How to Succeed in Your Career with Adult ADHD
Have yourself evaluated., Cut down on outside distractions., Work on internal distractions., Make yourself aware of the time., Consider medication., Talk to your boss., Be willing to put in more time when you need to., Move around when you can., Use...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Have yourself evaluated.
It is important to get a professional evaluation to diagnose ADHD.
Allow a professional to examine how you conduct yourself at work, noting the things you do best and the things that need improvement.
This evaluation can help you learn where your strengths and weaknesses are, so you can adapt your work style to do better at the office.The reason a professional evaluation is important is that a career counselor or therapist can help you see things that you may be blind to.
In turn, you can work to change some of the things that cause you problems. -
Step 2: Cut down on outside distractions.
Stressors and distractions can lead to you being less productive.
If you can cut some of those distractions out, you may find you are able to work better.
In some cases, you may need to work with your boss to cut down distractions.One way you can cut down on distractions is to do part of your work when fewer people are at the office.
For instance, you may find that coming in early works better for you than coming in at the regular time.
Try metaphorically or literally closing the door.
If you have a private office, shut the door to cut down on distractions.
If you don't have a private office, try moving to an empty conference room or putting in headphones with white noise or wearing earplugs to help limit distractions.
Cut out visual distractions, too, by facing a wall and keeping your office neat., Some of your distractions come from within, whether from boredom or creativity, and you need to work on those, too.
They can be just as detrimental to your productivity, as you're working against yourself.For instance, one internal distraction is daydreaming.
If you find yourself daydreaming a lot, that's a sign you're bored and trying to avoid work.
You may need to find ways to make it more interesting.
You may also find yourself interrupted by ideas.
For creative ideas, keep a notepad nearby where you can write them down and move on.
Also, you can be distracted by suddenly remembering you need to do something.
Cut down on these by buying a planner and keeping a to-do list.
Try setting aside a little time throughout the day to allow yourself to be distracted, such as by setting a timer on your phone to go off every 30 minutes and taking a few minutes each time it goes off to be distracted. , While hyperfocusing can be an advantage for getting things done, it can also cause you to lose track of the time, which can be detrimental to other projects.
Try to make sure you are aware of the time by setting alarms on your phone or your computer to remind you of the time and bring you back to reality., While medication is not the answer for everybody, it may help you do better in the workplace.
ADHD medications can help you focus, which in turn can help you be more productive and efficient.
Talk to your doctor or a psychiatrist to determine if medication is a good option for you.Also, make sure you talk to your doctor about having a medication to cover you for the whole day.
For instance, depending on when you get to and leave work, an eight-hour pill may not do it.
You may need to take a four-hour pill in the afternoon.
Keep in mind that stimulant medications can interfere with your sleep, so it is best to avoid taking these medications in the late afternoon or evening.
Let your doctor know if you begin to have trouble falling or staying asleep. , While you can't expect to have every need accommodated, talking to your boss about how you work best can help them understand you better.
In turn, they may be willing to adjust their management style a bit to help you work better.For example, people with ADHD often work better in an environment that has some accountability, where you must check-in, but that also has a bit of flexibility when it comes to time management.
Try asking your boss to work with you to make a detailed schedule of the day, so you know what to do and when to do it. , As an ADHD adult, you'll likely have times where you can't be as productive as you need to be because you're distracted and your work is expecting high demand.
That means that you'll have to put in the extra time to make up for it, so you stay on top of your work., If you are affected by the hyperactivity part of ADHD, you should try to move around when you can.
For instance, stand up and walk when you're on the phone, or go see a colleague who you need to converse with.
By moving around, you'll help yourself focus when you do sit back down.Other similar adjustments may help.
For instance, you may like a standing desk, or you may need "fidget" toys around to help you stay focused. , Adults with ADHD tend to have the ability to hyperfocus on things that truly interest them.
That's an advantage in the workplace because it means you can get a lot done in a short time if you're interested in what you're doing.That often means that you can get significantly more done than your coworkers in a short time, something your boss will appreciate.
In turn, your boss will likely be willing to give you more projects based on your interest. , One way to succeed as an adult with ADHD is to pick a career that is relatively active.
If you have ADHD, you may not be satisfied with an 8-to-5 office job, as you prefer to be more active.
Therefore, look at career fields that will keep you going throughout the day, so you'll have a better chance of succeeding."Active" doesn't necessarily to refer to being physically active.
A career that is mentally engaging and fast-paced can be just as good for you as a physically active one.
Some good career fields for adults with ADHD include entertainment, sales, politics, and emergency medical. , When choosing a career field, whether for the first time or mid-career, it's important to evaluate a new field before jumping in.
If you are mid-career, you may find you have as much trouble succeeding in that field as you do currently in your career.
If you're just starting out, you want to pick a career that will help you be successful.Do research on your new field.
Research online to see what the work entails.
However, don't just stick to online research.
Contact someone in the field to figure out what the day-to-day looks like.
You can even ask to shadow someone to figure out if the work is something you're interested in. , Even if you don't pick a career field that is active overall, you should pick a job in that field that IS active.
Most career fields have less active and more active jobs, so consider switching over to one you find engaging, if possible.For instance, if your job is exclusively paperwork, you may be happier in an area (in the same field) where you work with people more. -
Step 3: Work on internal distractions.
-
Step 4: Make yourself aware of the time.
-
Step 5: Consider medication.
-
Step 6: Talk to your boss.
-
Step 7: Be willing to put in more time when you need to.
-
Step 8: Move around when you can.
-
Step 9: Use your ability to hyperfocus to your advantage.
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Step 10: Pick an active career.
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Step 11: Evaluate different fields of interest.
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Step 12: Find a job that's a good fit.
Detailed Guide
It is important to get a professional evaluation to diagnose ADHD.
Allow a professional to examine how you conduct yourself at work, noting the things you do best and the things that need improvement.
This evaluation can help you learn where your strengths and weaknesses are, so you can adapt your work style to do better at the office.The reason a professional evaluation is important is that a career counselor or therapist can help you see things that you may be blind to.
In turn, you can work to change some of the things that cause you problems.
Stressors and distractions can lead to you being less productive.
If you can cut some of those distractions out, you may find you are able to work better.
In some cases, you may need to work with your boss to cut down distractions.One way you can cut down on distractions is to do part of your work when fewer people are at the office.
For instance, you may find that coming in early works better for you than coming in at the regular time.
Try metaphorically or literally closing the door.
If you have a private office, shut the door to cut down on distractions.
If you don't have a private office, try moving to an empty conference room or putting in headphones with white noise or wearing earplugs to help limit distractions.
Cut out visual distractions, too, by facing a wall and keeping your office neat., Some of your distractions come from within, whether from boredom or creativity, and you need to work on those, too.
They can be just as detrimental to your productivity, as you're working against yourself.For instance, one internal distraction is daydreaming.
If you find yourself daydreaming a lot, that's a sign you're bored and trying to avoid work.
You may need to find ways to make it more interesting.
You may also find yourself interrupted by ideas.
For creative ideas, keep a notepad nearby where you can write them down and move on.
Also, you can be distracted by suddenly remembering you need to do something.
Cut down on these by buying a planner and keeping a to-do list.
Try setting aside a little time throughout the day to allow yourself to be distracted, such as by setting a timer on your phone to go off every 30 minutes and taking a few minutes each time it goes off to be distracted. , While hyperfocusing can be an advantage for getting things done, it can also cause you to lose track of the time, which can be detrimental to other projects.
Try to make sure you are aware of the time by setting alarms on your phone or your computer to remind you of the time and bring you back to reality., While medication is not the answer for everybody, it may help you do better in the workplace.
ADHD medications can help you focus, which in turn can help you be more productive and efficient.
Talk to your doctor or a psychiatrist to determine if medication is a good option for you.Also, make sure you talk to your doctor about having a medication to cover you for the whole day.
For instance, depending on when you get to and leave work, an eight-hour pill may not do it.
You may need to take a four-hour pill in the afternoon.
Keep in mind that stimulant medications can interfere with your sleep, so it is best to avoid taking these medications in the late afternoon or evening.
Let your doctor know if you begin to have trouble falling or staying asleep. , While you can't expect to have every need accommodated, talking to your boss about how you work best can help them understand you better.
In turn, they may be willing to adjust their management style a bit to help you work better.For example, people with ADHD often work better in an environment that has some accountability, where you must check-in, but that also has a bit of flexibility when it comes to time management.
Try asking your boss to work with you to make a detailed schedule of the day, so you know what to do and when to do it. , As an ADHD adult, you'll likely have times where you can't be as productive as you need to be because you're distracted and your work is expecting high demand.
That means that you'll have to put in the extra time to make up for it, so you stay on top of your work., If you are affected by the hyperactivity part of ADHD, you should try to move around when you can.
For instance, stand up and walk when you're on the phone, or go see a colleague who you need to converse with.
By moving around, you'll help yourself focus when you do sit back down.Other similar adjustments may help.
For instance, you may like a standing desk, or you may need "fidget" toys around to help you stay focused. , Adults with ADHD tend to have the ability to hyperfocus on things that truly interest them.
That's an advantage in the workplace because it means you can get a lot done in a short time if you're interested in what you're doing.That often means that you can get significantly more done than your coworkers in a short time, something your boss will appreciate.
In turn, your boss will likely be willing to give you more projects based on your interest. , One way to succeed as an adult with ADHD is to pick a career that is relatively active.
If you have ADHD, you may not be satisfied with an 8-to-5 office job, as you prefer to be more active.
Therefore, look at career fields that will keep you going throughout the day, so you'll have a better chance of succeeding."Active" doesn't necessarily to refer to being physically active.
A career that is mentally engaging and fast-paced can be just as good for you as a physically active one.
Some good career fields for adults with ADHD include entertainment, sales, politics, and emergency medical. , When choosing a career field, whether for the first time or mid-career, it's important to evaluate a new field before jumping in.
If you are mid-career, you may find you have as much trouble succeeding in that field as you do currently in your career.
If you're just starting out, you want to pick a career that will help you be successful.Do research on your new field.
Research online to see what the work entails.
However, don't just stick to online research.
Contact someone in the field to figure out what the day-to-day looks like.
You can even ask to shadow someone to figure out if the work is something you're interested in. , Even if you don't pick a career field that is active overall, you should pick a job in that field that IS active.
Most career fields have less active and more active jobs, so consider switching over to one you find engaging, if possible.For instance, if your job is exclusively paperwork, you may be happier in an area (in the same field) where you work with people more.
About the Author
Shirley Howard
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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