These Great Minds October 2024

💖 Happy World Mental Health Day!

💖 Happy Dyslexia Awareness Month!

💖 And lastly, Happy ADHD Awareness Month, folks!

October feels busy with all these awareness days happening, but it’s also empowering — offering a perfect opportunity to raise awareness about neurodiversity and give space to talk about challenges neurodivergent individuals face in the workplace. As always, we’re here to listen to your story as a neurodivergent professional — you can share it with the community (anonymously if you prefer) at These Great Minds.

👋 Welcome back to our community of neurodivergent professionals, These Great Minds! In this edition, we’re exploring the unique challenges faced by individuals with ADHD in the workplace and sharing the lived experience of Hannah, who is AuDHD. Stick around till the end for 5 practical tips to help you navigate ADHD at work as a neurodivergent professional.

ADHD in the workplace

Even though ADHD is often characterised by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which can be seen as challenges — many people find these traits beneficial in the right work environment.

🧠 inattention may look like distractibility, but it can also mean deep focus in calm environments.

🧠 hyperactivity can turn into energy and drive.

🧠 impulsivity can lead to creative problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking.

Did you know that ADHD affects approximately 2% of adults in the UK and 3.4% of adults worldwide? Moreover, according to Dr. Tony Lloyd, Chief Executive of the ADHD Foundation, there’s been a 400% increase in adults seeking an ADHD diagnosis since 2020. In a recent conversation with Hannah Butcher, who is AuDHD (both autism and ADHD), we explored the challenges of this journey.

💡 Reminder: While a diagnosis can be a helpful tool for seeking support, an official diagnosis shouldn’t be a prerequisite for you to receive workplace accommodations.

ADHD paralysis — have you heard of it before?

Have you ever heard of ADHD paralysis? When Jane, our Senior People Manager, and I were working on this month’s LinkedIn newsletter, she came to my desk and said, “ADHD paralysis… such an important topic. I was reading through your draft, and realised I’ve experienced so many of these symptoms before. We certainly need to talk about this more.”

So, here we are. 👇

ADHD paralysis affects many people, like Jane. It happens when those with ADHD are confronted with too many tasks or decisions. Feeling overwhelmed with information, they can experience a “freeze response.”

And it can show up in different forms such as task paralysis, decision paralysis, or mental paralysis. Triggers like emotional dysregulation, overstimulation, perfectionism, or fear of failure can all play a part. Do any of these symptoms resonate with you? If so, you might be experiencing ADHD paralysis at work. Check out our guide, which offers more information about ADHD paralysis, including some tactics some people with ADHD feel useful when trying to break out of it.

5 practical tips that will help you navigate ADHD in the workplace

🎧 Ask for workplace adjustments

When ADHD significantly impacts an individual, it may be classified as a disability under the UK’s 2010 Equality Act. In this case, your employer is legally required to provide reasonable adjustments to support you. Here are a few examples of adjustments you can request:

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• Flexible work hours: Adjustable start times or extended deadlines can help with time management.
• Administrative support: If you thrive with high-focus tasks but struggle with repetitive work, ask your manager about task-swapping or delegating.
• Optimise your environment: Try using noise-cancelling headphones or work in a quieter space to improve concentration.

🗣️ Communicate your needs in regular check-ins

If you have 1-1 check-ins with your manager and are comfortable discussing your ADHD, it may be helpful to use these to openly discuss your needs. This will help them support you effectively and prevent burnout, anxiety, or imposter syndrome.

🧩 Benefit from Assistive Technology

There are plenty of tools that support ADHD-related challenges, many of which are available through the Access to Work scheme (more info on this at the bottom of this newsletter):

• Task scheduling platforms, e.g. Asana.
• Text-to-speech software: reading text on a screen out loud or to a user through headphones can support deeper comprehension and understanding.
• Transcription and dictation software: our lightning-fast, highly accurate dictation software TalkType can help you reduce stress, increase productivity, and feel more confident at work.
• White noise/ambient noise apps.
• Note-taking apps, e.g. Caption.Ed.

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💡 Next edition: We’ll take a deep dive into assistive technology tools and how they can support you in your daily work. If you’re already using assistive tech, we’d love to hear your insights — feel free to share them with our community!

🏆 Access ADHD coaching

ADHD coaching can be an invaluable resource. As Leanne Maskell, director of ADHD Works, says: “Coaching is a brilliant first step to ensure other adjustments work effectively – especially technology-related ones.” Coaching can help you develop strategies for time management and organisation.

💰 Benefit from the Access to Work Scheme

The UK government’s Access to Work scheme provides grants for practical support, including coaching and other workplace accommodations mentioned above. Learn more about it here or watch our 5-minute video below for eligibility details and how to apply.

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Looking forward to speaking you again next month! Subscribe now to receive the next edition. 📩