The 9 Things Every ADHD Office Needs for Peak Productivity
Since the pandemic started, many of us have moved from an office building to our home offices. Without the accountability of co-workers and our bosses hovering near us, it can be a real challenge for an ADHD person to meet deadlines and be consistent with our work. This list of 9 items will help any ADHD person be more productive in their home office.
1.
Pen and Paper
Record those brilliant ideas, instead of letting them distract you!
Let’s start with the most basic! Pen and some paper is a must. ADHD people need a place to write down those random thoughts, ideas and tasks that pop into our heads. These are often the things that interrupt us when we are deep into a task or project. Written down, they are safe until we can come back to them and we can keep them from disrupting our flow. Whether you use a legal pad, notebook or bullet journal, make sure it is close to you, so you can jot down those brilliant thoughts before you lose them!
2. A Cozy Chair
(Bonus Points if it Spins)
A comfortable butt is a productive butt!
ADHD brings with it a whole host of sensory sensitivities. An uncomfortable chair will only aggravate your senses. Make sure your chair is one that you can sit in comfortably and work for longer stretches of time! You get bonus points if your chair spins! A spinning chair can make it easy to spin around to grab something. You will be less likely to get distracted from your work than you would be if you had to stand up and walk around to fetch something. A comfortable butt is a productive butt!
3. Tech/Cord Storage
Never lose a cord again!
If your desk is anything like mine, it is covered in cords, chargers and a whole host of other technology. This isn’t exactly a recipe for productivity! Finding a storage solution for all of your tech items is essential! It keeps your desk tidy and you always know where to find them when you need them! I found this cord/tech storage pouch on Amazon.
4.
Plenty of Water
Hydration plays a major role in productivity!
Water for brain function is like oil is to a car. It won’t go forward without it. We need adequate hydration for optimal productivity! Keeping a bottle of water near you while you work is a good practice! Keep a straw handy too! ADHD people tend to drink more liquid if we drink from a straw. Not a fan of water? Try adding some fruit to make it more enticing. There are few things as refreshing as a cold drink of water!
5. Snacks
Keeping a snack handy can help your brain function optimally!
As important as water? Nutrition! Keeping some healthy snacks in your desk will prevent our energy from dipping when we need it most. Snacks higher in protein have been shown to be beneficial in the management of ADHD symptoms. Foods that are rich in protein are used by our bodies to create neurotransmitters (like dopamine and norepinephrine...the two neurotransmitters that play a role in ADHD). Hunger can be a major distraction!
6. Climate Control
A fan can help to keep us comfortable and focused!
My office is cold in the winter and warm in the summer and this can make focusing on my work a challenge. Keep a portable heater/fan in your office to easily control the temperature! As we can sometimes be a bit forgetful, I recommend that you use a heater with a timer that will automatically turn off to avoid fires.
7. A Good Light Source
Let there be light!
How can we be productive if we can’t see what we are working on? A lamp on your desk with a flexible neck will allow you to control the light levels in your office. An added bonus is that you will look phenomenal during your Zoom calls. Let there be light!
8. A Timer
A timer is an ADHD person’s best friend!
Timers can be the best friend of an ADHD person! To avoid being late for or forgetting a meeting, try setting a timer to alert you to when it’s time to prepare for a meeting. A timer can be used in task initiation, which tends to be a major executive functioning challenge. Before you begin a task you are dreading, try setting a timer for 5 minutes. Give yourself permission to do the task for only 5 minutes. If you want to stop when timer goes off, you can! I’ll bet you will find that more often than not, you are focused on the task and want to continue!
9. A Bin or Basket for Paper
Keep your desk paper-free!
How well do you work when your desk is cluttered with papers? Probably not very well. Keep a basket or bin near your desk for papers and notebooks that you need to access each day. This will allow you to keep your desk clutter-free and your senses calm! I keep this basket hanging next to my desk on a hook. It holds my notebooks and folders of coaching papers and are easily accessible to me when I need them. No more lost papers or sifting through piles anymore!