How to manage ADHD at work and turn it into an asset

When Jeremy Didier took her son for an ADHD evaluation, she didn’t expect to recognise herself in an article she picked up in the waiting room.

“They’re describing me,” she thought, as she read about impulsivity, risk-taking and excelling at school—while constantly being told to stop talking. She turned to her husband and said, “I think I might have ADHD.”

Manage ADHD at work and enhance your professional growth

Now the board president of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), Didier’s story mirrors that of many adults who discover their own diagnosis only after a child’s.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, impulse control and executive function. It can make staying focused at work difficult, and people with ADHD are often overlooked for promotions or misjudged for missed details. Yet many adults are learning to see the condition not just as a hurdle, but a unique way of thinking.

“Our brains work differently,” Didier says. “So we’re more likely to think outside the box—sometimes because we’ve had to.”

Finding support

Diagnosis doesn’t guarantee an immediate solution. Medication and therapy are common, but not always accessible or fully effective.

Didier, who was managing both her own diagnosis and those of four of her five children, tried various strategies—from medication to reward charts. What helped most was a sense of community.

“There’s nothing like talking to other people who are going through what you’re going through,” she says. Today, she leads adult support groups to help others build coping strategies for the workplace.

Employee resource groups focused on neurodiversity are also becoming more common, offering a space for shared experiences across ADHD, autism, dyslexia and other conditions.

Creating your brain’s ‘GPS’

ADHD often involves executive function challenges—things like planning, prioritising and time management. Didier calls it “your brain’s GPS.”

To stay on track, experts recommend breaking large tasks into steps, keeping detailed lists and using short, focused work cycles.

Chef Bill Collins, diagnosed at 64, swears by task lists sorted by location—stove, oven, counter—with numbered steps like “boil pasta” or “chop carrots.” “If it’s something I don’t want to do, I put it first,” he says.

Another technique is “body doubling,” where two colleagues work side-by-side—virtually or in person—on separate tasks to maintain focus and accountability.

Some companies are investing in ADHD-friendly tools. At Liberty Mutual, an AI-based project manager helps employees break down complex tasks and stay on deadline.

Navigating meetings

Meetings can be tough terrain. Minds may wander, and waiting your turn to speak can be frustrating.

Nicole Clark, CEO of the Adult and Pediatric Institute in Florida, suggests prepping in advance—ask for the agenda, note your talking points, and write down questions instead of interrupting.

Voice-to-text tools that project speech in real time can help maintain focus, while active listening (repeating what’s just been said in your head) can aid comprehension.

Some, like Didier, take brief time-outs. “Say, ‘I need five minutes,’ walk out, reset, and return,” says psychiatrist Andrew Sylvester.

Sitting near the speaker, fidget toys and being the first to speak can also help maintain focus and confidence, says the Institute’s chief medical officer, Mariel Paralitici-Morales.

“Set a 20-minute productivity timer, then take five minutes to reset,” says Sylvester. “Stretch, make coffee, play with the dog—whatever helps.”

San Francisco-based event coordinator Antoinette Damico adds journalling daily goals, meditation and avoiding short-form content to her toolbox.

Owning your edge

ADHD comes with challenges—but also traits that many employers value.

“Hyper-focus, energy, resilience, the ability to multitask,” says Didier. “And a kind of creativity that comes from seeing the world differently.”

Damico agrees. When she’s interested in something, she dives deep, absorbing everything and sharing it with enthusiasm.

“It’s like a spark,” she says. “There’s this grit that comes when I really want to accomplish something. ADHD can be frustrating—but it can also be fuel.”

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