When ADHD makes its way into adulthood, it can impact areas of life such as work, living independently, self-care, and relationships. It can feel like a constant juggling act where most of the balls are falling on the ground on a regular basis. Let’s remember that those life skills, aka executive life skills, are not somehow magically gained because a person became an adult. These are specific and intentional skills that are developed, refined, and changed again and again as life needs come on and change.
Also, let’s not underestimate all of the “super powers” and strengths that come along with the ADHD brain, which are:
- The ability to hyperfocus
- Creativity and creative solutions
- Outside-the-box thinking skills
How Can ADHD Impact Work and Career?
ADHD can have a big impact on an adult’s professional world. Tasks that require sustained attention, organization, and managing deadlines can be very difficult if systems aren’t put in place to help maintain these areas of functioning. The result can be changing jobs often or struggling to work through long-term projects because of the number of details and the stretched-out time frames. Long, complicated projects can result in forgotten details, or parts of the project may be started and then forgotten, left uncompleted before moving on to the next part.
Strategy: Break It Down
At work, adults with ADHD often feel overwhelmed by complex or multistep projects or tasks. To get through projects or daily tasks that have multiple steps, strategize by breaking down one large task into smaller tasks. Create a checklist and work on each task individually. These tasks can be divided over several days as you work toward the deadline.
Breaking down tasks and projects helps to combat those feelings of procrastination or the “I can’t” thoughts by creating a series of smaller goals with short-term deadlines. Set a time to work on each task and work against that timer. Set the time limit to your attention span or how long you think it will take to complete the task. When the alarm goes off, assess whether you were accurate in your assessment and use that information when you set the next timer. Follow these “work sessions” with movement breaks.
How Can ADHD Affect Personal Relationships and Communication?
ADHD can affect relationships with a partner, family, or friends. It can manifest itself as forgetting an event or important date, forgetting about an important event, interrupting conversations, or not listening during a conversation. This can create frustration in a relationship that ultimately leads to a decrease in invitations and a decrease in the investment in the relationship. And yet, adults with ADHD also bring excitement, energy, creativity, and spontaneity to a relationship.
Strategy: Use Open Communication
In your relationships, practice open communication with your partner, family members, and friends, and share your struggles. This prevents forgetfulness or poor time management from becoming a source of frustration for others, which can lead to conflict. You can also ask for check-ins or reminders from others as a backup as well.
How Can ADHD Impact Parenting?
Parenting can be especially difficult for a parent with ADHD as they struggle to manage their own life in addition to the many demands required in caring for a child. Difficulty following through on a routine, losing track of time or belongings, and poor time management are often struggles for parents with ADHD. The positive elements that parents with ADHD bring to parenting include energy, creativity, and creating a fun environment for children.
ADHD can have an impact on many areas of adult functioning. Having awareness of the specific areas that it impacts is important in implementing the strategies needed to build a good routine and lifestyle.
Strategy: Implement Consistent Routines
For adults with ADHD, consistency is key in managing both their own symptoms and the demands of parenting. Establish a consistent daily routine for yourself and your children to help mornings, after school, and evenings run smoothly. Set designated times for meals, homework, bedtime, and activities. A visual schedule, such as a family calendar or chart, can serve as a helpful reminder for both you and your children. This structure provides a sense of stability, reduces forgetfulness, and makes it easier to follow through on tasks, helping you stay organized and involved as a parent.