Is ADHD affecting your confidence?

This article is primarily focused on the workplace but nearly all of the strategies can be applied to your personal life. 
 
So first things first. As Ellie Middleton says in her book Unmasked, you are not less, you are different. I am going to use her suggestion of referring to anyone with ADHD as an ADHDer, it makes you part of a community and all humans need to be part of a community to achieve optimal health.

If you have spent years thinking that the world of work is just not made for you then it is time to consider what changes can be made to accommodate you. If you have spent years thinking that the world more generally is not designed for you, it is time to consider what you can do to help yourself to cope. 

ADHD: Hyperfocus and procrastination

The definition of ADHD isn’t always helpful, ADHD is not a deficit of attention, it is a difference in the way that the brain regulates attention. Hyperfocus is as common as un-sustained attention, hyperactivity is as common as procrastination. ADHDers are some of the best brains in history. When focused, ADHDers can work at double speed relative to their peers. However, inconsistency can cause conflicting emotions and confusion leading to a loss of confidence. When lacking in confidence, ADHDers can lose all motivation and feelings of guilt and shame are common.

The workplace

Whether you have Inattentive ADHD (difficulty sustaining attention and organisation, trouble staying on task and completing activities) or Hyperactive ADHD (impulsive excessive physical restlessness with impulsive behaviour and interruptions) or a combination of both, (the most common) the following solutions could be helpful.

Environment

An overload of sensory stimulation, sounds, smells, bright lights, and hustle and bustle can make for an unbearable environment for someone with ADHD. Below are some suggestions of how to make it more comfortable.
 
A quiet desk – ask your employer to give you a desk in a quiet corner, further away from distractions. Noise-cancelling headphones can help. Use a standing desk if you need to move around while working. Ask for an allocated desk to avoid hot desking if possible.
 
A chill-out room – This isn’t always possible, but an ideal solution for someone needing to emotionally regulate is a space with calm lighting, bean bags, white noise. Mood swings and irritability are a common part of ADHD impairing the ability to regulate feelings. This can be stressful in a busy office. A separate space dedicated to being calm is advantageous to everyone, but particularly those suffering from over stimulation.

Strategies

Information – Before a meeting ask your team to provide an agenda so that there is time to prepare. Surprises are stressful. Ask for clarity when given a task, ask what exactly is expected of you, when it is to be done by and why it is important. If you understand fully you will be more motivated to stay on task.
 
Flexible hours - Ask your employer if you can be in the office for the hours of the day when you function best, maybe mornings only or work from home every other day. ADHDers can work at double speed, but need more time to process and recover. Try to avoid rush hour with overcrowded trains and roads, so arrive before or after the chaos. Have lunch before or after the main rush too.
 
Tech help – to aid with short-term memory and hyperactivity the following tech solutions can help. Using apps like Otter.ai to record meetings, and Dragon speech recognition software so you can move around and dictate. Use closed captions on Google Meet so you can read as well as hear the meeting and use a digital notepad to organise your notes in one place rather than rely on pieces of paper.

Motivation

Create motivators to sustain attention. Low attention can lead to careless mistakes. Impulsive nature and chronic procrastination will be less of a challenge when you feel motivated. If you are not familiar with how to become motivated, work with a coach to identify what matters to you, what you want to achieve and how to take the first steps in this direction.
 
Novelty – New and stimulating tasks are more appealing than repetitive tasks. Stimulation makes it easier to maintain focus. Break large tasks up into smaller parts and do them on rotation to keep each one feeling new.
 
Routine – Organisation and planning can be challenging so having a sense of routine allows you to keep track of time, segmenting your tasks into defined periods of the day. This also helps avoid procrastination or hesitation with initiating a task. Have a deadline to create a sense of urgency.
 
Interest – Work out what your interests and strengths are and inform your boss. If you can work to your strengths you can bring your ability to focus and process fast to the advantage of your team.
 
Challenge – everyone needs to be challenged in order to be fulfilled. Find someone else in the office to compete against on a deadline, or set yourself a personal best for a piece of work.

ADHD and you

An ongoing struggle to keep others happy can mean ADHDers can lose track of their own desires. Try and remember what you enjoyed as a child, chances are this will still be relevant. Tap into this and do something for you for at least 10 minutes every day.
 
Be kind to yourself. Listen to your body and take a break when you know you need one. Be careful with the words you use in your internal dialogue. Your inner script is the main voice in your life, keep it positive. Congratulate yourself each day for what you have done well.
 
Forgive yourself for the things you struggle with but do take the time to recognise them. Inform others who are close to you and who you can trust to support you in your learning to manage.
 
If you are asked to do something that you feel overwhelmed by, don’t panic. Explain to others that what they are asking of you is not something you can easily manage, and you need time to clarify the task before accepting it. If it doesn’t feel possible for you explain why. This will help those around you to learn what does work for you and save you both from future unsuitable requests.
 
Put time aside for your special interests. Focus on your strengths. Spend time with other neurodivergent people. Society needs you. So, be bold, be brave and be you.
 
Working through all of this, or even knowing where to start, can feel like a big task. Find a coach or therapist who you feel you could connect with and work with them to get you started.