HELP! ADHD symptom affecting my business

[Former]

I really didn't know where to put this thread, so if there's a better place please let me know.

The ADHD symptoms I experience are really affecting my life, but I have got some advice on how to handle some of them.

To function I need step by step instructions to draw my attention back, as my mind goes blank I become frantically nervous and I can't get back to focusing. Even when I know a procedure I have a written instruction in front of me for when my mind goes blank and starts spinning.

That worked ok in the office (and I passed all my audits), but now I have one-on-one clients and I don't want them to see me reading instructions, as they will think I don't know what I'm doing and it will look like I'm unprofessional! I would not know what to say if they questioned me on why I was looking at instructions or worse said nothing but didn't return!

Psychiatrists who deal with ADHD say to use these step by step instructions too. I had an idea of using images, as prompts too but I can't draw. Is there a place to find little pictures of anything that I can print really small, or that I can trace?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Please help!

Would emojis work?? If you knew what they meant?
Or having the steps on a tablet/screen/portfolio case that looks professional but clients can't see what you are looking at?

I'm currently trying to understand this as my DH has ADHD and is trying to start a business (within the industry he knows) so trying to float ideas to him

Can you give us an example of what a set of these instructions looks like - how many words etc.?

I've actually started telling some of my clients that I have ADHD as sometimes I need them to do things differently to get the best possible outcome from working with me. Nobody should mind you using a prompt if you are very good at what you do.

If there are enough emojis that I need that could be an option, but I will need to find a way to print them.

So it is literally bullet points with 1-3 lines

Step 1 measure 3cm

Step 3 Take the number from .... put it in the ...

Step 4 Get this tool and do abc with it

It's really worked for me in the office setting, that I literally would pass all the audits. Some colleagues would notice my book open and criticise my method and say what do you have that for, but they were the ones that would forget things and cause more work and complaints from other customers and colleagues.

The thing is if they were critical if it I am anxious as to what my one on one clients would think. It upsets me as it's a way I cope and it's worked well thus far. I just don't want them to noticing me doing it and thinking I'm unprofessional.

@70sDuvet There are methods that people with ADHD can use to mitigate symptoms. It's hard but what I do is think about my symptoms and look for advice for how to manage or find solutions for them.