Like many women in their thirties, I was furloughed during the first lockdown in 2020. With my newfound free time, I downloaded TikTok. Before long, the algorithm started showing me videos made by women around my age talking about ADHD. A lot of what they described rang true: trouble with focus, procrastination, emotional dysregulation, task paralysis, forgetfulness and time blindness. I fell down a rabbit hole of research, and eighteen months later I received my ADHD diagnosis and began medication.
Before lockdown, I had spent my career working full time in high-pressure jobs, often in noisy open-plan offices. My days were full of calls and meetings, and I regularly stayed late on Friday nights, after everyone else had gone home, just to get some deep work done. The quiet, empty office let me concentrate in a way that wasn’t possible during the day.
Most weekends, I’d write myself an enormous to-do list of chores and life admin. Then I’d spend the whole weekend stuck on the sofa, unable to start anything, and feel frustrated and guilty by Sunday evening.
Since my diagnosis, I’ve done a lot of reflecting and learning about ADHD, how it shows up for me and, most importantly, how to work with my brain rather than against it. My work life is now completely different. If you’re wondering whether some of this sounds familiar, the NHS guide to ADHD in adults is a good place to start, and we’ve written about signs of ADHD in women that are easy to miss.
My working environment
I’ve realised I need a quiet space without distractions to be productive, and I’m lucky to work remotely most of the time now. I work best with a podcast or music on to keep my brain at the right level of stimulation. I also use the Pomodoro method and time-blocking to stay focused and make sure I take regular breaks. When I do see colleagues in person, it’s to collaborate rather than to be seen at a desk. It’s so refreshing! Plenty of neurodivergent people feel the same, which is why strict return-to-office policies can drive neurodivergent employees away.
Finding the right job
I now know that sales isn’t for me. The constant pressure of monthly and quarterly revenue targets was really stressful, and spending my days on the phones with little return made my social anxiety worse. I’ve since worked out what I’m good at and what I enjoy, and I’m focusing my career there rather than forcing myself into an industry that doesn’t suit me.
A varied role keeps me engaged. Monotony is a sure way to make me lose interest, but if I hit a wall with one task, there’s always something else I can switch to.
Flexible working
Flexible working is invaluable for me. My energy levels go up and down, and on days when my brain feels like it’s buzzing with bees, it helps enormously to take a break, decompress and come back to work when I’m in the right headspace. Sometimes that’s in the evening, late at night or the following day.
Flexibility also means I can go for a run or walk my dog at lunchtime. Exercise and fresh air make a big difference to me, and I focus much better afterwards.
Communication
Rather than sitting in back-to-back meetings all day, I now manage my time more carefully. I limit myself to a few calls a day, with space in between to decompress, so I can be at my best when I’m talking to people. Having clear boundaries around communication also helps me structure my days and stops things piling up.
Colleagues who get it
Being able to disclose my neurodivergence, and to work alongside other neurodivergent people who understand it, has changed everything. At Enna, we’ve all filled in a working styles document that explains how we prefer to work, learn, communicate and collaborate. It has made communication so much easier and removed a huge amount of anxiety. For me, it means no more random calls from colleagues, and no more dreaded “Do you have a minute?” messages without any context! If you’d like to try this with your own team, our free working styles guide is a good template.
Final thoughts
My life today is very different from a few years ago, and work is a big part of that. When you’re unhappy at work, it bleeds into everything else, so being somewhere I can do well rather than just survive matters enormously. I’m more engaged and more productive, and I care more about what I do. For the first time, I can show up to work as myself.
How Enna can help
If you have ADHD and you’re looking for an employer that will let you work in the way that suits you, take a look at the roles on our neurodivergent jobs board and sign up for job alerts so new vacancies come straight to you.
Managers who want to create this kind of environment for their teams can start with our guide to ADHD in the workplace, or our training on supporting and managing neurodivergent employees. We also run workplace coaching for individuals who want help building strategies like the ones above.
