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Some of you might find yourself working from home these days. I was asked for advice by a colleague who also has adult ADHD, so I wrote this blog post.  Whether you have ADHD (or a family member does) or not, it might come in handy.

Pre-pandemic, I had the opportunity to start a new full-time salaried job… or work for myself, from home. I took the leap and I love it; I could never go back. However…

Working from home is an entirely different experience – mostly good… with some challenges.

Now that I work from home, I’ve had two huge epiphanies:

• How much time working in an office is WASTED.  Commute is the obvious one.  Also, short interruptions, “emergency” interruptions, administrative bullshit, useless meetings, chatting in the hallways. I mean, literally 50% of the day. Of course, the social part is good time wasting.

• How much an imposed schedule keeps someone on track – especially someone with ADHD.  When you have to be at the office a certain time; attend meetings at a certain time; people popping in to say, “Is that done yet?”; lunch at a certain time; needing to get something done before you walk out the door at the end of the day…. 

First, working from home lets me “waste” my time in a way that is enjoyable for me, whether it’s doing a puzzle, organizing something or playing a game on my phone. It doesn’t feel wasted because whatever I choose to do is my choice.  Doing chores makes me less stressed about all the stuff there is to do that you would typically have to cram into an evening or weekend.

On the other hand, with minimal imposed schedule, I’m a hot mess. The subject of which is the purpose of this post.

For my husband, an introvert and an engineer, who also works from home, it’s all upside. (His long commute crushed his soul and he arrived home exhausted each night after more interaction than ideal.)  Working at home, he is methodical in his schedule, getting up at a regular hour, eating breakfast, heading to his office and focusing intently until a set lunchtime, repeat…etc….   He’s a discipline machine!

For an extrovert with ADHD, working from home is so much “MESSIER”!

It has taken me a long time to figure out how to be both happy, relaxed AND productive and I’m still working on it. 

Here are some suggestions that work for me, keeping in mind that I’m no expert on Adult ADHD, working from home nor productivity, as anyone who knows me will tell you.  But here are some thought starters.

1. Sound.  Silence is deafening. Find music that works for you. (I find lyrics distracting). This also keeps your brain from listening to what else is going on in the house that will distract you (e.g. pets, kids, appliance buzzers).
   
2. Lists. This might be a no-brainer but OVERUSE them – you need them now more than ever. Keep them simple and IN YOUR FACE. Separate them by work, personal tasks, personal rewards/treats.  STAR the “MUST DO’s” for today. Put critical items on your calendar to make sure it gets done, and you’ve allocated a specific time for it.
   
3. Timers. Consider using a timer. A LOT. This is a HUGE one for me.  When I’m struggling to sit down and crank something out, I set a time for 15 minutes and “force” myself to do it.  Ideally, within 15 minutes, I’m “in the zone” and when the timer rings, I keep going and reset it for another 15.  
   
   If I’m NOT in the zone, I do something else (either at my desk or away from it), ideally, for 15 minutes – maybe even reward or shut my brain off by playing my stupid game addiction that I am too embarrassed to name… Okay, Merge Mansion). Then come back and do another 15 minutes of whatever task I am struggling with until it’s done. Then I reward myself again.  Good Lord, I’m like a goddamn toddler!
   
   Incidentally, a timer is also great for reminding yourself that you have a meeting coming up.  I’m ashamed to say that I have OFTEN been late for a meeting because I lost track of time. (You know: You look at the clock and you’re like, “Oh, my meeting isn’t for 23 minutes.” Then you look again and you’re 5 minutes late! Set the timer whenever something is coming up that you need to be ready for.)
   
4. Rewards:  Speaking of which, don’t underestimate the power of letting your amazing, busy, brilliant ADHD brain rest!  Expecting to be constantly productive all day is completely unrealistic and unfair.  Turn it off when you need to turn it off.  Know yourself.  (See Socializing, Exercise or “Stupid game addiction”.)
   
5. Socialize:  If you are an extrovert, this is going to be critical for you to work into your day.  It can be coffee out, a walk, a phone call. Don’t underestimate the importance of this. Importantly, set expectations on timing with whomever you are socializing with.
   “Hi, Mom! I’m really glad to chat with you, but just to warn you, I have a hard stop for a meeting in 30 minutes.” (It’s a white lie to keep you on track today. And “Hard Stop” sounds super important.)
   
6. Know Your Body Clock. Pay attention to your typical productivity rhythms and take advantage of them!  It took me a long time to realize that there are times when my brain lets me really focus, and times when…not so much. I still haven’t figured it out but I am experimenting. (e.g. I know that my ADHD medication crashes around 3 p.m., so that is a great time for a 20-30 minute nap, yoga or walk. Conversely, a meeting can jolt your brain back into a good rhythm.)
   
   I know I can crank it out from 10 pm to midnight, but that isn’t the healthiest sleep schedule. Also, sometimes 10 p.m. is the only time I have a focused conversation with my husband, though he knows and respects this is truly peak productivity time for me.
   
   If you can help it, don’t schedule socializing or errands, personal appointments or even meetings during your peak productivity time. Save that time when you need individual work time! Alternately, know when you have obligations and use them to your advantage, e.g. “It’s 4:30 p.m.  I’m going to get THIS done by 5:30, so I can start dinner.”
   
7. Exercise. This is good on so many levels, but especially important for ADHDers. Make time for it every day, however it works for you, ideally getting out of the house for a change of scenery.
   
8. Patience.  Be patient with yourself. Don’t create a schedule for yourself and then berate yourself for not keeping it! Like I said, years later, I’m still trying to figure myself out. You are awesome and unique: Your brain is a complex machine that needs practice, or trial and error, to use optimally! 

Other ideas?  Let me know what works for you and as I think of more things myself, I will add them here.

Working from home is a gift.   

ADHD is a gift.