How to Manage Adult ADHD at Work: Tips from A Christian Counselor

As a Christian Counselor working with adults with ADHD I help them to understand their symptoms and find ways to manage their inner restlessness and life challenges more effectively. I often find that individuals who are trying to plot a way through the chaos of their disorder are looking for psychological, spiritual, and structural support.

I nurture spiritual maturity in my clients through an integrated approach which helps to by building their inner resolve. I look to the Bible’s inherent wisdom to help the client to start the journey toward daily peace and good stewardship of their gifts.

Overwhelmed in the Workplace

One of the biggest areas where adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) suffer is in the workplace. Many sufferers report feeling constantly overwhelmed by their workload which often leads to a permanent sense of anxiety.

Adults with ADHD often report feeling like they are behind and can never catch up with their ever-increasing to-do lists. Another common complaint from adults with ADHD is that they misplace necessary documents and items, frequently are running late, and experience difficulty meeting deadlines.

Struggling to Get Ahead?

Adults will ADHD will often report experiencing interpersonal conflict or missing promotions due to lapsed deadlines or socially inappropriate behavior (like interrupting). Relationships with co-workers can cause a great deal of stress and their impulsivity can also lead to frequent job shifts or career changes. Some adults with ADHD might struggle due to poor communication skills, distractibility, procrastination, and the general inability to manage complex projects.

Many of these individuals have not been diagnosed with the symptoms of ADHD. Remaining in this state can aggravate the problem by leading to low self-worth brought on by stalled careers, or feeling like they cannot get ahead. However, when adults with ADHD do get diagnosed they can learn coping mechanisms to work around their disorder in the workplace.

ADHD Success Stories

Many adults with ADHD have successful careers as entertainers, musicians, journalists, politicians, and entrepreneurs. Successful individuals have learned how to focus on their strengths such as creativity and problem-solving.

What are the ADHD symptoms that can impact workplace efficiency?

• External distractions, (such as noises or movement in their immediate environment), which can negatively impact concentration
• Internal distractibility (excessive daydreaming, for example) can lead to procrastination
• Temper outbursts and other impulsive behavior
• Constant need for movement due to hyperactivity
• Inability to remember deadlines
• Poor short-term memory
• Getting bored easily and checking out from the tasks at hand
• Inability to manage time effectively
• Procrastination that can affect a whole team’s ability to deliver the project on time
• Disorganization
• Struggling to listen to one’s co-workers
• Excessive talking

Executive Functioning Failure

All of these behaviors can be traced back to problems with executive functioning linked to one’s cognitive abilities in the prefrontal lobe. Executive functioning is the self-monitoring system of the brain that lets a person know if they are operating in an efficient way.

This area of the prefrontal lobe of the brain of adults with ADHD is said to be under-aroused which results in the person’s inability to self-monitor. When someone’s executive functioning is struggling to activate, the individual experiences a fog of distraction.

An adult with ADHD in the workplace can appear disorganized, lazy, or irresponsible – even though this is rarely true. The adult with ADHD can feel like they are running on empty trying to keep up with the demands of work, and their output can fluctuate dramatically. Sometimes they can seem to achieve the miraculous and at other times they are completely “absent” in the office.

Finding a Workable Solution

Many adults with ADHD use a combination of medication and counseling to ease the chaos and instability of their work lives. If the symptoms of ADHD have beset the individual from early childhood displaying as chronic hyperactive, impulsive, and inattentive behavior their doctor will usually prescribe medication.

A counselor will be able to work with the adult with ADHD to implement workplace strategies that can minimize distractions. Perhaps coming early to work, having a private office space or working remotely can eliminate the distractions of being in a space with lots of people.

In times of high distraction, the client could be encouraged to move away from the area and find a quiet empty boardroom or meeting space in order to carry out their tasks. If there is a pressing job that needs to be completed, the individual should not answer calls and may even wish to hang a “do not disturb” sign on the office door or on their desk.

Visual distractions also need to be minimized by having their desks face a wall and making sure that their workspace is clutter free.

Internal distractions can also play havoc with an ADHD adult’s ability to concentrate:

• Creative ideas that arrive but are not related to the work at hand
• Suddenly remembering a missed appointment, often followed by anxiety
• Daydreaming to alleviate boredom with the task

What Can You Do If You Are an Adult with ADHD?

Many of these problems can be solved with a bit of common sense planning. Have a notebook, or use your cell phone to jot down ideas that come to you and store them for later when you can give them your full attention. Invest in a planning system that keeps track of all of your meetings, phone calls, and important reminders with alarms built in so that you don’t forget to follow through.

You might need to set alarms or create a system where you have to check in at specific times to ensure that you don’t get lost in what you are doing. If you are suffering from boredom at work you will need to find ways to make it more interesting in order to hold your attention for longer, or you might need to find a job that is more engaging for you in the long-term.

For those struggling with hyperactivity, find outlets to remain active. Take a physical break every hour or so. Move around, stretch, walk around the office, or try using a standing desk.

Create a schedule with the help of a manager or coworker to help you stay on track. Many individuals with ADHD report that a degree of structure helps them to feel less restless and anxious internally. Try starting each day by creating a priority list.

Because impulsivity is one of the symptoms that can really trip you up, consider preparing a canned response that you can tell others when they offer you distractions (like an invitation to lunch) despite an approaching deadline. Check the calendar first, look at the schedule and consider the feasibility of the action you want to do.

It also helps to schedule more time than is necessary to get to meetings since distractions can pop up at any time. You will want to ensure that you have buffered enough time to still make it to your meeting. Focus on the time at which you should leave for the appointment not on the time you should arrive.

There is always something else that needs to be done, but if you allow yourself to get caught up in that spiral you will never leave your desk! Schedules, planning, and reminders are elements that a counselor can help you set up in order to make sure you are able to navigate your days with minimal anxiety and maximum output.

Counselor Coaches

Some adults with ADHD rely on their counselors to be their “coaches”, setting the guidelines and rules that give structure to the day. The adults with ADHD can check in with their counselor to report back on what is working and fine tune areas that still need attention. The idea is that over time the adult with ADHD will be able to self-monitor and will no longer need the coach.

Sometimes it only takes a small action to facilitate a smooth workday. Something as simple as having a standing desk or having something to play with on the desk to maintain concentration can be highly effective. Everyone has different needs to get through the day and one purpose of the counseling session is to determine your specific needs so that they can be successfully integrated into your professional life.

Disclosing ADHD to Employers

When it comes to disclosing an ADHD diagnosis many individuals opt not to share it with their managers for fear of discrimination. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (RA) prohibit discrimination against employees with disabilities. An adult with ADHD is not automatically covered by these protections, however.

They have to meet four conditions and are required to disclose their disorder to their employers. The company will not be required to make any accommodations for an employee with ADHD unless there has been clear disclosure.

It becomes vital to disclose when:

• You fear you might lose your job and require the accommodations afforded by RA and ADA to succeed in the workplace
• Your employer is in the process of firing you because of performance failures

If you are not able to cope and medication has not been helping you, then disclosing this information may reduce the pressure you feel. It also changes the way your colleagues will see you, and you may even learn of new support options.

Assessing Career Choice

Adults with ADHD who get diagnosed later in their life may begin to notice that their chosen career does not align with their needs. Since there is more chance of engagement if the person enjoys what they are doing and does not lapse into boredom or daydreaming, they may want to look for a career that aligns with their strengths. They need to

• Identify their primary interests and corresponding job possibilities
• Analyze skills and accomplishments that best reveal their aptitude
• Research personal history to uncover subjects that were the easiest at school and strengths that set them apart from others.
• Define their personality type
• Articulate values and look at careers that are in line with what is most important to them.
• Enumerate all aptitudes. Is there proficiency in numerical or abstract reasoning, clerical speed, verbal reasoning, spelling, language?
• Assess energy patterns. Does the adult with ADHD have the right energy levels for the job at hand?
• Honestly look at past mistakes at previous places of employment to unearth any patterns that led to an unsuccessful experience. Consider how to avoid them in future career choices.

Christian Counseling for Adult ADHD

With over 8 million American adults struggling with the symptoms of ADHD the relationship to their work environments is going to be difficult without support. A Christian counselor working with adults with ADHD will focus on talk therapy, spiritual solace, and increasing skill development, offering clients ways to find peace in the workplace.