One thing that people struggle with when they have ADHD is holding down a job. People with ADHD often get bored with their jobs, especially if they’re pretty monotonous. This can lead to job dissatisfaction, which, in turn, can lead to poor performance. Ultimately, if they’re not laid off or fired, they might move onto another job on their own.
This certainly applies to me. The longest I’ve ever worked at a job is 9 years. The next longest was 3 years. Beyond that, never more than a year. There have been at least twice where I’ve had 3 jobs in one year. And my jobs are rarely related:
- Gas attendant (3 times)
- Night cashier (2 times)
- Courier (then CSR, then dispatcher)
- Carpet cleaner
- Grocery clerk (stocking and data entry)
- Courier
- Web designer
- Asset manager
- Fleet manager
- Application processor
- Communications specialist
Well, you get the idea.
For the last 6 years, I’ve managed my own marketing company. I focus on copywriting, copyediting, and social media management.
This is actually the 10th business I’ve tried, which is probably why it’s finally worked. Not only is it something I’m good at, but it gives me variety.
Every document I write is new. It’s often a new client, but always a new topic. It helps me research new topics, teaching me things I didn’t already know. That in itself is a motivator.
Same goes for editing. Even though it’s often the same grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes that I correct, I always learn so much as I read the documents I edit.
Managing social media accounts for clients also provides me with variety. For each client, I end up spending anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes curating and creating content, engaging with others, and responding to people who are engaging on their own social media accounts. Jumping from a healthcare mindset for 30 minutes to a financial services mindset for another 30 minutes, for example, helps keep me engaged.
And while I still struggle with staying focused, having a workday that is always filled with variety makes a huge difference. And I think ADHD even helps me do my job better, because it helps me easily switch mindsets and to hyperfocus in short bursts.
Have you been able to find a career that accommodates your ADHD, or perhaps even uses your ADHD to your advantage? Let me know about it in the comments.
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