Paper Doll Helps You Get By With a Little Help From Her (Brilliant) Friends
I love sharing my expertise and research with you about a wide variety of topics, from getting more (of the right things) done to conquering toxic productivity to accessing and organizing vital documents.
Although I’m a generalist in my professional organizing practice, I specialize in blogging about organizing paper and information and boosting productivity. But that doesn’t mean that’s all you want to hear about. After all, man (and woman) cannot live by bread alone. We also need cheese. (In Paper Doll‘s case, lots and lots of cheese.)
As a Certified Professional Organizer®, member of NAPO, and Evernote Certified Expert, I get to hobnob with other likeminded specialists, learn from them, and share their knowledge with you. Today, I’ve got a cornucopia of resources for making your life, family, and world run a little more smoothly.
LATE, LOST & LAGGING: UNDERSTANDING ADHD & EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING
October is ADHD Awareness Month.
As recently as a few decades ago, people lacked a clear understanding of ADHD. If they thought about it at all, they considered it as something that only impacted little boys, that it was about being rambunctious and intentionally (or rebelliously) inattentive, and that it was something people grew out of. It was rarely acknowledged as something that impacted women and girls, and most people, if they considered it at all, thought it was something kids grew out of.
Now, we know more. We know that ADHD is a brain-based disorder, a neurological condition that affects people across all ages, genders, and socio-economic and cultural areas. (It’s diagnosed two-to-three times more often in boys than girls, but that may be because the expression of ADHD in girls can be less disruptive, which says more about socialization norms and pressures than it does about ADHD.)
ADHD impacts the lives people across all levels of education and intelligence. Willful ignorance about ADHD expresses itself in all levels of education and intelligence, as well.
I once worked with a client for whom her late-in-life diagnosed ADHD had caused distress throughout her life, and the emotional abuse inflicted on her by her physician spouse, who refused to “believe” in ADHD, was both eye-opening and frustrating as we tried to implement solutions. (Yes, Dr. Shouty-Dude, ADHD is real, and no, you can’t “conquer” it by having more “diligence” and “willpower.” Grrrr.)
If you or someone you know has ADHD or other challenges with executive functioning, ADHD Awareness Month is a great opportunity to learn more, and I’ve got a great webinar resource for you.
My NAPO colleague, ADHD Student Coach Leslie Josel of Order Out of Chaos, is one of my absolute go-to experts when I have a question about ADHD and executive function.
If Leslie’s name sounds familiar (and it should), it may be from the post Paper Doll Peeks Behind the Curtain with Superstar Coach, Author & Speaker Leslie Josel, where we talked about her multi-award-winning Academic Planner: A Tool for Time Management, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary,
and her book, How to Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away: An Expert Guide to Getting Stuff Done, which helps middle school, high school, and college students overcome academic procrastination and better manage manage time and study skills.
On Monday, October 24, 2022 at 7 p.m. EST, Leslie is going to be interviewed by another of my go-to NAPO colleagues, fellow Certified Evernote Expert Kimberly Purcell of Amethyst Productivity. Kimberly is an Evernote consultant and trainer for personal and business use, and is stellar at knowing the right questions to achieve the best results. I can’t wait to see what she asks Leslie.
Leslie and Kimberly will be talking about some of the pillars of executive function, including time management, memory, focus, and effort. Leslie will also be sharing the differences between ADHD and other obstacles to executive function.
The webinar, entitled Late, Lost & Lagging: Understanding ADHD & Executive Functioning, is free to attend, and is sponsored by
LESLIE JOSEL’S MASTER CLASS SERIES FOR PARENTS
Sometimes, the news isn’t just about my friends, but about friends of my friends. In fact, Leslie has two upcoming master class events that might be up your alley if you’re a parent (or grandparent) trying to create some order in your family or someone’s academic life.
In the first webinar, Leslie will be presenting the wisdom of Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart in Kids & Fibs: What to Do When Your Child Lies. Dr. Lockhart is a leading expert in pediatric psychology and a parenting coach. Here’s a bit of the description of the event from Leslie’s site:
All children lie. Especially those with weak Executive Functions and ADHD. Some lie because they are testing limits and boundaries, others because their “developing” brains lead to impulsive or inappropriate decision-making. And then there are those children who find lying easier than doing the task or chore they are being asked to do.
There are many reasons and theories behind lying behaviors. But what we do know for sure is that parents feel very hurt or angry, and tend to take the lying personally. Or they are confused and want to correct the behavior immediately.
In this 1-hour online master class, Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, pediatric psychologist, and a parenting coach, will discuss the three reasons why children fib. She’ll explain how the most important step to remedy dishonest behavior is to address the underlying reasons behind it. She’ll also show parents how they can dig deeper to discover what’s driving their child’s decision to lie and offer tools to promote future truth-telling. Practical strategies will be discussed along with real-life examples to help parents effectively manage their child’s behavior.
This webinar is Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at 7 p.m. EST. Register at: Kids & Fibs: What to Do When Your Child Lies; the master class, on its own, is $29.99.
I’m particularly excited about Leslie’s November virtual master class Motivating the Unmotivated Student: With ADHD or Otherwise with Dr. Ari Tuckman. Longtime readers of the blog have seen me buzz about the brilliant programs Dr. Tuckman has put on at NAPO conferences over the years. I can honestly say that the bulk of my true understanding of how to help my clients with ADHD and executive function disorders came from attending presentations by Dr. Tuckman.
Topics covered in this virtual master class include:
- Why many teens struggle with motivation — and especially those with ADHD and executive dysfunction.
- Understanding how attention gets hijacked and why prevention is more effective than willpower.
- How to “feel the future” more in order to increase motivation in the present so your student actually uses these strategies.
(As a side note to my Certified Professional Organizer colleagues, this seems like an ideal class for getting continuing education units toward our CPO® recertifications.)
Leslie’s master class with Dr. Ari Tuckman is November 7, 2022 at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up for Motivating the Unmotivated Student: With ADHD or Otherwise on its own for $29.99.
If both tickle your fancy, click here to register for Leslie’s master classes with both Drs. Lockhart and Tuckman, and you can save 10%.
It’s not necessary to join either webinar live, as Leslie will send links to the replay the following day, and you’ll have one week to watch. However, you’re urged to act quickly, as there are limited virtual seats available, and only the first 1000 participants are able to register. (FYI: Leslie’s master classes and webinars tend to sell out.)
HOW TO CONQUER CLUTTER WORKSHOP
Friend of the blog, NAPO colleague, and fellow lover-of-purple Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP® of Oh, So Organized also has a big event this month. Linda is a past president of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization, an expert in chronic disorganization, and a coach extraordinaire.
She also has amazing empathy, warmth, and insight into the human condition, as evidenced by her blog, The Other Side of Organized, which shares a title with her now-classic book, The Other Side of Organized: Finding Balance Between Chaos and Perfection.
Later this month, Linda is delivering a workshop entitled How to Conquer Clutter: Understanding the Where, Why & What.
This lively virtual workshop is designed for those who are overwhelmed by clutter. Given that clutter can adversely affect levels of anxiety, as well as the quality of a person’s interpersonal relationships, sleep, and ability to focus, a little guidance can go a long way. A little buffer in your space is surprisingly effective in giving you room to breathe!
In Linda’s one-hour workshop, attendees will discover the truth about where clutter really comes from (and no, it’s not the Clutter Fairy), why it’s so hard to let go of possessions, and what you can do to reverse the clutter trend.
Linda says that you will come away from the workshop with at least one powerful and actionable strategy to use immediately to reduce your clutter. Attendees will have the opportunity ask questions and discuss their organizational and clutter-related challenges.
Linda’s How to Conquer Clutter: Understanding the Where, Why & What Workshop is scheduled for Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7 p.m. EST and costs $59.
Be sure to register by Monday, October 17, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. to ensure your participation. This live workshop will be presented via Zoom; within 48 hours after registering, you will receive an email with the Zoom link and handout. I’m willing to bet something in that email will be purple.
MY LIST SIMPLIFIED JOURNAL
This last item is neither a webinar nor a master class nor a workshop. It’s something you can hold in your hands and make your own.
My List Simplified is yet another brainchild from my NAPO colleagues and friends from my own NAPO-Georgia chapter, Diane Quintana, CPO®, CPO-CD® and Jonda Beattie, M. Ed.
I’ve previously blogged about their various ventures, like their stellar book, Filled Up and Overflowing: What to do When Life Events, Chronic Disorganization, or Hoarding Go Overboard,
and their children’s books, Suzie’s Messy Room and Benji’s Messy Room. We discussed Diane and Jonda’s Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time Deck of Cards in Paper Doll Models the Spring 2021 Organizing Products.
Their newest collaboration is a journal called My List Simplified.
As experienced professional organizers, Diane and Jonda recognize that people often have oodles of scribbled paper notes cluttering their desks, reminding them of phone calls to be returned, cards and emails to write, errands to run, and so on.
Clients inclined to rid themselves of little bits of paper by going digital might select an app or online platform to rid themselves of the mess. But Diane and Jonda (and I, and most organizers) know that there are still many, many people who are both comforted by, and more efficient with, paper solutions. For them, the business partners have created a journal to capture and corral all these lists, plans, and ideas in one place.
My List Simplified is a spiral-bound, lay-flat, undated journal with solutions that work for those who best comprehend a paper environment. There are a number of features for simplifying information and making it easy to retrieve without bogging users down in a system that might be too complicated to maintain.
Use the left-side Check Your Calendar page to capture the various lists you’d otherwise keep on (too many) scraps of paper. This page starts with an inspirational quote and a place to specify the date (of which, more later), and includes small sections for:
- 3 quick wins
- Errands
- Appointments
- Household tasks
- Calls to make
- “Things I am thinking about”
- Future plans/projects
Facing the Check Your Calendar page on the opposite (right) side is a Notes page for capturing information on the fly, such as when you’re on the phone and someone is giving you directions or instructions. You can also use it to capture context related to any of the lists on the reverse page.
This journal is not so much for the person who would normally use a Franklin Planner or Planner Pad to keep every 15-minute block of life scheduled and annotated. Rather, it’s for the person who wants to transition from lots of little sticky notes and fluttering pieces of paper to a centralized system they can trust, but which will not overwhelm them.
My List Simplified would be a great resource for anyone planning a move or home remodeling/renovation project. If you’re juggling to-do items for any sort of major ongoing project and prefer a paper approach, this gives you space to collect, collate, and keep it all in front of your eyes. And if you’re trying to keep track of which service providers were called, what they promised, and when materials were due to be back in stock, here’s your central location.
They key difference of this journal is that it’s a flexible planner for those who need a want or need a little support, but don’t wish to be locked into a system. The journal is undated, so you can determine the date and day for each Calendar page. As Jonda and Diane say, it is a “forever journal.”
You might use it during the school year but not during the summers. You might only use it when you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by everything going on during the holidays or for the run up to a vacation.
As professional organizers and productivity specialists, we can get caught up in presenting clients with complex systems to cover all possible eventualities and forget that that’s not what everyone needs (or wants). This journal offers a more relaxed, flexible approach to keeping all of “this week’s” essentials in front of you, even if you only need it one week a month (or a season, or a year).
My List Simplified has 114 pages measuring 8 1/2″ x 11″ and is made in the United States. It costs $25 at Diane and Jonda’s collaborative Release*Repurpose*Reorganize site.
If you have any questions about the webinar, master classes, workshop, or journal above, please contact my genius friends directly. In ease case, their names are linked to their own sites. Happy October!
Paper Doll Post:
Thank you for sharing about ADHD and these awesome resources. My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago. After that, I researched the topic of women and ADHD because all I knew was about men with ADHD. While many if not all of my clients had ADHD, it wasn’t understood how it affects women until recently. I recently read A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD by Sari Solden MS, Michelle Frank PsyD, and Ellen Littman Ph.D. It was an eye-opener. I wish I had found out about this when my daughter was younger.
Sari Solden’s writing on ADHD is top-notch! It’s a shame that so much of the earlier research was just on boys; again, girls are socialized to be unobtrusive, so ADHD manifests differently in women. Thanks for reading!
Julie, Julie! I am so honored to that you chose to feature me and my upcoming workshop on your amazing blog. What a thrill to be here along with Leslie, Diane, and Jonda. Thank you.
It’s always exciting to see what my colleagues are up to. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since Leslie launched her planner. I remember when she first talked with me about it and was cheering her on. And to see how she’s grown, developed, and become a mega-star and resource in our industry. Truly spectacular.
And talk about growth. I love how Diane and Jonda have grown their individual organizing businesses, but also created a joint business with many collaborative results from books to products like their latest…the awesome “My List Simplified.” I know it will be a huge success.
Thank you again for the beautiful shout out. I’m so excited about the upcoming Conquering Clutter workshop! While I’ve given many workshops, it’s the first time I’ve hosted my own. Am grateful for the boost and your kind, supportive words. You are the best!!!
Awwww. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by such talented colleagues, and the more I can share what everyone has to offer, the more likely my readers and clients will seek support and use those resources. And yes, the last ten years have zoomed by!
I am sure your workshop will be a huge success!
What a terrific roundup of resources, all from people I know and revere! It makes me feel so great to see all of these options for people.
Leslie, her approach, her website, AND her planner are also my ADHD “go to.” I’ve learned so much from her.
I’m excited for Linda’s new offering. Spending any time with Linda is so encouraging. I know it will be well worth anyone’s time to be with her.
Diane and Jonda just continue to impress. I know about their books and deck of cards, but not their journal. I can see how this could be adapted to work for people with many different preferences. So simple, and yet so effective.
Thanks for sharing all of these. 🙂
Aren’t we surrounded by impressive folks? This is a very exciting time in our profession.
And the My List Simplified journal is brand new; I think it just went live a few weeks ago and was very excited to hear about it. Thank YOU for reading!
Julie, Thank you so much for your review of our brand new journal! I am so honored to be included here with my friends, Leslie and Linda!
I know Leslie’s upcoming workshops will be a smashing success. Dr. Ari Tuckman was one of the presenters at the ICD conference recently and gave us all lots to think about.
I am excited for Linda about her new Clutter Workshop. Everyone attending this workshop will come away with actionable information, I’m sure.
I’m so glad to be able to share your latest bit of ingenuity and all of our colleagues amazing offerings. The more we can get the word out about these resources, the more people we can help! Win-win!
Julie, first of all thank you for highlighting the very real ADHD disorder. It impacts so many of our clients.
And thank you so much for including us and reviewing our new journal! Diane and I are very excited about it.
It’s an honor to be included along with Leslie Josel, Linda Samuels, and Kimberly Purcell.
I recently enjoyed Dr. Ari Tuckman’s presentation at our ICD conference
Although I definitely don’t specialize in working in the ADHD realm, I absolutely respect my colleagues who do, and I think it’s important that we all learn as much as possible. I feel very lucky that so many in my circle (like you!) are so cool, interesting, and wise.
I love love love to see colleagues supporting one another and this is a prime example! We are all lucky to know you.
Awwww, I’m blushing. After I’d written the post, but before it went live, I got my daily email from Notes from the Universe, and it read, “The person who remembers they can always reach out and help others, Julie, never runs out of things to do, always has friends, and rarely needs advice.” Better than a fortune cookie!
I love Leslie and all her products that help ADHD students. She has the understanding of what it takes to support a student with ADHD so they can achieve success.
Janet, I couldn’t agree with you more!
I love the undated journal concept! I’ve met some who feel like dated journals lead to a feeling of obligation, like every day they don’t write they’ve “failed.” An undated forever-journal is simply a useful tool that can be whatever the user needs it for. Great post!
I also think that undated journal is a great idea, taking the weight of consistency off the user. Thanks for reading!