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How ADHD Impacts My Career as a Career Coach

Today, it seems like everyone and their mother has ADHD. However, for those who actually have it, well, believe you me, we do not feel like we are being ‘trendy’ or attention seeking. An ADHDer does not typically carry this diagnosis with pride. Well, at least not me. Oh, how I wish I were a neurotypical.

When my son was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, I started to take a deep dive into it all. What came out of this deep dive? A lot of ‘ah-ha’ moments. As it turns out, this is genetic. Passed down from generation to generation, like a soup recipe but for your DNA…and less welcoming. That certainly rings true for my family. My grandma would burst out into song and dance at any moment, be super creative, but also live with anxiety and RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria). My dad, who struggles to stay focused, rarely sticks to a project and lets tasks pile up, reminds me a lot of my existence. I am unable to sit still; I talk until the cows come home; I am super anxious all the time, crippled with RSD, full of creative ideas that I start and never finish, and my, does this list go on.

When I was diagnosed, my entire world finally made sense. I wish I had known I had ADHD when I was a child. All those meetings with teachers and my parents would have gone differently. All the negative talk from my family members (they always saw me as lazy), peers, and even managers (apparently I talk too much and too loudly in the workplace) would have been handled differently… and I wouldn’t have sat there thinking I was “Lazy” all this time.

Nonetheless, I have a career…a pretty rewarding one at that. I was lucky enough to fall into a role that suits me perfectly as an ADHDer. Despite not realising I had ADHD, I have always been pretty self-aware. So choosing a career path came easily to me. Which is probably why I am so good at helping others choose their career paths. Being someone with ADHD gives me a superpower – Emotional Intelligence. This is my greatest strength, the one I lean on in my career, and it has served me well.

I have a master’s in Human Resource Management, and I have even worked overseas hiring teachers from around the world. Now, I run a small business with my sister. Being a Career Coach is a perfect fit for me. However, this does not mean that it is always easy to manage my business, or myself for that matter. In fact, my ADHD slows me down greatly. Imagine what I could have achieved if I had the relevant treatment for ADHD back when I was in high school – I could have been sitting on an empire by now.

ADHD

In What Ways Does ADHD Impact My Career?

  1. I get distracted easily. I can be working on one project, and then suddenly I am writing a blog… like this one. Or I stop writing this blog and send a client information about their upcoming Interview Coaching session with me, and then, I might decide to record a new Instagram reel…Then I would go back to this very blog and publish it. So yes, things get done, and they get done on time, and they get done well (I never compromise on my effort or the quality of my work)… but there is no order or method to the madness. For my business partner, well, she does not understand why I am writing this blog rather than focusing on our clients’ Career Change report. Don’t worry, it will be done before our next coaching session. However, for those around me, it’s frustrating…and stressful.
  2. Speaking of frustrating – never in my life can I get as frustrated as when someone interrupts me in the middle of my work. I do not care if I am on my phone, doomscrolling, or in the middle of writing a historical novel… it is all important to me, and the interruption not only irritates but also distracts more than it would for a neurotypical. It breaks the cycle, and getting back into my work takes me much longer. I cannot simply shift my focus from one task to another. I need to put in extra effort to get back into the mental groove I was in. At times, if my work is interrupted by a phone call or a question, I might not be able to get back to what I was doing AT ALL, and the task is put on hold until another day and time. This, ladies and gentlemen, is not only a time suck, but it is also something which slows my career down – I do not always finish what I need or want to finish when it comes to my own personal career growth. Sure, I will complete what is needed for a client, but to grow my business and level up as a person or a professional? Well, that just seems like an impossible layer to an already seemingly tall cake.
  3. Plans are often changed. Take today, for instance, I had 3 client meetings booked back-to-back. I had spent the entire weekend mentally preparing for this. I knew I would not have time for lunch or other projects. My list of projects is long…But I knew today would not be the day I faced them. And then, suddenly, 2 out of the 3 clients rescheduled. I am now officially blocked. Any other person would have simply moved on to the other required tasks, but me… no. Not only can I not recall what I need to do now for career growth projects (my mind cannot focus), but I also feel very “stuck” doing them. Because I have mentally prepared myself for meetings, shifting gears feels very energy-draining. The frustration I cause myself with this is immense. All I want to do now is binge-watch a show or have a nap. This takes away valuable time for growth and general work. Time I would have to steal back in the evenings and weekends.

So as you see, living with ADHD is a constant battle – fighting between what I should be doing vs what my mind and body are forcing me to do. Who is winning, ADHD or my strength and determination to make a mark for myself and my career? At this stage, the answer depends on the day. The reality is, both are part of me. I have ADHD, and I have goals that I feel strongly about. It is a constant push-pull. I take advantage of the days and time my energy is focused on growth, and I am kind to myself on the days when all I can do is make a coffee.

 

If you are looking for answers on how to manage your ADHD, well, you have come to the wrong place. But if you are looking for career ideas that suit your ADHD, look no further.

As a side note, if you want to work with me, just know I would give you my all. Ask anyone with ADHD, and they will tell you – they never miss a deadline, they hyper-focus when push comes to shove, and they do their jobs very well. The only reason they struggle to move up quickly is that they don’t have the same drive to apply the same level of attention to themselves as they do to their managers, clients, and co-workers.

 

 

 

My Career Angels…become who you want to be