Experiencing ADDvantages

Podcast: AD/HD and Overspending

Our Virtual AD/HD Conference Podcast Series continues today with a brand new podcast for you!

Today's podcast is a preview of Organizing Coach Ariane Benefit's session on "Overcoming Overspending: Why Adults with AD/HD Overshop and How to Stop." You can listen to or download this podcast here:

Ariane's session is scheduled for Day 3 of the Virtual AD/HD Conference on Wednesday, October 7th from 4:00-5:00pm Eastern. (Don't worry if you can't attend live, as the recordings and handouts for all sessions will be available to everyone who registers!)

During Ariane's session, we'll:

• Understand the difference between impulsive spending and compulsive spending and how they relate to AD/HD
• Learn strategies for overcoming impulsive spending
• Identify treatment options for compulsive spending

If you'd like to review the entire agenda for the 2nd Annual Virtual AD/HD Conference, please visit http://www.ADHDconference.com/agenda.shtml.

The Virtual AD/HD Conference takes place October 5-7th—in your own home or office! Don't miss this opportunity to connect with your peers and get all the tools you need to succeed from the top experts in the world of AD/HD.

Register for the Virtual AD/HD Conference at http://www.ADHDconference.com!

Are You Sure You Have ADD?

"Are you sure you have ADD?"

I've been asked this question three times in the last 2 weeks. One time, it was followed by the statement, "You always seem so perfect."

I nearly choked on my coffee when I heard this from a colleague. At that moment, I was going through a very stressful period and I was far from having it all together.

I started to think about the significance of being asked "Are you sure you have ADD?" no less than three times during a period when I was actually very stressed out, and feeling more ADD than usual.

I wondered why people might think that I don't have ADD. Here's what I came up with:

Reason #1: While I am F A R from perfect, I suppose I am pretty good at keeping my stress to myself.

Erin and the dogs know how stressed I've been in the last couple of weeks because they live with me. (In fact, Erin is probably snickering right now as she reads about the idea that I might not have ADD.) A few of my friends know I've been stressed because I've emailed them to apologize for not returning their phone calls. But aside from that, I don't really broadcast my problems or challenges.

If you've read my book, Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD, then you know that BMWs are a pet peeve of mine. BMWs are people who constantly bitch, moan, and whine. They are negative, unhappy people who tend to bring others down. People like this kinda drive me crazy, so I don't want to be one! I do bitch and moan occasionally, but I try not to make a habit of it.

Reason #2: It's my job to have it together for my clients.

Hopefully, my clients can't tell the difference between my good days and my bad days. Why should they? I don't think anyone would pay me--or want to pay me--to be in a bad mood or to talk about my own problems. I save those for the people that I pay, or for the people who have no choice but to deal with me.

While I do sometimes share challenges on my blog and in my newsletter, I try to focus on solutions, not problems. This is what I try to do in my own life, as well, which is what makes me a good coach!

Reason #3: Unfortunately, most people subscribe to the disorder model of AD/HD. I don't.

I don't believe that having ADD condemns me to a life of difficulty.

I believe that differences are what make the world go 'round. I'll always have challenges with time management, organization, and boredom. But I'll also always be creative, strategic, compassionate, perceptive, and intuitive. And given the choice, I wouldn't trade any of it.

I always tell my clients, while you're wishing that you were more organized, someone else is wishing they were more creative. Neither trait is good nor bad. Society needs people who are organized, and people who are creative.

Left unmanaged, ADD certainly can turn into a disorder. But we can't assume that everyone who is different or "disordered" is damaged.

And when ADD is managed properly, it is an incredible asset in life.

So, all this being said, I took away something else from the "Are you sure you have ADD?" question. Perhaps it's okay to share more of my flaws and challenges. I certainly discussed them at length in my book, but people seem to appreciate the reminder. It helps to know that you're not alone.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go deal with that burning smell. Did I leave something on the stove again?

Video: ADD in the Workplace

I'm excited to share a video with you today of a recent interview I did for PC-TV in Westchester County, NY. I was featured on the public television show Taming the Cubicle Jungle, a show that gives voice to and provides solutions for challenging workplace issues.

Host Donna Scimia invited me to discuss adult ADD in the workplace, and we covered topics like success strategies, whether or not to disclose your ADD to your employer, and ways that managers can best help their ADD employees.

You can watch the episode online by visiting http://www.pctv76.org/show.php?epid=220, or by clicking this image:

Donna has covered a number of interesting topics on the show, so you may want to check out some of the other episodes on the site, too!

What do you do to manage your ADD challenges at work? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Office & Paper Organizing

My friend and colleague Ariane Benefit has a great deal for anyone who is looking for quick, easy, and low-cost ways to organize your office (or any workspace), your paper, and even your email!

Ariane is offering her Office & Paper Organizing VALUE PAK for just $17.95.

The Office & Paper Organizing VALUE PAK, which I personally recommend, includes 3 of Ariane's most popular eBooks:

1. The Neat & Simple Guide to Organizing Your Home Office
2. Take Charge of Your Paper
3. The Neat & Simple Personal Paper Retention Guide

I've read Ariane's eBooks and I've heard her coach clients live, and I can tell you that she really knows her stuff. If you're struggling to organize your workspace and/or your paper, then this VALUE PAK is for you!

Order here to take control of your office and paper. And let me know what you think when you start using these great resources!

Podcast: AD/HD and Depression

Our Virtual AD/HD Conference Podcast Series kicks off today with a preview of Dr. Ari Tuckman’s session on “AD/HD and Depression.” You can listen to or download this podcast here:

Dr. Tuckman’s session is scheduled for Day 1 of the Virtual AD/HD Conference on Monday October 5th from 2.45 – 3.45pm Eastern. (Don’t worry if you can’t attend live, as the recordings and handouts for all sessions will be available to everyone who registers!)

During Dr. Tuckman’s session, we’ll:

• Explore the reasons why untreated ADHD can lead to secondary depression
• Understand why implementing targeted, ADHD-based strategies is an important part of treatment
• Understand why it is equally important to accept limitations without shame or guilt  

If you’d like to review the entire agenda for the 2nd Annual Virtual AD/HD Conference, please visit http://www.ADHDconference.com/agenda.shtml

The Virtual AD/HD Conference takes place October 5-7th—in your own home or office! Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your peers and get all the tools you need to succeed from the top experts in the world of AD/HD.

Register for the Virtual AD/HD Conference at http://www.ADHDconference.com!

Adults with ADD: Are You Overcomplicating Things?

Do you ever get the feeling that you're overcomplicating things?

There are certainly many important decisions in life that need careful consideration. But people with ADD tend to get stuck "carefully considering" even the smallest decisions, like where to keep a new item that you bought, how to spend your day off, or what to order in a restaurant. I'm guilty of that one! Okay, I'm guilty of all of them! ;-)

We can easily over think the simplest of tasks, making them more complicated (and more stressful) than they need to be.

Here's a real-life example:

Donna is a former client who used to refer to herself as "The Queen on Complicated." One day, when she was sorting through the mail, she discovered a bill for routine lab work that should have been covered by her insurance.

Donna immediately became anxious. She was fairly certain that her insurance company was supposed to cover the lab work. But what if they didn't?

She knew that the best thing to do would be to call the company that sent the bill. But Donna put off calling them because she was afraid that they would tell her the lab work wasn't covered and she owed $210...

...which would lead to an uncomfortable conversation with her husband about why she didn't make sure the tests were covered before she agreed to them...

...which would lead to a problem paying the bill on time, because her credit card bill was already a little too high this month...

...which would lead to cutting out some other things, like the benefit dinner for breast cancer research (a cause that is near and dear to Donna) that she was really looking forward to...

But--and here's the important part--the situations she was anticipating were really just nervous guesses and assumptions. 

Rather than looking at the task as simply one step (making a phone call) she saw it as an overwhelming process because she was afraid that the ultimate outcome would be less than desirable.

When Donna finally stopped agonizing and made the phone call, she found out that the lab was simply missing some of her insurance information and just needed her social security number to process the claim.

All that stress for nothing! Donna spent days over thinking and overcomplicating the situation. Can you relate?

It doesn't have to be so hard!

Solutions to problems like Donna's are really just a series of steps and decisions. Step one is to make the phone call and get the facts.

Over thinking these types of situations always leads to overwhelm, procrastination, and stress. So don't do it! 

Simplify your thoughts to simplify your steps.

Do you overcomplicate the simple things? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Only 2 Days Left to Save on the Virtual AD/HD Conference!

Are you overcomplicating your decision to join us for the Virtual AD/HD Conference?

If so, then allow me to simplify the details so you can easily make the decision that's right for you!

Benefits of Attending

1. You'll Invite the Top Experts in the World of AD/HD - like Ned Hallowell, Daniel Amen, Patricia Quinn, and more - Into Your Living Room. And you won't even have to clean up!


2. You'll Get All the Tools You Need to Succeed with AD/HD. Conference sessions address issues and challenges faced by adults, parents, families, spouses/partners, and service providers.


3. You'll Break the Bubble of Isolation and Connect With Your Peers. The conference offers many opportunities to connect with the experts and your peers--both during the conference, and for a full 3 months afterward!


4. You'll Participate at Your Own Pace. You can attend some, all, or none of the live sessions! Everyone who registers will have full access to the session recordings, handouts, and discussion forums for a full 3 months after the close of the conference.


5. You'll Skip the Travel Costs and the Hassles of Attending a Physical Conference. While the cost of attending a physical conference can easily exceed $1500 when you add in travel, hotel, meals, and incidentals, you can skip all those hassles and pay only the conference registration fee.

Further Considerations

I whole-heartedly believe that the Virtual AD/HD Conference is an *outstanding* value for anyone affected by AD/HD. And when it comes down to it, price will probably be the consideration that makes or breaks your decision to attend.

Early Bird registration rates expire this Friday, July 10th. If you register before then, standard registration for the full, 3-day event costs just $147, and deluxe registration costs just $247. (Remember, these rates go up $50 on Saturday.)

--> If you're convinced that the conference is NOT for you, then that's okay! Although we've made every effort to keep the registration fees affordable, I wouldn't want anyone to spend their hard-earned money on something that doesn't feel like a good fit--especially in this economy.

However, even if you decide not to join us, I'd like to invite you to sign up for the Virtual AD/HD Conference mailing list to receive exclusive AD/HD podcasts with the conference speakers! You can do so at www.ADHDconference.com.

--> And if you're convinced that the conference IS for you, then you're in good company! We're on track to exceed last year's attendance of 400+ people!

Just be sure to register by Friday so you can take advantage of the $50 savings! You can register at http://www.ADHDconference.com.