To what extent should you make accommodations for "time blindness"?

[ChedderGorgeous]

If a worker says they have "time blindness", what extent, if any, should you make accommodations for them in the workplace ? For example should they always have a 15 minute grace period for meetings and any agenda items involving them be moved to later in the meeting as a matter of course? Should you not be able to schedule meetings with them which are time critical ? My feeling is that if someone has "time blindness" then they should make changes in their day to day management to accommodate this in order to work as per their contract, rather like someone who gets the train, might get the train before , to ensure they get to work even if there are rail delays . AIBU ?

Yes. I'm not for one moment suggesting that people don't have any accountability. As do employers to make reasonable adjustments under equalities legislation.

But some have mocked and called people piss takers, dumb, lazy etc...and claimed that it doesn't exist which is patently ignorant and ableist.

To answer ur question , as a person with time blindness who has adhd what happens with my children, yes they are late sometimes not everyday as I do try and use strategies, my mum was very clearly undiagnosed adhd and she would struggle to get me in school everyday and we lived across the road! When people who have conditions that effect everyday life it doesn't stop when u have children it actually makes its much worse as ur not just trying to care for ur self your having to care for your children! A little understanding and not so dismissiveness would help also! My friends understand when I'm late as I try hard in more offical appointments that I need to, and they know how difficult it is, I mean it also helps most have adhd themselves so usually later than me!

I find estimating time very difficult but for me it manifests in being very early to everything. I round up all estimates and by the time I've added 5 mins (to be safe) to each step I can easily be an hour early for an appointment. I was three hours early for all my final exams for my professional qualification. Even walking to the station - I know rationally it takes me 9 minutes but I always allow 15. It's weird.

And for all the people saying just set an alarm, I have short term memory issues so will just forget it my alarm has gone off so setting them for me is useless! Sticking to strict routine and using things like if tv is on I know what tv programme is on when I need to go drive my little one to school. I do hate that the issues relating to adhd are very much seen as excuses or laziness, just looking at this tread there is so little understanding. A lot of things many just take for granted can be so difficult for a person with adhd and their just isn't the acceptance I don't belive people should just be late for everything with no responsibility at trying to improve but the very quick dismissive or even the understanding that its actually a thing is pretty crappy!

If someone has a diagnosis of something that comes under the equality act, then if course you need to look at reasonable adjustments.

If you have the kind of memory lapses where you can't remember something that happened a few minutes then you would probably need someone to assist you in day to day living to be safe! These days you can use a watch or phone that will buzz an alarm every few minutes so it going off once isn't an issue.

I have ADHD myself and while it makes things difficult, it isn't an excuse to not use what is available and to learn strategies that fully compensate for the things you struggle with. We have ADHD we aren't mentally incompetent!

Incorrect. I'm gen x, don't have tiktok, DO have an ADHD diagnosis, part of which is time blindness.

Do you also say 'kids didn't have allergies in MY day!'? 🤦🏼‍♀️

Don't know why I was surprised to see so many ableist comments!

Some people with ADHD do need day to day assistance.

That's why it's possible to get high rate PIP.

@smoldragons probably a silly question but can you set that repeating alarm on an iPhone? So if the alarm goes off and you tap it to say yes I understand but then instantly get drawn back into the task you are doing, will it go off again? That might be helpful for ds.

Having said that I do think that it's generally underestimated just how exhausting it is to be doing all this stuff and also the impact of this sense of repeated failure. That can make my ds a bit resistant to strategies. I think that might come with maturity but also acceptance by others that this is a thing, not an excuse and he is trying hard, would be far more encouraging and make him more open to trying to combat it, rather than feeling defensive.

@smoldragons was not saying you underestimate the impact- I meant society generally.

I bet the time blindness would disappear if they had to pick up a cheque for a million pounds at a certain time

Genuinely depends on what else I had to do that day!

No neurological disorders don't just go poof at the sight of money.

If only they could!

How would an employer be able to make enough reasonable adjustments in order for a person who couldn't guarantee to be in a certain place at a certain time in order to collect a million pounds function adeuately to fulfill a role reliably?

Where have I said that its an excuse? I have very specifically said it shouldn't be used as an excuse and I wouldn't expect any adjustments in my work place just a little understanding. And we need to work ourselves at strategies !

I do not need to live in assisted living?! What unessassery comment! I use multi alarms if need to be awake going off every 5 minutes, but I can forget if I set one once which the point I was making!

Yes, because that's exactly how disabilities work. I bet paralysed Barbara would get up out of that wheelchair if she had to walk to a million pound cheque.

Erm, by allowing them to prioritise the collecting the million pounds?

I can guarantee to be on time for super important meetings. But to guarantee this, I have to deprioritise everything else. That isn’t possible for most meetings (or I’d never do any actual work).

As I’ve said previously, I actually have strategies that work around 90% of the time. Colleagues / managers are understanding for the other 10%.

This isn't about "paralysed Barbara" getting up out of her wheelchair. This is about time blindness.

comparing time blindness to being wheel chair bound is something

Would u suggest a disabled person would stop be being disabled if they was able to get millin pound check?! Like someone who uses a wheelchair, be able to walk to check or someone who is blind being able to see if they got a check? Can't u see how just disrespectful that comment is? The issues people face doesn't just go away when their is money given to them!

You don’t believe ADHD or dyslexia can be disabilities?

Not acknowledging hidden disabilities is quite something too.

I see someone has replied with what I was going to pretty much say! Wow ! There is some educating that society needs to do!

It was a good analogy from @Bumblebeestiltskin that nicely highlighted the ableism in that particular posters comment.