For an ADD’er, accepting change can be challenging. However, the acceptance I am referring to is centered around health. As we are all aware, many people with ADD don’t do a very good job of managing their off switch, or slowing down when they need to. I tend to go full speed ahead and lose sight of when I need to slow down and turn it off.
This past January and February I was sick with a very challenging head and chest cold. It worsened and I ended up having to go on antibiotics. I was sick and thought I could still tackle the world. I was frustrated with not being at my normal levels of productivity. My challenge with not being able to turn myself off or slow down, saw me regress slightly this week and end up getting sick again.
It was at this point I realized, trying to be aware of when my off switch needed to be flicked wasn’t enough. I needed a plan to help me achieve it. I am a big user of Microsoft Outlook. I also have a Blackberry that synchronizes to my Outlook calendar. I came up with a scheduling plan that I would implement when I started feeling run down, which in my case is a direct result of not slowing down. I created reminders in Outlook over the next two weeks to slow down and take breaks, reduce my work load and ensure that I wasn’t trying to do too much. I’ll also be taking my “to do list” and tackling only 50% of it daily, instead of trying to do it all.
Like a racer you need to pace yourself. An ADD’er needs structure and a plan to rebound and get back to where you were. We need to accept that and use a plan to get through it. Listen to what your body says, and accept it.
