The ideal workspace
ADHD brains are often easily distracted by external stimuli.
Loud or unexpected noises, movement in your peripheral vision, and clutter can all make it hard to get into hyperfocus, and even rip you out of hyperfocus once you’re in it.
Today, let’s talk about what you can do about it!
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If you work in an office…
Cubicles, shared offices, and open office plans can be a nightmare for people with ADHD.
If you feel comfortable disclosing your ADHD at work, you can ask for reasonable accommodations to get your work done.
In many countries, this is a legal right. For example, in the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to accommodate you (within reason).
You might ask for…
- A remote work arrangement, so you can avoid the distractions of an office.
- A quiet, private space to work in, if you have to be in-the-office.
- Meeting-free days.
- An asynchronous standup (or standup at a different time of day) to avoid interrupting you mid-hyperfocus.
If you work from home…
Roommates, partners, pets, and kids can all create a lot of noise that can make it hard to achieve hyperfocus.
Some accommodations you can give yourself include…
- A private office away from the noisy areas of your home.
- A workspace outside where you can get sunlight while you work.
- Working at a cafe or public space, where the crowd becomes white noise that drowns out distractions.
- Noise-cancelling headphones.
- Instrumental music, ASMR videos, or white noise in the background to mask other distractions.
If you aren’t comfortable disclosing your ADHD…
Most of the at-home accommodations are also things you can do in an office. You could also commander an empty meeting room as your private office.
Regardless of where you work, try to provide yourself with a quite, distraction-free work environment.