Working from Home with ADHD: Top Tips

Featured Image by Rohann Agalawatte, Burst

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, working patterns have shifted dramatically. In 2019, only 4.7% of UK employees worked from home. This number rose to 46.6% during the initial stages of the pandemic, and since then we have settled into a new post-pandemic reality. In 2024, 14% of us work entirely from home, and a further 26% of us combine working from home with travel to a workplace.

However, while some of us may find it easy to adapt to these new circumstances, others may struggle. Recent studies suggest that working from home poses unique challenges to neurodivergent individuals. In this article, we explore the challenges faced by individuals with ADHD, and set out some of our suggestions for making working from home easier.

Why might it be difficult to work from home with ADHD?

The most common symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity. The results of this can be difficulty focusing on work, hyperfocus (focusing solely on one activity), and burnout (mental and physical exhaustion). Working from home differs from working in an office environment in several ways, and these aspects can worsen ADHD symptoms.

First and foremost, our homes are generally not designed for work. Many of us do not have dedicated workspaces, and are consequently forced to work in suboptimal places such as kitchen tables or beds. In fact, a recent study conducted by Leeds University suggests that 33% of home workers have no dedicated space for work at all. Overall, the proximity between the domestic and work can be difficult and make it even more challenging to focus on work.

Image by Matthew Henry, Burst

Working from home can come with many visual and auditory distractions. For people with ADHD, this can include distracting visual stimuli on work devices, such as meeting backgrounds and messages, as well as non-work devices such as TVs. We can also become distracted by the people around us, including housemates, children, and other family members. Unlike office spaces, the people in our homes do not work with us, and will not necessarily be aware of your work-rest schedule or specific needs.

Working from home often means an increased number of online meetings to replace “watercooler” moments. Working from home can be an isolating experience, and it can feel as though personal support is not as readily available from others. Without support from others, it can be difficult to maintain healthy working patterns, including keeping to consistent schedules, maintaining breaks, avoiding hyperfocus, and communicating when experiencing burnout.

Our top tips for working from home with ADHD

We want to set out some of our top tips for working from home with ADHD. Some of these suggestions may be beneficial for neurodivergent and neurotypical people alike.

Create a designated workspace that works for you

It is important to establish a separate environment within your home where you feel that you are free from distraction, and where you can associate this space solely with work. It is helpful if you have the option to dedicate an entire room solely to work. However, if you do not, then having a separate workspace can suffice. Try to reserve a desk in your house solely for work. Use a chair which is good for your posture, and keep your desk free from clutter. Never work on your bed or on a sofa, as this can blur the line between work and rest.

Image by Matthew Henry, Burst

Eliminate any possible distractions

If you are living with housemates or family, make it clear to others that your space is off limits during working hours. If necessary, keep a do not disturb sign on the door. Try not to keep the tv on in the background, and keep your desk free from any non-work items. Some people find it helpful to use a sound machine, a fan, or headphones, to block out any distractions.

Try and stick to a similar schedule

One of the most challenging aspects of working from home is sticking to a similar schedule every day. In most office environments, there is oversight and regulation from supervisors, and you will be following a similar schedule as your colleagues. However, when you are working from home, self-managing your time can be particularly challenging. Try to wake at the same time every morning, schedule in lunch at the same time every day, and ‘clock off’ at the same time in the afternoon.

Work in intervals with regular breaks

While it is important to stick to a regular work schedule, it is also important to schedule in regular breaks. Individuals with ADHD are much more likely than neurotypical people to experience burnout. Burnout refers to a complete mental and physical exhaustion that occurs when people try to cope with the symptoms of ADHD. it is therefore extremely important to practise self-care and take frequent breaks from working. The best means of doing this is to take breaks at regular, consistent intervals throughout the day. It can be helpful to use a timer to remind you when to stop working.

Use organisational tools

Image by Matthew Henry, Burst

The best way to organise your work and break time, is to make use of organisational tools. Try to take note of as much as possible, and record key dates and deadlines in a calendar. You can do this on paper, or use Google Calendar and Excel.

Alternatively, you can use organisational tools such as:

• Evernote – a tool which helps you to archive and create notes, which can be embedded with photos, audio and web content.
• Todoist – a streamlined task management software.
• Brain focus – a productivity timer whereby you can input multiple tasks and keep track of work session and breaks. The app also records and analyses your productivity, displayed to you in graphs and charts.
• OneTab – a tool which converts all the open tabs on your computer into a list.

Try to avoid hyperfocus

Hyperfocus is a common behaviour seen in ADHD, whereby individuals focus solely on one singular task. When experiencing hyperfocus, people will often ignore other tasks in lieu of a singular objective. Many of the suggestions above will help with this, including:

• Breaking up tasks at work – create a list of differing priorities and invest in all of them. Using flashcards to remind you of different tasks can help.
• Make use of organisational tools, particularly timers and alarms which remind you when to stop and start tasks
• Schedule in, and stick to, lunch breaks.

Buddy up with a colleague and check-in with each other

Working from home can be an isolating experience. It can therefore be helpful to have someone that you trust, who you can check-in with, and who can check-in on you in return. Despite the physical distance, try to keep in regular contact with this person, and schedule-in times during the week for a meeting or email correspondence. Above all, make sure that this person is aware of your situation. This person can help you to:

• Avoid hyperfocus – they can check in on you after a designated length of time
• Communicate when experiencing burnout
• Remind you of different tasks, and check you are taking adequate breaks

Conclusion

Adapting to home-working is challenging for everyone, and this especially applies to neurodivergent people. However, following some of these tips can make the transition easier.