Here’s how to harness your ADHD brain in the workplace

“It’s best to stop trying to identify which behaviours are symptoms of the disorder, and instead, address the behaviour itself.”

I’ve known about my ADHD for pretty much my entire life, but, like many others, I only began struggling with it as an adult. Entering the workforce is often a catalyst to begin seeking ADHD diagnoses or treatment since it requires more self-management skills than schooling.

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While previous statistics have suggested ADHD is more frequently presented in males, recent research has found this might be due to a lack of recognition. For women, ADHD is under-researched and largely misunderstood, making our jobs – as people and professionals – all the more difficult. To help make the most of my ADHD brain in the workplace, I spoke to Christine Craig, a psychologist at the ADHD Psychology Clinic.

Digital organisation

A reminder system can help maintain structure in your workday. “[An] alert system is really good because you don’t know what’s going to come at you in a workspace,” Christine says. “[It’s] able to alert you to a point that a piece of paper can’t… you can put up Post-it notes, but you’ve got to read them.”

She also recommends putting everything on the calendar, or even using the notes app to keep track of daily tasks. This can help you construct an external sense of obligation. “It feels like you’re being told something, so you do it. Whereas when it comes internally, you think you’ve got a choice,” Christine says.

Visual planning

“There’s a place for [analogue strategies],” Christine explains. “[They encourage] recognition that things are being done.” Writing your tasks on a whiteboard or sticky notes promotes a sense of accomplishment. “It’ll start to look smaller and smaller… the more you cross off,” Christine explains, “that’s an important part of the process, too.”

Communicate with your superiors

“You shouldn’t… feel like you have to show that you’re okay,” Christine says, “but it’s hard when you don’t want to seem weak.” To combat this, Christine suggests explaining your strategies to a manager, and why they might be useful to you as a person with ADHD.

“Tell them what you do to help yourself,” Christine says. You’re then asking them to understand. It’s about communicating, so they know – for example – that you’re using your phone for alerts, not just picking it up to scroll social media. She also emphasises it’s important to be selective about who you confide in. “Only [tell] the manager… remember to protect yourself.”

Clarify your responsibilities

Christine highlights that people with ADHD can often take in the first instruction or two, but miss the latter half of the task. To avoid this, Christine suggests asking something like, “Do you mind if I record the meeting?” or “Can I take a picture of that so that I’ve got it in my phone to remind myself?”.

Find a friend

“It doesn’t matter where you go, if the environment changes, you’re not experienced in that environment,” Christine says. “You can recognise the problem… [but] how do you overcome it? You need help to work that out.” She explains you should, “Find someone that you feel comfortable with, that you can watch and learn from… to actually [help you] understand what you’re doing”.

Work on your self-talk

“Try and stop comparing yourself,” Christine says. “Self-talk is really, really important. And probably the hardest [to address]… get on YouTube or TED Talks, and listen to other people’s stories,” she recommends. “Because you can read all the textbooks in the world… but it’s not a lived experience.”

Break down tasks

“Goal-setting is incredibly difficult,” Christine explains. When planning your day, she suggests having an overarching goal and breaking it down into smaller steps. The objective needs to be simple and attainable; an effective goal for an ADHD brain.

Regardless of how your ADHD manifests, Christine suggests taking regular breaks throughout the day. “Even if you’re coping with everything… your body’s still under stress to hold it together.” She recommends “going for a walk, or going outside the building for lunch”.

Focus on the behaviour

When ADHD so pervasively affects your functioning, it’s best to stop trying to identify which behaviours are symptoms of the disorder, and instead, address the behaviour itself. “Otherwise, you get on this treadmill where everything is ADHD,” Christine says.

“You are you – it hasn’t changed,” she affirms, “now, we just have to find out what you need help with.” Christine believes as long as you’re persistently problem-solving, people with ADHD can function well in any workplace. “As soon as you miss something, it doesn’t mean it failed – it means you’ve got to keep going.”

For more tips on managing your ADHD in the workplace, head here.