Managing ADHD in the Workplace: A Hero’s Journey to Success

This is for anyone who has struggled with ADHD or has a family member who has ADHD

I'm writing this because this is a topic that people still don't talk about regularly. I know so many people who struggle with it, including myself.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can present unique challenges in the workplace, but with the right strategies, individuals with ADHD can thrive and excel. In this article, I’ll share practical tips and insights on managing ADHD effectively, based on my own experiences and proven techniques.

Understanding ADHD

Start with a brief overview of what ADHD is. Explain how it can affect work performance, including common symptoms like difficulty focusing, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

Do you have trouble focusing?

Do you often feel like you have impulse decisions?

I've struggled my whole life with ADHD being diagnosed in college because I was pre-dental, and it was extremely difficult to sit still in class/lecture. I went to the mental health center because of a recommendation from the student academic center. I was getting tutoring and academic help because I was close to dropping out of college. After all, my grades were suffering. I then took a survey, and they said I have an extreme case of ADHD. This made much sense because I wondered why I had to get out of my seat and get a drink of water or run into the restroom five times within a 90-minute lecture. I also had the urge to leave the classroom early, so I was often the first person to finish their exam.

I know a lot of parents who have kids who have ADHD, and I'm making this for you as well because I think parents are often frustrated with their kids who can't sit still or they fidget a lot. Our school system and workplace are not optimally designed for people who struggle with ADHD.

Tip #1. Navigating Distractions The open-plan office becomes a battlefield of distractions. To conquer this trial, we create a fortress of focus by:

• Setting up a clutter-free workspace.

• Using noise-canceling headphones or white noise to drown out the chaos.

Being able to take Adderall and ADHD medicine has helped me out so much. There is still a stigma that taking drugs is bad for you, but like with anything else, you have to try it for yourself and ask yourself or your child how they feel.

• My wife often can tell when I'm on Adderall because I'm not as hyper, and I'm very quiet, which sometimes concerns her because usually I'm bouncing off the walls.

Sometimes, you feel like asking yourself What's Wrong With Me?

• I also want to normalize that there is a higher percentage than you would think that struggles with ADHD, especially when you are open to speaking about it more honestly so that you can communicate with your manager how you best work so that they understand how you get into a flow state more often.

Acceptance is key

• Of course, we want to fit in and be productive. Understanding how you work best will take trial and error, but once you master it, you can be more productive than 99% of the world's population.

If I'm excited about something. There's no stopping me.

• In the book, the Edison Gene helps us reframe it as a superpower instead of something wrong with you or wrong with your child.

If you can be forgetful and tend to lose things

• Luckily, once you set up systems and things that will help you stay organized, you can really do a ton of damage(In a Positive way:P). Even something as simple having a check list is helpful or in my case a really big ass physical calendar to remind me of what I have coming up.

Impulse Control is something that we struggle with

• It's helpful to have someone to talk through these things with so that we aren't making decisions that ultimately will put you and your spouse in a bad situation, whether that's impulse online shopping or when you are drunk at 10 pm on the train on the way back home after a night of networking.

Luckily, there are coaches and therapists who specialize with people who struggle with ADHD

• The key is to be open and honest with the people closest with you and with your coworkers so that they understand some of the challenges you are dealing with. Nothing can be resolved if you are holding it in.

Tip#2

• Using productivity Apps is helpful Google Calendar, Asana, Trello, Notion

Try a bunch of different things to see what works for you.

Tip#3

Cleaning your office or desk will help a lot because when everything else is cluttered, its going to be harder for you to focus.

• Having a healthy routine is useful for getting you into a positive state of mind.

• These are things that are helpful for me to get into a good flow state with less distractions.

1. Turning off your phone during the workday or putting it on DND from 9 to 5.

2. If you know you are going to get distracted being in the office, then schedule most of your deep work required to do the job well during the days you aren't in the office and make the social bucket/collaborative events when you are in the office.

3. Setting Boundaries will help so if you are someone who drops everything to help someone else. Turn off your Teams/Slack during the times you need to do deep work.

4. If your manager constantly interrupts you, block off time in your calendar with whatever activity you need to get done during that time: planning, prepping for your next meeting, putting together a business case, etc. Train them on that you need to do these things in order to hit your number.

Resources:

1. Andrew Huberman's podcast episode called ADHD & Improving Focus

2. ADHD 2.0" by Dr. Edward M. Hallowell and Dr. John J. Ratey

In this newer book, the authors present the latest research on ADHD and offer cutting-edge strategies for managing symptoms and harnessing the positive aspects of ADHD.

3. The Edison Gene: ADHD and the Gift of the Hunder Child by Thom Hartmann

I'm going to experiment with some of the things because I want to add value to the workplace and these are things that I've struggled with for most of my life so I want to have resources to help others thrive.

It is possible to be productive with ADHD. I've published four books, with one coming out, released 300+ podcast episodes, over 1000+ YouTube videos, and more. I prove it is possible with the right mindset, habits, routines, and boundaries. If this is helpful, post below, and I'll post more stories and tips for managing ADHD in future newsletter articles.

#ADHD #Resources #Acceptance