4 Simple Ways to Excel in the Workplace and Deal with Distractions
While minimizing distractions and getting work done on time is something most people struggle with – for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), staying on top of work tasks can be a struggle that can affect them their entire careers. But just because you suffer from ADHD, you shouldn’t be held back from excelling in the workplace like any other employee. With the right measures, you can learn to control your symptoms.
1. Deal With Distractions
This one may seem obvious but it makes all the difference. Offices are usually crowded, noisy spaces and the opportunity to get distracted presents itself more times than you’d like. If you have the option of moving your desk to a less noisy part of your office – that in itself is going to help you. But if not, you can still take measures to minimize distractions. Put your notifications on silent: This will reduce the amount of times you look at your phone. You can check every half hour if you need to. Just as long as you’re not constantly being distracted by incoming notifications that aren’t even relevant to your work. Block out unnecessary noise: Use noise cancelling or noise minimizing headphones to help filter out the noise in the background. If it helps, play some music that can help boost your focus. Clear out clutter: Reduce the mess on your desk by buying organizers; this will help you have a clearly marked place for each item to go so junk doesn’t pile up over time.
2. Manage Your Tasks
If you struggle with hyperfocusing and have the tendency to spend too much time on one task that doesn’t require that much time, it might help to set a timer. This doesn’t need to be an alarm per say – you can also have a playlist in the background that adds up to the minutes you have allocated to your work. When it stops, you’ll know you can move on to your next task.
3. Organize Your Work
Make checklists and timelines for yourself. These may seem time consuming as opposed to jumping in to the task at hand immediately, but they are a crucial step. They will help you have a visual breakdown of the tasks you need to complete. Breaking your work into smaller chunks may also help it seem more manageable and keep you on top of your deadlines.
4. Factor in Breaks
If you find it difficult to stay committed to one task for a length of time, give yourself frequent breaks. These can be as simple as getting up to get a glass of water. As long as you’re giving yourself the space to get up and move. Schedule them into your day so you know you have a break coming up and are less likely to feel restless because you’ll know when your next break is coming up and more likely to make progress on your task at hand.
It may seem difficult to get the hang of working efficiently with ADHD, but over time, if you learn to manage your symptoms correctly – you can find that you’ll be able to excel in your career just like anyone else!