Maya’s clarity on her priorities is fantastic! Makes my heart sing. Not knowing what to work on when is a major block for ADHD coaching clients. It’s also a step many resist putting into place. Pay attention to what Maya says here and take steps to get clear on what’s most important for you to focus on. This is a game changer if you want to live successfully with ADHD. – dr

Living my priorities has never been reality for me. In awe I watch how others seem to live a prioritized life as they strike items off their to do lists, get things done in a logical order, leave work on time, and spend quality time with their families. In fact, I became a part of the ADHD Success Club with the ultimate goal of living an intentional life grounded in my priorities in such a way that I strike the work-life balance.

Feeling frustrated at the end of last year, I told a mentor/friend that I had no idea how to prioritize, so I needed to focus on whatever step would help me figure out how to prioritize. The word he gave me was clarity as he explained that I had the tendency to take something very simple and add more to it to the point it was too complex, and I was overwhelmed.

With each ADHD Success Club module, my clarity has increased and I have evolved with the biggest change being that I am finally to the point that I am truly living with the brain I have been given. While I accept the way my brain is wired, I finally have the clarity of mind to know that I can make this brain work for me.

Tears in my eyes, I listened as Dana explained that prioritizing your priorities is all about getting clarity on what’s important. I made the list, reordered the list, pared down the list, posted the list, and practiced the list. Even while old habits die hard, I see new habits emerging. With newfound clarity, I recognize the lost time and misaligned priorities. Dana’s words resonate in my mind because they make so much sense to who I am as well as who I’m trying to become. A little at a time, I gain clarity and begin to take action.  

As I set my priorities for work, I looked at the following:

REQUIRED: What’s required of me?  What’s most important?

My students need to learn–they need to become better readers, writers, and thinkers.

RESULT: What tasks/activities get the greatest results? What are my strengths?

Build relationships–plan lessons/units–engage and teach students–evaluate what they’ve learned.

BRAIN: What am I doing to ensure my brain is working well?

I need to drink more water. I need to sleep more. I need to take a break/walk when my body/mind tells me to.

HEART: Who or what is most important to me?

Building a community, making better humans out of students, impacting literacy, harnessing student passions, engaging students in learning and critical thinking.

Now I find myself looking at where I am with the priorities I’ve set as I question if my activities and tasks match my priorities as I try to better align what I do with what’s most important. Honestly, I’m still in process and still spending too much time at home doing school work. However, I’m beginning to examine what small changes I can continue to make to move forward:

• Plan each day with my TOP 3 things to do.

• Open my calendar/task list and put it at a visible location.

• Sit at my desk to work during my planning time.

• Build habits for brain function-drink water when the alarm goes off, walk away from a task when I need a break, pay attention to what I’m doing and tell myself, “This is what I’m going to do next.”

I’m not reaching all my targets, but at least I have clarity as to what my priorities are as well as what tasks will help me realize those priorities. Yes, the struggle is real, but then again, so is the success. In spite of setbacks, I truly know that Dana has put me on the course to living successfully with ADHD. To stay the course, all I need to do is keep living with this brain I’ve been given and continue to build on what’s working.

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