| Living with A.D.D./A.D.H.D. can be an incredible | | | | Q. What space are you in now? How you can |
| challenge. There's constant distractions | | | | make it a specialist space? What other spaces |
| everywhere we look, all of which can become | | | | can you make? |
| overwhelming and make it difficult for us to focus | | | | 3. Have Less |
| and achieve. To overcome this problem, we | | | | More often the distractions of someone with |
| should look at controlling our environment to assist | | | | A.D.D./A.D.H.D. can be the result of having too |
| us in living with A.D.D./A.D.H.D., so that we can be | | | | much. We worry that we will need something |
| happier and achieve more. | | | | down the track, or keep it just in case. This |
| Life is made up of a series of responses to | | | | doesn't help the distractibility of our A.D.D./A.D.H.D. |
| stimuli, whether positive or negative. So to | | | | nature! Go through your belongings using the Four |
| improve happiness and encourage achievement | | | | Boxes and A Bag technique to help get rid of |
| we are best to focus on having positive stimuli | | | | clutter you don't need and keep only what you |
| around us. We can begin to do this by using three | | | | really use. |
| simple techniques. | | | | The Four Boxes and A Bag technique is a simple |
| 1. Know What Distracts You | | | | one. First, you get four boxes - one for objects |
| For someone with A.D.D./A.D.H.D., a distraction can | | | | you always use, one for objects you often use, |
| be anything in your immediate environment that | | | | one for objects you sometimes use and one for |
| takes your focus away from your current task | | | | objects you rarely use. Then you get a bag which |
| and places it elsewhere, instead of adding to your | | | | is for objects you never use. Go through your |
| focus. It could be the music you're listening to, the | | | | environment and put each object into one of the |
| tabs you have open in your browser or the | | | | five categories you know have. |
| phone you've checked ten times in the last fifteen | | | | At the end of this exercise, you should be left |
| minutes 'just in case'. | | | | with a somewhat empty environment, four boxes |
| Q. Take a look around your current environment. | | | | and a bag. The bag should immediately go into the |
| What distractions currently exist? What | | | | bin (or disposed of appropriately). The boxes for |
| distractions can you easily remove? Take | | | | sometimes and rarely use should be sealed and |
| immediate action and get rid of these distractions, | | | | placed out of the way, and if they have not been |
| or move away from them! | | | | checked in six months then they too can be |
| 2. Create Specified Spaces For Different Activities | | | | disposed. Finally, the last two boxes should be |
| Having specified spaces in your environment for | | | | emptied with each object inside going to a specific |
| different activities is great for people with A.D.D. | | | | place where it will always be found. A place for |
| A.D.H.D., as it provides structure and boundaries. It | | | | everything and everything in its place! |
| informs where items go and where they will be | | | | By using these 3 simple techniques to control |
| gotten from, as well as where particular activities | | | | your environment you can reduce stress, be |
| will be carried out. Ideas for spaces can include | | | | more relaxed and achieve more! |
| study, sleep, eating, creating and exercise. | | | | |