I love my job! ADHD/ADD bizarre story

[GrrrlPwr]

Has anyone else found themselves in a job that actually plays to their ADD strengths?

I've got a job that I love. After many years struggling in, what turns out to be, exactly the wrong job for me!

Has anyone else got a ADHD/ADD success story?

My brain does drive me mad quite often, but learning how to play to the strengths of it is proving to be a really good thing!

[birdling]

Interesting! I need to know what the job is, so that I can steer my DS in the right direction

[whinetime89]

Yes 🙋‍♀️ I am a Speech Pathologist and absolutely love my job, it is the perfect fit for me. I get paid to talk and play with kids all day- a mix of being active and using my brain :)

[lookingoutforlinda]

Oh I'd love to know your job too!

My teen was recently diagnosed with ADHD and is very bright but can't concentrate for long. I want to steer her in the right direction.

I've probably ADHD too but am too anxious about seeking assessment as I'm relatively successful and I think that's partly due to my choice of career. I underachieved at senior school and uni (couldn't just cram it all in night before exams).
Once in the workplace I did well. No reports or essays needed. My ADHD friend is a solicitor and is ready to have a breakdown. The workload is immense and highly stressful environment.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I have been in housing for decades. Never a dull moment, thinking outside the box, stressful (which is good for non-anxious ADHDers).

I'd also add facilitation. I've spoken a lot at conferences and the hands-on education with stress and thinking quickly works for me. Managing a large room of people because my attention can blip all over the place.

[paddlingon]

DH has been very successful in his sales/business career. He is now a very senior leader.

It has lots of travel (usually), meeting different people and setting up change. A focus on building relationships and thinking about new ways of doing things.

[paddlingon]

He also does a lot of public speaking and some teaching at Uni.

[GrrrlPwr]

There are others! Yay

I have hyper focus and then sometimes extreme destractability. I use coffee to help me focus.

I think fast on my feet. But some things I just can't get my head around. I used to feel really thick. But now I acknowledge I just am not good at that, and try and focus on the good things.

Operations are stressful- lots to remember, all in your head, high pressure. Not good!

Strategy work, project management- a perfect fit.

[Wombat64]

I've not been employed for years, I get stressed at making mistakes & get very tired. I sometimes wonder if I should get a job. My lovely DH laughs. 😁

Good to hear happy stories!

[FentonFenton]

School Admin Assistant. Doing lots of very different things including lots of walking outside between classrooms. Probably solving and tech/SIMS/excel stuff is my superpower.

[FleabittenGrey]

@Wombat64

I've not been employed for years, I get stressed at making mistakes & get very tired. I sometimes wonder if I should get a job. My lovely DH laughs. 😁

Good to hear happy stories!

I am exactly the same. I'm hugely grateful that DH is happy working full time, and I'm a homemaker. I'm trying very hard to give home making the attention that it deserves. Like you I get so stressed and so tired when I'm working. Dh sees me being at home as a luxury for him, as I do most of the chores and meals, and everything runs smoothly. It's chaos here when we're both working.
It's very nice to hear that some of you have found jobs that fit for you!

[GrrrlPwr]

But it's also good to find a happy relationship that suits you both.

I'm a disaster homemaker. I just want to do arty stuff. And I can't cook. Though that might be an extreme ADD failure on my part. I have zero interest, get so bored and so distracted.

For school leavers that actually have a diagnosis that's a good thing!
They can get in touch with what they are good at, what is really difficult and go towards what suits them. Hoping the school career services are better than when I was at school. My options as a girl- teacher or secretary. Fine jobs, but not the only jobs!

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I'm also a shit homemaker. Tidying is a three hour adventure in memories. And no tidying!

[AiyaNapawithmorenaps]

NHS medical secretary, definitely not what I expected and much more varied than I thought.
I think you have to make little adaptations for your ADD. So instead of asking the meds charts to be scanned I run between the wards doing the scanning and auditing. I offer to cover lots of different peoples jobs so it keeps it varied. Colleagues think it's generous, it's actually to keep me focussed. Also have hyper focus so work long days and short days which allow me to take maximum time to do jobs which I know are going to constantly absorb my concentration. Listening to music on headphones whilst doing mundane tasks. Oh and coffee.
Strangely I also find fasting helps my concentration. On days when I eat im a frazzled scatty mess!

[ThrowawaySecondarySchool]

School data manager. Quite varied day to day, lots of little tasks and problem solving. Lots of structure as there's a yearly calendar so I know the big things coming up. Also structure because it's a school and a way things are done. I work school hours only so no time to let my mind wander.

[GrrrlPwr]

Omg structure. Yes I'm a mess without structure. Key to being productive

[TrainspottingWelsh]

Yes, without being too specific construction industry. About 50% of the time we're operating in crisis mode, which I thrive on. Being able to recall random irrelevant shit, that nobody else noticed at the time because they were paying attention to the subject in hand, much further down the line when it can provide the solution. Thinking outside the box. The advantages of a lifetime experience of keeping track of multiple tasks/ lines of thought simultaneously. Hyper focus for complex tasks. No day being the same etc etc.

[MistySkiesAfterRain]

@whinetime89

Yes 🙋‍♀️ I am a Speech Pathologist and absolutely love my job, it is the perfect fit for me. I get paid to talk and play with kids all day- a mix of being active and using my brain :)

Oh wow I have always been curious about this. I was at uni with someone doing applied linguistics. Off to google.

[MistySkiesAfterRain]

@AiyaNapawithmorenaps

NHS medical secretary, definitely not what I expected and much more varied than I thought.
I think you have to make little adaptations for your ADD. So instead of asking the meds charts to be scanned I run between the wards doing the scanning and auditing. I offer to cover lots of different peoples jobs so it keeps it varied. Colleagues think it's generous, it's actually to keep me focussed. Also have hyper focus so work long days and short days which allow me to take maximum time to do jobs which I know are going to constantly absorb my concentration. Listening to music on headphones whilst doing mundane tasks. Oh and coffee.
Strangely I also find fasting helps my concentration. On days when I eat im a frazzled scatty mess!

Fascinating thank you.

[MistySkiesAfterRain]

Bid writing, deadlines keep me focused, can alternate between doing one bid at a time or working on three or four, lots of alone time which stops sensory overload. Strategies - blocking out planning time, motivational music, keeping to a system and having accountability.

[nothanksbarb]

Wow, this is so interesting and also really heartening to read 🥰 I'm a stay at home
Mum and I am TERRIBLE at it. Desperate to find a career/job that suits my 'strengths' but I am yet to really figure out what those are. After spending so many years being told I was stupid and scatty it's hard to undo the negative self talk!

[NothingIsWrong]

@TrainspottingWelsh

Yes, without being too specific construction industry. About 50% of the time we're operating in crisis mode, which I thrive on. Being able to recall random irrelevant shit, that nobody else noticed at the time because they were paying attention to the subject in hand, much further down the line when it can provide the solution. Thinking outside the box. The advantages of a lifetime experience of keeping track of multiple tasks/ lines of thought simultaneously. Hyper focus for complex tasks. No day being the same etc etc.

I think you are basically me, actually. Love construction!

[MistySkiesAfterRain]

Other things that help at different times : probiotics, coenzyme Q10, B6, Zinc, effervescent Vitamin C, green or matcha tea, Sudafed, going for a walk, exercise bike, Power of Three (pick three things), bullet points, post it notes, spreadsheets, half day of fasting improves focus, high protein, Omega 3, vitamin D, only have breakfast after doing an hour or two of work, Focus Mate, salty crisps, standing desk - I have tried a lot of things!

[cheapskatemum]

DS1, whom I'm sure has ADD, has done really well in recruitment.

[TrainspottingWelsh]

@NothingIsWrong
Yes it's fab isn't it? I can't imagine even 5% of what I've naturally said or done today going down too well if I worked in some industries, but in mine it was not just acceptable but exactly what is required

[GrrrlPwr]

I think omega oil supplements have made a bit of a difference too. Slightly less scatty.
But deadlines are essential. Hyper focus is like a really strange super-power.