Guide of Me, Who Is with ADHD, for Those Who Work with Me
Last updated: Aug 14, 2022
I am with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). So my characteristics is somewhat different from ones of ordinary people. Those who work with me might confused with my characteristics. I expect this guide helps you to understand me and makes it easier to work with me.
What I Am Good at Doing or I Can Do
About Performing My Duties
I am highly concentrated in what I am interested in.
I can summarize and organize information efficiently.
I can write logically.
I can verbally explain something clearly.
I can report to, communicate with, or discuss with my boss and colleagues when I should do.
I keep deadlines. When I find that I would not keep them, I will report immediately to my boss in order them to change plans.
I am never grumpy while I am working.
I keep secrets. Of course, I never reveal them even to my family.
I can understand what is ordinary secret, and I can keep them secret.
About Interpersonal Relationships
I behave politely.
I greet others.
I am a tidy person.
I have no difficulty in talk to someone who I never met before. I rather love talking to them.
I can listen to your talk calmly.
I don't like chat because it is stressful, but I can have it.
I am a sincere person. I sincerely accept your advice.
I never bad-mouth someone.
I never grumble. I make an effort to solve problems.
I don't lie, but I can hide private opinions when I should do so.
What I Am NOT Good at Doing or I Have Difficulty in
About performing my duties
I have difficulty in controlling my concentration. Once I am concentrated in something, I have difficulty in or forget doing other things to do. Sometimes I forget even having lunch.
How to prepare: When you ask me to deal with something urgent, you should tell me it is urgent strongly and urge me.
I have difficulty in starting to deal with something I am not interested in and in being concentrated in it.
How to prepare: You should consider asking someone else to deal with it. If I really need to deal with it, you should make an effort to make me interested in it as possible.
Although I can prioritize my duties, I have difficulty in starting to deal with something I am not interested in even if it is a high priority.
How to prepare: Same as above.
I feel sleep soon after starting to do so-called menial tasks.
How to prepare: You should not have me do menial tasks. You should understand I can do them far slower than ordinary people. Even much tea or coffee doesn't wake me up.
I have difficulty in deal with unexpected situations flexibly.
How to prepare: You should not have me do tasks which need high flexibility. Other tasks are possible if I have enough time to consider.
I have difficulty in performing my duties steadily by the day or week because I have big ups and downs.
How to prepare: You don't have to think ill of me when I perform poorly. I roughly get my duties done by the month.
Fixed lunch or other breaks stress me.
How to prepare: Don't reprimand me if I take a break anytime I want. I never slack off.
I may often go to the bathroom because I drink much tea to keep me awake.
How to prepare: Don't reprimand me if I away from my desk frequently. I never slack off.
Don't ask me to do self-management. I always make an effort to keep my condition best. Such an ask will stress me and make my condition worse.
How to prepare: Don't ask me to do self-management even if I don't seem to feel well. I always feel best as of the time.
Because I am with hypersensitivity such as visual hypersensitivity, hyperacusis (auditory hypersensitivity), and hyperosmia (smell hypersensitivity), hecticness, sound, or smell make my concentration worse and stress me out.
How to prepare: Against visual hypersensitivity, you should provide me with a visually comfortable environment such as tall partitions in front of me and on both sides of the desk. Against hyperacusis, you should provide me a as quiet environment as libraries. Even small sound of talks make my concentration worse. You should allow me to wear noise-cancelling headphones. Against hyperosmia, you should remove any slight smell of cigarettes, which gives me a headache, and smell of perfume/fragrance from around my desk. Existence of large number of people around me is uncomfortable. You should let me alone as possible.
You should not talk to me suddenly. I will be very surprised.
How to prepare: If you have something to ask me in advance, you should notice it in another way before taking to me.
Changes in my environment stress me out.
How to prepare: I accept changes if you need them. But daily significant changes such as hot desking make my health worse certainly and cause quitting in the end. You should provide me a designated desk and keep environment around me constant as possible.
You should not reprimand me, but just advise me. If you repeat reprimanding me, I became afraid to be reprimanded and gradually stop communicate with you.
How to prepare: You should just advise me without your emotion in minimum duration.
I am not good at communicate with someone in a bad mood. If my boss is often in a bad mood, I became afraid to be reprimanded and gradually stop communicate with them.
How to prepare: Don't be in a bad mood while working. Neither am I.
Because I have difficulty in paying attention to many things simultaneously, I cannot be concentrated in something while manning the phone.
How to prepare: Don't have me man the phone.
I forget verbal instructions.
How to prepare: You should give instruction to me both verbally and in writing, or only in writing. Chat apps such as Slack is best. If you give instruction to me only verbally, you should provide me enough time to take notes.
If I give you instruction, I forget not only the content, but also itself.
How to prepare: Don't be shocked if I forget my instruction itself. I always respect you. I record my instructions. Nevertheless, I sometimes forget them.
I cannot understand your vague instruction.
How to prepare: You should give instruction to me as specifically I need. If I feel it to be vague, I ask you to make it more specific.
If you make sarcastic comments, I cannot understand that it is sarcasm.
How to prepare: You should be straight with me.
I cannot distinguish my/your private opinion and public stance.
How to prepare: Don't feel unpleasant if I am straight with you. I don't blame you. I say nothing if I want to keep my private opinion secret. You should be straight with me.
I might seem to be sleeping while thinking because I am making an effort to improve my concentration by closing my eyes to shadow visual information and relaxing.
How to prepare: Don't conclude that I am sleeping if I seem to be sleeping. I will breathe hard while sleeping.
About interpersonal relationships
I don't like noisy environments.
How to prepare: Don't reprimand me if I leave a large party while it is ongoing.
I cannot act like I am having fun when I am not having fun.
How to prepare: You should know I can only become friends with those who don't get angry with such attitude.
I might not look like fun even if I am having fun.
How to prepare: Don't worry. I am often having more fun than I look. I will not attend if I don't have fun.
I can chat, but I don't want to do because it stress me.
How to prepare: Don't introduce me to those who love chatting. I love meaningful conversation.
I often talk your/someone's arm off.
How to prepare: If I am talking your/someone's arm off, you should point it out.
I sometimes cannot read your emotions properly.
How to prepare: You should be straight with me.
I don't flatter you, and I cannot understand your flattery.
How to prepare: I don't flatter you, but I don't speak ill of you (I say nothing to someone I think ill of but I need to pay mind to). If you admire me, I feel happy.
I don't say something just to be polite, I cannot understand your remarks you say just to be polite.
How to prepare: If you invite me to the party and I accept, I will really go to the party.
I don't say something just to be polite, but I forget my remarks soon.
How to prepare: If you are interested in my remark, you should contact me.
I never grumble and enjoy grumbling.
How to prepare: I make an effort to solve problems. I never grumble because grumble never solve problems. You can enjoy grumbling, but you don't try to draw me to your group.