Many people with ADHD find it hard to hold down a job. Difficulties include time keeping, prioritising, forgetting things, boredom, personal relationships, taking criticism and being organised. I’ve been in the same job for years, and that’s because it’s been super interesting and every day, week and year has been different. I’ve learned how to function, and function well because I’m passionate about my work and hyper-focused a lot of the time.
Let’s have a look at some tips for addressing some of these difficulties. Time keeping – suggestions include using multiple alarms, music tracks, keeping daily items in one place, and getting enough sleep using a sleep routine. Prioritising – tips include using techniques like Pomodoro, flow sessions, and project management tools. Scheduled meetings can kickstart an important task, and provide accountability.
Forgetting things – people suggest making check lists, using calendars and project management tools, placing objects in obvious places and sticking notes around the work space. Forming good habits is key, and getting into a routine can help muscle memory and daily and weekly tasks. Being organised is a struggle, and there are plenty of apps and tools to help.
Boredom – this is a hard one as it often leads to procrastination and then panic. Some tasks are very dull and no amount of willpower will make it happen. Suggestions include rewards for completion, taking small steps and making a game of it. The boredom might lie in a routine over months and years, and a change of job or career can be stressful. Research, reconnaissance and voluntary work can help with the transition.
Personal relationships can make or break a job, and our colleagues, managers or staff play a big part in our lives for good or ill. Bullying, power plays and harsh criticism can lead to anxiety and poor performance. This can spiral into low morale and leaving the job or being sacked. However with the right support, encouragement and positivity we can flourish. Good colleagues will recognise our strengths and help us learn and improve.
Motivation is key – we struggle to develop and practice a strategy unless it’s interesting, challenging, novel or urgent (see ICNU). The holy grail is finding a job we love or at least like, which often involves helping others and developing good supportive relationships with colleagues. We want to be empowered to grow and progress and take ownership of our work, and feel proud of our contribution. This keeps us interested and invested.
