The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
There are more workplace distractions than ever, thanks to the internet. YouTube and Reddit are full of interesting things, aren’t they? Or, at least, things that are more interesting than whatever you have to do at work.
Nearly everyone has to confront distractions. Almost everyone daydreams and loses focus throughout the day. If these distractions and lapses in focus seem to be constant and interfering with your day-to-day responsibilities, though, you might have attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder—ADHD.
Some people are surprised that adults can get diagnosed with ADHD. Furthermore, some people also think ADHD is something children grow out of when they become adults. Plenty of ADHD-diagnosed individuals don’t receive a formal diagnosis until they are well into adulthood, and studies show that the majority of children with ADHD live with the condition for the rest of their lives.
Therapeutic approaches have been shown to help adults with ADHD, as this BetterHelp resource indicates. Many people thrive with a combination of medication and therapy.
How do you know whether you actually have ADHD, though? While a formal diagnosis can only come from a psychologist, doctor, or other medical professional, below are some signs you may be living with ADHD.
Excessive Tardiness
The challenges of ADHD can manifest in the earliest part of the day for many people. One hallmark of adult ADHD is being disorganized and having poor executive function, which essentially means they have difficulty prioritizing tasks and managing their time. As a result, people with ADHD are often late to work, school, and other important engagements.
Constantly Misplaced Items
Adults with ADHD often have deficits in short-term memory, which can lead to misplaced keys, wallets, cell phones, and other household items. For example, not knowing where your keys are can contribute to constant tardiness. Getting flustered because you are running late can cause you to forget other things, potentially creating a vicious cycle.
Zoning Out At Meetings
One of the most common signs of ADHD in adults is the inability to concentrate for long periods. This can make in-person work meetings quite difficult to sit through. Even relevant one-on-one meetings with work supervisors, for instance, can result in a loss of focus. Your colleagues might mistakenly think you’re rude for not staying engaged during meetings, potentially causing a loss of favor among coworkers.
Speaking At Inappropriate Times
When you start to lose focus during meetings, this could be a sign that your ADHD brain is not receiving the stimulation it needs. Because of this, you may overcorrect by not waiting until others are done speaking before saying what you want.
Constant Fidgeting
When most people think of ADHD, they think of schoolchildren who can’t stop tapping their feet or fidgeting at their desks. While there are many more symptoms of ADHD than this continual squirminess, it certainly is one that many people have. Again, the brain of someone with ADHD is not often satisfied with the mental stimulation that is enough for neurotypical people.
Hyperfixating On Trivial Matters
Interestingly, people with ADHD often latch on to a topic and find it challenging to shift their focus to something else. This is the flip side of not being able to focus on things for very long, another classic ADHD symptom.
Being incredibly focused on one matter can sometimes be helpful. However, hyperfixation can lead to problems in the workplace if the issue being worked on is low on the priority list. This can collide with the executive-functioning difficulties experienced by many people with ADHD. One symptom of poor executive functioning is the (false) belief that every task is equally important.
Having A Short Temper
People with ADHD are prone to mood swings. They may have a low tolerance for frustration, which is a common precursor to outbursts of anger. The greater number of stressors individuals with ADHD encounter daily can compound this symptom. These mood swings can lead work colleagues to avoid people with ADHD, which may lead to missed professional opportunities and career roadblocks.
