As ADHD Awareness month begins, it’s an opportunity to reflect on our understanding of ADHD.
It is not simply about ‘attention deficit’.
It is about having ‘difficulty regulating attention’.
With ADHD comes period of intense hyperfocus, flow states & significant concentration which can result in incredibly high levels of learning & output when working with things that are of current interest.
With ADHD also comes periods of uncontrollable distraction, uninterest and a constantly wandering mind often driven by the biochemical need for more dopamine.
This can occur when working on topics that are perceived as tedious/boring/purpose-less. It can also be as a result of nervous system dsyregulation or having run out of spoons/energy/capacity or simply as a consequence of an overstimulating environment.
The interest based nervous system is so powerful and can fuel amazing things, however it can present huge challenges.
In many cases, after almost every period of ‘operating with intensity’ comes a period of intense physical exhaustion and mental fatigue.
However the answer is not to simply ‘stop working like that then’. It’s a neurobiological difference, a process that is not always changable simply by choice.
It is about leveraging the power of the hyperfocus and building in periods of recovery & downtime. Like the seasons, we jump and run in the excitment of spring, and we hibernate in winter.
The first step of any change is awareness so this month I can help your team raise their collective awareness with my 90min ‘How to be an neuro-inclusive team’ workshop.
Reach out to bring your team up to speed so all brains feel understood & appreciated!
#neurodiversityatwork
#neurodiversity
#beingneuroinclusive
#neuroaffirmingcoach
*This doesn’t represent everyone’s experience of ADHD as each individual experiences their neurodivergence differently
Don’t accommodate, Celebrate!
