This is my patented “Too overwhelmed to start a project or homework” protocol, used a lot last semester.

1. Make patient (usually a classmate) list all needed things to do, task by task. Help/encourage.
2. Make patient prioritize list for that session only. Help/encourage.
3. Make patient assign amount of time needed for each of those tasks. Help/encourage/negotiate/discuss.
4. Set timer for assigned time for first task. Be nearby to encourage. Negotiate time when timer goes off as to whether person can stick with task or not.
5. Rinse and repeat.

It works, I swear 🙂 Ask my happy consumers.

More discussions in health care policy…sorry they are vague…I wrote down the quotes but forget the exact scenarios. And now I want to quote that lost mind quote except I can’t remember it. Which is startingly appropriate. Ok my friend Suzy helped me out: “Of all the things I’ve lost, it’s my mind I miss the most.”

Girl: It trips me out that blah blah blah…
Professor: “It trips a lot of people out.”

Professor asks question about who cares about something.
::I raise hand to make a comment::
:::Professor points to me:: “Karen CARES!”

Our health care policy professor was discussing how we need to be advocates for our profession, including talking to our congressman. We had to do mini simulations with 30 second sound bites on why OTs are concerned about athletic trainers widening their scope of practice. The professor threw all sorts of twists into the simulations to make them harder. She said…

“I’ve talked with Congressmen before…::thoughtful pause:: Most of them are in jail now.”