8 Ways to Pack More Productivity into Each Work Day
If you feel you can’t get anything done in the office, use these tips from ADHD experts and professionals like you to be more productive with ADHD at work.
If your job is sedentary, lacks social interaction, or involves mindless tasks, chances are it bores you — even if you love what you do. Tedious, repetitive work is like Kryptonite for ADHD brains.
But it’s still possible to achieve and succeed in the office. Use these eight strategies from readers and professionals like you to be more productive with ADHD at work.
8 Ways to Pack More Productivity into Each Work Day
The office is a minefield of distractions and frustrations for an ADHD brain:
- Pop-ins from coworkers
- The siren call of the Internet
- Noisy neighbors
If you feel you can’t get anything done at work, use these stay-focused tips from ADHD experts and professionals like you.
1. Change Venues
“The moment I feel a little burned out, I get up and go to another room. The movement gets the blood flowing, the break allows mental rest, and the new ‘venue’ provides a fresh start.” -An ADDitude Reader
2. Create Hard Deadlines
“If someone says they need a project ‘soon,’ that’s meaningless to an ADHD brain. Ask for a specific deadline because ‘Whenever you have time,’ means it will be forgotten.” – Peter Shankman
3. Aid Your Brain
“Drink a lot of coffee, and write down assignments on a dry-erase board in front of your desk!” –J.J., Illinois
4. “I Can’t Hear You”
“Noise-blocking headphones don’t make me a favorite among my coworkers, but with them on, I am able to get projects done.” –Joy, Maine
5. Use Brain Fidgets
“I play a Netflix movie in the background when doing mindless, boring tasks. My productivity almost doubles!” –Stephen, Georgia
6. Prevent Pop-Ins
“Keep your office door closed when you need to focus. The most unproductive part of work for me is the distraction of coworkers (and kids, when I work at home).” –Leanne, Canada
7. Just Keep Moving
“I take a lot of notes in meetings, which keeps my mind occupied instead of ‘going fishing.’” –Walter, Alaska
8. Harness Your Adrenaline
“Mimic the ‘panic mode’ you get from procrastinating without the accompanying risks. This could mean getting into a highly stimulating profession, like entrepreneurship or brain surgery.” – Edward M. Hallowell, M.D.
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