Author: MrHeller416

How to Focus with ADHD on Your Goals

if you’re wondering how to focus with ADHD on your goals, these four ways are paramount. 

  1. Resources and support: Identify resources and support you need to achieve your goals. Consider what knowledge, skills, tools, or materials you need to achieve your goals, and research where you can find them. Look for training courses, online resources, mentors, or supportive friends and family who can help you on your journey.
  2. Rewarding progress and dealing with setbacks: Celebrate each milestone as you progress towards your goals. Set up a system of rewards for yourself for achieving certain milestones. If you face setbacks, stay positive and remember that setbacks are a natural part of the process. Use them to learn and grow, and adjust your plan accordingly.
  3. Personal growth and development: Achieving your goals can contribute significantly to your personal growth and development. You can gain new skills, knowledge, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, achieving your goals can help you overcome limiting beliefs, build resilience, and develop a growth mindset.
  4. Accountability and support: Sharing your goals with others can help keep you accountable and motivated. Identify individuals supportive of your goals and share your progress with them regularly. You could also consider joining a support group or finding an accountability partner who shares similar goals and can provide support and encouragement.

Remember, achieving your goals requires consistent effort, dedication, and commitment. Don’t be afraid to ask for support and resources, staying focused on your vision and motivation.

What are SMART Goals?

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. It is a widely used framework for goal-setting that can help you to clarify and achieve your objectives. Here’s a breakdown of what each of these terms means:

  1. Specific: Your goal should be clear and well-defined. You should be able to describe what you want to achieve, why it’s important to you, and what steps you need to take to accomplish it.
  2. Measurable: Your goal should be quantifiable, so you can track your progress and determine when you have achieved it. You should be able to identify the metrics you will use to measure your success.
  3. Achievable: The goals should be realistic and attainable, given your current resources and constraints. You should be able to identify the skills, knowledge and resources to achieve your goal and determine whether they are within your reach.
  4. Relevant: Your goal should be aligned with your values, interests, and priorities. It should be meaningful to your life, so you can stay motivated and committed to achieving it.
  5. Time-bound: Your goal should have a deadline or timeline associated with it. You should be able to specify when you want to achieve your goal and create a plan that outlines the steps you need to take to get there.

By setting SMART goals, you can improve your chances of success by making your goals more focused, measurable, and achievable. Tracking your progress and celebrating milestones helps you stay motivated and focused on achieving your goal.

Setting achievable goals is significant for everyone, but especially for people with ADHD who may struggle with organisation and planning. It’s helpful to break down goals into small, medium, and continuing ones and to prioritise them based on importance and urgency.

Managing thoughts and taking actionable steps towards achieving goals can also be challenging for people with ADHD. Some questions to ask oneself when setting goals include: What actionable items or tasks do I want to be held accountable for? Is this goal realistically attainable in the time frame? What is the biggest challenge preventing me from achieving this goal? What three steps can I take to reduce or remove that challenge and succeed in reaching this goal?

After setting goals, create an action plan using the SMART formula. Evaluating the SMART goal and activating help with accountability. An accountability agreement can also help achieve goals–A code of conduct, roles and responsibilities, communication expectations, and personal and professional boundaries. Connecting with an accountability partner and making an effective plan can further increase the likelihood of achieving goals.

5 Ways to Manage Thoughts and Goals

Here are some tips to help with managing thoughts and setting goals. 

  1. Primary motivation: Identify the reasons why you want to pursue your goals. What personal values and aspirations make this goal important to you? Write them down and keep them visible. When you feel demotivated, remember why you started and how achieving this goal aligns with your values.
  2. Keeping motivation alive: One way to keep your motivation alive is to break your goal down into smaller, achievable steps. Celebrate each milestone and reward yourself for your progress. Surround yourself with positive people who support and encourage you.
  3. Obstacles: Recognize that obstacles and setbacks are a natural part of the journey towards any goal. Anticipate potential obstacles and plan how you will overcome them. Seek support from others, develop new skills, or adjust your approach.
  4. Benefits: Visualize how achieving your goal will improve your life. What positive changes will it bring? Write them down and review them regularly to stay motivated.
  5. Measuring progress: Define specific, measurable milestones that will help you track your progress towards your goal. Celebrate each milestone and adjust your plan as needed. Consider using a goal-tracking tool or app to help you stay on track.

Pursuing and achieving your goals takes time and effort, but the rewards are often worth it. Stay focused, stay motivated, and keep taking action towards your goals.

5 Meditation Facts to Help Stay Calm

By April Meyers
 
Imagine sitting still in a quiet room. There are no distractions — no kids or pets or noises, simply you and your breath. Meditation has the power to transform your daily experience into a more mindful and positive one. If you would like to give this calming practice a try to soothe pandemic stress, here’s what you need to know first. 
 
Any Clean and Calm Space Will Work 
 
When you think of meditation, you may picture those elaborate meditation spaces you see on social media. Simple is best when it comes to getting started with a home meditation practice. You need an area where you can sit in stillness without being interrupted. 
 
To create this space, start by clearing out clutter and any other sources of negative energy. Mess tends to amplify stress and can even cause arguments and tensions to flare up in your household. Cleaning and letting in some fresh air can also help. 
 
It Only Takes a Few Minutes to Meditate
 
Maybe space isn’t the issue — perhaps you feel like you’re just far too busy for meditation practice. However, you only need a few moments of quiet to meditate. Many people find it’s easier to meditate first thing in the morning before the hustle and bustle of the day begins. Try introducing a short 5-minute meditation into your morning routine, and then you can grow it from there. 
 
Meditation and Yoga Go Hand and Hand 
 
What if you have a hard time sitting still for those 5 minutes? Well, this is why seasoned wellness experts and yogis will tell you to practice yoga and meditation. Meditation is regarded as the foundation of any dedicated yoga practice. 
 
The physical poses are there to help you tune into your breath and prepare your body for stillness. You’re burning off some of that nervous energy that can lead to wandering thoughts. Plainly as with meditation, you only need about five minutes to make yoga a daily habit. 
 
Meditation Is Good for Body and Mind 
 
If you’ve tried meditation, you understand that much of what is happening is happening in your mind. Meditating is a practice where you turn your attention inward and train your mind to focus on your breath and let thoughts and emotions float by. The only role your body plays is to remain calm and still. 
 
It makes sense that meditation has mental health benefits. Those moments of mindfulness can be just as good for your body. There are at least 100 known benefits of regular meditation practice, including a stronger heart and lower blood pressure. 
 
Other Self-Care Habits Can Also Help 
 
Meditation can certainly help you deal with stress and stay healthy. If you want to maximize these benefits, meditation should be part of a broader self-care routine and include regular physical activity for your entire family. 
 
Even as pandemic restrictions have lifted in most areas, you may feel more comfortable sticking closer to home. That’s okay! Your family can make regular exercise a habit with online fitness and yoga classes. There are even classes just for kids. 
 
In a world that is so uncertain and full of stress, we could all use more calm and benefit from meditation practice. You can try simply sitting in silence for a few minutes or add a short meditation to an existing yoga practice. Just know that meditation doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to work miracles in your life.