ADHD Brains Working at Home: A Beginner’s Guide to Telecommuting
Working from home, especially for the first time, can be tricky for adults with ADHD. Heed these tips for maintaining focus, setting boundaries, avoiding unproductive hyperfocus, and getting the job done with telecommuting and working remotely.
Many adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have started to work from home — some for the first time ever — in response to the crisis caused by the new and distressing respiratory disease. This new autonomy and responsibility — plus the challenges of juggling children home from school and a shifting health crisis — is a cause for anxiety to some.
As a new reality (and new worries) began to sink in this week, a particularly useful and insightful Twitter thread from Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) caught fire. Bowden, who works remotely with ADHD, offers advice that the ADDitude editors agree every brand new telecommuter should read. Here are our favorites from her Twitter thread.
“If you’re like me and have ADHD, it’s going to get WILD,” Bowden says. “It’s a big adjustment, but you got this. May I offer some advice?”
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #1: Take Your Medications
-TAKE YOUR MEDS. I know it might feel weird taking them every day as prescribed when you’re staying home, but you still gotta do it. If you’re like me and take days off- stick to the schedule.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
ADHD medication works best when it is taken religiously — at the same time each day, regardless of setting, obligations, or work load. Most medical professionals advise against taking a “medication vacation” during holidays, though certainly no one would consider a global health pandemic a holiday.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #2: Stay at Your Desk
-STAY AT YOUR DESK. Workstation. Bed with a laptop. Wherever you have decided to do your work, make that YOUR SPOT for working, and stay put while working. Stock your spot with what you need because
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
But what if your desk is a mess? Well, if the clutter works for you, then who cares, right? Wrong. There are right and wrong ways to manage your messy desk while sharing your workspace with others (spouse, kids, roommate, dog). Learn how to conjure a controlled sprawl here.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #3: Don’t Get Distracted by Home Stuff
-DONT GET DISTRACTED BY HOME STUFF. You need to grab a pen, walk into the kitchen, and suddenly a snack sounds good and those dishes need washed and what’s that stuff on the counter… and you’ve been in the kitchen now for an hour instead of working
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
Have you tried using a white noise machine to block out household noise? Fidgets to help you focus through the boring stuff? Also, don’t underestimate the focusing power of getting up from your desk. Use these tips for taking smart breaks that don’t morph into household chores or gardening sessions.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #4: Set Boundaries
-SET BOUNDARIES. Seriously, set boundaries with your friends and family NOW before it’s too late. Tell them your work schedule and ask that they not talk to you during those hours. You’re at work, it just might not seem that way to them.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
Hang a Do Not Disturb sign on your office door. Ask your family members or roommates to respect it, and show them the same courtesy.
Bowden also says: “Also, be mindful that you’re still at work! This is not happy hour. Don’t grab a beer because it’s there and you can.”
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #5: Find Coping Mechanisms
FIND COPING MECHANISMS. You will now discover exactly how much of your day was spent talking to coworkers, or figuring out lunch, or delivering memos or whatever you people do all day. Find little things to take breaks with.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
We know many adults with ADHD who use paper planners not just to map out their days, but to keep track of how long tasks actually take to complete. Painting a more accurate picture of where your time is going is the first step toward using that time more efficiently.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #6: Make Your Work Station Only for Work
Edit: make your work station ONLY FOR WORK. Your brain will quickly learn to switch to work mode when you’re there, like it associates your bed with sleep.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
If you must build Pinterest boards after the kids go to sleep, do so on a tablet from the couch. Make your office a work zone, and social media will be less likely to creep in during the day, too.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #7: Be Aware of the Time
BE AWARE OF THE TIME. At work, it’s easy to check the time, and follow a schedule. At home though, you’ll find yourself losing track of that schedule. Set alarms for breaks, meals, and time to log off.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
Adults with ADHD don’t see time, we feel it. We also have to work extra hard to externalize time — or risk letting feelings rather than minutes be our guiding light. For kids and adults alike, we love the Time Timer for this job but there are myriad time-management tools for ADHD brains on the market today.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #8: Do Not Get Stuck in Rabbitholes
-DO NOT GET STUCK IN RABBITHOLES. Look, you love your job, I get it, but you gotta mentally GO HOME when your time is up. Do not get started on a project and then work all night because it’s convenient. Set an alarm, and be DONE.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
She goes on: “Look, you love your job, I get it, but you have to mentally go home when your time is up. Do not get started on a project and then work all night because it’s convenient. Set an alarm, and be done.”
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #9: Watch Out for Hyperfocus
WATCH OUT FOR HYPERFOCUSING. Wanna play a few minutes of a video game, “just to wake up until my meds kick in”, and next thing you know 8 hours have passed. This is a REALLY tough one actually.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
Hyperfocus is a common — but confusing — symptom of ADHD. It is the ability to zero in intensely on an interesting project or activity for hours at a time. It is the opposite of distractibility, and it can be a superpower when deadlines loom or crisis hit. It can also cause you to lose hours of your life for no good reason. Be on the alert for the latter.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #10: Move!
-MOVE. Sitting in the same place for hours is SO BAD FOR YOU.
So get up and do some burpees every once in a while.
…JUST KIDDING, burpees are awful- my go-to is to throw on some old school hip hop and dance for a few minutes every hour or so.— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
The science is clear: Exercise promotes focus in the ADHD brain. Taking a lunchtime walk or doing a 30-minute workout in the middle of the day is not slacking off. It is re-powering your brain for stronger focus upon your return.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #11: Take Advantage…
-TAKE ADVANTAGE of the excuse to FINALLY set up the home office you’ve always wanted to, but never got around to. Make a cool setup for video meetings, carve out your own space.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
If the thought of setting up your home office or at least keeping it organized is daunting, consider hiring a professional organizer to consult with you remotely, as organizing expert Leslie Josel suggests.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #12: Clean Up After Yourself
-CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. If you’re like me, we randomly pick stuff up and set it down somewhere random, or leave things like dishes where they don’t belong- you’re more likely to do this at home than in an office, so be conscious of it or you’re gonna trash the place.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
And while you’re cleaning up after yourself, you may want to think about how to declutter and keep your workspace and home as distraction-free as possible. Here are 17 bite-sized ways to cut back on clutter.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #13: Be Easy on Yourself
-BE EASY ON YOURSELF. Working from home has a learning curve. Don’t beat yourself up if you get distracted or have difficulty adjusting to new surroundings or schedules. You’ll get the hang of it soon.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
To acknowledge your own worth, a difficult task for many individuals with ADHD, try to define yourself away from your ADHD and give yourself permission to feel good. That’s one takeaway from this ADDitude piece on silencing your inner critic.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #14: Be Kind to Your Family/Room Mates
-BE KIND TO YOUR FAMILY/ROOMMATES. Buy your spouse some flowers and or candy for putting up with you all day. Do something nice with the kids. Get your roommate dinner. This is a big adjustment for EVERYONE, thank them for their patience.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
Express gratitude by writing notes, dropping off a box of chocolates, or buying your loved one a gift card to their favorite store. Here’s more on how to making time to express your appreciation.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #15: You Aren’t Alone
YOU ARENT ALONE. In the next few weeks, there’s gonna be a LOT of people that are just as bored and frustrated with cabin fever as you are. Reach out, talk to others. We’re all about to be deprived of social opportunities- so make those opportunities happen online
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
Looking for a community of, say, 50,000 people who get it? Consider joining our ADDitude support group for adults.
Working from Home with ADHD Pro Tip #16: Welcome the Self-Realizations
-YOU GON LEARN TODAY. About yourself. Seriously. Working from home teaches you SO much about yourself, your habits, your needs. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a chance to learn and better yourself- take it for what it is.
— Katelyn Bowden (@BadassBowden) March 6, 2020
But if you are having trouble quieting that self-critical voice as you learn about yourself, it may just be that you’re lousy at self-assessment.
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