One major challenge ADHDers deal with is work-life balance. How can you achieve work-life balance when work is chaotic, life is a struggle, and your to-do list can’t seem to get shorter. While work-life balance is a common challenge for many people, those with ADHD typically have increased challenges due to executive function impairments and difficulty with self-regulation. For employees with ADHD and their spouses, who often carry a larger portion of work at home, work-life balance may seem elusive. Once you understand the impact of your ADHD you can take positive action steps to improve your work-life balance. In this section, we provide resources to help you.
Coaching Strategies
- Think about what is the best use of your time and expertise?
- Make appointments with yourself
- Set multiple reminders/prompts
- Create a systems for project management
- Prioritize and sequence: If I only get 3 things done today, what will they be?
- Create SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound
- Set goals for the hour, the day, the week and the month/li>
- Create artificial deadlines for yourself
- Break larger goals or tasks into smaller pieces
- Watch out for perfectionism and distractions that slow down your productivity
- Boundaries: What do you say ‘yes’ to? What do you say ‘no’ to?
- Turn off sounds on computer sounds to reduce distraction
- Body double – set up a silent video conference with a friend or colleague as a way to have an office mate, collaborate in Google.docs, create periodic check-ins
- Co-working space – similar in concept to the body double where workspace is shared
- Use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT techniques to clarify your thought progress
- Seek out support and encouragement
Self-Care
- Simplify – make routines a habit that requires little thought
- Nutrition, exercise, play, sleep
- Plenty of fresh water – essential for helping ADHD medications work and for keeping the brain clear
- ADHD symptom tracker such as ADDA’s ADHD Storylines Application
- Journal – useful for getting emotions out of your head
- Design an environment that supports your goals and appeals to your working style, create a space that gives you energy
- Display objects, pictures, notes and quotes that keep your goals in sight
- Seek out support and supportive people
- Self-Assessment Symptom Index (see link below)
Articles
6 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance
How To Have A Bad Day: 8 Foolproof Strategies
This is a counter-intuitive article on strategies you shouldn’t do if you want a better work-life balance.
The Self Assessment Symptom Inventory (SASI)
This is an inventory of symptoms Women with ADHD tend to have. This particular version allows you to fill it online and then print, fax it or email it.