Reason Why You May be Disorganized

Does it make you crazy that some people have no difficulty at all holding it together, while you consider it a bonus if you have clean clothes to put on in the morning?

For many people with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), even daily routines can pose a challenge. What happens in the ADHD brain is that the activities of the pre-frontal cortex – the area behind the forehead – are impaired. This is the activity centre responsible for things like decision-making, time awareness, focus, detail, organization, transitioning attention, self-control, emotions and inhibition. Whew! That’s a lot. Can you imagine how easy it is for your day to go off track if there is a communication breakdown in the pre-frontal cortex?

The transfer of information between the parts of the ADHD brain that is untreated (i.e. the person is not taking medication for their ADHD) can be unreliable. This is why you forget what was said to you yesterday, or forget to complete a task that was interrupted. A lot of what happens in any given moment can be lost and therefore not transferred to long-term memory where it can be recalled and serve you at a future date.


Now, the big mystery to many is “How can anyone forget to do repeated tasks? The answer: those tasks don’t provide enough stimulation to engage the ADHD brain. If there is not an immediate benefit, the person with ADHD will focus their attention elsewhere, to something that will give immediate satisfaction or some kind of instant rush. Putting away laundry is way too boring compared to online gaming. That clean underwear will only be a priority when you open your drawer on Monday morning and discover you’ve got less than 5 minutes to put together clothes for the day and bound out the door.

But having ADHD doesn’t mean you are destined to live a life of chaos. It means recognizing that you may need some extra supports to get through the stuff that bores you to tears. And that support could be something as simple as arranging to have someone call you when it’s time to get off the couch and start getting ready for the family celebration, or putting a Post-it® Note at the door so you remember to take the present with you to the party. Other things you could try include:

• Visual/auditory timers, like the Time Timer
• Scheduling your day in your smart phone with an audible notification reminder
• Keeping Post-it® Notes in your car to capture those important thoughts that come to you at the wrong time: jot it down on a Post-it® Note and stick it on your steering wheel. When you get home, take the note in with you and stick it in a visible place, so you will be sure to act on it.  

Now, not everyone who is disorganized has ADHD. But since October is ADHD Awareness Month, I wanted to share a bit of information on the topic and let you know that there are very real reasons why some people struggle with chronic disorganization. ADHD is one of those reasons. So if you seem to always be struggling with organization, it’s not necessarily because of laziness or an inability to be organized. It’s simply a matter of learning what kind of supports you need to be organized, and bringing those supports into your life.

Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos. We hear it often, this, the ultimate oxymoron. Many do exist in this state; I suspect with some degree of difficulty. I cannot.  I crave a sense of order. Symmetry. Harmony. I will take a moment to admire a balanced floral arrangement, a properly scaled centrepiece, the mantle that looks as if it was transported from the pages of a magazine.  

But at Christmastime I’m struck by the irony that the thing I enjoy the most is what I can only describe as a beautiful example of organized chaos: the Christmas tree. Unlike the big retailers who erect magical winter wonderlands filled with trees that each have a colour theme, our family puts up a tree that displays a random collection of ornaments.  It’s a mishmash of glass, yarn, felt and pipe cleaners. It reflects bits of nature and holds memories of overseas travel and special events. Nothing is sorted, categorized or assigned a specific home, the hallmarks of organized living.   

Perhaps this example of chaos is accepted because we only have to look at it. Perhaps is can exist because we only look t it. Its purpose is nothing more than to provide aesthetic appeal. It won’t make us late to a meeting, or lose our keys.

But isn’t it true that when chaos takes over our physical space we treat it as a Christmas tree and do little more than look at it? We make a mental note to wash the dishes later. We’ll clear the desk next weekend. Until days become weeks, weeks become months and now things have spiralled out of control.  Chaos has won the battle over organization.  We don’t know how it got to this point, or how to restore order.  We are paralyzed.  

Our Christmas tree analogy can help.  Most people pick a day in January that they will devote to dismantling the Christmas tree and putting away the Christmas decorations. One-by-one, the ornaments are removed from the tree and returned to their dedicated storage container. Space opens up in our home. Life returns to normal – whatever that may be. Why not treat your piles of paper and laundry like the tree? Decide on a time to get started, and address one item at a time.  It won’t come together as quickly or easily packing up after the holidays, but progress can be made.

The Importance of Planning

I love the rush that accompanies just about any accomplishment. Getting things done is incredibly satisfying. But in my haste to reach a goal, I, like many others, will start a project for which I have not fully prepared. Truth is, planning isn't fun. Planning requires much thought, and thought is considered inactivity. We want action!!! But planning also means that we will likely encounter fewer setbacks when we finally do get rolling.

Many people embarking on an organizing project say, "I'm ready! Let's get started! Can we get this done in a week?" Slow down friends. I greatly admire your enthusiasm and wish you success beyond your wildest dreams, nota bene, there are a few things to consider before diving in.

1. Set yourself a goal. It can be a goal for the first hour that you organize, a goal for the closet, a goal for an entire room. It can be a short-term goal, long-term goal, or combination of the two. Goal-setting is extremely important. If you don't have something to strive for, how will you know when you've got it? Reaching your goals and, more importantly, celebrating your accomplishments, will keep you motivated. And anyone who has tackled a big project knows that motivation is what keeps you moving forward.

2. Have realistic expectations. If you are trying to empty the third floor bedroom that no one has entered in 15 years, lugging boxes down the stairs will wipe you out. You will become tired, need to rest, drink more water and generally move slower than desired. Consider this before you start and you are less likely to be discouraged by your own limitations.

3. Measure. Whether buying new furniture, shelving, or containers, always measure before you shop. There are enough storage and organizing solutions out there to make your head spin. The reality is, you may fall in love with one that just doesn't fit down the stairs, or makes it impossible for you to close the cupboard door. Be familiar with the dimensions of your space, before you spend your cash. This will allow you to use your time effectively organizing your space, instead of standing in the Returns line.

These three tips will get you in the right head space and save you much frustration. Having a good foundation from which to start will aid you in making decisions and, dare I say it, overcoming challenges.

The One-In-One-Out Rule

If you've ever sought advice on how to control your clutter, you've likely heard about the one-in-one-out rule. The concept is simple: When you acquire something new, discard something old. This works well for clothes, shoes, books and much more. It's an especially useful rule to apply to toys.

If you have children, you know how quickly their play area can be overrun with toys. You also know how easily a toy falls from grace when replaced with something new. And come January 15, no matter how organized an individual you are, you may find yourself sifting through a mountain of toys, old and new, asking yourself, "Where did all this stuff come from?"

As a parent, you have a choice. You can gather up some neglected toys on the sly and remove them from your home. Fingers crossed, you won't be found out. I've tried this and gotten busted. So, I've adopted a different approach. I involve my son in the process. If, for whatever reason, we've acquired a few new toys, I wait a week or two, then have a chat with the little man. I pull out a couple of toys that haven't been touched for months, preferably those that are no longer age-appropriate, and gently suggest that since he's having so much fun with his new thing-a-ma-jigger, that it might be a good time to donate a long forgotten toy, so that another little girl or boy can enjoy it.

By involving my son, I hope to accomplish a few things.
1. Keep the task manageable, by donating only a few things at a time.
2. Teach him the simple behaviour of identifying things that matter.
3. Get him comfortable with the idea of keeping only those things that are still used and enjoyed.

If all goes well, by the time he's my age, he'll be a pro.

Easy Holiday Organization

Every fall, consumers roll their eyes when retailers publish Christmas catalogues and pull out Christmas décor. This year, I had an "aha moment": this is the ultimate example of organization.

If retailers are going to get your holiday shopping dollars, they need to get your attention. The product lineup and marketing strategy have to be decided upon and rolled out, long before the average consumer gets excited about Christmas -- somewhere around the middle of December. When Christmas is presented to us before the leaves have even fallen off the trees, our response is negative. But we come around. Maybe you won't go out and buy a Disney Blu-ray DVD on sale this week, but the seed is planted. There's a good chance you'll buy that DVD when you walk by it two weeks from now. You'll take a moment to lament the fact that you missed the sale, but still fork over the full price because you've been thinking about it.

So every year we succumb to a lesson in organization, but we don't learn from it. Preparing for the busiest time of year doesn't have to be difficult. Start small. Make a list of the people you need to buy a gift for. Check your stockpile of wrapping paper, tape, gift tags and ribbon. You don't have to run out this weekend to do all your shopping and stock up on all the necessary supplies. But these things need to be on your radar to ensure you won't be caught off guard.

Having read this, you're now far more likely to notice the tape, next time you reach for a pack of gum at the check-out. Don't be surprised to see it there; it was moved there for a reason. Go ahead and buy it. It will make your life easier.