Monthly Tip
July 2021
Monthly Tip
When "I Have to" Isn't Motivating Enough
TO Blog
In Defense of Graphic Novels
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When "I Have to" Isn't Motivating Enough
Strategies to Build Momentum, Visualize Time, and Overcome Procrastination in Everyday Life


Everyone has expectations that they need to meet in their personal life, at work, or at school. Sometimes, though, these can be challenging to meet. Some of us, especially those with ADHD, may have difficulties managing and tracking time, which can lead to an inefficient work schedule. This poor perception of time passing is known as “time blindness.” Procrastination and low motivation can also interfere with our ability to achieve our goals. Experts believe that there are many reasons why we procrastinate, including a lack of self-efficacy, impulsivity, perfectionistic tendencies, and more. Due to this variability, there is no single solution to time blindness and it must be addressed on an individualized basis. Although losing track of time and putting things off happen to most of us from time to time, chronic issues can have serious negative repercussions on our lives. At Thinking Organized, we recognize that developing effective strategies to counter these difficulties can have positive, life-changing consequences. Here are several tips to start difficult tasks and stay on track.
Use Timers
Timers allow us to track time more easily. Watching a clock count down helps us to visualize the time that has already passed and the remaining time that we have allocated for a task. 

  • Create realistic schedules. Building awareness of the passing of time can help you create realistic schedules and plan out your days more appropriately. Timers show you how much time you need to complete a task, and having that information enables you to generate a more feasible daily plan. Using timers can also motivate you to initiate a difficult task, as knowing how much time you actually need can decrease the stress you may feel about starting something.
  • Divide and conquer. Sometimes, larger or more difficult tasks are hard to begin. Breaking down that task into smaller chunks of time can be an efficient way to get started. For example, set a timer to work for 25 minutes, and then take a 5-minute break before returning to work. That way, you feel less overwhelmed when attending to a challenging or undesirable task.
  • Try at home. Download a Pomodoro App or experiment with phone or computer timers.
Accountability Partners
Many people struggle to find the motivation to complete lengthy or multi-step tasks. External motivators, such as deadlines, can inspire action, but these are not the ideal source of motivation for many types of tasks. For example, waiting until the last minute to do taxes or a book report can cause stress and anxiety. Many of us have struggled to find the motivation to complete tasks when isolated at home with no oversight and blurred lines between work and free time during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are several steps you can take to increase productivity. 

  • Positive social pressure. Some people find motivation in positive social pressure. If you are sitting next to someone you admire at work, you might be less likely to watch that YouTube video and more likely to accomplish your tasks. This is one reason why having accountability partners or working around others can be beneficial. Doing something as simple as going to the library or asking a family member to sit in the room with you can increase your engagement with your work. 
  • Open reflection. Working with an accountability partner offers the chance for open reflection and revision. If you are struggling to complete a task, your accountability partner can help you identify what specific components are challenging and how to overcome them. This increases productivity and enables you to move past obstacles that you may have gotten stuck on had you been working alone. 
  • Try at home. If you are still working from home, try virtually meeting with a friend or coworker who also needs to complete work. You can tell each other your goals for the day or just for the next few hours in order to increase the likelihood that you will strive to meet those goals. 
The Right Environment
The environment can play a huge role in how motivated you feel and how easy it is to accomplish tasks. If your desk is cluttered, this can make you feel disorganized and scattered. It can also distract or keep you from locating important information or documents. Having an appropriate work environment can be helpful and even motivational. 

  • Create a designated work area. Making a designated area or device to complete different tasks is proven to keep you on track. For example, removing social media apps or games on the device that you use for work can limit the amount of self-control you have to exert to stay on task. Switching your location if you are not making progress can also help you get through a difficult task, so long as the new environment is conducive to task completion. 
  • Use visual and auditory cues. Your senses can also help you get started on your work. A brightly lit room with a clutter-free desk can help you better concentrate on the task at hand. Being in an organized environment can help your brain focus more intently and reduce distractions. Additionally, listening to soft music can shift your mood and inspire you, or it can help you focus and limit distractions.
  • Try at home. Experiment with working in a new location, such as a different room in your home, a library, or a cafe. Try putting on some music to set the mood!
Final Thoughts
Thinking Organized’s Educational Mentors and Speech-Language Pathologists are happy to create individualized strategies to help you accomplish your time management goals. We educate our clients on different timers and apps, act as accountability partners, and help our clients organize their physical and digital space to create the best possible environment to accomplish their goals. 
Summer 2021 Programs - Register Today!
Summer is a time of relaxation, but it is also a time of preparation. By reviewing past academic material, students can keep their skills sharp while simultaneously preparing for the upcoming school year. Thinking Organized is offering several exciting programs for students in different age ranges this summer, and we cordially invite you to sign your children up for them!

Please refer to our programs for elementary school, middle school, high school, and college on our website.
TO BLOG
In Defense of Graphic Novels

The term “graphic novel” was coined in 1964, and these texts have grown in popularity ever since. Beloved by readers of all ages, graphic novels have inspired a great deal of debate amongst parents and educators. Certainly no one will deny that any reading is better than no reading, but many parents would prefer that their children read the kind of chapter books that they grew up with. I’ve never been a huge graphic novel fan, with the exception of some of the works that transcend genre like Alan Moore’s Watchmen, but having spent much of my life encouraging children to read, I’ll happily take any tool available to me. I completely understand the concern that since graphic novels replace so much of the text with images, they appear to require substantially less “reading.” But for any parent on the fence about the value of graphic novels, let me offer some advice on how this medium can play an important role in developing the emerging reading skills of young readers.