VISUAL REWARDS
Give Yourself a Gold Star
Remember when you were in kindergarten and the teacher gave you a gold star sticker on your project? When you didn't get the gold star, you probably envied the other kids who did.
The best teachers realized those little gold stars were motivating. They were a sparkly visual cue that you DID it. Unfortunately, once we got a little older, the gold stars were replaced by grades and scores, and then in adulthood by salaries and titles. The simple act of accomplishment was lost in being judged on the comparative merits of the work.
I was reminded of the importance of visual rewards in a conversation with a client, Chloe. We were discussing strategies for breaking through her clutter. Chloe had embarked on an ambitious project of clearing several years worth of magazines, papers and other clutter filling her apartment, over a period of six weeks. We discussed ways to break down this huge mountain into smaller-size areas or tasks, and assigning target completion dates to them.
A REWARD PROCESS
Chloe decided to create a process for self-reward. Before tackling the mess, she bought a package of colored stickers. She then made a chart listing each task goal. She gave herself points for each full bag of clutter that she removed from the apartment.
Chloe posted the task chart, along with a big wall calendar, on the inside of her front door. For almost every day of the month, she was able to post a number of bags removed. Each time she reached an additional 15 bags, she posted a gold star.
More tangible rewards were in store. Upon beginning the project, Chloe started putting $5 a day into an envelope in her drawer. Upon achieving ten gold stars (150 bags removed) she used the money to purchase an expensive art book that she coveted. By this time, she actually had a clear coffee table to put the book on!
Of course, the real goal here was to achieve a clean apartment. To many people, that alone would be reward enough to get going. For ADDers, we probably need continual added stimulation along the way. Experiencing Chloe's satisfaction in designing her own unique process to stay with it was inspiring. Maybe what we learned in kindergarten is a lot more important than we realized.
GADGET TIP OF THE MONTH:
Voice Recorder
Here's a tip from Josh, who got tired of leaving reminder notes to himself on miscellaneous pieces of paper that ended up lost in the briefcase.
USE A VOICE RECORDER to record your thoughts and ideas as you go about your day. No more worries about losing that thought, or forgetting to follow through. The only catch: You now need to create a new habit of remembering to listen and write down what you recorded each day. And be careful to not misplace the recorder! A mini-recorder that fits in a purse or briefcase is ideal.
If you love gadgets, you'll find recorders and much more at www.thinkgeek.com. (Type "recorder" in the on-site search box.)
SEND US YOUR TECHNOLOGY or GADGET TIPS! Email us at info@bonniemincu.com with your favorite gadget, and tell us how it's helped with your life.
Put GADGET TIP or TECHNOLOGY TIP in the Subject line.
"THRIVE WITH ADD"
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QUESTIONS? Contact:
Bonnie Mincu, Personal & Business Coach
www.bonniemincu.com
212-614-7317
bonnie@bonniemincu.com
© Copyright 2003 Bonnie Mincu. The "THRIVE with ADD Newsletter" may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the author must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.
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