Tips, tricks and tools to help with ADHD at work

[happygertie]

I start a new job in the new year and am looking at ways to help me be organised, stay focused and do a good job, I want to thrive. I have got so bogged down in my current role avoiding tricky tasks and often get complete mental paralysis and cannot stay on task longer to complete it.

I really want to be better and do better. It is an office based role Nd I will have completing tasks and actions of varying priorities.

im happy to throw some money at this if there’s anything anyone has found helpful in a similar situation

Ok quite basic so apologies for that - but I don’t drink any caffeine before lunchtime as it stops me focusing. I’m better with a protein based breakfast and I make lists. Good luck and congratulations !

Get an ADHD coach. Will be worth it to help you find the strategies that work and to provide accountability. You could apply for Access to Work to fund it, along with a workplace needs assessment to help with any accommodations that might be helpful. I’d probably apply now as there is a long wait

Vote 2 for protein based breakfast, lists and break the tricky tasks down into really small parts. For me often I say tomyself - I’ll just stand up. And then that’s enough to get me going.
If you take medication for your adhd try to do the tricky tasks in the morning when it’s working in your system.
And take timed breaks every so often.

Not ADHD, but I have exec function difficulties/ dyslexia.

For me my to do list has to be on paper. I’ve found flags on emails that have been there for months, but flags/categories on emails works for some people.

I use the page per day strategy. I have a to do list each day, sometimes I’m rewriting things, sometimes I’m adding new things for the day. If something has to be done first it goes at the tip of the page with a gap between it and the rest of the list.

I write notes from meetings on the same page and cross things out that have been dealt with.

I’m also a big fan of my outlook calendar and always set pop up/ reminders. I colour code everything - somethings are reoccurring and others are one off, but I use it religiously - it kind of looks like a school timetable and I skim over it frequently, but I’m always suprised when I get a 15 min warning pop up for a meeting or a call.