Category: ADHD Coaching

ADHD in the Workplace — Center for ADHD Awareness, Canada

CADDAC provides a well-written set of insights and tips about ADHD in the workplace, an overview of how ADHD affects people at work, workplace accommodations and strategies, and career choices for people with ADHD.

Special Note — they offer a Guide for Employers, excerpted here:

Many adults with ADHD perform their jobs extremely well and find that some of their ADHD traits: high energy, problem solving, creativity, and being able to hyper-focus, are significant benefits in their chosen career.  For other adults with ADHD, some of their ADHD symptoms may cause difficulties in the workplace. Gaining an understanding about ADHD as an employer and allowing your employee to implement simple strategies is often all that is required to successfully satisfy both parties and increase job performance. In some cases additional accommodations are required, but these need not cause undue hardship for the employer nor inconvenience the employee or their co-workers.

 

 

 

Posted on by Phil Marsosudiro

Impatience

impatience adhd zen pirsig
“Impatience is close to boredom but always results from one cause: an underestimation of the amount of time the job will take. [F]ew jobs get done as quickly as planned.

“Impatience is the first reaction against a setback and can soon turn to anger if you’re not careful. Impatience is best handled by allowing an indefinite time for the job, particularly new jobs that require unfamiliar techniques; by doubling the allotted time when circumstances force time planning; and by scaling down the scope of what you want to do.

“…[O]ne of the first warning signs of impatience is frustration at not being able to lay your hand on the tool you need right away. If you just stop and put tools away neatly you will both find the tool and also scale down your impatience without wasting time or endangering the work.”

Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
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Scanned from my 1985 paperback copy, which teaches me new things every time I open it.

Posted on by Phil Marsosudiro

“Stop Talking”

stop talking business card

I wouldn’t give one to a stranger, but I’d gladly get one from a friend.

I ask clients and colleagues to interrupt me if I’m going on too long, and I’ve teamed with colleagues to interrupt each other* if one of us is hogging the floor, talking at our clients instead of conversing with them.

Facts to remember:

  • Other people need to speak.
  • We need to listen.
  • Bite-sized statements are easier to digest (and easier redirect if they’re on the wrong track).
  • Not everything needs to be said right now, if at all.

“Stop talking” is a welcome interruption when requested in advance.

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*It helps to use nicer words than “stop talking” or “STFU”. ☺

Posted on by Phil Marsosudiro