Latest news with #Dearborn
CNA
19 minutes ago
- Health
- CNA
How to tackle your to-do list if you struggle to focus and follow through
The pomodoro technique. Power poses. Planners. Denise Daskal has tried them all, searching for the right strategy to improve her executive functioning, or the mental skills used to manage time and pursue goals. Daskal has spent hours hunting through TikTok, reading books and taking classes to become better organised and more focused both at work and in her personal life. But the long list of strategies, while somewhat helpful, has felt exhausting, she said. 'My mind breaks a bit when I get overwhelmed and I have too much coming at me all at once,' said Daskal, 63, who lives in Dearborn, Michigan, and was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder a few years ago. Conditions like ADHD, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression can impede executive functioning; so can the period of life when women transition in and out of menopause. Life circumstances such as parenting young children, getting a bad night's sleep or even missing a meal can scramble a person's ability to focus and complete tasks, too. Here's how to understand executive functioning, and figure out which coping strategies might work for you. WHAT IS EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING? Executive functions are life management skills that help people 'convert intentions into actions,' said Ari Tuckman, a psychologist in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and author of the The ADHD Productivity Manual. In other words, if you plan to do something, executive functions help you do it at the right time and place because it will benefit you, either now or in the future, he added. These skills are essential for planning, solving problems, managing time, making decisions and initiating tasks, as well as controlling your emotions and attention. Amy Dorn, 44, a mother of three in Evergreen, Colorado, who has ADHD, has trouble staying calm when her brain becomes overstimulated by too many things happening at once. It doesn't take long before she becomes frazzled. Sometimes, she said, she'll even 'scream at the top of my lungs.' There are no quick fixes, but the self-awareness that her brain is different helps her calm down faster, take a deep breath and say she's sorry. 'The kids call me the apologiser,' she said. Her tendency to go from 0 to 100 may never go away, she added, so her family has found ways to prevent overstimulation from happening in the first place. Her husband changed his working hours, arriving home earlier to ensure that she has an extra hand shuttling the kids to activities. And they have limited their children to one sport per season. MOVING BEYOND TIPS AND TRICKS There's no shortage of techniques to help with executive functioning, like the pomodoro method that Daskal tried, the gist of which is a 25-minute burst of focused attention followed by a short break. But before trying one of these strategies, experts say, it may help to start with a brief self-analysis. 1. Identify which aspects of executive functioning are most problematic for you Tamara Rosier, the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan and the author of You, Me, And Our ADHD Family, said that difficulty starting a task was the most common executive functioning issue for her clients. The to-do list can feel overwhelming, which may lead to frustration, anxiety and avoidance. When Daskal planned to finally clean out her garage, for example, she was so paralysed by the prospect that she went out and adopted a dog instead. Potty training a puppy seemed simpler than confronting the thousands of little decisions required to organise her space, she explained. 2. Next, look for solutions that address your problem For task initiation, ask yourself, 'What's making this hard to start?' It might be perfectionism, fear or unclear steps, Dr Rosier said. Once you have a better idea of what's slowing you down, try to address it. If you're unsure of what steps to take because your are overwhelmed with emotion, make a list of what is overwhelming. Then ask yourself, 'Am I overcomplicating this task?' Challenge yourself to think of the simplest way to do it, Dr Rosier said. Another strategy, she added, is to use 'body doubling,' which is working alongside someone else – virtually or in person – to create momentum. For example, the Attention Deficit Disorder Association offers an online ' productivity powerhour ' where people can gather to work toward a goal. You can also pair your task with something pleasant like music or a podcast to make it feel more enjoyable. 3. Try solving the problem outside your mind 'Externalising' your thought process – by discussing your problem with a friend, writing it down or physically manipulating the things you're working on – can be more helpful than trying to hold everything in your mind, Dr Tuckman said. Dorn, for example, often forgets things that seem boring or mundane. She now wears a recording device on her wrist and says her to-do list out loud, then plays it back later in the day. 4. Set expectations for yourself and others Personal strategies are less effective if your environment isn't friendly to people with executive functioning deficits, such as a job that requires you to complete a complex task on the computer while continuing to receive instant messages that may or may not require a response, breaking focus on the main task. Daskal decided to pivot from owning a salon and spa, which involved managing a facility and a staff, to focus on her dream of starting a new nail polish brand. This time around, she said, she's mindful of how many responsibilities she's taking on and which ones need to be outsourced. That helps her make time for sleep and exercise. 'I limit both what I attempt to do in a day as well as the time I attempt to do them,' she said. Her mantra: 'One step at a time, one thing at a time.' Setting expectations with the people you interact with is also important, Dr Tuckman said. Say you're always late to meet friends. You can work on arriving earlier while also being honest, saying, 'Don't leave until I text you,' Dr Tuckman suggested. 5. Don't judge yourself too harshly If you've had trouble with executive functioning, it can be easy to blame yourself – especially if other people are continually suggesting that you fall short. Remind yourself that you aren't flawed or irresponsible, Dr Tuckman said. Rather, you have difficulty following through on what you intend to do and juggling all of the other demands of life in order to make it happen, he added. This mind-set can be 'tremendously validating,' he said, especially when someone has tried so hard – sometimes even harder than others – yet doesn't have as much to show for it. 'If you are someone who struggles with executive functions, critical people with very specific expectations may not be the people who should have a starring role in your life,' Dr Tuckman said. 'It's not just you are a bad fit for them – they are a bad fit for you.'
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Dearborn police search for mother of 3 who went missing after leaving McDonald's restaurant
The Dearborn Police Department is searching for a missing mother after they said she left a McDonald's on Wednesday and was never seen again. Police say that at about 10 a.m., Tyra Sharnae Bailey, 28, went to the restaurant on Wyoming Street with her three children. Police say she reportedly told her children she was going to a grocery store and would be back. Bailey is described as 5 feet 1 inch tall, about 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black zip sweatshirt with gray sleeves, gray sweatpants and pink shoes. She was also carrying a large black bag. Her family told police that she suffers from a mental health condition and is homeless. "We are concerned for the health and safety of this mother and urgently ask anyone in the community that may have information on her whereabouts to help reunite her with her loved ones," said Police Chief Issa Shahin. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Dearborn police at 313-943-2241.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford rethinks philanthropy for better community reach and disaster response
Ford Motor Co. is taking its philanthropy to the next level with a new program that gives employees more paid time off to volunteer, has more involvement with its national dealership network and even loans its vehicles to those nonprofits in need. The Dearborn-based automaker announced the launch of Ford Building Together on June 17. Ford Building Together is a new program aimed at better unifying Ford corporate leaders, Ford employees, Ford dealerships and nonprofit groups when responding to a crisis. The idea is if they work closer together and share the same visions, making the response more effective. "We know if we brought the whole power of the organization together we can have a better impact," Mary Culler, president of Ford Philanthropy, told the Detroit Free Press. "The goal here is to think about disaster relief and community building. If everyone is moving in the same direction to support those in need and have the same goals, that will have a bigger impact.' To promote the new program, Ford called on actor Bryan Cranston, most famous for his role as a chemistry teacher turned meth maker in the 2008 hit show Breaking Bad. Cranston, who is big on philanthropy, also voices many of Ford's car commercials. He is also the voice of Ford Philanthorpy videos, Culler said. "Bryan is one of the most amazing philanthropic people I know," Culler said. "He approached us asking ... how could he help us amplify some of the work we've done after he'd done some work with us in Puerto Rico a few years ago." Culler said Ford Building Together will focus its efforts on four specific nonprofit organizations that it has worked with for many years: the American Red Cross, Feeding America (the largest network of food banks), Habitat for Humanity (a global nonprofit providing housing for the needy), and Team Rubicon, the veteran-led humanitarian organization that provides disaster relief and aid nationwide. By uniting Ford's entire organization, plus its dealers, with the nonprofits, it will help these nonprofits have more community reach, she said. 'Imagine when you have a disaster and you're trying to build resilience in a community and every dealer in the country did a blood drive?" Culler said. "What an impact that would have! So this is about networking.' Culler said Ford Building Together has already started on a small scale. In Texas, Ford dealers are currently collecting food to help Feeding America. In Minnesota, Ford dealers will be collecting tools and home materials to support Habitat for Humanity and in Colorado, some dealers are holding community disaster preparedness seminars. Besides calling on the dealership network, Ford has increased its Volunteer Paid Time Off policy from 16 hours to 56 hours to encourage Ford employees to lend their skills and expertise to the nonprofits, Culler said. 'Volunteering in this country is so needed," Culler said. "Our volunteering has gone up 56% this year alone because we have made it easier to volunteer and have added paid time off to do it. It's giving our Ford employees a sense of purpose, which is core to our DNA as a company.' The program will also include vehicle loans, Ford said, so that it can lend its technology and vehicles to strengthen the services of the nonprofits. More: Ford leaders sharpen their focus on how to beat the Chinese to lead in global markets Culler noted that earlier this year, Ford Philanthropy partnered with dealers to help aid in the California wildfires and it had a significant impact. When the fires broke out, she said, Ford's dealers across 13 western states called Ford Philanthropy asking how to donate goods and help the community in other ways. "We decided together to have a consolidated approach … in a coordinated effort," Culler said. "We decided to fund two organizations where we provided funding and the dealers matched the money.' The dealers joined together to donate funds to those impacted by the California Wildfires and together with Ford Philanthropy contributed $465,000 to local organizations. The money supported food distribution, housing for people displaced, clothing and more. More: LA wildfires could bring higher used vehicle prices for Detroit automakers, car buyers 'Ultimately the organizations will benefit from whether it's financially or the other resources we're bringing to the table such as expertise, the volunteers, and with Team Rubican, for example, a lot of people didn't know what it was and we helped lift them up and tell their story," Culler said. Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford rethinks its philanthropy for community reach, disaster response Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Boston Globe
13-06-2025
- Boston Globe
What makes for a good closing argument? Jurors in the Karen Read retrial are about to find out.
'It's equal parts art and science,' Christopher Dearborn, a professor at Suffolk Law School said. 'It's about persuasion, trying to tell a better story than the other side. And some of those basic principles of persuasion are really fundamentally no different, whether it's a barroom argument, a closing argument, or a toast or speech.' Several attorneys and legal professionals who spoke to the Globe were unanimous: one of the worst things that attorneys can do in their closing arguments is appear underhanded or insincere. Advertisement 'If you do something that loses you credibility, it really can hurt you,' Dearborn said. 'On close cases, on the margins, being the side that the jury trusts or likes the most can make a difference.' Losing credibility can happen easily by failing to mention what Dearborn referred to as 'bad facts' — ignoring evidence or threads that are detrimental to your case. Karen Read defense attorney Alan Jackson. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Some of those facts involve Advertisement 'In his opening statement, Hank Brennan never talked about Trooper Proctor,' Dearborn said. 'I think it'll be a mistake if he doesn't own that own that issue in his closing. Because it can look like he's trying to hide something.' Even if the facts of the case are fully and accurately addressed, attorneys still run the risk of appearing to be insincere. 'If you are not a person who raises your voice, then don't do that in the closing,' said Boston-based attorney J.W. Carney, Jr. 'Or if you are a person who's sometimes a little insecure, it's okay, you can show that. The jurors have gotten to know who you are through the trial. You don't want to change that personality.' Good lawyers balance their own personality, whether flashy or more methodological, with a measure of accessibility when speaking to jurors. 'You have to be very mindful of the jury's intelligence and be very careful not to potentially insult them or suggest that they don't have the ability to be, both individually and collectively, discerning," said attorney Brad Bailey. At the end of the day, that means delivering the argument like a regular person, clearly and articulately without being overly wordy or extravagant. Related : 'You should talk like you are at Thanksgiving dinner, talking to your grandmother,' said Jack Lu, a retired Superior Court judge and lecturer at Boston College Law School. 'Zero legalese, zero police language, and zero lawyer language.' Advertisement That's not to say there's no room for emotion, he added. 'If there is not blood on the floor, meaning rhetorically, at the end of the closing argument, you have not used raw emotion,' Lu said. Throughout the trial, attorneys from both teams have been making note of what testimony or threads of evidence resonate with jurors, Bailey said. 'You can bet there's a lot of conversation behind closed doors about what seemed to work,' he said. 'You may see direct eye contact being made with particular jurors that could have reacted to certain things.' Carney, who worked alongside Brennan while representing James 'Whitey' Bulger more than a decade ago, said the lead prosecutor in the Read case would address the jurors directly. 'Some lawyers act as if they're giving a closing argument as an orator in the Roman Coliseum,' Carney said. 'Hank talks to individuals in the jury. What he's doing is speaking to a single juror at a time. And that juror during the deliberations will remember the point that Hank gave.' Special prosecutor Hank Brennan questions an accident reconstruction expert on the witness stand during the Karen Read retrial in Norfolk Superior Court. Greg Derr/Associated Press The defense, meanwhile, will seek to convince the jury that the prosecution did not meet the burden of proof in establishing Read's guilt. 'They not only have to lay out why they believe that the crimes have not been proven and why they think the jury ought to have multiple reasonable doubts, but they also anticipate upfront and try to rebut in advance what they believe the prosecution is going to say [in the rebuttal],' he said. Carney pointed to one recent case — Advertisement 'When it was done, I spoke to my two partners and said, 'Here is the website on which you can watch [Reddington's] closing argument, it's brilliant,'' he said. Dearborn said the closing arguments from Read's first trial 'were a little too long, a little bit too scattershot.' But there were a few— particularly from the defense — that he said probably resonated with the jury. 'Those are the things that sometimes jurors talk about because there's only so much attention span out there,' he said. 'So if you're not aware of that when you're talking to a jury, you can lose the jury.' Camilo Fonseca can be reached at
Boston Globe
13-06-2025
- Boston Globe
What makes a good closing argument? Jurors in the Karen Read retrial are about to find out.
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT When prosecutors wrapped up the first trial of Karen Read last year, they declared that 'all of the testimony' indicated she had caused the death of her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, during a blizzard in Canton in 2022. That closing argument, for at least some jurors, wasn't convincing; after the jury deadlocked and failed to reach a verdict, the judge declared a mistrial. Now, as Read's second trial 'It's equal parts art and science,' said Chris Dearborn, a professor at Suffolk Law School. 'It's about persuasion, trying to tell a better story than the other side. And some of those basic principles of persuasion are really fundamentally no different, whether it's a barroom argument, a closing argument, or a toast or speech.' Advertisement Several attorneys and legal professionals who spoke to the Globe were unanimous: one of the worst things that attorneys can do in their closing arguments is appear underhanded or insincere. 'If you do something that loses you credibility, it really can hurt you,' Dearborn said. 'On close cases, on the margins, being the side that the jury trusts or likes the most can make a difference.' Advertisement Losing credibility can happen easily by failing to mention what Dearborn referred to as 'bad facts' — ignoring evidence or threads that are detrimental to your case. Some of those facts 'In his opening statement, Hank Brennan never talked about Trooper Proctor,' Dearborn said. 'I think it'll be a mistake if he doesn't own that issue in his closing. Because it can look like he's trying to hide something.' Even if the facts of the case are fully and accurately addressed, attorneys still run the risk of appearing to be insincere. 'If you are not a person who raises your voice, then don't do that in the closing,' said Boston-based attorney J.W. Carney, Jr. 'Or if you are a person who's sometimes a little insecure, it's okay, you can show that. The jurors have gotten to know who you are through the trial. You don't want to change that personality.' Good lawyers balance their own personality, whether flashy or more methodological, with a measure of accessibility when speaking to jurors. 'You have to be very mindful of the jury's intelligence and be very careful not to potentially insult them or suggest that they don't have the ability to be, both individually and collectively, discerning,' said attorney Brad Bailey. Advertisement At the end of the day, that means delivering the argument like a regular person, clearly and articulately without being overly wordy or extravagant. 'You should talk like you are at Thanksgiving dinner, talking to your grandmother,' said Jack Lu, a retired Superior Court judge and lecturer at Boston College Law School. 'Zero legalese, zero police language, and zero lawyer language.' That's not to say there's no room for emotion, he added. 'If there is not blood on the floor, meaning rhetorically, at the end of the closing argument, you have not used raw emotion,' Lu said. Throughout the trial, attorneys from both teams have been making note of what testimony or threads of evidence resonate with jurors, Bailey said. 'You can bet there's a lot of conversation behind closed doors about what seemed to work,' he said. 'You may see direct eye contact being made with particular jurors that could have reacted to certain things.' Carney, who worked alongside Brennan while representing James 'Whitey' Bulger more than a decade ago, said the lead prosecutor in the Read case would address the jurors directly. 'Some lawyers act as if they're giving a closing argument as an orator in the Roman Coliseum,' Carney said. 'Hank talks to individuals in the jury. What he's doing is speaking to a single juror at a time. And that juror during the deliberations will remember the point that Hank gave.' The defense, meanwhile, will seek to convince the jury that the prosecution did not meet the burden of proof in establishing Read's guilt. 'They not only have to lay out why they believe that the crimes have not been proven and why they think the jury ought to have multiple reasonable doubts, but they also anticipate upfront and try to rebut in advance what they believe the prosecution is going to say [in the rebuttal],' he said. Advertisement Carney pointed to one recent case — 'When it was done, I spoke to my two partners and said, 'Here is the website on which you can watch [the attorney's] closing argument, it's brilliant,'' he said. Dearborn said the closing arguments from Read's first trial 'were a little too long, a little bit too scattershot.' But there were a few key phrases — particularly from the defense — that he said probably resonated with the jury. 'Those are the things that sometimes jurors talk about because there's only so much attention span out there,' he said. 'So if you're not aware of that when you're talking to a jury, you can lose the jury.' Related story: Revisit 🧩 7 Across: 76° POINTS OF INTEREST A flight swerved onto a grassy area at Logan yesterday. WCVB Boston and Massachusetts Mishap: The FAA is investigating after a JetBlue flight landing at Logan Airport Judge me not: Testifying at her civil disciplinary hearing, Judge Shelley Joseph Baker-off: Two Republicans who worked for former Governor Charlie Baker Back home: BJ's will Trump administration Takebacks: House Republicans voted to rescind federal funding for public media, USAID, and a program that fights global HIV. The measure now heads to the Senate. ( Parades and protests: Soldiers and tanks will parade through Washington D.C. tomorrow to mark the Army's 250th birthday — on the same day as Trump's 79th. Activists are planning nationwide anti-Trump protests. ( Kseniia Petrova: Federal officials Poor conditions: Detainees at a Burlington ICE facility say they've been RFK Jr.: Experts say Climate change: Excise tax: Senate Republicans confirmed Billy Long, who as a congressman sought to abolish the IRS, to lead the agency. ( The Nation and the World SCOTUS: The justices ruled unanimously for a girl with epilepsy in a case that could make it easier to sue schools for better disability accommodations. ( Harvey Weinstein retrial: The judge declared a mistrial after the jury foreman refused to deliberate over a rape charge. ( Israel-Hamas war: A Gaza aid group said Hamas gunmen had killed eight of its personnel and might have taken others hostage. ( Air India crash: A British national was the only survivor after a plane VIEWPOINTS Living in fear: In Globe Opinion, an undocumented Milford High student and classmate of Marcelo Gomes da Silva asks Americans for empathy — and Advertisement Modest proposal: Boston's two NPR-affiliated radio stations, GBH and WBUR, are both facing financial and political pressure. Send us your viewpoint: Massachusetts lawmakers are debating BESIDE THE POINT 📚 Reader recommendations: Check out ❤️ Dinner with Cupid: For this pair, pearls of conversation 🔵 Egyptian blue: The color, found on ancient artwork, is the oldest known synthetic pigment. Scientist have now recreated it. ( 🎥 Da-dum: In honor of its 50th anniversary, 🍽️ Old school: A Madrid tavern that dates to 1725 says it's the world's oldest continuously operating restaurant. The owners of a nearby establishment are trying to prove theirs is. ( 🌅 Sunup to sundown: Have the 🐠 Fishy situation: Someone converted a car outside a Yalta hotel into a koi-filled aquarium. ( Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by Advertisement ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Camilo Fonseca can be reached at
