Now I walk while I work…on my own treadmill that has it’s own desk!

I got the idea from the Good Morning America show that aired a few months ago. A doctor at the Mayo Clinic created the treadmill desk for people who are on the computer a lot (like me) or on the phone (like me) or who write (like me). Problem was the darned thing cost $6000—whoa!

I knew I could do better than that, especially when I already have a little-used treadmill.

After a lot (a LOT) of research, I found a desk that works for me — the Walk N Work — and a flat screen monitor stand that goes in front of the treadmill so I can see it (laptop was too low) and a bookcase to hold all the rest of the stuff…and I am golden!

I just shot some video of this solution and will post it soon…but know that I am quite proud of the whole thing and more importantly, I am using it!!! Too many of my good ideas go to waste because they aren’t really practical…just cool. So, watch out. I am planning to be a lot more fit, thin and healthy this time next year!

Walking and working is a GOOD thing for ADDivas!

Occasionally I get this lesson handed to me and I swear I’ll remember it forever.

Then I forget it.

I think they call that lessons NOT learned. But here we go…

The bottom line of dealing with ADD is to simplify.

Simplify. Simplify, Simplify.

Instead I tend to complicate, complicate, complicate.

Silly, but true example: I took my iPhone with me yesterday to pick up my Sheltie from the vet (torn pad on his foot - awful, let’s not talk about it) and I picked up my handy dandy bluetooth headset so I could call my mom in Illinois without holding the phone to my ear. No law in NC about hands-free talking while driving but it’s coming.

I always have trouble getting the headset to communicate with the phone, so I often end up wearing the headset but holding the phone to my other ear anyway…sigh. This time I was determined to make it work. I turned on the headset first, then the phone. I called my husband as a Bluetooth check. Unaware that he was my guinea pig at that moment, we had a pleasant interlude - with me holding my phone to my ear — no sound from the headset,

I kept at it, pushing buttons, hoping for some kind of signal in my headset ear. Silence.

I was within 60 second of reaching the vet when I remembered that my iPhone had crashed a few weeks ago. That meant resetting the entire phone. Maybe the bluetooth wasn’t paired with my headset any more.

Voila! Not only was it not paired, it wasn’t even turned on in the Settings area. A quick adjustment and I could hear sound in my headset. Yay,

My point is that … if I didn’t have a bluetooth headset, I wouldn’t have used my precious brain cells and my even more precious time screwing around with it and finally figuring it out. And if I didn’t have an iPhone - which needs resetting far too often - I might not have lost the Bluetooth signal anyway. And if I didn’t have a cell phone, I wouldn’t have tried to call my mom while I was driving. I would have waited til I got home. And paid more attention to my driving.

This scenario plays out in my life thousands of time - not with a cell phone, but with dozens of other complications which I have invited into my life — ME. I did that. I chose to have a hot tub with a heater that goes out. I chose to have not one dog but two which more than doubles my expenses, worry and guilt about not walking them reguarly. I chose to start 23 project instead of 4 which keeps me always behind and in a hurry.

I have often thought that my complicated life is how I keep my ADD brain interested and engaged. I do believe that. But it also takes so little to overwhelm my ADD brain that I am probably smarter to simplify my life. Something complicated WILL show up, I can be sure.

Simplify. Simplify. Simplify

Thoreau had it right 100 years ago. Or was that Emerson? Oh, now I have to double check online. Making my life more complicated just because I made a reference to a famous writer/philosopher. Will I ever learn this lesson?

PS- It’s Thoreau. I also need to trust my first instinct. There’s another surefire ADD coping tip I need to learn.

David Allen is on to something and he’s making the most of it.

His Getting Things Done model (GTD) works - not only for linear folks but for ADDivas as well.

It’s a flow that helps eliminate clutter and get things..uh D-O-N-E (which if you don’t know by now, is my favorite four letter word!).

I just saw a simplified diagram of his flow in the Costco magazine ( my favorite place to shop for almost anything). I won’t reproduce it here but if you can pick up a copy of the December Costco magazine, you’ve got it!

Here is it in words:

Stuff comes "IN"

Decide "what is it?"

Do you need to take action?

if NO — choose one of these -

1. Eliminate it
2. Incubate it (someday/maybe folder), or
3. Reference it (paper or digital folder)

If YES - then, decide: What’s the next step?

A. If it’s a multi-step project:

a. Figure out the desired outcome (which goes through a cycle of planning)

b. Go back to the Yes question and decide what’s next

B. Not a multi-step project?  Then:

1. DO IT if it takes less than 2 minutes

OR

2. DELEGATE it — put it in communication system and track it via lists/folders

OR

3. DEFER it - put it on the calendar OR put it in an Action folder or list or tray

That’s it.

Sounds simple. Is simple. So let’s try it.

I’ll keep the lines of communication open so we can implement this together.

Are you on board?

"I’ve been gaining weight since I turned 50 and I can’t stay away from the carbs!" a midlife ADDiva told me last week by phone. I can relate. Oh, I can definitely relate.

Yesterday, I picked up my PostIt-filled copy of Mastering the Zone by Barry Sears - the place I visit when I am finally ready to return to a more sane eating pattern. There, on page 37, was a chart that simplified the connection between focus and carbohydrates.

The chart was labeled " Extent of Hunger 4 Hours After a Meal." It showed two alternatives:

1. No hunger — which stemmed from the "correct" ratio of protein to carbs to keep hormonal levels (insulin) steady.

2. Significant hunger — which had two causes — one was too much carbohydrates relative to protein (insulin too high), which led to POOR MENTAL FOCUS. Hmmmm.

The alternative - too much protein relative to carbs (insulin was too low) - led to Good Mental Focus…but a growling tummy.

For those of you unfamiliar with The Zone, it advocates a consistent ratio of fat-carbs-protein every time you eat. It’s a pain to learn, but I admit, I feel much better on the Zone than almost any other food plan. The Zone also mirrors the Prefrontal Cortex Diet which advocates protein at every meal - especially breakfast – and no refined sugar.

It made a lot of sense to me. I don’t know the precise physiological mechanism for the protein=focus and carbs=fogginess. I am intimately famliar, however, with the churning carbohydrate cycle that feasts on sugar and more sugar.

(A quick refresher on the definition of a carbohydrate, since I tend to forget: anything that produces sugar in your bloodstream. That, of course, includes anything made with sugar or its ilk: candy, lemonade, cookies, cereal (I dare you to find one without added sugar or beet juice or high fructose syrup added) AND it includes things that convert to sugar once in your body - bread, rolls, rice, noodles. Even vegetables are carbohydrates, usually better than the sugary stuff - but carrots and beets have a lot of sugar in their little cells, bless them).

Consider an extreme example: you eat a donut (sugar, fat, white flour - yum) and your blood sugar spikes, allowing you to feel energetic (although unfocused). When you dump sugar into your bloodstream, it screams for balance — so insulin comes to the rescue, neutralizing all that excess sugar.

Problem is, there is so much sugar in your body, that the insulin overreacts and send a thundering herd of lttle hormone armies to counteract the sugar. Pretty soon there is too much INSULIN hanging around in your bloodstream with nothing to do. tha insulin likes to have a job so it needs more sugar to neutralize, so your body screams at you to eat something sweet and sugary. You feel faint from hunger, so you have another donut, or a Coke or a piece of toast and jelly.

Then it’s off to the races again — with your body doing its good job of noticing that there is sugar coming down the pike…and releasing more insulin…as if you needed any more! This silly circus act goes on for as long as you keep feeding the sugar monster inside you.

In  the meantime, your ADD goes beserk — attention goes out the window but energy ebbs and flows with your carb intake.

The Zone suggests rather strongly that the key to a balanced mental and physical state is a balance of food types. In my experience, a low sugar, moderate protein, low fat diet works great. Until I allow myself to get on the sugar train again.

It’s hard to get OFF that carbohydrate train. Yesterday, I promised myself "no sugar." But by the end of the day, I was digging around in the trash to find the last few bites of a candy bar I had righteously thrown away that morning. Embarrassing. But testament to the power of sugar.

Today is another day. I will try to balance my foods so my blood sugar stays steady and my focus….well, my focus can only improve from here on out!

It’s been three days since Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States. No matter whether you are ecstatic or bummed about the outcome, the election offers profound implications that should give all ADDivas a dose of that magic elixir: HOPE.

Why? Because we, like Obama, face a world that uses rigid standards to separate "good" from "bad" and "right" from "wrong." We, like Obama, have been judged harshly by those rigid rules. We, like Obama, have been the target of ridicule, the scapegoat for problems, the odd duckling among stereotypical swans.

But Barack Obama shows us that whether our difference is in the color of our skin, the way our brain works or how many times we are late filing our taxes, we can transcend those challenges and rise - quite literally - to the top.

I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life that I was so tired of trying harder, going the extra mile, thinking ahead of the business people around the conference table, that I wanted it all to STOP. I was sick of playing by everyone else’s rules. I was exhausted from untwisting my pretzel-like self into a semi-straight line that passed for "normal." I wanted to go to bed, pull up the covers and hide until that neatly pressed world marched right on past me.

I don’t know Barack Obama personally. I suspect there were times in his life that he was discouraged, disheartened by the uphill road ahead. But I notice he didn’t go to bed and pull up the covers. He kept moving. He renewed his efforts. And most importantly, he never stopped believing in his dream. Never.

ADDivas would do well to take nourishment from that determination. Many of our dreams have been discarded; they litter the roads of our distant past. We turn away from them as proof of our failures and an accurate predictor of our futures.

But women with ADHD are not failures. We deserve to revisit our dreams - resurrecting those that still inspire us and creating new ones that have nudged themselves into our adult lives. And as we make that slow turn toward ourselves, welcoming that woman who is truly a miracle, truly unique and precious in the world, we ignite that four-letter word in ourselves and in those who witness our transformation.

HOPE. It’s not about elections. It’s about life. Your life. And you.

Like you, I have an opinion about tomorrow’s election. I have a candidate that is dear to my heart. And I didn’t vote early. I like the energy of going to the polls on Election Day.

So here’s the ADDiva tip of the day:

Don’t forget to vote!

Put a Post-It on your calendar.

Tie a string around your finger.

Set an alarm.

But vote.

ADDivas make a difference in this world. Tomorrow’s the day to prove it

Hugs

Linda

OK, it’s scary out there right now.

The $700 billion bailout (with MY MONEY!), the debates, the stock market, gas prices, jobs disappearing- when will it END?

I admit it, I fell headlong into a state of depression for several weeks. I was so overwhelmed with the bad news that I just shut down and moved like a snail through my life.(Notice you didn’t get an ADDiva Confidante newsletter for October yet?)

I’ve finally managed to get out of the muck and feel like myself again - and it took several proactive steps. I’m listing them on the chance you might need a helping hand, too:

1. I sought the advice of my doctor …
…who decided my haphazard approach to Adderall wasn’t doing me any favors, so we adjusted the dose — downward I might add - and I am now regular about taking it twice a day. Temporarily, we also bumped up my Wellbutrin so I could pull out of the slump. My best friend’s motto is: "better living through chemistry" and I have to agree sometimes.

2. I took some time off to rest my adrenal system
I gave myself permission to take off the entire weekend to do nothing at all. Nothing. Nada. I floated, I fed myself, I napped, I read a little. I walked in the woods. None of these things improved my bottom line or helped my retirement fund. But I felt so much better on Sunday night - I felt like myself again.

3. I gave myself some simple creature  comforts
When I am stressed out I need comfort food (anything sweet and white and creamy like tapioca pudding and whipped cream) and soft fluffy things (I have several throws that are ‘petting quality’ so I can rub my hand down them to feel their softness). This time, I bought myself a new pillow (I know, spending money is NOT smart, but I am sleeping SO much better now and I needed that).

4. I reconnected with my deeper self
It’s easy for me to fall back into that anxious, pessimistic Linda of old. But I know I am not that: I am the optimistic and upbeat Linda of today. Even when life is tough. ESPECIALLY when life is tough. What good is it to have a positive attitude that crumbles in the face of adversity? If I give in to the negative stuff, it’s like having a positive side that’s a turncoat, or worse, a marshmallow (umm .. marshmallows - white, sweet, comforting..)

I return to my positive self by listening more deeply to my inner wisdom - my sacred self, if you will. OK, so I reconnect with the Sacred Divine. That never disappears, no matter what the Dow Jones does.

5. I surrounded myself with positive reminders
I have lots of postcards that I created for myself (and you) so I looked at those again. I re-read some of the quotes I’ve collected from my mentors - Jack Canfield, Neale Donald Walsch, Debbie Ford. I got out my mandala book and colored a mandala - repetitive and soothing.

6. I wrote this blog post to you
…because telling someone else about how I feel makes it less overwhelming. Going public about my own panic and fear allows me to face it (and myself) in a different way. That in itself is scary: What if you judge me for being less than perfect? What if you decide that I have clay feet and don’t walk my talk? What if you want someone to FIX IT and I can’t do that?

Well, here I am in all my humanness and ADD-ishness. I’m here. For me. And you.

So here’s the opportunity to go public with your fears, your solutions, your soothing reminders. Add to the conversation so I’m not alone out here on a limb, OK?

I wanna hear from you. A lot of you.

What’s going on for you in the face of these last weeks? Scared? Shut down? Overwhelmed? Let’s hear it — you’re safe here. Any replies that aren’t supportive won’t be posted (I have veto power). You can leave your comment below my signature.

Hoping to get some chicken soup for our ADDiva souls….

Hugs and tender love

Linda

linda@addiva.net

"For the next 10 minutes, I want you to simply sit and think," said our writing coach. "And most importantly - don’t write anything down. Let the ideas flow freely. Just think."

Argh! For a group of women writers aged 50 and better, eager to implement the writing tips proferred by Peggy Payne, author of the novel Sister India, it was a tough assignment. Especially so for me.

I like to capture my ideas as they emerge; after all, what if they leave my ADD brain never to return? It’s happened more times than I can remember (OK, that was a really bad joke). But I complied with her request. I had paid for the writing workshop. Might as well get my money’s worth.

At first my brain refused to cooperate. It zipped around the room, stealing glances at everyone else. Then I closed my eyes and dredged up the plotline of the story I was writing. How would it end? Who was the main character anyway? What kind of life did she lead? Where would she have gone on vacation?

Little by little, a new scene was built in my head. I was actually focusing on the story without a computer or a pen and paper or even my iPhone at my fingertips.

Ten minutes is a long time when you are "thinking." Peggy finally rang the timer and we regrouped. But I realized that I had found a new weapon in my ADD arsenal: taking time to THINK. About only one thing. One thing.

How profoundly simple. Yet profoundly powerful.

Do I take my 10 minutes regularly? No.

Do I want to do more of it? Yes.

So today I pledge to THINK at least once a day. About whatever is at hand. But without computer, paper, tape recorder - anything. And I will trust myself to remember whatever I need to thereafter.

When my ADD has me running in circles, trying to find the beginning or the end or even a middle, there is nothing quite so grounding - literally - than getting out to my garden and thrusting my fingers into the sun-warmed soil. This week, it’s time to plant fall crops - broccoli and cauliflower.

Those precious little transplant leaves, quivering with possibility, ready to flourish with only a small push from me….pretty heady stuff for a farmer’s-daughter-turned organic-gardener like me.

Read the rest of this entry »

I juggle a lot of "stuff" in my life - projects, relationships, households, pets, clients, travel and much more. So when I added the "go green" thing to my life, it was just about the straw that pushed me over the edge. Almost. Read the rest of this entry »