I’ll be honest, I don’t like New Year’s resolutions.  They are often not realistic, do not have solid plans behind them and are usually not what I would call “ADHD-friendly”.  I often hear people asking, “What resolutions are you making this year”?  This can easily lead to an impulsive response of, “I’m going to lose weight”, “I’m going to focus more” or  “I’m going to finally manage time better this year”.  Resolutions tend to be susceptible to this impulsivity, general and filled with obligation to fix what is wrong with ourselves.

Will you consider a goal instead?

I’m writing about this now because I am hopeful that you have forgotten your resolutions… Hopeful that you will open to considering the idea of setting ONE meaningful goal for yourself.  Having a meaningful goal to focus your attention can help you overcome the problems often associate with resolutions.

 Brainstorm

To start, brainstorm the ADHD challenges where you would like to make some improvements this year.  Review your list and decide what is the biggest priority for you.  Make this priority your focus for the meaningful goal you are going to set.  I know, it will be difficult to pick just one, but this is really important.  Having one goal where you focus your energy will help you in achieving that goal.  (I also think it will help you improve in other areas, but more on that another day!)

 Set a SMART Goal

After selecting your area of focus, it is time to set a SMART goal.  To make your goal SMART, you can answer the following questions for yourself:

• How can I make the goal as Specific as possible?
• How will I Measure this goal?  (If it is not easily measured, develop your own rating scale.)
• What are my chances of Attaining this goal?  How can I revise the goal to make it more Attainable?
• How is this goal Relevant to my personal and/or professional life?
• What is the Timing or deadline associate with this goal?

When your goal is SMART, you can then develop a useful action plan and monitor your success until you achieve the goal according to the timing you have established.

What do you think, do resolutions work for individuals with ADHD and ADD?

The second year of the Shire ADHD Scholarship Program will award fifty (50) scholarships to individuals with ADHD

Philadelphia, PA, US – October 20, 2011 – Shire, a global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has expanded its ADHD Scholarship Program. The program is for individuals in the United States diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who are pursuing higher education at a college, vocational school or technical school.  Fifty winners will be selected in 2012, twice as many as in the first year.
The Shire ADHD Scholarship includes a $2,000 monetary award and offers a prepaid year of ADHD coaching services provided by the HEdge FoundationH to assist with the transition to higher education.  Fifty one-time scholarships will be awarded on June 12, 2012.  The deadline to apply is March 30, 2012.  For information, including eligibility requirements and scholarship application, visit www.ShireADHDScholarship.com.
“The response to the Shire ADHD Scholarship Program in 2011 was tremendous, with hundreds of applications from inspiring students across the nation,” said Michael Yasick, Senior Vice President of Shire’s ADHD business. “There are thousands of high school seniors, college students, and adults going on to higher education who suffer from ADHD.  We want to recognize the brave individuals who work hard to overcome the challenges of this life-altering condition, and help them continue their educational pursuits.”

Award recipients will be offered ADHD coaching from the Edge Foundation, which includes weekly sessions with specially trained ADHD coaches.  The students set weekly goals and action plans to meet those goals and have e-mail and phone support from their coaches to help keep them on track.  This support may be important for students transitioning to the higher education environment because they have more free time and less adult supervision.

The Edge Foundation is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization that offers support for students with ADHD.  The Edge Foundation’s primary mission is to provide access to qualified, professional coaches for students with ADHD as part of their multi-modal treatment program.  For more information on the Edge Foundation, please visit the company’s website:  www.edgefoundation.org.

Shire’s ADHD Scholarship Program is part of Shire’s patient centric approach that offers support to patients, parents, advocates and others while providing care for people diagnosed with ADHD.
For further information please contact:

Media
Matthew Cabrey (mcabrey@shire.com)
Shire Pharmaceuticals

1-484-595-8248

Bev Volpe (bvolpe@simonpr.com)
Simon Public Relations Group
1-215-545-4715  Ext 24

Notes to editors

SHIRE PLC

Shire’s strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician.  Shire focuses its business on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, human genetic therapies, gastrointestinal diseases, and regenerative medicine as well as opportunities in other therapeutic areas to the extent they arise through acquisitions.  Shire’s in-licensing, merger, and acquisition efforts are focused on products in specialist markets with strong intellectual property protection and global rights.  Shire believes that a carefully selected and balanced portfolio of products with strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results.  For further information on Shire, please visit the Company’s website: www.shire.com.

“SAFE HARBOR” STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Statements included herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such risks or uncertainties materialize, the Company’s results could be materially adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: the inherent uncertainty of research, development, approval, reimbursement, manufacturing, and commercialization of the Company’s Specialty Pharmaceutical and Human Genetic Therapies products, as well as the ability to secure and integrate new products for commercialization and/or development; government regulation of the Company’s products; the Company’s ability to manufacture its products in sufficient quantities to meet demand; the impact of competitive therapies on the Company’s products; the Company’s ability to register, maintain, and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights relating to its products; the Company’s ability to obtain and maintain government and other third-party reimbursement for its products; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

© 2011 Shire US Inc., Wayne, PA 19087

For some additional help, listen to my radio show on Holiday Stress…

PS – Remember to leave your comments over at the Attention Deficit Disorder Association!

Prefer to listen along?

Check out the companion 15-minute radio show episode!

Choosing the right planner for you and your lifestyle is very important, especially if you are busy, overwhelmed by your To Do List and/or have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD).  This is true no matter what profession you hold and no matter what your age.  By third grade, even elementary school students need some type of planner or way to keep track of assignments.

ADHD Creates Significant Challenges

for people when it comes to using a planner and therefore managing their time.  Your list might be too overwhelming, you might forget to look at your planner or perhaps there are other reasons.  I am frequently asked to recommend the best planner for someone with ADHD.  The bad news is that there is not one best planner.  The good news is that I can still help you select the best planner, especially if you have ADHD.

Prioritize

If you have determined that you need a better system of planning (or just need to start one!), I first recommend that you select the planner characteristics that are most important to you.  The checklist at the end of this article will help you identify those characteristics.

To use the checklist, place a check mark next to each characteristic you would like to have in a planner and indicate an A, B or C priority next to each characteristic you check.

• A = planner must have this
• B = would be nice for planner to have this
• C = not so important to me

After you  select which characteristics are important, take the list with you to the store or have it next to you while you search on-line.  This will help narrow your search and end up with a planner that really works for you.

Select Your Planner

After you have picked your characteristics, it is time for shopping.  A couple of sites to investigate are www.FamiliesWithPurpose.com, www.FranklinCovey.com and www.DayRunner.com.  If you are interested in electronic planners, be sure to review free sites (i.e. Google Calendar) in addition to all of the devices that are available.  If you have a smart phone, integrate with available on-line tools if that will help you remember to use it every day.  Once you have selected your planner, work with it for at least one month before evaluating it’s effectiveness.  If it doesn’t work for you after trying a new planner for at least a month, you may want to consider something different.  Commit to USING it before you discard it though.

Using Your Planner

Here are a few tips to help ensure that you use your planner.

• If you currently use multiple planners, try to consolidate into one.
• After you purchase your planner, commit to using it for at least one month.
• Keep it in a location where you will review it every day.
• Review it at the same time each day to help enforce your habit.

The right planner can make a big difference in getting more done, and more importantly getting your high priority tasks done.  Share your comments to let us know how the check list works for you.  Good luck with your planner search!

Planner Characteristic Checklist

• _____  Month-at-a-glance view
• _____  Week-at-a-glance view
• _____  The ability to see each day separate from all others
• _____  Spiral bound so I don’t lose any pages and can have the entire year in one product
• _____  Binder format so I can add and remove pages as needed
• _____  Zippered binder so I don’t lose any pages
• _____  Electronic with no need to print
• _____  Electronic with the ability to print a To Do List
• _____  Electronic with the ability to print an appointment schedule
• _____  Paper so I can write in it when needed
• _____  To Do List available for every day
• _____  To Do List for the whole month
• _____  To Do List for each week
• _____  Room to plan for multiple roles (i.e. Employee, parent, spouse, business owner)
• _____  Calendar and To Do List integrated into one planner
• _____  Calendar and To Do List separate from each other
• _____  Small size for easy portability
• _____  Large size for ease of writing and room for more items
• _____  Medium size as a compromise between small and large
• _____  Time slots for meetings and appointments all day
• _____  Specific time slots included in the Calendar section
• _____  Pockets for other items such as cell phone or wallet
• _____  Wall calendar format
• _____  Portable format
• _____  Attached strap so it can be carried like a purse or briefcase
• _____  Price is no object
• _____  Budget = $______
• _____  Add your own characteristics here:  __________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________
• _____  ______________________________________________________

© 2011, LSR Coaching and Consulting, LLC

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ADHD causes challenges with time management and Laura has some great strategies that you can start implementing as soon as the show ends.

Need some additional assistance with your Time Management?  Consider joining me and ADD Classes for the Adult ADD Time Management Intensive in January 2011.

I would love feedback from teachers, school social workers, school psychologists, and parents.  What additional strategies do you like to use?

Don’t have time to listen here?  The show is also available on iTunes!

How can you show compassion for YOU today?  Share it below!

How do you prioritize your work and personal life with ADHD?  Share your tips below!

How can you apply these tips to your goals?

PS – You can now subscribe to the show in iTunes!