Culture 5 min read

A Simple Telecommuting Guide for Adults with ADHD

elenabsl / Shutterstock.com

elenabsl / Shutterstock.com

The novel coronavirus continues to spread in the United States, forcing several businesses to shutdown. As a result, millions of employees now have to work from home, and it includes adults with ADHD.

According to an estimate, roughly 8 to 9 million American adults have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Now, almost half of these adults have to work from home — some for the first time.

But, the process is not that simple.

Combining the new autonomy and responsibility with the challenges of juggling kids that are home from school can cause anxiety. Then there’s the issue of the shifting pandemic crisis, which brings new worries.

So, it’s a big adjustment for anyone, especially for workers with ADHD. But before we suggest ways to adapt to working from home, let’s begin with a basic introduction.

A Little Bit About Adults ADHD

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that comes with a combination of consistent problems.

These include hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, and difficulty paying attention. Adult ADHD can also result in an unstable relationship, as well as shoddy work and school performance.

Although medical professionals refer to the disorder as adult ADHD, symptoms start early in childhood and continue into adulthood.

Hyperactivity may decrease as a child grows into adults. However, restlessness, impulsiveness, and difficulty paying attention often persist.

As an adult with ADHD knows, staying on task can be a bit of a challenge. And that’s what you must do when working from home.

5 Telecommuting Tips for Adults with ADHD

Along with taking medications, adults with ADHD that are teleworking must avoid distractions at all cost.
Image Credit: Free-Photos | pixabay.com

Along with taking medications, adults with ADHD that are teleworking must avoid distractions at all cost. Other tips include creating a dedicated workspace and staying connected to others.

Let’s delve a little deeper.

1. Avoid All Distractions

In many ways, working from home comes down to your ability to sit and remain focused long enough to get the job done. But it’s not nearly as easy as it sounds.

Whether you’re considering a snack or thinking of the dirty dishes, there’s always home stuff to distract. As such, you must block out all the noise if necessary.

For example, you could get a white noise machine to block out the household noise. You could also listen to classical music while you are working.

It is also advisable to use tools that could help you stay focus on your work. Some of these tools are INK, WakeUpLand, Doodle, and Penzu, to name a few.

Another way to remain on task is to create a rigid working schedule. Understand the time of the day that you work optimally and set up a daily routine to help with discipline and productivity.

2. Create a Dedicated Work Station

The ADHD mind tends to move always. As a result, many people with this disorder have trouble getting into something and sticking with it.

As you can imagine, the distraction problem could only get worse when you’re telecommuting. An effective way to combat the boredom that comes with working from home is to create a dedicated workspace.

Think of this workspace as a sanctuary for the next 10-12 hours that you intend to spend there.

It should be neat, organized, and completely television-free. You may want to consider a standing desk for its health benefits. Also, include some office plants for the soothing effect.

3. Communication is Key

One of the problems with telecommuting is the disconnect with others. After setting up your workspace, it’s easy to forget the outside world and remain in that little bubble.

But, an essential part of working from home is maintaining regular contact with your co-workers. This is especially true if you’re part of a team.

You must update your colleagues, bosses, and clients about your whereabouts as well as the status of current projects. Moreover, chit-chat with others will help you feel less isolated.

So, pick up the phone and make a call. Use Skype and Google Hangouts to have video chats with your colleagues. These face-to-face conversations are usually more open.

4. Use Memory Aids

During online meetings, you could find yourself thinking about how you need to buy groceries. That’s fine; sessions can be tedious — whether online or offline.

To prevent your mind from drifting during these meetings, consider taking a lot of notes. Jot the things that you need to remember on a sticky note or your smartphone. Then, put the notes in a place that you’ll quickly see them.

Aside from helping you remain focus during meetings, these memory aids can also help remember the task at hand.

5. Prioritize Your Tasks

At this point, you have already established a daily routine. Also, you have a dedicated workspace to help you focus on your work. The final step involves prioritizing your task.

Consider making a list of the three most important tasks that you must complete before the day’s end.

So, when you wake up every morning, ask yourself: “If I only accomplish three things, what should they be?” Then, go ahead and make those items your priority for the day.

Read More: Telework: A Simple Guide to Help you Work From Home Efficiently

First AI Web Content Optimization Platform Just for Writers

Found this article interesting?

Let Sumbo Bello know how much you appreciate this article by clicking the heart icon and by sharing this article on social media.


Profile Image

Sumbo Bello

Sumbo Bello is a creative writer who enjoys creating data-driven content for news sites. In his spare time, he plays basketball and listens to Coldplay.

Comments (0)
Most Recent most recent
You
share Scroll to top

Link Copied Successfully

Sign in

Sign in to access your personalized homepage, follow authors and topics you love, and clap for stories that matter to you.

Sign in with Google Sign in with Facebook

By using our site you agree to our privacy policy.