"Wh0's the B0ss?" 10 ways t0 start tak!ng c0ntr0l (t!me management, g0al sett!ng, rec0rd track!ng)

At f!rst glance, !t w0uld seem that p0s!t!ve th!nk!ng and Attent!0n Def!c!t D!s0rder (ADD) have n0th!ng t0 d0 w!th 0ne an0ther. But many 0f us w!th ADD devel0p negat!ve th!nk!ng patterns because we bec0me frustrated by 0ur challenges and frequent feel!ngs 0f be!ng 0verwhelmed. Th!s negat!ve 0utl00k then makes !t even harder f0r us t0 manage th0se challenges and m0ve f0rward.

Pract!c!ng p0s!t!ve th!nk!ng all0ws pe0ple w!th ADD t0 f0cus 0n 0ur strengths and acc0mpl!shments, wh!ch !ncreases happ!ness and m0t!vat!0n. Th!s, !n turn, all0ws us t0 spend m0re t!me mak!ng pr0gress, and less t!me feel!ng d0wn and stuck. The f0ll0w!ng t!ps pr0v!de pract!cal suggest!0ns that y0u can use t0 help y0u sh!ft !nt0 m0re p0s!t!ve th!nk!ng patterns:

1. Take G00d Care 0f Y0urself

!t's much eas!er t0 be p0s!t!ve when y0u are eat!ng well, exerc!s!ng, and gett!ng en0ugh rest.

2. Rem!nd Y0urself 0f the Th!ngs Y0u Are Grateful F0r

Stresses and challenges d0n't seem qu!te as bad when y0u are c0nstantly rem!nd!ng y0urself 0f the th!ngs that are r!ght !n l!fe. Tak!ng just 60 sec0nds a day t0 st0p and apprec!ate the g00d th!ngs w!ll make a huge d!fference.

3. L00k f0r the Pr00f !nstead 0f Mak!ng Assumpt!0ns

A fear 0f n0t be!ng l!ked 0r accepted s0met!mes leads us t0 assume that we kn0w what 0thers are th!nk!ng, but 0ur fears are usually n0t real!ty. !f y0u have a fear that a fr!end 0r fam!ly member's bad m00d !s due t0 s0meth!ng y0u d!d, 0r that y0ur c0-w0rkers are secretly g0ss!p!ng ab0ut y0u when y0u turn y0ur back, speak up and ask them. D0n't waste t!me w0rry!ng that y0u d!d s0meth!ng wr0ng unless y0u have pr00f that there !s s0meth!ng t0 w0rry ab0ut.

4. Refra!n fr0m Us!ng Abs0lutes

Have y0u ever t0ld a partner "Y0u're ALWAYS late!" 0r c0mpla!ned t0 a fr!end "Y0u NEVER call me!"? Th!nk!ng and speak!ng !n abs0lutes l!ke 'always' and 'never' makes the s!tuat!0n seem w0rse than !t !s, and pr0grams y0ur bra!n !nt0 bel!ev!ng that certa!n pe0ple are !ncapable 0f del!ver!ng.

5. Detach Fr0m Negat!ve Th0ughts

Y0ur th0ughts can't h0ld any p0wer 0ver y0u !f y0u d0n't judge them. !f y0u n0t!ce y0urself hav!ng a negat!ve th0ught, detach fr0m !t, w!tness !t, and d0n't f0ll0w !t.

6. Squash the "ANTs"

!n h!s b00k "Change Y0ur Bra!n, Change Y0ur L!fe," Dr. Dan!el Amen talks ab0ut "ANTs" - Aut0mat!c Negat!ve Th0ughts. These are the bad th0ughts that are usually react!0nary, l!ke "Th0se pe0ple are laugh!ng, they must be talk!ng ab0ut me," 0r "The b0ss wants t0 see me? !t must be bad!" When y0u n0t!ce these th0ughts, real!ze that they are n0th!ng m0re than ANTs and squash them!

7. Pract!ce L0v!n', T0uch!n' & Squeez!n' (Y0ur Fr!ends and Fam!ly)

Y0u d0n't have t0 be an expert t0 kn0w the benef!ts 0f a g00d hug. P0s!t!ve phys!cal c0ntact w!th fr!ends, l0ved 0nes, and even pets, !s an !nstant p!ck-me-up. 0ne research study 0n th!s subject had a wa!tress t0uch s0me 0f her cust0mers 0n the arm as she handed them the!r checks. She rece!ved h!gher t!ps fr0m these cust0mers than fr0m the 0nes she d!dn't t0uch!

8. !ncrease Y0ur S0c!al Act!v!ty

By !ncreas!ng s0c!al act!v!ty, y0u decrease l0nel!ness. Surr0und y0urself w!th healthy, happy pe0ple, and the!r p0s!t!ve energy w!ll affect y0u !n a p0s!t!ve way!

9. V0lunteer f0r an 0rgan!zat!0n, 0r Help an0ther Pers0n

Every0ne feels g00d after help!ng. Y0u can v0lunteer y0ur t!me, y0ur m0ney, 0r y0ur res0urces. The m0re p0s!t!ve energy y0u put 0ut !nt0 the w0rld, the m0re y0u w!ll rece!ve !n return.

10. Use Pattern !nterrupts t0 C0mbat Rum!nat!0n

!f y0u f!nd y0urself rum!nat!ng, a great way t0 st0p !t !s t0 !nterrupt the pattern and f0rce y0urself t0 d0 s0meth!ng c0mpletely d!fferent. Rum!nat!0n !s l!ke hyper-f0cus 0n s0meth!ng negat!ve. !t's never pr0duct!ve, because !t's n0t rat!0nal 0r s0lut!0n-0r!ented, !t's just excess!ve w0rry. Try chang!ng y0ur phys!cal env!r0nment - g0 f0r a walk 0r s!t 0uts!de. Y0u c0uld als0 call a fr!end, p!ck up a b00k, 0r turn 0n s0me mus!c.

When !t c0mes t0 the c0rp0rate w0rld, pr0t0c0l !s pretty much the rel!g!0n. T0 kn0w the th!ngs needed t0 d0 are the bas!cs 0f pr0duct!v!ty, but !nteract!0n and hav!ng a steady m!nd makes up the ent!re th!ng t0 true pr0duct!v!ty. There are th0se wh0 seem t0 w0rk well even under pressure, but they're unc0mm0n 0nes and we are human and !mperfect. T0 get these l!ttle th!ngs l!ke stress under 0ur sk!ns w0n't s0lve 0ur pr0blems. S0met!mes !t takes a b!t 0f c0urage t0 adm!t that we're turn!ng t0 be w0rkah0l!cs than tell 0urselves that we're n0t d0!ng 0ur best.