I need to start knuckling down & paying more attention at work. How do I do this ?

[kermitspants]

I WAH everyday. Fairly senior. I feel like I've scrapped through my last few reviews. I need to start producing more, paying more attention & just getting my head down.

How do I do this ?

Im part of a large department. I never listen in whole-of-department meetings. I seem to have somehow lost this skill (menopause?). Anything is more interesting than work whole WAH. I would rather cut the class with a pair of scissors! I can't change jobs, that is not an option.

I ‘hire an assistant’.

I am the assistant.

I give my ‘assistant’ an hour or so to really power through work and it really works for me.

This is why I can’t WFH. I’m way too distractible and if there are other things I’d rather be doing than work, I’ll do them.

Get back into the office and see how you go. Some of us need that structure and pressure to perform.

I also love the feeling of leaving the office at the end of a busy day and knowing the evening is ALL MINE to enjoy as I please with a clear, guilt free head.

DEFINITELY Pomodoro. It’s exactly what you need. Lots of websites that will do the pomodoro counting for you - zero effort to set up.

Always find this type of thread fascinating. What work are you actually supposed to be doing OP? You’re a senior person but nobody in your organisation minds/notices if you’re not doing any work? How long has it been going on? How can I get a job where I sit at home doing bugger all and getting paid for it?

Hi OP, it sounds a lot like ADHD.

What sort of job is it you have?

When I was feeling like this I started to wonder about ADHD too, did a lot of googling and reading about it (when I should have been working). Going back to the office was a miraculous cure 😖

My new boss has been singing my praises because I'm on top of everything. Finishing the day having worked hard and got lots done feels great. I used to have a constant nagging guilt about being shit and not doing enough.

I think go to the office every day, at least for a while, until you're back into a good work routine.

I do the odd day at home now and it's OK because I'm used to working hard again and can keep the momentum going. I won't let myself slip back and choose to spend most days in the office to make sure that doesn't happen.

It sounds like working from home is not suiting you.
It is working from home, not at home.
I would go to the office.
Whether is related to AHDS, not sure, but it makes sense.

Screams in ADHD can people stop suggesting this? Op says she has lost the ability to focus for work, suggesting she used to have the ability, if it was ADHD she would have always had problems with focusing as it's a developmental disorder which you have FROM BIRTH.

The amount of people I recently have had telling me 'oh i think I have adhd too' but they just... don't.

wfh is not working for you, can’t be bothered to get ready in the morning, getting kids to school and doing jobs around the house is not what working from home is intended for. You sound quite lazy to be honest and I think inevitably you will end up with no job which will help the not being bothered about it! You want the money but not the actual job !

She may have lost the ability to focus because for some many years before the pandemic, there were supports in place that mitigating to some extent the impact of ADHD. Such as being in the office, having a routine, the effect of body doubling etc. Then the pandemic arrived and these supports were taken away and all of a sudden these women are floundering.

Some people like cheese. Some don’t. Some people do well working from home. Some don’t. It’s nothing to with ADHD or any other armchair guff, it’s human nature. It sounds like you just need to get back to the office as WFH is not for you.
And for the love of all the gods can we PLEASE stop with the diagnoses of mental health issues just because someone is having a bit of difficulty with something or CBA. It’s insulting to people actually living with these conditions, and it’s also just an excuse for less than stellar behaviour a lot of the time.

I work in A&E , I’m going to ask my manager if I can work from home because I have kids to get to school, a dog to walk and tons of house work to do, do you think it will be allowed, and if not can I take it to acas, I mean it’s my right isn’t it, ( I love my job but only really want the money not the actual getting ready in the mornings, etc etc)it’s not bloody piss take!

Right but it seems more likely that as op says she is menopause age that it is due to that and she should get that checked out first. I've heard plenty of people complain about menopause symptoms that sound like my life every day, but it's all new to them. Doesn't it seem more likely that if she's been ok up til now that it might just be that??

I was about to respond with exactly the same thing. "I can't be bothered with things I don't like but CAN when I do like it. I must have ADHD" JFC

Except I could also write the OP, and I did the self diagnosis tool posted above and got 2 and 1 in each section. I never thought I had adhd, so it was done our of interest.

In my case, it comes from feeling pressure with "home jobs" and "work jobs" and there is a certain overwhelming feeling at work that it is impossible to get everything done. So it is tempting to get a "quick win" of whipping the hoover round or sticking the washing on. When I wfh I try to schedule these 10min jobs into my day: it follows my office's advice of moving a bit every hour and i don't do the social bit that I do in the office, so I'm not going to feel guilty for 10mins every 2 hours. Plus, I do well over my contracted hours each week.

And I know what OP means about not wanting the faff in the morning. But when I feel likebthat, it usually suggests I'm actually feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the work I need to do and feel I need to be at my desk ASAP. I'm still working out how to manage that stress

ADHD affects all areas of your life. OP seems to have no problem keeping on top of other things, like cleaning, which again points to being a perfectly normal human being, who's easily distracted because their job is boring AF and nobody's pulled them up on it.
Geez!

Then the pandemic arrived and these supports were taken away and all of a sudden these women are floundering.

Are you implying that some men do not also skive off work?

As many other pp have pointed out, ADHD affects ‘all’ aspects of life, not only just when you have the opportunity to get away with not doing a job that you are being paid to do.

To the OP & others pp who have this problem - Do your employers not use an application such as MS Teams, where all staff that are logged on are able to view everyone else’s MS Teams status (Available, Busy, In a Meeting, Do not Disturb, Away)?

Your online status would be ‘Offline’ or ‘Away’ most of the working day.

My work have reduced their desk space by 75% they saw an opportunity for cost saving in premises size, utilities etc. They have sublet some of the floor space/rooms. They now don’t stock the stationary cupboard or even provide washing up facilities - or teaspoons which is my biggest bug bare. So whilst some people are “taking the piss” employers have also seen this as an opportunity for cost saving and taken full advantage too.

We have occasions now where we want to/need to be in the office and are scrambling for desk space.

In my job that’s not unusual as I often deal with old paperwork.

That’s understandable depending on the job/task involved, if you’re travelling to meet clients at different sites or in a face-to-face meeting without needing to use your laptop the whole time.
My question was for the pp who doing everything else except for the work that they are getting paid to do.

Are people’s work Calendars not reflective of the main tasks that they are working on and meetings that they will be attending each day?

My employer has also done this, minus the stationary, washing up facilities and cutlery issues you’re experiencing.

Our office is increasingly becoming busier and the desk booking system is a nightmare! Often resulting in confrontational discussions over desks before you’ve even taken your coat off!

We also have a new Hybrid Locker system in place, which automatically pings open the locker doors at 5am!

i could have written your OP! This is such a helpful thread. Going to take notes from the most helpful posts and put into action.!

Commit to going into the office 4 days a week for a month. Evaluate at the end of the month.

Consider a sideways shift to a fast paced role where you are having to respond immediately rather than working on longer term projects. It's a bit scary but if it suits you, it could transform both your performance at work and your happiness.