How to stay organised at work when you have ADHD: Five practical tips

When you’re focused on something that interests you, you’ll do it for five hours straight. But when it comes to a form you have to fill in, you just can’t make yourself do it, even though you know you have to. 

Having ADHD can be a mixed bag. You might be creative, perceptive and able to solve a problem by thinking outside of the box. At the same time, though, starting tasks and staying on track can feel impossible. You end up in a frustrating cycle of overwhelm, exhaustion and guilt.

An estimated 1.9 million adults have ADHD, but this is likely a conservative figure, with charities suggesting as many as 2 million are undiagnosed. Far from the tired stereotype of the child who can't sit still, ADHD is complex. ADHD brains are both structurally, chemically and functionally different, meaning the condition affects people in varying ways, from memory issues to racing thoughts and becoming easily distracted. Unsurprisingly, the symptoms can have a big impact on work.

How ADHD affects working memory and the perception of time

“It has nothing to do with intelligence or effort, and everything to do with how the ADHD brain's executive function system is wired,” explains Natalie Mackenzie, a cognitive strategist and founder of BIS Services.

“Working memory is particularly affected, and this is where organisation difficulties become most visible day to day. Working memory is the brain's mental workspace, the system that holds your current priorities, tracks what has been done, and keeps the next step in mind while you execute the current one. In ADHD, this system is less reliable and more easily overwhelmed.”

Another disruptive feature of ADHD is time blindness. Deadlines that are a week away feel genuinely abstract until they are hours away, and the panic kicks in. The exact mechanisms behind it aren’t fully understood, but it is thought to be a result of dopamine inefficiency and difficulties with sensory inputs that help us detect the passage of time.

“Planning backward from a future point, which is the cognitive basis of almost all workplace organisation, draws on exactly the executive and working memory systems that are already compromised,” says Mackenzie.

“What this means practically is that the standard organisation tools most workplaces assume, shared calendars, project management software, email-based task tracking, were designed around neurotypical executive function. For the ADHD brain they often create an additional layer of complexity rather than relief.”

There is a lot of ‘self help’ advice for people with ADHD, but ultimately, what works for one person might not for another. But, with trial and error, it’s possible to find the right adjustments for you.

(Andi Sabandi/Pexels)

Simple systems work better

Like most things, a lot of advice around organisation is designed for neurotypical brains. “Most strategies fail not because the person lacks commitment but because the strategy was built for a different cognitive profile,” says Mackenzie.

“The ADHD brain cannot reliably hold priorities, deadlines and plans in working memory, so the goal is to remove that dependency entirely,” says Mackenzie. “Everything goes into an external system, but critically, that system needs to be visible, simple and require minimal executive function to use.”

In other words, a complex digital system with multiple lists and categories will often be abandoned. Instead, a single, physical, highly visible daily priority structure with a maximum of three focus items tends to work considerably better. “The simpler the system, the more likely it will actually be used,” she adds.

Use visual timers

Visual timers, time-blocking with physical alarms tend to work better than calendar notifications. Even a simple, low-tech kitchen timer can work well. “And, working in defined sprints with clear start and end points all help compensate for the internal time sense that isn't reliably available,” says Mackenzie.

"Working memory is particularly affected, and this is where organisation difficulties become most visible day to day"

Natalie Mackenzie, cognitive strategist

Try body doubling

Body doubling, working alongside another person even in silence, has strong anecdotal support in helping with starting tasks. For some, having another person next to you creates a sense of accountability. For others, it makes tasks feel more enjoyable and less boring. Remote workers can try ‘virtual’ body doubling via video calls, or working in a shared workspace.

Give yourself extra time

Adding an extra half-hour or hour to prepare for work or other deadlines is helpful. People with ADHD can take longer to switch between tasks, so give yourself a ‘time buffer’ between activities. It can also help to take note of the actual time it takes you to complete tasks, to help you plan in the future.

Create stimulation

Working with the brain's need for novelty and stimulation, rather than against, it is essential. Some people say a brightly-coloured environment helps them stay on top of things, but others swear by varying where they work or rotating tasks so each day is a bit different.

“For organisations, there should be flexibility in how and where work gets done, and explicit and clear communication about priorities and deadlines,” says Mackenzie.

It’s also important to avoid overloading workers with unnecessary admin, like meetings for the sake of meetings. “The ADHD brain in the right environment is frequently a high-performing one,” says Mackenzie. “Environment is almost always the variable that needs examining first.”