ADHD: An Employee’s Curse or Blessing?

Pretty much everyone has some general understanding of what ADHD is, but very few have a real grasp on what the disorder truly entails, and many have beliefs that are very simply false. Left untreated, ADHD can have particularly negative consequences in the workplace, but if recognized and dealt with ADHD can have positive implications. So, how do you know if you have ADHD?

First off, it’s important to note that there are wide ranges of ADHD symptoms, and thus the disorder can have varying effects for different employees. Some common symptoms include being easily distracted, having a hard time accomplishing a task, difficulty listening and, difficulty sitting still, to find a full list of symptoms I recommend you visit the wiki page for ADHD. Most of these symptoms can make holding a job successfully very difficult, alternatively, most of them can also be easily managed. If these symptoms sound familiar, you may have ADHD. The number of incidents of ADHD continue to increase, which is probably a symptom of the heavy amounts of information and speed with which we conduct our everyday lives. A lot of people today have at least a mild form of ADHD, so it really isn’t anything to panic about. With proper diagnosis often comes a lot of freedom from the disorder. It most certainly cannot be managed if left unrecognized. It is crucial to your developing of a full understanding of ADHD that you should free yourself of the common misconceptions associated with the disorder. Regardless of whether or not you yourself have ADHD, you are bound to encounter individuals who do, and should therefore be somewhat cognisant of how to handle it.

Lets start off with some pro’s and con’s. Pro: Individuals with ADHD are often highly-creative, out-of-the-box type thinkers, who tend to be relatively resilient. Con: Individuals with ADHD are often more likely to have a hard time completing tasks, in work, school or at home. Pro: People with ADHD are 300% more likely to become successful entrepreuners. Con: It can be more difficult for individuals with ADHD to focus and control their emotions. As you can clearly see there are very much benefits associated with the disorder. The fact of the matter is that if you have ADHD it is very much a part of who you are. Without ADHD you may have a very different personality. In fact many of the most intelligent and charismatic people in history have had ADHD, the list ranges from Beethoven, to Walt Disney to Albert Einstein. So what can you do to decrease the likelihood that ADHD will cause you to have problems at work?

First off, if you have ADHD you need to pick a profession which interests you. It may be too much to expect to find a job whose every task is interesting, but if you are generally interested in the goals you are working towards, and the process by which you achieve these goals you are more likely to succeed in your career. Often people with ADHD find positions in which they can utilize their ability to multi-task and think creatively much more rewarding. Once you’re in a position, it is important to get yourself correctly situated; try to minimize distractions around you as best as you can control. It is also important the you break about once an hour to maintain your focus. The simple act of walking around and grabbing a cup of water or talking to a co-worker can help to revive your attention span. In addition to these measures you can take while at work, it is important that you keep yourself both happy and active in your personal life. For employees with ADHD it is especially important that they maintain a positive work/life balance, without it, employees will be less able to focus and will be highly susceptible to depression and other emotional disorders.

Employees with ADHD can be just as successful if not more successful than other employees, their passion and quick thinking just needs to be harnessed towards the work at hand.