One of the biggest problems that my clients and ADHDers in general have is that when they run into a problem, they are so stressed, overwhelmed, pressed for time, or perceive themselves to be rushed that they slap a proverbial band-aid on the problem but don’t take the time to really fix the underlying problem. (Side note: did I just start a post with a three line long sentence? FYI: I’m not fixing it!)
Suggestion: Take a deep breath. Realize that you have a moment to at least capture said problem and potential solution on something like a To Do List. Then it won’t leave your mind for good and you have some hope of coming back to it later and really fixing the underlying problem. ‘Cause when we aren’t in the heat of the moment, we’re actually pretty good at fixing stuff… most of the time, if we’re not super anxious.
Real answer: systematize the s*** out of everything. Don’t go reinventing the wheel. We’ve got lots of wheels. Wheels are cool. No doubt. Invent something different.
Example: When I book a new client I do five’ish things RELIGIOUSLY:
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I send the new client a welcome email with permanent scheduling options based on my “master schedule,” which is an excel spreadsheet. No double bookings or confusion.
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Contained in the welcome email is my welcome packet: Coaching agreement, Client contact info sheet, two forms of the coaching schedule for the rest of the year (different learning styles like the calendar and the text version, so I give both,) & My Rates Sheet. All of these live in a single folder on my desktop. Easy peasy… you know the rest.
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I add the client to my google address book under the client group with email and cell phone. Because there is nothing worse than having worked with someone for 6 month and when you are running late realizing you don’t have their cell when you go to text them. There is not time like the present.
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I make a folder for them to go in my client folders.
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I text my wife a GIF of the Duane “The Rock” Johnson ringing a bell to signify that I am celebrating the F*** out of booking a new client. And sometimes one of Mogatu saying how hot that Hansel is, if my business is really cooking! If we can’t celebrate the joy in life, what’s the point?
EVERY TIME. EVERY TIME. EVERY TIME. I don’t have to even think. Not thinking rules. It requires very little attention. Multiply this by every aspect of your life… Thik how much time and energy you’ll save.
Standard Disclaimer: In an effort to foil my own perfectionist tendencies, I do not edit my posts much… if at all. Please excuse and typ0s, Miss Steaks, grammatical errors, awkward phrasing. I focus on getting my content out. In my humble opinion, an imperfect post posted is infinitely better than a perfect post conceptualized but unfinished.