Setting a Focus for the Week

Each Step Matters In Getting To The Top Of The Staircase

Developing a new habit or routine is uncomfortable, it takes work and most of all it takes your attention. In the podcast, The ADHD Identity Crisis, we ask the question, when does that new habit or routine become a part of your identity?

Are you a person who runs or are you a runner?

When I first started coaching groups several years ago, we focused on a goal for the week. This worked ok, but not great. People would come to the next meeting and feel bad for not completing their goal. The last thing I wanted in my groups is for anyone to feel bad.

So, we started something new and I’ve continued it ever since. Instead of trying to complete a goal, we decided to have a focus for the week. This focus is going to get us closer to the goal without having the pressure of success or failure.

Setting one focus is just as hard as developing a new habit. There are so many things you want to do and they all seem important, however, studies show that starting small is going to lead to long term success.

Here are a few ideas on how to decide your focus for the week:

• What’s bugging you the most?

• Are there any deadlines in the future you need to consider?

• What would have the biggest impact?

• Where would be an easy place to start that you could maintain?

Here are a few examples:

• Clean your house for 15 minutes a day

• Exercise 10 minutes a day

• Drink 2 glasses of water

• Meditate for 1 minute

Once you decide on a focus for the week, you need to figure out how to follow through. This usually means figuring out a way to remember to do it. Maybe it’s a sticky note on your bathroom mirror, or a notification, whatever it is, be sure to pay attention to it.

Continue to practice your focus for the week until you feel comfortable adding to it. This may take longer than you expect but again you will get long term success!

Thank you for your time and attention!

-Nikki