Why Decluttering Systems Don’t Always Work

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – November 27, 2018

One important fact I’ve learned over the years from coaching folks with ADHD is this:  ADHD is a self-regulation issue with a working memory challenge.  Now, let’s look more closely at the word “memory.”

Many folks with ADHD find clutter distracting. They prefer clean and tidy work spaces to help them think. Interestingly, these same folks wrestle with memory challenges and tend to hold onto things because of the memories they represent; thus creating clutter.
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Eureka! A Time Management Strategy

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – November 20, 2018

One of my clients, a mental health professional, wanted coaching on time management, specifically on how to stop being late. Using the inquisitive coaching process, I began to ask questions, and as things unfolded, it was clear this person was about 10 minutes late 95% of the time.

Given her ADHD, time management challenges are almost always assured. She wanted a “plug-and-play” strategy, because she assumed that there was a structure already out there that I could impart to her for quick results. Continue reading “Eureka! A Time Management Strategy”

Failing Forward at the School of Hard Knocks

In Super Bowl XXXVII, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive lineup took the field for the first time. Each player introduced himself on network TV by stating his name and the college that drafted him. When Simeon Rice’s turn came, he stated simply, “Simeon Rice, the School of Hard Knocks.” Get it? Football? Hard knocks? Well, I got the pun and a whole lot more! Here’s what I got. Continue reading “Failing Forward at the School of Hard Knocks”

Distractible vs. Curious

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – November 6, 2018

Those close to attention deficit disorder (ADD)—psychologists, psychiatrists, neurolo­gists, therap­ists, counselors, etc.—frequently reference four distinguishing characteristics or traits that are used to differentiate between those who have ADD and those who do not. The four traits are “distractible” “impulsive,” “hyper­active,” and “lazy.”

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Focusing on Strengths above the 50% Rule

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – October 30, 2018

Did you know that 50 percent of all doctors graduated in the bottom of their class? Early in my sales career, I loved sharing this very interesting fact; it proved especially useful when I was selling against HMOs in the days when indemnity plans meant you could choose any provider. That’s when I realized most anything that can be measured by definition is at or below average. This simple concept has fascinated me for years. Continue reading “Focusing on Strengths above the 50% Rule”

Organizing… A New Way

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – October 15, 2018

We can get caught up in paying attention to how we want things to be and lose sight of how things actually are. So let’s look at organizing in a new way!

I’ve coached many teens and college students around organization, and, I, too, thought they were very disorganized. But when I opened my mind, it all changed.

From my MBA and process class, I learned that one starts by mapping out the current system before making adjustments. The exercise can be very insightful and applies both to late teens and young adults. Let me illustrate.

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Catch Jeff Copper on TADD Talks

October is ADHD Awareness Month! You’ll see a ton of information about ADHD everywhere. But who knows what’s accurate and what’s not? ADDA knows! That’s why ADDA created the TADD Talk program.

If you have ADHD, you need reliable, science-based information. That’s why, along with 30 other experts, I have teamed up with the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) to bring you proven programming, and I’m thrilled to give one of their now-famous TADD Talks this October! Catch my TADD Talk on Sunday, October 7, on “My Experience Coaching Those with ADHD around Sleep Issues.”

Don’t worry; these TADD talks are brief but each one touches on a different topic, and a new nugget of valuable information will be delivered right to your inbox every day all month long! 

Sign up right now to receive your daily dose of TADD Talk goodness. Or you can listen just to me! Click here to check out the schedule

Ugly Organizing Systems Are Not All Bad

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – September 17, 2018

Organization isn’t always pretty; in fact, it can be downright ugly, and many ugly organizational systems are more effective than pretty ones. If you look up the word “organized” in the dictionary, you see words like structured, controlled, and systematic. Now, while these are great descriptors, it makes me think of warehouses in rows and columns. I’m not saying that type of system isn’t effective, but it just doesn’t work for me. What it really comes down to is whether I know exactly where something is when I need it.
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ADHD: Is It Hyperlink Thinking?

By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – August 28, 2018

There is no question that those with ADHD have different brain wiring. “Non-linear thinking” is a label that many with ADHD use to describe their thinking experience. Using such labels to distinguish the thinking process from the implied and more mainstream linear thinking sounds good, but what does non-linear thinking really look like?
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Student: “Can you help me be better organized?”

ADHD, Organization, Disorganization and Effort

I respond to a comment on my YouTube page by a student who wrestles daily with distraction: 

You Tube Comment: I really want to be organized in studies… I always find something more interesting than the books.. I am tired of fighting.. Can you advise me with this problem? I am sure every student is facing this.
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