ADHD in the Workplace and Daily Exercise

Click the link above to listen to episode 1 which will cover coping with ADHD while working and fitting exercise into your daily routine!

ADHD in the Workplace

ADHD can affect you in the workplace, just like it affects you in school, the skills you need to thrive in the workplace are affected. You can end up losing a job, bouncing around, receiving bad performance reviews, etc. About 8 to 9 million American adults have ADHD and only half of those adults are able to hold down a full time job. Compare this to 72% of the population without ADHD who are able to hold down a job.

Before we begin, it is important to remember that everyone’s situation is different and you need to consider your own unique circumstance. What works for you, may not work for someone else. With mental health there is no black and white, right and wrong. Adjust accordingly.

You may find that your executive function abilities are affected in your performance at work. This includes:

Organization skills
Focus
Ability to sit through meetings
Project management/Case management
Trouble paying attention
Memory issues
Mental processing
Verbal fluency issues

Additionally, you may notice that the following is difficult for you:

Time management
Concentration
Getting and staying organized
Following directions
Listening and paying attention
Completing assignments
Attention to details
Arriving on time
Poor communication skills
Speaking when it’s your turn
Sitting still
Management emotions
Procrastination
Anger

I am sure you know the feeling when I say this shit ends up leading to depression and low self esteem. If you are not making deadlines, completing the work to your employer’s satisfaction, the self doubt alone can ruin your shit.

So we are here to tell you: You CAN keep a job!

First of all, if this all feels like you… go to the Doctor and get diagnosed. You want to make sure that you are able to be treated properly for your ADHD. The treatment plan includes medication and therapy. Therapy can come in many forms for ADHD. Some may see a therapist, an ADHD coach or even an occupational therapist. But practice is the key here! In order to improve your skills at anything, you need to practice.

When you are looking for a job, make sure that you find something that matches your interests, needs and abilities. Maybe more fast-paced with flexible hours, more stimulating, etc. Believe it or not, ADHD can actually be beneficial in starting your own business.

Regardless of where you are, there are great ways to help out with ADHD.

Quiet Work Space

A quiet work space will promote a distraction free environment…. If you set it up properly! Having a private work space is ideal or even working from home if you are lucky enough. If not, maybe you can work in an unused space where you can focus. While working, send your phone calls to voicemail and mute your notifications. Keep a notepad to write down ideas, thoughts and to dos. White noise is great for drowning out distractions around you that you cannot control.

Buddy Up

Find someone that you can buddy up with at work. Maybe this person has similar work to you, or you get along well with them. It is especially a good idea to have a mentor.

Time Management

If only this was an easy topic. We can try to sum it up the best we can. Timeline charts may be helpful in breaking up a project into smaller pieces and steps. Also, if you are like Fionna, you are visual! Colors and pictures are a visual learning dream. Consider having a system of rewards. This doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary. You could play some video games after 30 minutes of work, or take a walk outside (yikes). Setting alarms will help keep you on track. You may even want to set multiple reminders. One of the most important pieces is to overestimate the time it will take you to get a task done, that way you avoid overscheduling yourself.

Reminders

Memory sucks when you have ADHD. Get creative and find ways to remind yourself of things that need to be done. There are several ways you can start doing this. You can use a day planner, calendar (multiple calendars), use a task tracker, bulletin board, smart phone, to do lists, etc. We personally love bullet journaling…. but more on that later. You may even consider a tape recorder. Whatever you do, make sure to write…. that…. shit…. down. Seriously. Notes, stickies, word documents, etc. This can actually aid in being a hyperactivity buster too!

Plan Your Shit

Make sure you schedule a time for your emails, calls and meetings. Set realistic goals by using SMART goals. More on that later. Break up your assignment or task into smaller chunks, find yourself an accountability partner, ask for deadlines and expectations, work in a team or ask someone for guidance.

Treat Yo’ Self

If you think about life, there is a reward for everything. We work to get paid, we take care of our health to hopefully live older, etc. Some ideas of rewards are taking a walk, reading a magazine, etc. When you have big goals, maybe you can buy yourself a special lunch. Important note: moving helps the hyperactivity, if sedentary then you can add more movement with walking or dancing to make copies.

Delegate

Delegate what you can, maybe an assistant or intern can help you.

Relax

In the day to day I think we often forget that relaxation techniques really can do wonders for us. It helps us avoid impulsivity, anticipate problems that trigger impulsive behaviors, develop a routine, ask for feedback, etc.

To disclose or not to disclose.. that is the very important question… It is suggested not to tell your work place if you do not need accommodations, you are performing well or if you feel like there may be a discrimination issue. Although, that is a shitty ass reason not to. Do tell if you fear that you may lose your job because you do not have accommodation or are about to be fired.

It is difficult to live with ADHD and it does take a lot of work to function in a way that we are expected to. However, there are a few positives. This is a disability, technically your work must give you accommodations and not discriminate. ADHD comes with a lot of benefits: relentlessness and impulsive desires to try new shit are the best ones! Use your creativity, energy and strength and slay that bitch.

Daily Exercise

Including exercise into your routine is a common struggle in this day in age. It always seems like there is never enough time. But I am here to remind you of the importance of exercise, the endless benefits and integrating into your busy schedule.

One of the biggest reasons people exercise daily is to control their weight. This can be to gain weight, lose weight, or maintain weight. But there are many more reasons to continue exercising throughout your lifetime. Here are some of the benefits:

Reduce risk of heart disease
Help your body manage blood sugar and insulin levels
Help you quit smoking
Keep your thinking, learning and judging sharp
Help memory
Strengthen bones and muscles
Reduce risk of sme cancers
Reduce risks of falls
Improve your sleep
Improve your sexual health
Increase your chance of living longer
Increase energy levels
Help skin health
Help chronic pain
Can be fun and social
Improve self confidence
Enjoy the outdoors
Get more done
Increase creativity

But one of the greatest reasons we recommend our listeners to exercise is to improve your mental health and mood. Daily exercise can have all of these benefits and contribute to improving your mental health. Exercise reduces the risk of depression and helps reduce stress and anxiety. Majority of the challenges we encounter every day can be improved with daily exercise.

Exercise does not need to occur daily to reap the benefits but it is recommended that one exercises daily in order to maintain the habit. Additionally, it may seem easier to exercise every day for 20 minutes rather than a whole hour. The CDC recommends that people have at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. 20 minutes of moderate aerobic activity on a daily basis can get you to 150 minutes per week. And in turn you will reap the benefits listed above.

Here are some tips to incorporate exercise into your life daily:

Piece it together throughout the day
Exercise with a friend
Use a smart watch and/or reminders
Turn off the TV/phone/videogames/computer/etc to get yourself moving
Do workouts while watching/listening to TV/podcasts/music/etc
Sign up for a class
Plan it into your schedule
Reward yourself
Start small
Lay out your gear
Get out the door
Mix it up, make it fun
Get a rest day in when needed
Remove obstacles

Speak to your physician to get a better idea of your body’s needs. Make sure to stretch, warm up, drink water and cool down. Do not forget to listen to your body!

Disclaimer

This podcast includes explicit content, we discuss triggering material and are not mental health professionals. If you need immediate help please call the suicide hotline at 800-273-8255.