ADHD: 8 Tips On How To Stay Productive At Work If You Have ADHD

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. If you have ADHD, you might experience symptoms such as lack of focus and deficiency of attention. Keeping this in mind, sitting in one spot to work can be extremely difficult for someone with ADHD.

However, through some simple tips and tricks, these difficulties at work can be overcome. In this article, we discuss some easy ways through which you can increase your focus and productivity at work if you have ADHD.

Here are some easy-to-follow tips to work efficiently if you have ADHD:

Walk around

One of the main reasons you might be struggling with being productive at work could be due to a lack of focus. Short attention can often be due to a spike in energy levels which is also a common symptom of ADHD. Taking breaks to stroll around whenever you feel an energy rush can help you focus better.

Keep a notepad

One of the main symptoms of ADHD is lack of attention or being overwhelmed by various thoughts. You may be in the middle of a task and getting ideas about various other tasks that are yet to be completed. Keeping a notepad can help you jot down all your thoughts without forgetting them.

Stretch

Stretching or engaging in simple exercises between tasks can also help you redirect your energy in a better way. Whenever you feel energised or bored from sitting in one position, engage in a few stretching exercising before resuming what you were working on.

Listen to music

Another great way to increase focus and reduce external distraction is by listening to music. Preparing a playlist of songs you enjoy or a playlist of songs without lyrics can help you better focus on your tasks. This helps as it can be often difficult for people with ADHD to focus as small things around them can easily distract them.

Make a to-do list

The best way to stay productive at work is to map out your tasks for the day. Oftentimes, ADHD can hinder your focus and gets you distracted easily. Drawing out a to-do list of work tasks can help you stay better on track with your progress throughout the day.

Break your tasks into smaller tasks

As discussed above, ADHD can lower one's attention span. This makes completing a task difficult, especially if it is time and attention-consuming. Breaking your work tasks into smaller tasks can help you complete them faster and splitting these tasks in your to-do list (as discussed above) can also help you stay motivated as you strike off these small tests one after the other.

Start with doable tasks

One of the best ways to kickstart your work if you have ADHD is to start with easier tasks. Once you finish 2-3 tasks on your to-do list, it will further motivate you to finish the rest of your work. When you finish a few easy tasks at the beginning of the day, it sets a positive and speedy tone for how your rest of the day will go.

Minimise distractions

If you have ADHD, you may have noticed that you get distracted easily. While you are at work, using your phone, engaging with coworkers, etc. can all be distracting. We encourage you to minimise the distractions near you. Start with keeping your phone on DND and add work contacts to favourites so you don't miss work notifications. You can also resort to listening to music as it might cancel out various external audible and visible distractions.

In conclusion, the best way to stay productive at work if you have ADHD is to channelise your energy levels. Along with this, focus on breaking tasks into smaller tasks, this will help you focus better. However, no tips can equate to proper medication. If your doctor has prescribed medication, these tips are useful in bettering your productivity along with the same.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.