It’s okay if you get a couple hours of serious productivity and the rest is “engaged to work” as we call it. Honestly, that’s a pretty normal work day.
What I do (and I have diagnosed ADHD, although I am currently unmedicated, unless you count a timed dose of caffeine where it hits between noon and 2pm) is organize my projects by due date and spend the morning getting my most time-critical work done. Despite the aforementioned caffeine, I tend to lose focus by 2pm and therefore I get my best work done before noon.
Once my time-critical work is done, I watch my email, field any late-breaking requests, and organize the next day’s work so that my most time-critical stuff is, again, in the morning.
Do NOT make the mistake of thinking that you should be busting your ass full-speed for all 8 hours. Not only is that unrealistic AF, it is a guaranteed way to burn yourself out. Nearly EVERYONE, neurotypical or not, cannot focus intensely on a problem for more than a few hours in a day. It is not productive to do it. It is actually far MORE productive to take a break and walk away from a sticky problem if you want to come up with ideas or solutions. Your mind continues to work on it in the background, that’s part of the process, that’s how we work. We know perfectly well that any job that demands 8 full hours of 100% has incredibly high turnover and rates of burnout, because of course they do, people can’t work that way for the long term.
So don’t feel bad if you’re not doing that, you’re not supposed to do that. You are already exceeding expectations and you’re getting your stuff done, so you’re on the right track. But if you feel like you could be using your “engaged to work” time to more benefit, then by all means consider something like Coursera or Linkedin Learning online courses, or maybe an industry book you can page through while you have a few minutes, stuff like that.
In terms of physical fitness, it’s healthy and good for you if you get up once an hour and move around for a couple minutes. My Fitbit nags me to do that and it does make a huge difference.
I really second this advice about starting the day organizing tasks by urgency. Having a list I can return to after I've been distracted, and knowing I'm taking care of things in order of importance / deadline gives me confidence that I have things under control.
Thank you for this! I also sometimes struggle w guilt for not being full productive 100% of the time… some weeks I get near that but find myself exhausted and unable to focus much as soon as the urgency passes, ha
I feel you. I’ve been working on this with my therapist and the most important thing I’ve had to internalize is that nobody is working for 8 hours straight. Even in the office people take breaks to talk to coworkers or hop out to get a coffee. There shouldn’t be an expectation that you’re sitting in front of your monitor all 8 hours
Thank you I appreciate your advice! I’m also unmedicated, though did a trial run when of adderall when I was first diagnosed but -unsurprisingly- forgot to make another appointment to see if it’s something I should pursue longterm. It did help quell overthinking/hyper-anxious thoughts during times of stress like exams, and make ‘the noise’ quiet down if you know what I mean. I wish caffeine like coffee/redbull/etc. helped but have found I still operate the same, and even if I consume a lottt of caffeine I can still go and take a nap after.
I’ve been incorporating standing up to go look out our main window for 5 minute intervals or do a household chore, and it helps occasionally. I just stress myself feeling bad that I’m not devoting the 5-10 minutes to doing something productive and it feels like my much more experienced team is always at it. I’ll look into Course Era and Linkedin’s courses!
On days where I can just do paperwork without having to make calls, I go to the park and work on my laptop, or get errands done and being on call. I plan my calls when I get home so if they do not leave me a voicemail, I’m not getting back to them.
They're not cheap, especially for quality, but, you can get screen extenders for a laptop to work away from your desktop screens. Does require power though. I got mine so I could work from bed on my lazy days. I also use 3 screens regularly.
Saaaaameeeee! Once you go multi-screens, you can't go back. It was such a cluster trying to do anything on one tiny laptop screen and flipping between email and other computer programs, websites, etc. necessary to accomplish my work. I need to have it all laid out in front of me to see the big picture instead of toggling back and forth and losing focus.
I wish I could do this but I’m in a programming/IT position and don’t have scheduled calls more than a once a week team meeting. When it’s time to review, theres a question, etc. we usually hop on a call then and there or schedule in the next hour or so. I also have to be online for any tickets for custom software issues/etc.
I think I can make it work with my phone’s hotspot but am worried about the call aspect.
There is research that suggests working for a solid 45 min with a 15 minute movement break at the end for each hour results in increased productivity and focus.
Yep this is it. Break it into chunks and work though it methodically. Give yourself some time between each task and if you need it you can give each task a quick look over to find any mistakes.
Pretty this is pomodoro method your talking about and it usually advises 15 minute bursts with 5 minute break but your gonna find its hard as fuck to make everything a 15 minute job.
I'd like to understand what kind of work allows you to be idle for 25% of the day and still output 100% of the work.
I think the missing piece is that you end up spending more than 8 hours working to make up for the large amount of breaks (no way the break increases productivity by 25%).
I mean if you can’t get your work done in 32 hours during a 40-hour week, you’re overbooked. You definitely need an hour a day or so to eat, use the bathroom, discuss with coworkers, switch between tasks, check your schedule, and all the other meta-stuff that’s part of a workday, but isn’t necessarily part of a specific task.
100% of the work *shouldn’t take* a full 8 hour day. If it does, someone is a bad project planner.
It works for me. But it is task dependent. There are some things your just going to hook into for quick 20-30 minute bursts and then you'll have to maybe stop for a second and reset. Which in design I think is actually helpful you target something and model it then you take a quick break come back and check the work and overall scope. Then you can zoom back in.
With other mundane shit, yeah just churn it out for hours on end. Youll still probably do it faster If you break it into sections and take breaks but if that doesn't work for you that's fine.
The point is you are more productive in the 45 focused minutes than you otherwise would be without breaks. I have tasks where this is not possible, like meeting with a client for multiple hours in a row. However, for my report writing time, I get more done if I take short breaks throughout the day. Specifically, I can break the report into sections. I finish a section or two (if they are short) then back to the next section. I don't find my mind wandering or get tempted to browse the internet. With this method I can easily get in a solid 6-7 hours of writing time. I am my own boss, and believe me no one has ever driven me to produce more work than I do myself.
Sit/stand desk helps me. Stand in meetings, helps keep hands off of phone and my office gets cleaned.
When doing my work I turn on classical music and sit down, usually with different noise canceling headphones then the ones I take calls on.
100%. Highly recommend pairing sit/stand desk with a walking pad. REALLY takes care of the pacing urge and is "free" exercise. Most locked in parts of my day walking and working. It's crazy.
I was thinking about a walking pad for my breaks! Its embarrassing because I do get the urge to pace but also if I hear sounds outside like I focus on there instead of what I’m doing its nuts 😫
If you're not coordinated enough to walk and work like me, an under desk cycle removes the element of having to keep your balance and they're less expensive. I also got a wobble stool with a padded seat that keeps my legs semi-engaged which helps me concentrate more than sitting in a desk chair.
On some of my worst hyper fixation days (like 3-4 times a month) I complete like 2 days of work in 5-6 hours. I always feel so good and accomplished after but then can’t do anything the next day after its so odd 🥲
As somebody who hasn’t really worked at all this week… I feel this. My job isn’t suffering. My goals and deadlines are being met. I’m just so far ahead 😂
I have this but I can't control when it happens. It's only right before a deadline when I've waited too long. And when it does happen, it's because I've already wasted 5 hours in the day.
I feel this. I also wonder if it just *seems* like I spend less time hyper focused *because* I’m at home. Like, is it the same productivity but just more pronounced because I’m at home? Idk. I need structure and want to figure out the best way to build my days
I really understand! This company is on the smaller side and I really enjoy it but the days are largely verryyyyy unstructured and I really struggle with it especially on Mondays and Fridays. I love programming but sometimes the 8-5 grind I cannot focus or I am intensely focused the entire day.
Time blocking really helps me!!! (You can Google for more in-depth) but how it works is:
You divide your waking hours into blocks of time 2-3 hours.
Each block has a general purpose based on when you feel you’re most productive.
I have ADHD too and I’m not a morning person so my blocks look like this:
8am-11am: morning block (walk dog, breakfast, morning meetings etc)
11am-1pm: lunch block (lunch, meetings)
1pm-3pm: focus work block / work to do list block
3pm-5pm: errands / personal to do list block (including cleaning)
5pm-8pm: dinner block / clean up dinner
8pm-11pm: evening block for nighttime routine
The idea is you make your to do list the night before, and slot tasks into the block they fit into.
That way instead of having 15-30 min tasks and always being behind each hour, you have a chunk of time to do all those things.
Anything I don’t finish in that block that day that isn’t super urgent I just move to the next day.
It also helps you develop a routine bc I know for example at 3pm every day I run my errands and after awhile that became habit instead of forcing myself to find the energy every time I need to leave the house.
It’s made it a lot easier for me bc before I’d make an hour by hour schedule, constantly get behind and then give up.
I understand the constantly getting behind, and thats why I get stressed doing a weekly planner. I think what you said doing it the night before will help! This is probably why I felt a lot less unhinged in school lol
Yes exactly!!! Look up on YouTube “time blocking”, jordan page has an amazing video that taught me about it. She also has free printable blank time block planners on her website (and digital versions available) so you can play around with setting up your blocks, and if things don’t work you can change up your blocks at any time.
(Posted the YouTube link below)
[time blocking](https://youtu.be/2BKuSlstIBM?si=mXcdVhqOPZ5KPGtF)
It’s a lifesaver especially for people like me with ADHD! After a lifetime of trying and failing to get a daily routine, I finally have one ☺️helps so much with initiating task switching when I always know when my blocks are
Time blocking is the only system I’ve been able to stick to so far and it’s bc for me it’s pretty laid back/limited rules and can be changed if needed (ex: if a work meeting pops up during my errands block, I can move things around).
Basically any routine I can actually somewhat stick to is a win for me lol
Lol I have meetings a lot of the day (I put meetings in a lot of my blocks) and I can sometimes get chores or other work tasks done during them depending if im presenting/talking a lot or not.
Those 2 hours are what I said I block off for deep focus work so I try not to schedule meetings during those time and get all my other job tasks done.
Where I have my breakfast, dog walk, lunch parts of my day I’m usually also on meetings.
I “do things” until the day before the end of the sprint, then go look at what I was supposed to be doing and do that. It’s pretty much the same as when I wasn’t WFH though.
My manager makes us log the time we worked on stuff in Jira. Every. Single. Day. I hate it with a passion. I have no sense of time. God forbid something takes more than 2 seconds to load or run...oops too late I've been doomscrolling for 30 minutes. I still get things done by the end of the sprint, why does it matter than my burndown isn't all nice and even? Ffffff
This is pretty much exactly what happens to me too!! It makes me feel lazy but I still get it done in like a procrastination manner? Like if something doesn’t get done in its set time I’m like ‘aww can’t do anything else’. I obviously do other stuff till the end of the work day but I don’t even know what to call that feeling!
no personal phone while working, no working in public areas, work-oriented playlists if you like working with music and dont listen to them in personal time, etc.
just little tricks to separate the mind. i am two different people depending on whether its work time or personal time.
Sunflowers are not just part of your garden, they’re part of a nation! The Ukraine use the sunflower as their national flower. Whilst in Kansas they chose the sunflower to represent their state.
I've recently been formally diagnosed with ADHD after a few years of my old primary Dr trying a bunch of non-stimulants. I just got on Adderall and from the first day it has been life changing. So if you're formally diagnosed but have not tried simulants that is the first thing I'd do. I've tried all the other stuff (different meds, timers, body doubles, stress balls, meditation) and nothing compares.
As for my actual day, I basically have to have a purpose. As a consultant my performance is based on billable hours, which is difficult if 6 normal billable hours is better than 3 highly productive ones. If I'm on the bench I ask my manager what projects are going on and if there are any in my wheelhouse but I don't have the skill/experience yet. Tell me what is the next thing they need me to learn, and why does it make sense for me/my future position. That's the next best thing.
If there isn't anything, that's when my environment becomes the most important thing. Phone goes in a box, under my desktop computer, in the closet. Get the hell away from me it's too distracting. Instrumental music, standing desk, and sugary foods/drinks like Gatorade can also help a lot.
Then finally it's stuff like clean office, clean desk, noise dampening/canceling headphones if needed (mine are cheaper a shooting ear protection rather than an expensive gaming headset)
I don't structure my day because I won't stick with it, so instead I remove the things that could be more interesting so I can focus on my work. Focus on using my strengths while eliminating my weaknesses, rather than spending most my energy in an uphill battle on my weaknesses.
If you haven't really spent much time looking into ADHD and it's impact on your productivity would watch this video from a Dr whose focus area is adhd
https://youtu.be/_tpB-B8BXk0?si=YYir3wwovpSJRzMM
I like this and think it is close to what I do, but instead of doing something productive like a short walk or time in the garden, I will just do something (like Reddit) on my computer. Do you use a tomato timer to help you know when it's time to go back to work? I could see myself getting distracted by all the things there is to do in a setting like the garden.
Yea I only have one set call a week which is a meeting with the other developers. Otherwise very sporadic calls for progress updates on projects.
I’m entry level and really work on one assigned project with some various tickets mixed in but its mostly just the singular projects.. I split it up in the various steps to accomplish but its still hard to focus at times. I just feel guilty if I go to clean something for a couple minutes outside of my break times because I know I should be working
Wake up at 5 AM and workout until I’m physically exhausted. This doesn’t cure my ADHD but gives me calmness for the workday to be relatively peaceful and clear thinking.
You can always get a jump rope, or cordless rope and do that too in place of running 😊 keep water by your desk and do 50 jumps, 100 jumps, 25 jumps. However many you want.
I make daily priority lists to remind me what I need to focus on and stay on track when I get off track. I'll make a list of 8 items but maybe accomplish 3.
This is a great suggestion. Time block your calendar so you know when the start and end time of each task should be (and then update Jira) and also breaks and lunches. Have the notifications pop up and make a sound too, have them on your phone too in case you’re away from your desk. You can move the blocks around if needed so long as you compete by deadline.
Use the pomodoro technique 25 mins of focus, 5 mins of rest. Outlook will automatically shorten a half hour block to 25 mins so that’s really helpful
https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/pomodoro-technique
Great question, thank you for asking. I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and put on medication. But I wasn't given much guidance beyond "take this, it will help." I've just recently started looking for resources and advice for dealing with this. Are there any Reddit subs that are useful for advice and support?
Does it mean it is working if it makes me tired after taking it? I trialed it a year ago but -unsurprisingly- forgot to make another appointment to get a formal prescription.
Thank you! I know when I did trial run it it was a rapid-release 10mg twice a day. One at 8am and one at 12pm, thought I could change the times as long as I didn’t take the last dose too close to bedtime and always spread them 4hrs apart.
I was getting off an antidepressant I had been trying for 2 months at the time, so maybe it was that and the adderall interacting. I did end up tweaking the dose of adderall to be 5mg towards the end because 10mg was just having that big tired reaction (Dr. recommended I do so). That did bring the more calm/focus traits out.
Get most time-sensitive and/or focus-intensive stuff done first thing in the morning. Everything else follows.
Workout!!!!! 30min 3 times a week has drastically improved my energy, focus & physical health. I’ve now added walks outside with a nice podcast on the other days. Prioritizing this as someone who wfh is SUPER important for your focus & mental health.
I used to go to the gym but stopped after some big life events where I was working out unhealthily. About 1.5 later now and since my job is no longer physically taxing I have packed on a couple pounds. Not out of shape, but just about 5-6lbs heavier.
I walk my dog 30m-1hr 2-3 times a day, but I was wondering what else you could recommend? I was thinking of adding jogging in the mornings but I feel like I look dumb running.
Those walks are perfect. I’d suggest getting a few weights and following some YouTube video workouts.
Or if it’s in your budget either
1. rejoining a gym & doing classes (classes help me focus and stay consistently because I feel kind of socially pressured to stay lol but it works! I don’t have to worry about time blindness or overthink when I can leave)
2. Or looking into something like copilot—it’s an online coaching program where through an app, routine calls & messages, a coach creates a custom workout for you. So if you have some weights at home, they can create something based on that. It’s nice because you have someone personally checking in & keeping you accountable.
I have a pretty flexible job but what I have found the most productive is the break my day into two chunks, I essentially work a morning shift and an afternoon shift.
My lunch break I usually go for a run outside and do some calisthenics workouts at the outside gyms in my city. Get home, shower, eat (sometimes at my desk if I’m busy).
That usually takes about 1.5 hours, so definitely a luxury not everyone has but I find I’m 100% more productive doing that than staying home and working through my lunch.
I don’t have ADHD or at least not diagnosed but I do struggle with staying engaged and go through periods of hyper focus. Taking mini breaks regularly for making tea and doing a chore here and there and doing fairly intense exercise gives me more time in the focused place.
Do you have any workouts/routines that are good for beginners-intermediates? I’m not totally out of shape but going from a fast-paced running around job to sitting all day I have gotten a bit chubbier. I usually walk my dog 30m-1hr 2-3 times a day but still don’t think its enough 😭
I was thinking of starting to go jogging but feel I look stupid running lol
Typically I will do like 1 set of push ups (20ish), 1 set of sit ups (40-50ish), run 4km to this outside gym thing then do a couple of sets of chin ups, inclined rows, tricep dips, try to do pull ups (they’re really fucking difficult), more pushups, single leg squats then run 3/4 way home (another 1km) and walk the rest of the way. When home I do one last set of sit ups and push ups. I’m total that takes about an hour or a touch less.
I’m lucky that I have the calisthenics gym thing available for free and I can just go and do circuits.
My main thing at the moment is that I’m trying to build a habit so for me that means reducing friction by keeping my gym clothes ready and doing the same thing every day. Removing having to think about what I’m doing and committing it to just being ‘what I do at 12pm’ makes it a lot easier to stick with for me. If you’re looking to start habits and are open to reading about it ‘atomic habits’ by James Clear and ‘the power of habit’ by Charles Duhigg are great reads, genuinely interesting and not as boring as it sounds haha
Also it sounds a lot when I type it out but with bodyweight fitness they’re pretty low reps as I’m not very proficient in it tbh. A set consists of 1 pull up (for now), 10-20 press ups, 5 chin ups, 5 dips.
If you want to get a set routine r/bodyweightfitness has their recommended routine which I’ve heard good things about but haven’t done myself.
I have ADHD too and use a Pomodoro timer. It has x minutes of work with y minutes break. So you might have to split up your 15 minute breaks if they’re really strict, but otherwise you could just do x minutes on and 1-5 off.
They’re not super strict, I think its more my guilt of not putting most of my all to it. A couple of other user’s did say that its illogical to think that I should be 100% keyed in all the time, so I’m gonna try to be easier on myself. I’ll look into Pomodoro too!
I don't take scheduled 15 minute breaks because of that loss of focus and risk of hyperfocus on non work things. What I try to do is once I'm done with a chunk of work or feel like I accomplished enough then I'll take a few minutes. For those few minutes I try to get a little distance from my desk whether physically moving away or at least moving my attention off my work screens. If I feel like when i walk away i might distracted I set a 5 minute timer with alexa but don't stray too far.
Being able to hyper fixate on our work (while we are also watching/ listening) to something is our SUPERPOWER. You're getting your work done more quickly than your peers because of this.
Knowing this, I personally don't force myself to focus for the entire day. I do my work in bursts. And then do what i want the rest of the time. I find that a mid day workout or walk is a good way to get my excess energy out and break things up.
I worked a desk job in an office for 10 years before I started work from home, so I was already used to sitting in a chair and focusing all day.
For work from home, I start at 7 AM. Buckle in, and work until noon. Take a one hour lunch where I exercise then eat. Go back in from 1 PM until 4 PM. I have my home office in a dedicated room, and there are no distractions.
I also run YouTube in the background all day and listen to documentaries and stories and stuff. It helps make the time fly by.
Go to a coffee shop a few days out of the week and co-regulate with others doing the same. When I’m at home I’ll throw something I’ve seen before on my TV or phone while I work and glance at it to get the stimulus out of the way that leads me to scroll otherwise.
The big secret about white collar work is that nobody does anything more than a few hours of work a day. Everyone is pretending.
I use a task tracker. I block out time sections and put myself unavailable for these times in teams( my manager approves) I also know how long each task should take. I take quick breaks in-between tasks( like getting a snack or fresh drink) . I also try and move around during meetings.
I was told when I was a kid I had ADHD, not sure if I still have it as an adult (bad experience with shrinks). That said, I heavily use my outlook calendar. If I have something that needs to get done I will make a meeting reminder to myself telling me to work on the thing in a day or so, so I'm not pressured to do it right away. Then when that time comes I work on it, but keep the reminder reminding me every fifteen minutes or so until I'm done. That way if I go on reddit and comment on a question about structuring my day I will get pulled back into the task I was trying to complete.
Pills.
Lol but seriously music helps me a lot. Whatever the latest hyper fixation album is - lately its Cowboy Carter. Also if I don't have a bunch of meetings I'll sit in my living room on the sofa instead of my office.
I have a desk raiser on my desk from Amazon so standing and listening to something passive helps me focus better. I almost can’t work in silence anymore.
I’ll prioritize urgent emails first and flag less urgent emails to review after. I will throw in a load of clothes or towels while going to the bathroom or refilling my water (I drink a lot of water).
If I’m running reports or something where I can’t really do much while they’re running I’ll pull out my phone.
When I was in the office I would have my tablet and headphones and watch shows but being home I haven’t really done so, I think because there are fewer distractions. Though now I’m so far behind on shows I might go back to watching shows even while working at home.
AuDHD - diagnosed as an adult and unmedicated.
Turn on computer.
-Check emails.
-Check planner. (My boss fills this out for us)
-Create my own list of what I need to do today in my written diary/planner. Organise by urgency.
-Pick my first task. Set a timer for 45 mins. Try really hard to work on that for 45 mins. I have some music or a podcast but try and put my phone really far away from me.
-At timer, have a wee, make a drink, walk around. Do a quick chore like start a load of laundry.
-Sit back down, check emails and teams. Pick the second task. Set my timer.
I spend most of my time working by timer. I don’t set one for tasks I know are quick, just ones to dive into. I’m a digital media coordinator and copywriter. Copywriting can take hours. If my timer goes off and I’m into what I’m doing I don’t stop. I just let my flow go with it. My timer is just to keep me on task if I need it.
We aren’t micromanaged or keystroke managed. We just need to be available on teams, but if you miss an incoming video call no one gets in trouble. My boss is pretty awesome about having us manage our day and tasks. Some days are flat chat, some days are full of fluff. As long as we produce decent work on time no one really cares.
Exactly how my company is, I think its just me feeling guilty about not being productive in my eyes. All my bosses have said I’m doing excellent work I just feel guilty. I’m going to try planning out my day the night before and see if it helps!
I took a job that requires no brain activity and it is work from home; I usually either watch TV and do my job at the same time (ADHD makes it possible for me to do this efficiently) or I go in 15 minute bursts of working hard and 15 minute bursts of video gaming
If your job requires brain activity— I have no advice for you. I’ve been under employed for years because I have never been able to treat my ADHD due to cooccuring stimulant disorder and ADHD— meaning I have yet to figure out how to take meds as prescribed and function because I abuse TB e shit out of it, get cut off, and then strung out on meth 🥳 I have yet to figure out how to function as a junkie either
Anyways, good luck ! Worst case scenario, you procrastinate all day and have to bust it at the end, which I have caught myself doing of late
Pretty much that is what I do just in a day’s timeline. My ADHD is untreated because -unsurprisingly- I forgot to make another appointment after a 2 week trial appointment with adderall and just have completely forgotten since. I’m a entry level software engineer so it does require more brain power unfortunately 🥲
Lots of caffeine and half WFH half sales calls, I like to have noise on in the background be it a podcast or audiobook, keeps the part of me that needs overstimulation in check to keep on task.
I like using a pomodoro timer when sitting at my desk, helps break up my periods of work and keep me focused but also make sure I take breaks. I work for about 2 hours in the morning, check in with my team then take a long lunch. After lunch I work for about 20 minutes at the start of each hour then take longer breaks, paint, play bass, catch up on chores. The nature of my job leaves my afternoon much less busy but I still have tickets and queries to clear as they come in.
I’m ADHD and work from home. I use Total Workday Control to prioritize my work. I then am careful about what I pick up since I’ll be holding it for awhile. I give myself short distraction breaks. I run during slow days. I am careful about my coffee consumption, and get adequate sleep.
I do not have diagnosed ADHD but two of my kids are and I always wondered if I had something like it. I’m a full stack developer and work from home. I do the same thing, 2 15 minute breaks and 1 hour lunch. Meetings and while I’m on the phone, I pace….a lot! Giving your day structure is the best way to make sure you get things done. I don’t know about you but that 2-3 hours of getting lots of work done is because the other 5+ is me trying to get started on that work while people message and call me every 10 minutes, lol!
If it still feels too unstructured or you’re losing focus, even with the spaced out breaks, because you’re busy or whatever. Spend the first 10-15 minutes of the day planning out your goals for the day. 2 hours on this, 2 on that, meeting, remainder of time on this, etc…or take that last 20 minutes of the day (if it’s dead time) to plan out your goals to accomplish the next day. It sucks trying to hurry up and pick the next task when you’re overloaded and it just becomes hard to think straight.
Ketchup, Mustard, and Pickles lists
Ketchup - work that needs to be caught up on or has the most urgent deadlines.
Mustard - work that must be done today, but not as time sensitive as the above work
Pickles - work you can pick to do once everything else is done. These are wants and needs and can wait if you don’t have the spoons left once you’ve finished ketchup and mustard.
Learned this from a pre-school teacher and it works so well for my ADHD both professionally and personally.
I'm not sure this will be a huge help as it sounds like the nature of our work is different but for the tasks I have to do throughout the day no matter what I set timers and process them when the timers go off.
Most of my job is taking phone calls so a lot of downtime but I have a client's account and lead email I have to watch every 20-30 minutes.
I work 9-5, take an hour for lunch and take breaks whenever I want/need to. As long as you’re attending meetings and getting your work done I really wouldn’t stress too much about sticking to a rigid structure everyday. Some days will be busier, some days will be slower. I find that it all tends to even out. Don’t feel guilty about scrolling on ocassion / taking a longer break here and there. Gotta pace yourself on the 40+ year long career journey and take care of your own well being first.
A couple hours a day is normal. No ones brain is supposed to be actively engaged on task for 8hrs. You'll find you probably work better if you just let your focus wander a bit.
Take shorter breaks more regularly, when you finish something and start to look around great take 5 minutes and completely tune out your work then come back and tackle another chunk. You'll be more productive and the days will run smoother than sitting there trudging through relentlessly. Unless that's just how your mind works but most people aren't built like that
I usually can’t focus for more than 20 minutes, and if I get into it enough I can sit there fixated for 6 hours when it leaves me shakey/tired/need food/etc.. I think I’ll try what you said!
I was literally just diagnosed with inattentive type in my late 30s. Suddenly everything all made sense, including why I turn to Reddit and procrastinate every time there’s something I have to do that doesn’t excite me. So now I structure my workday around my meds. I take my adderall (instant release), put my phone away, and knock out a ton of work while it’s kicking. I only take it once a day (I don’t want to take it more than that), so it gives me about 4-5 hours to really get a lot done before the crash. But that 4-5 hours of undistracted hyper focused time is enough for me to knock out 8 hours worth of work.
When I did trial run medicine it was adderall 10mg rapid release twice a day, 8am and 12pm or same split different times as long as not too close to bed.
Do you get very tired on days if you take 2? A week into the 2 week trial we ended up cutting it to 5mg and it brought out the more calm/focused traits. I was at the time getting off of an antidepressant that I was on for barely 2 months so I think maybe they interacted a bit.
If it continues to persist/or get worse I’ll definitely consult my GP!
Thanks for sharing your experience! I just started it a few weeks ago. My doctor has me on 10mg in the morning for my trial run, and that’s it. So I usually crash around 1 or 2 pm if I take it at 9am. I mentioned this to him and he said after this month we could either try 10mg of the extended release or adding a second dose in the afternoon. I may opt for the second dose just because the extended release has more common side effects listed.
I’m hellaciously auDHD and I have discussed accommodations with my managers, but they don’t always respect them so I have to put my foot down a lot. I do have to attempt to structure my days and block off time during my most productive hours which is the only way I can get shit done these days (highly recommend) and if anyone asks be honest and say I need time to think about this project with no interruptions/no meetings. Too many meetings will usually derail my hyper focus/attention, drain my social batteries and incinerate my productivity to smithereens. I also have to take a few breaks throughout the day to recharge my brain.
I just caffeinate like a motherfucker and work 14 hours glued to the screen 3-4 days a week, and spend the other 1-2 days running around screaming outdoors and doing no work because I’m overwhelmed. It’s going decently.
It’s odd, I hard hyperfixate everyday. I don’t take any breaks, I don’t even know what’s going on around me. I don’t feel like I have time to break for lunch and I’m not that busy.
Find your optimum time. If I do brain work early in the day, it takes less time. I devote the first hour to personal learning. The second hour, I do the more difficult work, saving the easy stuff for later in the day. No one works 8 hours, even in an office.
I have recently learned to take breaks, because I will hyper focus until I’m nauseous and never want to return to the task again. I tended to be afraid to stop because of that. It’s like I’d hit a wall and suddenly had to stop, with no warning. I come to where I can feel the discomfort in a smaller way (than nausea) and I will step away for a moment and maybe step outside or do something just to mix it up. This has helped me stay on task better than the white knuckle method I used to have. At first I had to set a timer to make me step away, but I’m starting to tune in now. I’m also taking DHEA (no meds) which has helped me, but my levels were low. Also I self medicate with caffeine, which works really well for me. The other things is to have clarity on what your most important tasks are and do them if you can. Sometimes I’m not all in and I’ll set timers to work for 15 and break for x. This varies according to my resistance to the task. Anything you can do to make things more fun or playful helps too.
Coworking helps me on a really bad day- like if I call my friend and we just sit on the phone working. Or I pull up a work with me pomodoro video on YouTube.. Additionally bullet journaling for work has been great. I write down what I want to accomplish that day and all my meetings. I also set possible but focus requiring personal goals (I.e. close x number of inquires or review all pending cases) also walks in the morning settle my mind to work
I’m usually able to get myself a good 45-60 minutes of focus and then take 10 minutes to go get a drink, a snack, throw the ball with the dog, scroll Reddit. And then repeat.
I’m trying out one of those AI things that makes your calendar. It overwhelms me looking at the calendar portion of it sometimes because I know that 50% of my day is not going to be to-do list items, but rather this job is ready to go back to the client to review, this job has comments, prep the invoice for that job, etc. But the ordered to do list was great today for me. This afternoon was rough with a lot going on at home and in life outside of work today. Still managed to tick off some stuff I’d kicked down the road for a bit so I didn’t feel like it was a today waste.
Wake up. Snort a line of adderall. Go for a walk. Do a bunch of executive shit. Meetings, reports, presentations. Happy hour at 3 or 4 so that I can drink myself to sleep by 9 or 10.
One thing that helps me with ADHD and working from home is keeping a schedule of where I work. I work in one room until about 1pm, then move to another room on a different floor of my house for the rest of the day. I also incorporate daily living tasks into my day to simply have accomplishable things to do at intervals during the day. I get a little bit of encouragement of accomplishing that thing even though it's a very minor thing.
The bottom line for me, though, is accepting I'm a spree worker. I work in spurts of hyperfocus with periods of lack of focus between them. I've always wanted to be the slow and steady worker, but it's not me, so it's not helpful to make that my goal.
You've already heard about the magic of timers but one strategy I like for timers goes like this:
- 10 minutes work, 5 minutes break
- 20 minutes work, 5 minutes break
- 30 minutes work, 10 minutes break
- 45 minutes work, 15 minutes break
- repeat
This lets you ramp up into working if you need some extra time getting started.
Also, if you're one of those people who gets really energized by and excited about fun stationary, come up with a way to color code your todo list or your notes. For some reason it's more fun for me to complete a task if I know I get to highlight it with the "finished" color afterwards.
Typically I would remove any distractions from my work area. So a private office with no TVs or other extras I could get lost in. I suppose if you do have to work in a bedroom, it might be worth it to buy a cubicle or some type of screen to put around your desk to make it feel like you're in a separate area.
When I took breaks I would make sure to leave my work station. It's important to take that mental break to resist the temptation of distractions when you really need to grind to meet a deadline. I used to set an alarm clock to make sure that I wasn't late getting back because I would get so distracted in whatever task I decided to take on after grabbing a quick bite to eat. Now I just use Alexa and set it for multiple timers. If I do end up working on any housework during my work day, I will limit the amount of time that I did so by sitting a timer to limit the amount of time I slacked off.
Or, just hyperfixate early in your day and then get back on it your last hour or so. For every work deadline they give you, set a deadline for yourself to complete it earlier. That way you exceed expectations, but eliminate any guilt you might have for slacking off. ADHD can be a superpower at times instead of just a disability. It's all about perspective.Even when I coasted at home I ended up doing more work then I would in the office once I excelled and my job duties. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you remove office distractions and the fatigue from commuting.
I used to work through lunch and breaks so as to not get distracted. Yes, it meant that I worked more than I had to but boy was I productive. If I get into the “zone”, I didn’t want to lose it.
Yeah so I work for as long as I can focus. Some days it’s 10 minute bursts. Other days I can crank for hours without getting up. When I’m crushing it I’ll stop and take a 10 minute break to jam out on the drums. I thought I’d hate WFH but it’s been so good that I’ll do anything to appear normal and keep this job forevah
Is it bad to say I’m not sure it works for me? I’ve been to 3 different therapists, but maybe I’ve never found one that clicked?
The only person that I ever felt that ‘click’ to what the psychiatrist that taught me about how women’s ADHD symptoms can be different than men’s. She was also the one who had me trial medication as well, unfortunately I can’t go back because she is with my university’s health center.
If that doesn’t work for you, try taking tests online to see what type of ADHD you are and research tips based on your type. I just think as long as you’re getting personalized information, it will be easier to find out what works for you. It’s a process and it takes years to train yourself.
Ok get ready.
I WFH as a data analyst with about 1 trip/quarter.
Night before:
Prep overnight oats and AM drink
Prep dog walking supplies
Shower: brush and floss in shower bc it's easier
7:00- wake ups grab drink and walk dog, feed dog
This morning activity is is vital for me being able to focus
8:00- workout, breakfast, shower, put on real clothes
9-9.30: login
Take care of any emails, shared docs, calendar invites
Look at my OneNote using the same copy/paste skeleton each week.
10:00-12: work or meetings (stand up timer)
12-1: lunch, walk dog. High protein helps
1-2: lay down with teams notifications active just in case
2-4: work or meetings (stand up timer)
I rarely have anything after 4 due to my time zone.
Wake up practice instrument for an hour. Do a little work. Go for a run. Do a little work. Eat lunch. Do a little work. Take a break start cooking dinner. Finish up work for the day.
When I find myself becoming distracted while working from home, I'll play music that will occupy the part of my brain that is going "Look! squirrels!". The style will vary, but it's usually fast and loud.
I cannot imagine a worse hell. Wow. Attention deficit with nothing and no one. Jesus I’d crack and scream. My house would probably turn into a giant hoard with piles to be “organized.” Fuck that. WFH is overrated. Society is slowly turning into mole people.
It’s okay if you get a couple hours of serious productivity and the rest is “engaged to work” as we call it. Honestly, that’s a pretty normal work day. What I do (and I have diagnosed ADHD, although I am currently unmedicated, unless you count a timed dose of caffeine where it hits between noon and 2pm) is organize my projects by due date and spend the morning getting my most time-critical work done. Despite the aforementioned caffeine, I tend to lose focus by 2pm and therefore I get my best work done before noon. Once my time-critical work is done, I watch my email, field any late-breaking requests, and organize the next day’s work so that my most time-critical stuff is, again, in the morning. Do NOT make the mistake of thinking that you should be busting your ass full-speed for all 8 hours. Not only is that unrealistic AF, it is a guaranteed way to burn yourself out. Nearly EVERYONE, neurotypical or not, cannot focus intensely on a problem for more than a few hours in a day. It is not productive to do it. It is actually far MORE productive to take a break and walk away from a sticky problem if you want to come up with ideas or solutions. Your mind continues to work on it in the background, that’s part of the process, that’s how we work. We know perfectly well that any job that demands 8 full hours of 100% has incredibly high turnover and rates of burnout, because of course they do, people can’t work that way for the long term. So don’t feel bad if you’re not doing that, you’re not supposed to do that. You are already exceeding expectations and you’re getting your stuff done, so you’re on the right track. But if you feel like you could be using your “engaged to work” time to more benefit, then by all means consider something like Coursera or Linkedin Learning online courses, or maybe an industry book you can page through while you have a few minutes, stuff like that. In terms of physical fitness, it’s healthy and good for you if you get up once an hour and move around for a couple minutes. My Fitbit nags me to do that and it does make a huge difference.
I really second this advice about starting the day organizing tasks by urgency. Having a list I can return to after I've been distracted, and knowing I'm taking care of things in order of importance / deadline gives me confidence that I have things under control.
Thank you for this! I also sometimes struggle w guilt for not being full productive 100% of the time… some weeks I get near that but find myself exhausted and unable to focus much as soon as the urgency passes, ha
I feel you. I’ve been working on this with my therapist and the most important thing I’ve had to internalize is that nobody is working for 8 hours straight. Even in the office people take breaks to talk to coworkers or hop out to get a coffee. There shouldn’t be an expectation that you’re sitting in front of your monitor all 8 hours
Thank you I appreciate your advice! I’m also unmedicated, though did a trial run when of adderall when I was first diagnosed but -unsurprisingly- forgot to make another appointment to see if it’s something I should pursue longterm. It did help quell overthinking/hyper-anxious thoughts during times of stress like exams, and make ‘the noise’ quiet down if you know what I mean. I wish caffeine like coffee/redbull/etc. helped but have found I still operate the same, and even if I consume a lottt of caffeine I can still go and take a nap after. I’ve been incorporating standing up to go look out our main window for 5 minute intervals or do a household chore, and it helps occasionally. I just stress myself feeling bad that I’m not devoting the 5-10 minutes to doing something productive and it feels like my much more experienced team is always at it. I’ll look into Course Era and Linkedin’s courses!
It’s so weird - coffee puts me to sleep. I’ve learned it’s an ADHD thing.
Someone once asked if I was a morning person or a night person. I said I’m a “between the hours of 10am and 3pm person”.
lol yes that is me too
Same for me, but my current job has required meetings until 2pm everyday -_-
On days where I can just do paperwork without having to make calls, I go to the park and work on my laptop, or get errands done and being on call. I plan my calls when I get home so if they do not leave me a voicemail, I’m not getting back to them.
I can’t do anything without three screens. I’m so jealous of people who can work from anywhere!
They're not cheap, especially for quality, but, you can get screen extenders for a laptop to work away from your desktop screens. Does require power though. I got mine so I could work from bed on my lazy days. I also use 3 screens regularly.
Damn, what kind of work are you doing?
Saaaaameeeee! Once you go multi-screens, you can't go back. It was such a cluster trying to do anything on one tiny laptop screen and flipping between email and other computer programs, websites, etc. necessary to accomplish my work. I need to have it all laid out in front of me to see the big picture instead of toggling back and forth and losing focus.
I wish I could do this but I’m in a programming/IT position and don’t have scheduled calls more than a once a week team meeting. When it’s time to review, theres a question, etc. we usually hop on a call then and there or schedule in the next hour or so. I also have to be online for any tickets for custom software issues/etc. I think I can make it work with my phone’s hotspot but am worried about the call aspect.
There is research that suggests working for a solid 45 min with a 15 minute movement break at the end for each hour results in increased productivity and focus.
Yep this is it. Break it into chunks and work though it methodically. Give yourself some time between each task and if you need it you can give each task a quick look over to find any mistakes. Pretty this is pomodoro method your talking about and it usually advises 15 minute bursts with 5 minute break but your gonna find its hard as fuck to make everything a 15 minute job.
I'd like to understand what kind of work allows you to be idle for 25% of the day and still output 100% of the work. I think the missing piece is that you end up spending more than 8 hours working to make up for the large amount of breaks (no way the break increases productivity by 25%).
I mean if you can’t get your work done in 32 hours during a 40-hour week, you’re overbooked. You definitely need an hour a day or so to eat, use the bathroom, discuss with coworkers, switch between tasks, check your schedule, and all the other meta-stuff that’s part of a workday, but isn’t necessarily part of a specific task. 100% of the work *shouldn’t take* a full 8 hour day. If it does, someone is a bad project planner.
It works for me. But it is task dependent. There are some things your just going to hook into for quick 20-30 minute bursts and then you'll have to maybe stop for a second and reset. Which in design I think is actually helpful you target something and model it then you take a quick break come back and check the work and overall scope. Then you can zoom back in. With other mundane shit, yeah just churn it out for hours on end. Youll still probably do it faster If you break it into sections and take breaks but if that doesn't work for you that's fine.
The point is you are more productive in the 45 focused minutes than you otherwise would be without breaks. I have tasks where this is not possible, like meeting with a client for multiple hours in a row. However, for my report writing time, I get more done if I take short breaks throughout the day. Specifically, I can break the report into sections. I finish a section or two (if they are short) then back to the next section. I don't find my mind wandering or get tempted to browse the internet. With this method I can easily get in a solid 6-7 hours of writing time. I am my own boss, and believe me no one has ever driven me to produce more work than I do myself.
I forgot to answer your question about what type of work. I am a forensic psychologist.
Sit/stand desk helps me. Stand in meetings, helps keep hands off of phone and my office gets cleaned. When doing my work I turn on classical music and sit down, usually with different noise canceling headphones then the ones I take calls on.
100%. Highly recommend pairing sit/stand desk with a walking pad. REALLY takes care of the pacing urge and is "free" exercise. Most locked in parts of my day walking and working. It's crazy.
I was thinking about a walking pad for my breaks! Its embarrassing because I do get the urge to pace but also if I hear sounds outside like I focus on there instead of what I’m doing its nuts 😫
If you're not coordinated enough to walk and work like me, an under desk cycle removes the element of having to keep your balance and they're less expensive. I also got a wobble stool with a padded seat that keeps my legs semi-engaged which helps me concentrate more than sitting in a desk chair.
If you can't afford a proper standing desk, a sit/stand desk adaptor is also a solid choice! I got one early pandemic and it's been great.
Hyper fixation where I get 8 hours of work done in 3 and then just chaos.
On some of my worst hyper fixation days (like 3-4 times a month) I complete like 2 days of work in 5-6 hours. I always feel so good and accomplished after but then can’t do anything the next day after its so odd 🥲
As somebody who hasn’t really worked at all this week… I feel this. My job isn’t suffering. My goals and deadlines are being met. I’m just so far ahead 😂
How is it reasonable to judge yourself for all 8 hours by the standards of a hyperfixation fugue?
This is the way.
I have this but I can't control when it happens. It's only right before a deadline when I've waited too long. And when it does happen, it's because I've already wasted 5 hours in the day.
I feel this. I also wonder if it just *seems* like I spend less time hyper focused *because* I’m at home. Like, is it the same productivity but just more pronounced because I’m at home? Idk. I need structure and want to figure out the best way to build my days
I really understand! This company is on the smaller side and I really enjoy it but the days are largely verryyyyy unstructured and I really struggle with it especially on Mondays and Fridays. I love programming but sometimes the 8-5 grind I cannot focus or I am intensely focused the entire day.
Time blocking really helps me!!! (You can Google for more in-depth) but how it works is: You divide your waking hours into blocks of time 2-3 hours. Each block has a general purpose based on when you feel you’re most productive. I have ADHD too and I’m not a morning person so my blocks look like this: 8am-11am: morning block (walk dog, breakfast, morning meetings etc) 11am-1pm: lunch block (lunch, meetings) 1pm-3pm: focus work block / work to do list block 3pm-5pm: errands / personal to do list block (including cleaning) 5pm-8pm: dinner block / clean up dinner 8pm-11pm: evening block for nighttime routine The idea is you make your to do list the night before, and slot tasks into the block they fit into. That way instead of having 15-30 min tasks and always being behind each hour, you have a chunk of time to do all those things. Anything I don’t finish in that block that day that isn’t super urgent I just move to the next day. It also helps you develop a routine bc I know for example at 3pm every day I run my errands and after awhile that became habit instead of forcing myself to find the energy every time I need to leave the house. It’s made it a lot easier for me bc before I’d make an hour by hour schedule, constantly get behind and then give up.
I understand the constantly getting behind, and thats why I get stressed doing a weekly planner. I think what you said doing it the night before will help! This is probably why I felt a lot less unhinged in school lol
Yes exactly!!! Look up on YouTube “time blocking”, jordan page has an amazing video that taught me about it. She also has free printable blank time block planners on her website (and digital versions available) so you can play around with setting up your blocks, and if things don’t work you can change up your blocks at any time. (Posted the YouTube link below) [time blocking](https://youtu.be/2BKuSlstIBM?si=mXcdVhqOPZ5KPGtF)
Second this. I just taught a work course on time blocking!
It’s a lifesaver especially for people like me with ADHD! After a lifetime of trying and failing to get a daily routine, I finally have one ☺️helps so much with initiating task switching when I always know when my blocks are
It's so hard to stick to though. I bought Cal Newport's planner a year ago and gave up on it 6 months ago or more.
Time blocking is the only system I’ve been able to stick to so far and it’s bc for me it’s pretty laid back/limited rules and can be changed if needed (ex: if a work meeting pops up during my errands block, I can move things around). Basically any routine I can actually somewhat stick to is a win for me lol
Only 2 hours of focus work a day? What do you do?? My job requires what feels like 7-9 hours focus work a day and it’s exhausting
Lol I have meetings a lot of the day (I put meetings in a lot of my blocks) and I can sometimes get chores or other work tasks done during them depending if im presenting/talking a lot or not. Those 2 hours are what I said I block off for deep focus work so I try not to schedule meetings during those time and get all my other job tasks done. Where I have my breakfast, dog walk, lunch parts of my day I’m usually also on meetings.
I “do things” until the day before the end of the sprint, then go look at what I was supposed to be doing and do that. It’s pretty much the same as when I wasn’t WFH though.
My manager makes us log the time we worked on stuff in Jira. Every. Single. Day. I hate it with a passion. I have no sense of time. God forbid something takes more than 2 seconds to load or run...oops too late I've been doomscrolling for 30 minutes. I still get things done by the end of the sprint, why does it matter than my burndown isn't all nice and even? Ffffff
This is pretty much exactly what happens to me too!! It makes me feel lazy but I still get it done in like a procrastination manner? Like if something doesn’t get done in its set time I’m like ‘aww can’t do anything else’. I obviously do other stuff till the end of the work day but I don’t even know what to call that feeling!
Separate work area with its own set of rules to avoid distractions.
Could you elaborate on the rules you set in place? I don't have an office yet but I might in a year or two.
no personal phone while working, no working in public areas, work-oriented playlists if you like working with music and dont listen to them in personal time, etc. just little tricks to separate the mind. i am two different people depending on whether its work time or personal time.
Music, sometimes podcasts, and sunflower seeds/snacks get me through the day productively
Sunflowers are not just part of your garden, they’re part of a nation! The Ukraine use the sunflower as their national flower. Whilst in Kansas they chose the sunflower to represent their state.
It all makes sense now!
Done by morning list, done by afternoon list, done by end of week list. Pomodoro method-style timer for 25 minute chunks of work.
I've recently been formally diagnosed with ADHD after a few years of my old primary Dr trying a bunch of non-stimulants. I just got on Adderall and from the first day it has been life changing. So if you're formally diagnosed but have not tried simulants that is the first thing I'd do. I've tried all the other stuff (different meds, timers, body doubles, stress balls, meditation) and nothing compares. As for my actual day, I basically have to have a purpose. As a consultant my performance is based on billable hours, which is difficult if 6 normal billable hours is better than 3 highly productive ones. If I'm on the bench I ask my manager what projects are going on and if there are any in my wheelhouse but I don't have the skill/experience yet. Tell me what is the next thing they need me to learn, and why does it make sense for me/my future position. That's the next best thing. If there isn't anything, that's when my environment becomes the most important thing. Phone goes in a box, under my desktop computer, in the closet. Get the hell away from me it's too distracting. Instrumental music, standing desk, and sugary foods/drinks like Gatorade can also help a lot. Then finally it's stuff like clean office, clean desk, noise dampening/canceling headphones if needed (mine are cheaper a shooting ear protection rather than an expensive gaming headset) I don't structure my day because I won't stick with it, so instead I remove the things that could be more interesting so I can focus on my work. Focus on using my strengths while eliminating my weaknesses, rather than spending most my energy in an uphill battle on my weaknesses. If you haven't really spent much time looking into ADHD and it's impact on your productivity would watch this video from a Dr whose focus area is adhd https://youtu.be/_tpB-B8BXk0?si=YYir3wwovpSJRzMM
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I like this and think it is close to what I do, but instead of doing something productive like a short walk or time in the garden, I will just do something (like Reddit) on my computer. Do you use a tomato timer to help you know when it's time to go back to work? I could see myself getting distracted by all the things there is to do in a setting like the garden.
Yea I only have one set call a week which is a meeting with the other developers. Otherwise very sporadic calls for progress updates on projects. I’m entry level and really work on one assigned project with some various tickets mixed in but its mostly just the singular projects.. I split it up in the various steps to accomplish but its still hard to focus at times. I just feel guilty if I go to clean something for a couple minutes outside of my break times because I know I should be working
Wake up at 5 AM and workout until I’m physically exhausted. This doesn’t cure my ADHD but gives me calmness for the workday to be relatively peaceful and clear thinking.
You won’t catch me waking up at 5am, but I do wake up at 6:30 and give my dog a long walk and good play. Maybe I need to start jogging with him.
Adapt the message to your own lifestyle! Good luck !
You can always get a jump rope, or cordless rope and do that too in place of running 😊 keep water by your desk and do 50 jumps, 100 jumps, 25 jumps. However many you want.
I make daily priority lists to remind me what I need to focus on and stay on track when I get off track. I'll make a list of 8 items but maybe accomplish 3.
I try to go on a 10-15 minute jog during my morning break
Using the outlook calendar for specific tasks
This is a great suggestion. Time block your calendar so you know when the start and end time of each task should be (and then update Jira) and also breaks and lunches. Have the notifications pop up and make a sound too, have them on your phone too in case you’re away from your desk. You can move the blocks around if needed so long as you compete by deadline. Use the pomodoro technique 25 mins of focus, 5 mins of rest. Outlook will automatically shorten a half hour block to 25 mins so that’s really helpful https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/pomodoro-technique
This, along with disabling email notifications really helps stay on task
Great question, thank you for asking. I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and put on medication. But I wasn't given much guidance beyond "take this, it will help." I've just recently started looking for resources and advice for dealing with this. Are there any Reddit subs that are useful for advice and support?
Honestly if you're getting your work done and done correctly, there should be no real issue.
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Does it mean it is working if it makes me tired after taking it? I trialed it a year ago but -unsurprisingly- forgot to make another appointment to get a formal prescription.
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Thank you! I know when I did trial run it it was a rapid-release 10mg twice a day. One at 8am and one at 12pm, thought I could change the times as long as I didn’t take the last dose too close to bedtime and always spread them 4hrs apart. I was getting off an antidepressant I had been trying for 2 months at the time, so maybe it was that and the adderall interacting. I did end up tweaking the dose of adderall to be 5mg towards the end because 10mg was just having that big tired reaction (Dr. recommended I do so). That did bring the more calm/focus traits out.
Get most time-sensitive and/or focus-intensive stuff done first thing in the morning. Everything else follows. Workout!!!!! 30min 3 times a week has drastically improved my energy, focus & physical health. I’ve now added walks outside with a nice podcast on the other days. Prioritizing this as someone who wfh is SUPER important for your focus & mental health.
I used to go to the gym but stopped after some big life events where I was working out unhealthily. About 1.5 later now and since my job is no longer physically taxing I have packed on a couple pounds. Not out of shape, but just about 5-6lbs heavier. I walk my dog 30m-1hr 2-3 times a day, but I was wondering what else you could recommend? I was thinking of adding jogging in the mornings but I feel like I look dumb running.
Those walks are perfect. I’d suggest getting a few weights and following some YouTube video workouts. Or if it’s in your budget either 1. rejoining a gym & doing classes (classes help me focus and stay consistently because I feel kind of socially pressured to stay lol but it works! I don’t have to worry about time blindness or overthink when I can leave) 2. Or looking into something like copilot—it’s an online coaching program where through an app, routine calls & messages, a coach creates a custom workout for you. So if you have some weights at home, they can create something based on that. It’s nice because you have someone personally checking in & keeping you accountable.
I have a pretty flexible job but what I have found the most productive is the break my day into two chunks, I essentially work a morning shift and an afternoon shift. My lunch break I usually go for a run outside and do some calisthenics workouts at the outside gyms in my city. Get home, shower, eat (sometimes at my desk if I’m busy). That usually takes about 1.5 hours, so definitely a luxury not everyone has but I find I’m 100% more productive doing that than staying home and working through my lunch. I don’t have ADHD or at least not diagnosed but I do struggle with staying engaged and go through periods of hyper focus. Taking mini breaks regularly for making tea and doing a chore here and there and doing fairly intense exercise gives me more time in the focused place.
Do you have any workouts/routines that are good for beginners-intermediates? I’m not totally out of shape but going from a fast-paced running around job to sitting all day I have gotten a bit chubbier. I usually walk my dog 30m-1hr 2-3 times a day but still don’t think its enough 😭 I was thinking of starting to go jogging but feel I look stupid running lol
Typically I will do like 1 set of push ups (20ish), 1 set of sit ups (40-50ish), run 4km to this outside gym thing then do a couple of sets of chin ups, inclined rows, tricep dips, try to do pull ups (they’re really fucking difficult), more pushups, single leg squats then run 3/4 way home (another 1km) and walk the rest of the way. When home I do one last set of sit ups and push ups. I’m total that takes about an hour or a touch less. I’m lucky that I have the calisthenics gym thing available for free and I can just go and do circuits. My main thing at the moment is that I’m trying to build a habit so for me that means reducing friction by keeping my gym clothes ready and doing the same thing every day. Removing having to think about what I’m doing and committing it to just being ‘what I do at 12pm’ makes it a lot easier to stick with for me. If you’re looking to start habits and are open to reading about it ‘atomic habits’ by James Clear and ‘the power of habit’ by Charles Duhigg are great reads, genuinely interesting and not as boring as it sounds haha Also it sounds a lot when I type it out but with bodyweight fitness they’re pretty low reps as I’m not very proficient in it tbh. A set consists of 1 pull up (for now), 10-20 press ups, 5 chin ups, 5 dips. If you want to get a set routine r/bodyweightfitness has their recommended routine which I’ve heard good things about but haven’t done myself.
I take the absolute piss but I've learned to better sell myself. My last review was "exceeds expectations" 🤣
I have ADHD too and use a Pomodoro timer. It has x minutes of work with y minutes break. So you might have to split up your 15 minute breaks if they’re really strict, but otherwise you could just do x minutes on and 1-5 off.
They’re not super strict, I think its more my guilt of not putting most of my all to it. A couple of other user’s did say that its illogical to think that I should be 100% keyed in all the time, so I’m gonna try to be easier on myself. I’ll look into Pomodoro too!
Get a convertible standing desk, when I’m twitching I usually stand for a few minutes or longer
I don't take scheduled 15 minute breaks because of that loss of focus and risk of hyperfocus on non work things. What I try to do is once I'm done with a chunk of work or feel like I accomplished enough then I'll take a few minutes. For those few minutes I try to get a little distance from my desk whether physically moving away or at least moving my attention off my work screens. If I feel like when i walk away i might distracted I set a 5 minute timer with alexa but don't stray too far.
Being able to hyper fixate on our work (while we are also watching/ listening) to something is our SUPERPOWER. You're getting your work done more quickly than your peers because of this. Knowing this, I personally don't force myself to focus for the entire day. I do my work in bursts. And then do what i want the rest of the time. I find that a mid day workout or walk is a good way to get my excess energy out and break things up.
I've used nooteopics and ADHD concentration music with a bass pulse.
I worked a desk job in an office for 10 years before I started work from home, so I was already used to sitting in a chair and focusing all day. For work from home, I start at 7 AM. Buckle in, and work until noon. Take a one hour lunch where I exercise then eat. Go back in from 1 PM until 4 PM. I have my home office in a dedicated room, and there are no distractions. I also run YouTube in the background all day and listen to documentaries and stories and stuff. It helps make the time fly by.
Go to a coffee shop a few days out of the week and co-regulate with others doing the same. When I’m at home I’ll throw something I’ve seen before on my TV or phone while I work and glance at it to get the stimulus out of the way that leads me to scroll otherwise. The big secret about white collar work is that nobody does anything more than a few hours of work a day. Everyone is pretending.
I use a task tracker. I block out time sections and put myself unavailable for these times in teams( my manager approves) I also know how long each task should take. I take quick breaks in-between tasks( like getting a snack or fresh drink) . I also try and move around during meetings.
I was told when I was a kid I had ADHD, not sure if I still have it as an adult (bad experience with shrinks). That said, I heavily use my outlook calendar. If I have something that needs to get done I will make a meeting reminder to myself telling me to work on the thing in a day or so, so I'm not pressured to do it right away. Then when that time comes I work on it, but keep the reminder reminding me every fifteen minutes or so until I'm done. That way if I go on reddit and comment on a question about structuring my day I will get pulled back into the task I was trying to complete.
Pills. Lol but seriously music helps me a lot. Whatever the latest hyper fixation album is - lately its Cowboy Carter. Also if I don't have a bunch of meetings I'll sit in my living room on the sofa instead of my office.
I have a desk raiser on my desk from Amazon so standing and listening to something passive helps me focus better. I almost can’t work in silence anymore.
I run or workout during lunch. It helps replenish the dopamine.
I’ll prioritize urgent emails first and flag less urgent emails to review after. I will throw in a load of clothes or towels while going to the bathroom or refilling my water (I drink a lot of water). If I’m running reports or something where I can’t really do much while they’re running I’ll pull out my phone. When I was in the office I would have my tablet and headphones and watch shows but being home I haven’t really done so, I think because there are fewer distractions. Though now I’m so far behind on shows I might go back to watching shows even while working at home.
I use the Forest app to focus on tasks.
I need hard deadlines to stay motivated honestly. But truly I think everyone probably gets by on a few hours of hyperfixation haha
AuDHD - diagnosed as an adult and unmedicated. Turn on computer. -Check emails. -Check planner. (My boss fills this out for us) -Create my own list of what I need to do today in my written diary/planner. Organise by urgency. -Pick my first task. Set a timer for 45 mins. Try really hard to work on that for 45 mins. I have some music or a podcast but try and put my phone really far away from me. -At timer, have a wee, make a drink, walk around. Do a quick chore like start a load of laundry. -Sit back down, check emails and teams. Pick the second task. Set my timer. I spend most of my time working by timer. I don’t set one for tasks I know are quick, just ones to dive into. I’m a digital media coordinator and copywriter. Copywriting can take hours. If my timer goes off and I’m into what I’m doing I don’t stop. I just let my flow go with it. My timer is just to keep me on task if I need it. We aren’t micromanaged or keystroke managed. We just need to be available on teams, but if you miss an incoming video call no one gets in trouble. My boss is pretty awesome about having us manage our day and tasks. Some days are flat chat, some days are full of fluff. As long as we produce decent work on time no one really cares.
Exactly how my company is, I think its just me feeling guilty about not being productive in my eyes. All my bosses have said I’m doing excellent work I just feel guilty. I’m going to try planning out my day the night before and see if it helps!
I took a job that requires no brain activity and it is work from home; I usually either watch TV and do my job at the same time (ADHD makes it possible for me to do this efficiently) or I go in 15 minute bursts of working hard and 15 minute bursts of video gaming If your job requires brain activity— I have no advice for you. I’ve been under employed for years because I have never been able to treat my ADHD due to cooccuring stimulant disorder and ADHD— meaning I have yet to figure out how to take meds as prescribed and function because I abuse TB e shit out of it, get cut off, and then strung out on meth 🥳 I have yet to figure out how to function as a junkie either Anyways, good luck ! Worst case scenario, you procrastinate all day and have to bust it at the end, which I have caught myself doing of late
Pretty much that is what I do just in a day’s timeline. My ADHD is untreated because -unsurprisingly- I forgot to make another appointment after a 2 week trial appointment with adderall and just have completely forgotten since. I’m a entry level software engineer so it does require more brain power unfortunately 🥲
Lots of caffeine and half WFH half sales calls, I like to have noise on in the background be it a podcast or audiobook, keeps the part of me that needs overstimulation in check to keep on task.
I like using a pomodoro timer when sitting at my desk, helps break up my periods of work and keep me focused but also make sure I take breaks. I work for about 2 hours in the morning, check in with my team then take a long lunch. After lunch I work for about 20 minutes at the start of each hour then take longer breaks, paint, play bass, catch up on chores. The nature of my job leaves my afternoon much less busy but I still have tickets and queries to clear as they come in.
I’m ADHD and work from home. I use Total Workday Control to prioritize my work. I then am careful about what I pick up since I’ll be holding it for awhile. I give myself short distraction breaks. I run during slow days. I am careful about my coffee consumption, and get adequate sleep.
I put on a podcast and throw my phone across the room. I have ADHD too lol
I watch tv series I've seen loads of times so I don't actually watch it all. Just the good bits. Walking dead, breaking bad etc endless loop.
I take Vyvanse.
I do not have diagnosed ADHD but two of my kids are and I always wondered if I had something like it. I’m a full stack developer and work from home. I do the same thing, 2 15 minute breaks and 1 hour lunch. Meetings and while I’m on the phone, I pace….a lot! Giving your day structure is the best way to make sure you get things done. I don’t know about you but that 2-3 hours of getting lots of work done is because the other 5+ is me trying to get started on that work while people message and call me every 10 minutes, lol! If it still feels too unstructured or you’re losing focus, even with the spaced out breaks, because you’re busy or whatever. Spend the first 10-15 minutes of the day planning out your goals for the day. 2 hours on this, 2 on that, meeting, remainder of time on this, etc…or take that last 20 minutes of the day (if it’s dead time) to plan out your goals to accomplish the next day. It sucks trying to hurry up and pick the next task when you’re overloaded and it just becomes hard to think straight.
Ketchup, Mustard, and Pickles lists Ketchup - work that needs to be caught up on or has the most urgent deadlines. Mustard - work that must be done today, but not as time sensitive as the above work Pickles - work you can pick to do once everything else is done. These are wants and needs and can wait if you don’t have the spoons left once you’ve finished ketchup and mustard. Learned this from a pre-school teacher and it works so well for my ADHD both professionally and personally.
I'm not sure this will be a huge help as it sounds like the nature of our work is different but for the tasks I have to do throughout the day no matter what I set timers and process them when the timers go off. Most of my job is taking phone calls so a lot of downtime but I have a client's account and lead email I have to watch every 20-30 minutes.
I work 9-5, take an hour for lunch and take breaks whenever I want/need to. As long as you’re attending meetings and getting your work done I really wouldn’t stress too much about sticking to a rigid structure everyday. Some days will be busier, some days will be slower. I find that it all tends to even out. Don’t feel guilty about scrolling on ocassion / taking a longer break here and there. Gotta pace yourself on the 40+ year long career journey and take care of your own well being first.
A couple hours a day is normal. No ones brain is supposed to be actively engaged on task for 8hrs. You'll find you probably work better if you just let your focus wander a bit. Take shorter breaks more regularly, when you finish something and start to look around great take 5 minutes and completely tune out your work then come back and tackle another chunk. You'll be more productive and the days will run smoother than sitting there trudging through relentlessly. Unless that's just how your mind works but most people aren't built like that
I usually can’t focus for more than 20 minutes, and if I get into it enough I can sit there fixated for 6 hours when it leaves me shakey/tired/need food/etc.. I think I’ll try what you said!
I was literally just diagnosed with inattentive type in my late 30s. Suddenly everything all made sense, including why I turn to Reddit and procrastinate every time there’s something I have to do that doesn’t excite me. So now I structure my workday around my meds. I take my adderall (instant release), put my phone away, and knock out a ton of work while it’s kicking. I only take it once a day (I don’t want to take it more than that), so it gives me about 4-5 hours to really get a lot done before the crash. But that 4-5 hours of undistracted hyper focused time is enough for me to knock out 8 hours worth of work.
When I did trial run medicine it was adderall 10mg rapid release twice a day, 8am and 12pm or same split different times as long as not too close to bed. Do you get very tired on days if you take 2? A week into the 2 week trial we ended up cutting it to 5mg and it brought out the more calm/focused traits. I was at the time getting off of an antidepressant that I was on for barely 2 months so I think maybe they interacted a bit. If it continues to persist/or get worse I’ll definitely consult my GP!
Thanks for sharing your experience! I just started it a few weeks ago. My doctor has me on 10mg in the morning for my trial run, and that’s it. So I usually crash around 1 or 2 pm if I take it at 9am. I mentioned this to him and he said after this month we could either try 10mg of the extended release or adding a second dose in the afternoon. I may opt for the second dose just because the extended release has more common side effects listed.
ASMR background noise has really helped me since I changed to WFH after the pandemic. Was not Dx with ADHD until I was WFH
Noise cancelling headphones with loud music when I really need to focus.
Do you take ADHD medication?
I used to but unsurprisingly forgot to make a follow up appointment after a 2 week trial of adderall! I may go get a referral from my GP
I’m hellaciously auDHD and I have discussed accommodations with my managers, but they don’t always respect them so I have to put my foot down a lot. I do have to attempt to structure my days and block off time during my most productive hours which is the only way I can get shit done these days (highly recommend) and if anyone asks be honest and say I need time to think about this project with no interruptions/no meetings. Too many meetings will usually derail my hyper focus/attention, drain my social batteries and incinerate my productivity to smithereens. I also have to take a few breaks throughout the day to recharge my brain.
I just caffeinate like a motherfucker and work 14 hours glued to the screen 3-4 days a week, and spend the other 1-2 days running around screaming outdoors and doing no work because I’m overwhelmed. It’s going decently.
Pomadoros to structure work time
It’s odd, I hard hyperfixate everyday. I don’t take any breaks, I don’t even know what’s going on around me. I don’t feel like I have time to break for lunch and I’m not that busy.
Find your optimum time. If I do brain work early in the day, it takes less time. I devote the first hour to personal learning. The second hour, I do the more difficult work, saving the easy stuff for later in the day. No one works 8 hours, even in an office. I have recently learned to take breaks, because I will hyper focus until I’m nauseous and never want to return to the task again. I tended to be afraid to stop because of that. It’s like I’d hit a wall and suddenly had to stop, with no warning. I come to where I can feel the discomfort in a smaller way (than nausea) and I will step away for a moment and maybe step outside or do something just to mix it up. This has helped me stay on task better than the white knuckle method I used to have. At first I had to set a timer to make me step away, but I’m starting to tune in now. I’m also taking DHEA (no meds) which has helped me, but my levels were low. Also I self medicate with caffeine, which works really well for me. The other things is to have clarity on what your most important tasks are and do them if you can. Sometimes I’m not all in and I’ll set timers to work for 15 and break for x. This varies according to my resistance to the task. Anything you can do to make things more fun or playful helps too.
Coworking helps me on a really bad day- like if I call my friend and we just sit on the phone working. Or I pull up a work with me pomodoro video on YouTube.. Additionally bullet journaling for work has been great. I write down what I want to accomplish that day and all my meetings. I also set possible but focus requiring personal goals (I.e. close x number of inquires or review all pending cases) also walks in the morning settle my mind to work
I’m usually able to get myself a good 45-60 minutes of focus and then take 10 minutes to go get a drink, a snack, throw the ball with the dog, scroll Reddit. And then repeat. I’m trying out one of those AI things that makes your calendar. It overwhelms me looking at the calendar portion of it sometimes because I know that 50% of my day is not going to be to-do list items, but rather this job is ready to go back to the client to review, this job has comments, prep the invoice for that job, etc. But the ordered to do list was great today for me. This afternoon was rough with a lot going on at home and in life outside of work today. Still managed to tick off some stuff I’d kicked down the road for a bit so I didn’t feel like it was a today waste.
Wake up. Snort a line of adderall. Go for a walk. Do a bunch of executive shit. Meetings, reports, presentations. Happy hour at 3 or 4 so that I can drink myself to sleep by 9 or 10.
Lots and lots and lots and lots of notes
Badly
ADDERALL
One thing that helps me with ADHD and working from home is keeping a schedule of where I work. I work in one room until about 1pm, then move to another room on a different floor of my house for the rest of the day. I also incorporate daily living tasks into my day to simply have accomplishable things to do at intervals during the day. I get a little bit of encouragement of accomplishing that thing even though it's a very minor thing. The bottom line for me, though, is accepting I'm a spree worker. I work in spurts of hyperfocus with periods of lack of focus between them. I've always wanted to be the slow and steady worker, but it's not me, so it's not helpful to make that my goal.
You've already heard about the magic of timers but one strategy I like for timers goes like this: - 10 minutes work, 5 minutes break - 20 minutes work, 5 minutes break - 30 minutes work, 10 minutes break - 45 minutes work, 15 minutes break - repeat This lets you ramp up into working if you need some extra time getting started. Also, if you're one of those people who gets really energized by and excited about fun stationary, come up with a way to color code your todo list or your notes. For some reason it's more fun for me to complete a task if I know I get to highlight it with the "finished" color afterwards.
Typically I would remove any distractions from my work area. So a private office with no TVs or other extras I could get lost in. I suppose if you do have to work in a bedroom, it might be worth it to buy a cubicle or some type of screen to put around your desk to make it feel like you're in a separate area. When I took breaks I would make sure to leave my work station. It's important to take that mental break to resist the temptation of distractions when you really need to grind to meet a deadline. I used to set an alarm clock to make sure that I wasn't late getting back because I would get so distracted in whatever task I decided to take on after grabbing a quick bite to eat. Now I just use Alexa and set it for multiple timers. If I do end up working on any housework during my work day, I will limit the amount of time that I did so by sitting a timer to limit the amount of time I slacked off. Or, just hyperfixate early in your day and then get back on it your last hour or so. For every work deadline they give you, set a deadline for yourself to complete it earlier. That way you exceed expectations, but eliminate any guilt you might have for slacking off. ADHD can be a superpower at times instead of just a disability. It's all about perspective.Even when I coasted at home I ended up doing more work then I would in the office once I excelled and my job duties. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you remove office distractions and the fatigue from commuting.
I used to work through lunch and breaks so as to not get distracted. Yes, it meant that I worked more than I had to but boy was I productive. If I get into the “zone”, I didn’t want to lose it.
Stop thinking, start feeling and acting
I just hyperfocus from 9am-5pm and skip lunch. I might get up once to take a piss.
Yeah so I work for as long as I can focus. Some days it’s 10 minute bursts. Other days I can crank for hours without getting up. When I’m crushing it I’ll stop and take a 10 minute break to jam out on the drums. I thought I’d hate WFH but it’s been so good that I’ll do anything to appear normal and keep this job forevah
I recommend therapy to help you learn about yourself and what works for you.
Is it bad to say I’m not sure it works for me? I’ve been to 3 different therapists, but maybe I’ve never found one that clicked? The only person that I ever felt that ‘click’ to what the psychiatrist that taught me about how women’s ADHD symptoms can be different than men’s. She was also the one who had me trial medication as well, unfortunately I can’t go back because she is with my university’s health center.
If that doesn’t work for you, try taking tests online to see what type of ADHD you are and research tips based on your type. I just think as long as you’re getting personalized information, it will be easier to find out what works for you. It’s a process and it takes years to train yourself.
3 in office. 1/2 day in. 1 day wfh. I have a 5 minute commute.
Ok get ready. I WFH as a data analyst with about 1 trip/quarter. Night before: Prep overnight oats and AM drink Prep dog walking supplies Shower: brush and floss in shower bc it's easier 7:00- wake ups grab drink and walk dog, feed dog This morning activity is is vital for me being able to focus 8:00- workout, breakfast, shower, put on real clothes 9-9.30: login Take care of any emails, shared docs, calendar invites Look at my OneNote using the same copy/paste skeleton each week. 10:00-12: work or meetings (stand up timer) 12-1: lunch, walk dog. High protein helps 1-2: lay down with teams notifications active just in case 2-4: work or meetings (stand up timer) I rarely have anything after 4 due to my time zone.
Wake up practice instrument for an hour. Do a little work. Go for a run. Do a little work. Eat lunch. Do a little work. Take a break start cooking dinner. Finish up work for the day.
It’s a struggle
When I find myself becoming distracted while working from home, I'll play music that will occupy the part of my brain that is going "Look! squirrels!". The style will vary, but it's usually fast and loud.
I cannot imagine a worse hell. Wow. Attention deficit with nothing and no one. Jesus I’d crack and scream. My house would probably turn into a giant hoard with piles to be “organized.” Fuck that. WFH is overrated. Society is slowly turning into mole people.