Linda Hillger, president & co-founder of LifeLifters, Inc.

Professional organizer, Linda Hillger is the author of From Chaos to Control: A Step-by-Step Guide for Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (1996), and co-author of The ADD Audio Coach. She has owned the professional organizing firms, TaskMaster Consulting, and CoachingWorks, and has been helping people get-and-stay organized since 1996.

Personal History: Linda
Years ago, I was sitting on the couch completely overwhelmed. I had items flooding my mind. At the time, I was getting a divorce, I had a new-born baby, I was unemployed, deeply in debt, and I had to move. My current home was completely disorganized, so whenever I needed to find anything...it required a thorough search of the building. I was exhausted. I knew something was wrong, but I just couldn't put a name to it. Every aspect of my life was in chaos. While talking on the phone with my sister, she mentioned that her son had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. As she described the symptoms I realized that I needed to make an appointment and learn more about this disorder. Shortly after our conversation I made an appointment with my doctor. I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I worked with a gifted psychologist who helped me create solutions to my particular issues.

I realized that the foundation of my confusion was the lack of any organizational systems in my life. I was constantly rushing and reacting to problems and situations. I searched libraries, bookstores, the yellow pages, the internet and found that there was no established method for getting organized for people with ADD I became driven to create solutions for myself. The process I went though consisted of trial and error. As I gained control of my life, I realized how important organizing systems are to people with Attention Deficit Disorder.

Eventually all the hard work paid off. I was in control and as I talked with other adults with Attention Deficit Disorder I realized the value of sharing this information. Coaching and working as a professional organizer was a natural next step. Through the years, I found that the systems I had developed were extremely helpful with clients. How can I make this information available for people who do not have access to or can not afford personal coaching? The ADD Audio Coach became the answer to my question.

Richard M. Carlson, vice president & co-founder of LifeLifters, Inc.

Co-Author of The ADD Audio Coach. Richard is currently working as creative director of website development, manager of retail sales, and travels with Linda to different communities presenting their free workshops.

Personal History: Richard
An engineer by trade, I sought out CoachingWorks in 2002, hoping to improve my organizational skills, and take control of my professional future. At the time, the state of my disorganization and overwhelm was at its highest. I was conscious of my inability to keep up. Stacks of paperwork toppled over on my desk providing a constant reminder of my lack of any organizational structure. Miscellaneous piles of half done projects cluttered my office floor, shelves, and every empty chair. What was most frustrating was that I really enjoyed the work and the people that I worked with, but disorganization was causing me to make mistakes and slowly destroying my confidence. I can remember driving to work each morning, my mind cluttered with thoughts of projects that were due and tasks that needed to get done. With no system for prioritizing and tracking all the things that were expected of me I was struggling just to keep my head above water.

Finally, I reached my breaking point and sought help. After only a few sessions with Linda I was able to identify my problem areas and begin to make a plan to turn things around. What was most surprising to me was how all of my past frustration and disappointment was so directly tied to not being organized. With a new plan of attack and a wonderful coach cheering me on from the sidelines I was making incredible progress and feeling much more confident. My first work-oriented task was organizing my office. It took an afternoon. When I was done, my office was organized and my desk was completely clear. It felt unbelievable. There were no stickies on my computer monitor. The stacks of manila folders were filed and I could actually see out my window. I found all the small office supplies that had previously been buried. I wish I could show you a picture of my boss' facial expression that afternoon when he came into my office. It was absolutely priceless. At that point that I realized that things were going to be very different. The secondary benefits that I experienced through this process were even more incredible then the organizing benefits. My previous disappointment was replaced with confidence and clarity. I found myself not only able to manage my own projects, but I was keeping my co-workers on track as well. These organizational systems enabled my mind to focus more on the task at hand, not on what I was forgetting to do! I saw large projects for what they truly were, a series of linked tasks that when executed properly resulted in the completion of the project. I learned to spread projects out over time to reduce the chance of overwhelm and stress. With such success, I found myself eager to tell others, and it became clear to me that my greater goal in life was helping people learn the value of these systems. Now as co-author of the The ADD Audio Coach, I am excited to witness that goal become a reality.

Our Small Army

LifeLifters also relies on a small army of dedicated professionals and volunteers that make LifeLifters a truly wonderful company. This includes, but is not limited to: Our information technology guru: Michael Mahoney of Manchester Software Group, Inc., Mr. Harlen Pease an extremely talented editor, our organizing support team, and our beta test groups who give their time and effort to keep us moving in the right direction!