Run your life, or it will run you!

Even though I am now well aware of my ADHD and work hard to compensate for some of the challenges it creates, I'm still not immune to the impact it can have on my day to day work.  The month of February was not an easy one for me to navigate for some reason.  I felt like I was trying to walk through knee deep mud as I juggled my business, my family, and various other activities I'm involved with.  Last week I looked at the calendar and said, "holy smokes! February is almost over!"

I fell short on several things I wanted to accomplish.  The thing is, I didn't notice I was falling behind.  Why not?  Because I fell into the trap of letting the days run me rather than me running the day.  It's an easy trap to fall into.  You mean to focus on networking with contacts you have first thing in the morning.  However, the phone rings off the hook, the emails are flying in, and you forgot all about that dentist appointment.  Pretty soon half the day is gone, and you haven't networked with anyone.  So you resolve, this afternoon is it!  I'll make up for lost time.  But, the phone still rings, the email still comes, and your kids get home from school.  You need to think about dinner, rides to practice, or that meeting you agreed to attend.  Suddenly it's 5:30 p.m. and still no networking done.  Oh, well there's always tomorrow.

Don't fall into this trap!  While life has a way of disrupting the most structured schedule all too often we allow ourselves to get sucked into the urgency of the mundane, rather than the more important projects we should be working on.  If you have ADHD it's even more difficult.  You lose focus, you spend valuable mental energy on things that could wait, then struggle transitioning back to what you really wanted to be focused on.  If I had to identify the single greatest struggle I have with ADHD it is this.
So, it's time to regroup and identify where things are going off track, and what could be done differently.
In no particular order, here are the issues, and the opportunities for forward movement:

1. My Schedule lacked detail.  It just simply wasn't enough to say I was going to network.  I needed to have specific people I was planning to call, and block out time to call each one.
2. I didn't respect my own calendar: if I said I was going to exercise at 12:00, then I need to treat that like an appointment with myself, and not allow things to intrude unless absolutely necessary.
3. I need to set boundaries that are clear not only for my family but for me!

So having identified, the issues, here are the opportunities:

1.  I can create a dedicated block of time every week to plan.  This will allow me a chance to look at everything; my work goals, my family's activities, my personal fitness plans, and any appointments I have scheduled.  I can create a detailed schedule that identifies specific things I want and need to do, and when to do them.  When I wake up Monday morning, I'll have a roadmap for a productive week.
2.  I can embrace the idea that structure leads to success.  Being structured requires that you respect your calendar.
3.  I can define my boundaries so everyone, including me knows what they are.  Then we'll all be on the same page.

Obviously life doesn't always go 100% according to plan.  But unless the plan is in place, you won't see when you're off track.  I feel good about implementing positive changes like these into my life.  I feel like I'm actually the one who's in charge.  Because ultimately, if I'm unwilling to run my life, life is going to run me.