Staying on Target!

Maintaining Focus and Concentration

Do you have difficulty doing this? I’ll admit to you that I do! When it comes to certain tasks I have trouble staying on task. It is so easy to get side tracked. Other times I can become “hyper-focused” and go into what I call “work mode”.

I have trouble when it comes to reading and focusing to do written work. I have to (and have always had to) have it completely quiet to concentrate. If the kids are around, tv is on or there are distractions I have a lot of difficulty. I can read the same paragraph a dozen times before I actually “get” what it is saying.
When I do get into the “zone” I can go like gang busters and get a lot done. But don’t interrupt my focus!

Of my four boys, all four of them are ADHD or ADD. My oldest was evaluated when he was young but determined not to have ADHD. As an adult in the Army now, he has been diagnosed with it. It came to light during his intensive 6 month training as a lab tech.
The other three boys were all evaluated young. My middle two were in 3rd and 4th grade. My youngest was three years old.

Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to realize that you aren’t alone! I don’t want you to feel like you can’t achieve things because you have trouble focusing or you have ADD. It might take you a little longer to finish the task. You might have to adjust to the situation (for instance: putting on headphones to bring in “white noise” to block out other distractions) but you just have to find your “focus zone” and work it.

Link up to My Linky Party

What is happening in your life this week? But as always you can link up any organizing or cleaning or DIY post to my link party.

You can find the link for my button and also my “Proud to Be Featured Button” on my top “Buttons” Tab.

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or decorating
5) No sales pitches or web sites.
6) If I feature you I will use one or more of your pictures with a link back to your blog.
7) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click Here.
This party will be open until October 16, 2011

Congrats goes to @deefna who won the mini makeup collection and the organizing bag from e.l.f. (eyes lips face)

If you didn’t win, you can purchase these over the internet at eyeslipsface.com or check out your nearest Target store. They now carry selected e.l.f. products.

This is the “before” picture of my office. We have a very small office and have desk for my husband and I, file cabinets and a bookshelf. But I still needed some more space.
Think “up” is always what I tell my clients. Shelves right? But I wanted to do it on my own without having to have my husband help me and I love cubbies. I would have loved to have gone to Ikea and gotten one of their cubby units, but they are over an hour and half away. So I went to Target and got 2 of their 8 cubby units. They were on sale for $39.99 each and they worked great.
I turned my 4 drawer (2 side by side) file drawer perpendicular to the wall and moved the desk against the wall. I now have the wall to use for a large calendar and message board.
I also had a 3 drawer unit on the left of my desk. Since I moved the desk over to the wall, I put that on the right of my desk and brought the printer down so it is actually more accessible than it was up on the 5 drawer file cabinet. I know in these pictures it is hard to see the detail of what I did with the other furniture, but it did make it better and more accessible to wear I sit.
Here is the finished picture.

I saw this padded Ottoman at Target  several months ago. I found it on sale and bought it. (This is not a sponsored review) I have been really pleased with it and wanted to share it with you.

We have several blankets that the kids like to use while watching TV. This makes a great place to store them…out of sight but close by.

Feet up and comfy!

Just wanted to share.

Gift Cards

I decided to get some gift cards this year to do my own shopping with. Why? Well, our high school has a program for the marching band that if we shop at our grocery Kroger’s then 5% of what we spend on our Kroger card (that we refill and use like money) will go towards our own child’s account. So that when band comes around next year and we have to spend like $250 on the mandatory summer camp and all the other expenses that add up to over $400 per child (and we have 2 in band), then we will have some money in their accounts. Ok..that was long winded. So I went into Kroger’s to get some gift certificates so I could get some credit for our sons. I bought some for Target and Kohl’s and another one that I can’t say in case one of my kids reads this. I went promptly out to do some shopping. I did go to the unnamed store and had no problems. Then I went into Target and did my shopping. I went to check out and my cards did not work. I explained I had just purchased them and there should be no reason they shouldn’t work….here are the receipts! Well, I was told that the Target store has a 24 hour wait time on their cards from when you can buy them and when they can be used. I had no idea…but guess what….it says it right on the cardboard holding the card. Look at that little circle in the upper right hand corner that says $50, well around that $50 in small print it say, “This card will be activated 24 hours after purchase”. Yep…says it right there. Did I look at that…nope. Did it tick me off…yep…is it my own fault…yep. (Darn…can’t even blame anyone…LOL)
So I thought I would tell you.
We have all heard all the other precautions when buying gift cards. Make sure there are no expiration or percentages off (if not used by a certain time etc..)..but this was a new one to me. So I wanted to pass it on.
Look for deals like this though. If you plan ahead you can save on gas, earn money for causes etc. But it takes some planning. (at least 24 hour ahead for Target).