Success Tips for Adult ADHD

If you’re an adult with ADHD, you’ll know that the challenges faced are unique to everyone. Some may prefer planners, others might find the rigidity of them too limiting and easy to forget about. This is further compounded when many ADHD minds have a need for structure but thrive in novelty. It presents a challenge, particularly when trying to navigate goals and aspirations.

How can adults with ADHD thrive and find their own idea of success? This guide will explore what this can look like and ways to set yourself up for success as an adult with ADHD.

What is adult ADHD?

Adult ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) refers to the condition persisting through to adulthood. This presents differently from person-to-person, but some common challenges may involve:

• Difficulty concentrating

• Executive dysfunction (difficulties with planning, organising and managing actions)

• Hyperactivity (or underactivity)

• Impulsive behaviours

• Low self-esteem

• Mood swings and emotional regulation issues

• Hyperfocus and/or hyper fixation

• Disorganisation

Sadly, some individuals do not know they had ADHD in the first place, which leads to late diagnosis. According to ADHD UK, 9 million GP records showed just 0.32% had a diagnosis of ADHD, meaning just 1 in 9 people with ADHD in the UK actually have a diagnosis. The consequences of this means they were unable to receive the support they needed in their formative years, which may have built habits as an adult that can be challenging to rewire.

However, challenging doesn’t mean impossible. Adult ADHD and executive functioning can be managed to help individuals with ADHD achieve their goals, short and long term.

Signs of ADHD in employees

Some employers are quick to judge and give a negative assessment of an underperforming or disorganised employee, not realising they are in fact an individual with ADHD. Yet, someone with ADHD in the workplace can be a real asset when accommodated for. While some negatively presenting issues may show signs of disinterest in their roles, other times, it could be undiagnosed or unmanaged ADHD. With the right support, these individuals could thrive and support the organisation to do the same.

Signs of ADHD in employees

Some employers are quick to judge and give a negative assessment of an underperforming or disorganised employee, not realising they are in fact an individual with ADHD. Yet, someone with ADHD in the workplace can be a real asset when accommodated for. While some negatively presenting issues may show signs of disinterest in their roles, other times, it could be undiagnosed or unmanaged ADHD. With the right support, these individuals could thrive and support the organisation to do the same.

• Missing deadlines

• Becoming easily distracted

• Appearing disinterested – which may be a result of under stimulation

• Speaking out of turn

• Poor time management skills

• It takes them more time than usual to focus, or they lose focus quickly

• They fidget or move more compared to neurotypical colleagues – especially in meetings

• They become emotional expressing anger or excitement in situations deemed inappropriate in the workplace

• Rushing work to meet deadlines but consistently miss details

How can ADHD in adulthood affect our idea of success?

Adults with ADHD and/or other neurodiverse conditions work through unique challenges compared to their peers. They may struggle silently with ADHD and find in some instances, they have to work harder than most, especially to override symptoms that present themselves in particular settings (such as workplace meetings, for example).

Over time – and especially if this has occurred during childhood and adolescence – this can negatively impact their self-esteem. And without the proper support in place, an adult with ADHD may feel hopeless in pursuing their goals.

Masking

The term masking means to consciously, and sometimes subconsciously, hide symptoms to appear more neurotypical. Over time, this can cause burnout, anxiety and even potentially delay a diagnosis due to appearing ‘high functioning’. With the aforementioned consequences, this can cause hesitancy and exhaustion, which can affect a person with ADHD trying to work on their goals.

Internalised feelings

Rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) is a common symptom of ADHD. As the name suggests, it affects an individual’s ability to emotionally deal with perceived rejection. When an adult with ADHD has had poor feedback on academic performance, personality traits, behaviours and work performance, overtime, this is bound to affect their self-esteem and self-talk capabilities. Overtime, this manifests as shame and inadequacy.

Perceived lack of achievements

With symptoms such as poor focus, procrastination and forgetfulness, it can make an adult with ADHD feel ‘behind’. This further compounds feelings of internalised shame for having difficulties and affects one’s confidence to overcome them.

Interpersonal relationship issues

If an individual with ADHD receives negative feedback regularly throughout their life, this can cause difficulties in both professional and personal settings, potentially leading to perceptions of unreliability or a lack of follow-through, impacting career progression and healthy social connections.

How to set yourself up for success as an adult with ADHD

If you are an adult with ADHD, you are not alone. Success as an ADHD adult is absolutely possible. And with the right accommodations, trials and systems, you can maximise your potential and undo negative cycles of thinking.

1. Work with your ADHD, not against it

As we’ve mentioned previously, everyone experiences ADHD differently. Some symptoms may be more hyperactive-presenting, while others may appear more withdrawn (‘deficit’).

Over time, write down your symptoms and when they present yourself. Are your symptoms worsened by specific foods, in particular situations, doing certain activities or even triggered by specific people?

If you have a menstrual cycle, this is an especially important exercise, as drops in oestrogen can directly impact ADHD symptoms and dopamine levels. Notice how your energy peaks and troughs, and then use this data to essentially map out what activities you do throughout the month.

2. Break goals down in tiny chunks

It’s great to have goals, they give us purpose! But when the goal sounds too overwhelming to achieve, then it needs to be broken down into actionable steps.

For example, if your goal is to get a promotion in your job, the steps can look like:

• Finding out what is required to get the promotion

• Identify the areas you’re lacking in to arrange additional training, as well as any bottlenecks

• Schedule regular one-to-ones with your line manager

• Document your progress

3. Automate where possible

Setting up automations and systems can really help take the mental load off. For example, if you pay a bill or subscription manually, but often forget to make payments, it’s worth setting up a direct debit so you don’t have to worry about it.

The point is to reduce the ‘steps’ and mental load remembering lots of little tasks takes up space in your mind. Here are some other ways you can automate areas of your life to make more ‘mental’ room for your goals:

• Habit stack – while you’re brewing a coffee, load the washing machine or wash some dishes

• Keep frequently used items next to each other. For example, keep your skincare routine near your toothbrush

• Hire a cleaner to deep clean one or all areas of your home

• Set up recurring reminders in your phone’s calendar to alert you of tasks that need doing

• Have your work outfit our ready for the next day – your morning self will thank you!

4. Ask for help

You should never be ashamed to ask for help. The right people will understand why, and will aim to support you where possible. A study on Healthline even found that body doubling (having a person be there or to assist in performing the task with you) is effective for initiating and completing tasks in those with ADHD.

Other ways you can ask for help is through an ADHD coach and/or counsellor with training and experience working with ADHD patients. At HA | Wisdom Wellbeing, we have a huge network of counsellors with a broad range of experience, so if your workplace has an Employee Assistance Programme with us, it’s certainly worth reaching out on the Wisdom app for support.

5. Keep things fun and interesting

ADHD minds, no matter the age, thrive on novelty. Use this to your advantage by pairing tasks together. For example, you can pair a goal-oriented task with a fun one. You could even try gamifying an activity against time e.g. a test, studying, exercise, or have a competition with someone to see how quickly you can get tasks done.

Reframe “shoulds”

Thinking you “should” work on your goals can be off-putting. Some adults with ADHD even rely on pressure or anxiety to get tasks done, which can be unreliable and often stressful. Here are some ways you can reframe goal-oriented tasks for success:

• “I should work on my book” to “I’d like to see how this character develops”

• “I should clean the house” to “I love living in a clean space”

• “I should start networking” to “I wonder who I could meet to help me get towards this goal”

Recommendations for employers

If you have an employee with ADHD, you have a legal duty of care under the Equality Act 2010 to provide accommodations for neurodiversity at work to reduce disadvantages. This could look like providing:

• Quiet spaces for work

• Regular check-ins

• Information presented in a way that makes sense for the individual

• Noise cancelling headphones to reduce distractions

• Flexible working arrangements to help the individual work based on energy levels

• Additional mentorship

• Additional breaks

How an Employee Assistance Programme can help

An Employee Assistance Programme can support adults with ADHD in achieving success by providing solution-focused counselling sessions to tackle specific concerns, as well as provide actionable ways in achieving goals. Available on our Wisdom app via Live Chat, video or phone call, our counsellors are available 24/7, 365 days a year for your convenience. Plus, for those on our Peak Performance plan, adults with ADHD can benefit from our Life and Leadership Coaching to help individuals achieve specific goals – be it personal or professional.

Conclusion

Achieving success as an adult with ADHD involves taking small, actionable steps. With potentially life-long negative messaging, it’ll take some work to undo a lot of habits that have formed. And with the right support, systems and accommodations, you can achieve your goals and then some. It’s all about working with your unique view of the world, challenging your inner critic and reframing thinking into productive ways that bring you closer to your definition of success.