Building and maintaining a career can be challenging today, whether you have ADHD or not. Society isn’t structured the way it was 50 or 60 years ago. Student loan debt, living costs, and an ever-shifting economy create their own obstacles to growing a career.
Jobs, once performed by people, have been taken over by machines; new job categories continually evolve. But if you do have ADHD, navigating your way into a successful career can be made even more challenging by its symptoms.
Missed Deadlines and Details
One of the first signs that ADHD may be impacting your career and job performance is frequently missing deadlines. Everyone misses a deadline once in a while. But when it becomes chronic, it can be a sign that the distractibility and impulsiveness that come with ADHD are interfering with your job. ADHD can also impede your ability to multi-task and plan ahead. Unfortunately, missed deadlines is an apparent sign of this.
Likewise, missing essential details on work projects is another way to tell ADHD is getting in the way.
Frequent Miscommunications
Do you find that you often think your colleagues said one thing, but later find out they meant something else? If so, perhaps ADHD symptoms such as impulsivity and short attention span may be blocking effective communication. And having effective communication in the workplace is vital for everyday functioning and overall success. Without it, it’s easy to make big mistakes.
Tense Relationships with Colleagues
Along with frequent miscommunications, you may also be experiencing strained relationships with your colleagues. Unfortunately, when ADHD symptoms create problems such as those listed above, it’s easy to see how other people can become impatient at work.
They don’t know if they can count on you to complete your part of a project. They’re not sure if you’re paying attention when vital details are shared. If you jump from idea to idea without bringing anything to fruition, they can become frustrated.
This can be a hard reality because having ADHD is not your fault. But it can very much affect the way others perceive you. Its symptoms can get in your way and trip you up.
Not Performing at the Level You Know You Can
ADHD in and of itself is not a sign of any intellectual failing or disability. ADHD individuals are often brilliant. But its symptoms can impede your ability to perform at your highest levels.
Just as with the examples outlined above, ADHD can cause problems even when you’re trying your hardest. It can prevent you from turning in the quality of work that you know you’re capable of. In turn, this creates frustration and job dissatisfaction.
Frequent Job Changes
If you’ve experienced any of the situations described here, there’s a good chance it has led you to change jobs. After all, if ADHD symptoms contribute to poor performance and tense relationships at one workplace, it’s easy to see why you would move on to another job.
Everyone changes jobs from time to time. But it’s essential to take a good look at the actual reasons behind any frequent job changes. Do you see any patterns? Do you suspect your ADHD symptoms were getting in the way?
Positives
It’s crucial to remember that having ADHD doesn’t have to doom you to struggle in a career. Many attributes of ADHD lend themselves to success in various fields. Sometimes finding the right fit is just a process of trial and error. Growth and success are always possible with help and guidance.
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Are you an adult struggling to manage your symptoms of ADHD? Do you think ADHD has harmed your career? Reaching out to a therapist is often an essential step in finding a way to overcome these challenges.
As a professional with a great deal of experience in treating ADHD individuals, we are well-versed in helping people, such as yourself, find a successful way forward. Contact us today! https://www.new-perspective-counseling.com/contact/
New Perspective Counseling is a group practice dedicated to emotional wellness and healing. Our caring therapists provide psychotherapy, individual, marriage, and family counseling in our Highland, Michigan office. We are located conveniently near Milford, White Lake, Commerce Township, Holly, Hartland and Brighton, Michigan.