Ellen Hankes

Is Time on Your Side?

To have time working for you it is important to be able to see this elusive thing called time. All clocks measure the passage of time, but various styles of clocks display it differently.

A digital clock shows the hours and minutes in a numerical, or digital, format. Digital time displays are found on cell phones, appliances, some alarm clocks and in vehicles.

Analog clocks are those with a dial with numbers or marks that represent the hours of the day.Wall clocks, some alarm clocks and many wristwatches are examples of analog clocks.

Why does it make a difference whether a digital or analog clock is used? Some individuals find that they are more aware of the passage of time when analog clocks are used. There is a suable awareness of the minute hand moving around the clock face that can be related to the passage of time. The spatial relationship of the hands on the clock may be more effective for a person who needs more visual cues in organizing or managing time.

Consider where clocks are placed throughout the workplace and home. Are the clocks in the right places to serve as a reminder of time?

What happens when you become more aware of types of clocks and where they are placed in relation to your needs?

Two Minute Tasks

• Try Two Minute Tasks for several days to see what you can accomplish. Here is how it works: at work or at home don't put tasks that can be done in two minutes or les on a To Do list. Do those two minute (or less) tasks right now.

First, get used to what two minutes feels like. Ask someone to set a timer or check a watch for two minutes. When you feel like two minutes have elapsed, announce it. Were you on the mark? When we become more conscious of time, two minutes can be a long time!

Then, become aware of small tasks that take very little time to accomplish. They may be tasks that never make it to the To Do list, or they may be little things that we have a hard time finding time to do. Focus on using two minutes or less to accomplish small tasks.

What tasks can you take care of in two minutes? Here are some ideas:

Organize for Friendship

Who do you want in your friendship circle a year from now? Will you invest the time to spend with your friend in the coming months? Here are some tips for organizing the ties of friendship so they stay knotted:

1. Plan ahead. My friend Floy and I plotted and planned our day at the International Quilt Study Center. The date was set aside weeks in advance.
2. Manage contact information. Use one system for collecting phone numbers, addresses, and email information. For example, Microsoft Outlook is a versatile tool that is underused by many. Ask for help in using this or another system and eliminate all those scraps of paper and stickies.
3. Celebrate life. Share your successes and challenges with your friends. They will appreciate hearing from you.

May your friendships blossom and multiply! How do you keep your friendships well-tended? We would like to hear your tips and experiences.

Seniors Benefit From Organizing Help

Assistance with organizing is often needed when people go through life transitions such as loss of a family member or moving from a family home to a smaller place. Life changes often prompt a change in perspective and suddenly people look at their belongings in a different light.

When physical status changes such as loss of mobility due to illness or surgery, personal safety and independence can be compromised if there is clutter in the living or work area. Seniors can be overwhelmed by possessions they no longer need or use. We like to see their values honored as they oversee the redistribution or preservation of their personal effects.

Lifetime accumulations of collections and memorabilia can take time to go through with sensitivity and care. Not only is there physical sorting of items, but there is a degree of emotional sorting out as well.

As you or someone you care about are thinking about downsizing, think about how to proceed in ways that honor and support the expressed goals, dreams and life of the individual.

We would like to hear about your experiences with working though lifetime accumulations of personal belongings. 

Organization is Key to School Success

Did the homework make it to school? Was the assignment sheet locked in the school locker over the weekend? It may be time to check your student's organizational status.

Here are some tips for helping your student get organized to the max:

• Every job requires the right tools. Make sure your student has what the school recommends from notebooks to pencils. If there is a restriction on items there is a reason such as space.
• Provide boxes or bins to catch the paper stream that comes home from school.
• From time to time, review the contents of the container with the student to evaluate whether the papers are keepers.
• Encourage a locker and back-pack purge every few weeks. Supply bags or an extra backpack for toting things home. Extraneous things can be removed and papers reviewed for importance.
• Encourage and reward your student. It is important for your child to find ways of organizing that fit her personal needs and learning style--not yours.

How is the school year going for your student? We would like to hear how your child finds success or challenges with school organizing.

Future-Purpose Fun

When determined to calm the clutter, have you ever saved items and said, "But it will come in handy someday?" You may have proclaimed, "It might be useful in the future!"

So the best of intentions to purge turns into a exercise in future-purpose.

The cardboard box could become a great container for magazines. The rusty baking pan might hold something in the garage.

The broken umbrella could become a high fashion gown, or even a piece of elegant jewelry. Huh? Take a look at such an elegant gown in Discover magazine! The abandoned umbrella has found new life as design components and accessories for a high fashion look.

Creative Approaches to Creative Client Prospects

As Javier heard me talk about working with adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), his face brightened with understanding. Javier explained that he has a qualified client prospect who doesn't return phone calls and is hard to pin down for future meetings . Could this creative musician prospect be an example of an adult with ADHD symptoms or tendencies, Javier wondered aloud?

An adult with diagnosed or undiagnosed ADHD may have a short attention span, be distractible, have space and/or time organization issues, difficulty with follow-up, and be impulsive.