| Last year, Erin and I met with a business consultant to | | | | I are responsible for creating our own structure and |
| discuss plans for the ADD Management Group. During | | | | containment. |
| the meeting, the consultant mentioned something about | | | | This means that in order to benefit from our creative |
| my "out of the box" ideas, and Erin stopped her. | | | | ideas, we've got to: |
| "Everyone always talks about 'out of the box' ideas!" | | | | Be realistic about which ideas are worth pursuing, |
| Erin exclaimed. "Where is this box that everyone talks | | | | which ones are worth ditching, and which ones are |
| about? I've never understood what 'out of the box' | | | | worth saving for a rainy day. |
| means." | | | | Plan to follow through on those really good ideas. It's |
| The consultant smiled very sweetly at Erin and simply | | | | not enough to think about how great something could |
| replied, "That's because you ARE the box, Erin." | | | | be. An action plan is essential. |
| Boxes Are Our Friends | | | | Remember when your high school English teacher |
| I've said it many times - Adults with ADD are creative, | | | | taught you to answer the questions 'Who, what, |
| big picture thinkers. It's easy for us to be creative. It's | | | | where, when, why, and how' in your essays? |
| easy to float from one interesting thing to the next. | | | | Answering these six little questions is an excellent way |
| It's actually much harder to harness that creative | | | | to devise a plan. |
| energy and turn it into productivity. Producing results | | | | Structure our time to produce results. This means |
| requires putting a lid on your creativity long enough to | | | | making time to act on the good ideas while still |
| let the ideas come to life. It means getting in the box | | | | managing day-to-day life. It means setting deadlines |
| and containing the ideas before they get too big to | | | | and finding ways to remain accountable. |
| manage or--worse yet--before they float away. | | | | You've heard that saying, 'There's a time and place for |
| This is what Erin does for the ADD Management | | | | everything,' right? It applies here. There's a time to be |
| Group. I offer the ideas, and she puts them in the box. | | | | creative, and there's a time to be productive. |
| She grounds things just enough to ensure that the | | | | Your creative brain can be an incredible asset in |
| good ideas get pushed into action. It works. | | | | life...provided that you get in the box once a while and |
| Of course, this is a business example, and our personal | | | | contain it. |
| lives are slightly different. As adults with ADD, you and | | | | |