[Delight]

I've just made a huge life Leap -- quit my corporate news media job after five years of talking about doing so, made plans to travel and then head overseas for about six months, and now --

holy crap! I've got to dismantle my apartment, find a home for my cat, manage about a billion "paperwork details," say farewells to loved ones, and oh yeah -- start a new income-generating business so my savings don't run out!

I am totally overwhelmed and hiding in e-mails, reading online articles and playing solitaire or chess. Any ideas out there for keeping ADD in check and making small steps toward progress when it feels impossible? I could really use the help of a friend who could just sit with me while I do tasks, and my experience has been that friends instead become distractions...

Delight "eek!"

[BlackCanary]

1) Make a list of what must be done
2) Make a grid with 4 squares
3) on the left side write "Impact on my plans if not done" - least impact at the bottom, most impact at the top
4) on the bottom write "Impact on my anxiety if not done" - least impact on the left, most impact on the right
5) plot the items from your list into the squares
6) Now you can see it - a set of things in the upper right box that will have the most impact on your plans if you procrastinate, and once done will relieve anxiety.
7) You can also work on the things in the upper left box and lower right box.
8) Items in the lower left box are the lowest priority, leave them until last or get someone else to do them for you!

[Delight]

Super helpful -- that's one trick I've never tried. I like how it acknowledges the emotional needs as well as the physical. How did you discover/learn about it?

Ria

[BlackCanary]

Originally Posted by Delight

Super helpful -- that's one trick I've never tried. I like how it acknowledges the emotional needs as well as the physical. How did you discover/learn about it?

Ria

The 4 square grid is an analysis tool, good for risks and planning. We use it at work.
I just modified it last December, when I needed to prioritize my HUGE to-do list. I knew I had to cut out stress, and that I wanted to do things that were meaningful to me and my family. It's all about setting boundaries, figuring out what you can say NO to and also not feel guilty about it. Things that ended up in the bottom left box could be skipped w/o guilt!

With ADD in the family, I've learned it is important to do those things that create the connections and memories.