Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's the fact that half your
office is on vacation. Maybe it's just the end-of-summer
blues. But one thing is certain; adults with Attention
Deficit Disorder (ADD) are having a lot of trouble getting
down to work!
Work requires some serious effort lately, and it's causing
a lot of stress. It's worth noting that "work" isn't
limited to your job, either. Housework and yard work are
work, too – and so is studying, if you're a student.
One of the core principles of managing your ADD is learning
how to work WITH your ADD, instead of against it. And
nowhere is this more important than at work, when the
amount and the quality of work you put in affects those
around you.
Adults with ADD often find that, whatever their work is, it
can easily become boring. Procrastination and
distractibility are common, and lead to stress and
anxiety...which, of course, doesn't help you get your work
done. This problem usually gets labeled one of "willpower."
More likely, it's a problem of working against your ADD.
As adults with ADD, our working styles often differ from
those of our peers and colleagues. Our energy levels
fluctuate pretty drastically. We get bored easily. We can
be a bit less organized, and the organizational systems we
do have might not make sense to anyone else. Plus, we can
hyperfocus. And we can procrastinate like champs.
These, and other personal traits, have to be taken into
account when you're at work. Whenever possible, try
following these guidelines:
1. Determine the times of day that your energy levels are
highest and lowest. Plan to do more complicated work when
your energy levels are highest, and save the easier work
for when your energy levels dip.
2. Use systems and strategies that work for you. Don't
compare yourself to everyone else, and don't try to conform
to someone else's methods. The systems that you use, and
the ways in which you approach your tasks, might not make
sense to anyone else but you, but they don't need to.
3. Eliminate the distractions that you can control. Shut
down email and the web when it's time to buckle down and
focus. Don't give yourself the opportunity to be
distracted. Email and the web will be there waiting for you
when the job is done.
Remember, the most successful ADDers work with their ADD,
not against it!
----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Koretsky is the Founder and Chief Visionary
Officer of the ADD Management Group, Inc. and the author of
Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD. Jennifer
and her team work with ADD adults who are overwhelmed with
everyday life in order to help them simplify, focus, and
succeed. For free resources and information on adult ADD,
visit http://www.ADDmanagement.com/ .
No comments:
Post a Comment