Manage your ADHD to get your work done

Having ADHD doesn't mean that you can't hold a job or do your job well. Most adults with ADHD can succeed in their careers because they know how to manage their condition at work. The following tips can help you get through the workday with minimal stress, allowing you to achieve your daily goals.

1. Educate Yourself and Others: According to Harvard University, ADHD is one of the most misdiagnosed and misunderstood mental disorders, especially in adults. Before you can start managing your condition at work, you need to understand as much about your condition as possible so you can help friends and family learn how they can support you better.
   
   Whether or not you want to discuss ADHD with your supervisor may depend on your relationship with them.
2. Find a Support System: According to the Mayo Clinic, ADHD can result in missed appointments, missed deadlines, and impulsive or irrational decisions. This can affect your work performance and can cause a strain in your relationships with co-workers and supervisors.
   
   The best way to prevent issues at work is to find a group of friends there who you can trust and who are willing to help you. They can help you stay on track and keep you organized, and they can also help pick you up when you feel down and be your support system. Having people who understand your condition and are watching out for you can help make your workday more manageable.
3. Schedule Downtime: Downtime is essential even if you don't have ADHD. And if you do, it's even more crucial.You may think that working through your breaks will help improve your work performance and show your supervisors how dedicated you are. But skipping breaks will only make things worse.
   
   Adults with ADHD need to relax and recharge during the day to stay focused on the task at hand. So take your breaks and spend them doing something relaxing, such as taking a walk, listening to music, or sitting alone quietly.
4. Accept Yourself For Who You Are: Ignoring your ADHD won't help your situation. Your condition can affect your ability to stay organized, and pretending there isn't a reason can cause added stress.
   
   It's important to understand that you aren't the only person at your job who has areas of strength and weakness. Understanding that not everyone is the perfect employee will help reduce stress when you feel like you are failing.
5. Create a Plan to Add Structure to Your Day: The right work environment and structure can help you manage your ADHD at work.
   
   First, create a work environment without distractions. Keeping your phone in a drawer is a start, and it’s best to remove anything that can distract you from work from your workspace.
   
   Next, create a short, realistic must-do list every day, which will help you complete your tasks before you leave for the day. Have no more than three essential tasks that must be completed that day. When each task is complete, cross it off. This will give you a sense of accomplishment, which can help relieve your stress.
   
   List no more than 3 tasks you MUST complete that day. A long unrealistic list just adds stress.

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6. Prioritize: Keeping a list of tasks in your head can cause you to become overwhelmed and stressed. If there are too many things on your to-do list, your sense of overwhelm may paralyze you, which won't help your work performance. The best way to ensure your work is getting done is to prioritize each task in order of importance, allowing you to get things done and make your deadlines.
7. Delegate: If your to-do list is too long for you to complete by the deadline, there is nothing wrong with delegating small tasks to other people. Delegating will reduce your stress level and ensure the job will get done on time.
   
   (Make a note to yourself to check in and make sure the delegated task is done!)

Understanding how to manage ADHD at work can ease your workday and make you more productive, which can help advance your career.

Written for thrivewithadd.com by Andrea Poteet-Bell

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