The Key to Succeeding with Neurodivergence: Embracing It

Last week, I wrote my first of a series of articles about neurodiversity, and shared my experiences with ADHD. It was a quick primer about the condition I've recently been diagnosed with, and a few of the symptoms (positive and negative) that impact my daily life. There is a lot left to discuss about how neurodivergent folks can not only cope with their conditions, but thrive.

Since I've written my first article, I've seen some thought-provoking discussions about whether April should be called Neurodiversity "Awareness" Month, "Acceptance" Month, or "Celebration" Month. I think that last one, "celebration" is a much better approach because neurodivergent folks don't want to just be seen or merely tolerated, but welcomed! So, that's what I'll encourage over the next couple articles.

Part 2 (this article) will cover specific strategies which have helped me manage my challenges with focus. Hopefully this can help more than just people with ADHD as well. I'll cover: language, mindsets, and specific strategies that may help neurodivergent people bring their best selves to the workplace.

Part 3 discusses neurodiversity and accessibility in the workplace, and how companies can take steps to become a more inclusive place to work.

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If language shapes the way we think, by shaping our language first, we can change the way we think.

To level set, we need to start by defining some key terms with an explanation why they are used in this context:

• neurodivergent (adjective). refers to the neurological makeup (as in, literal arrangement of nerves and brain matter) of a person with a diagnosed cognitive or neurological condition (by self-assessment or a medical professional). This term is often used as a deliberate alternative to "disability" or "impairment" due to its focus on a difference in neurological structure, as opposed to some subpar state of being.
• neurotypical (adjective). refers to the neurological makeup of a person without a diagnosed cognitive or neurological condition. This term is often used as a deliberate alternative to "normal" to help de-stigmatize differences, and keep the focus on neurological structure. Similar to how someone might test "negative" for COVID-19, one can be "negative" of a medical condition, and thus, have a "typical" brain.
• neurodiversity (noun). refers to a spectrum of differing neurological compositions, including people with varying conditions. A person cannot be neurodiverse, since each person has a single unique neurological composition. However, a workplace can be neurodiverse since there will be people (plural) who contribute to the neurological diversity.

Why am I taking great pains to include not only a definition, but also the parts of speech (noun/adjective)? In my opinion, the shortcut of using adjectives as nouns in these contexts can be a bit dehumanizing or limiting, leading to (or perpetuating) harmful stereotypes. For example, the sentence, "She's a neurotypical." implies that there's a homogenous group of neurotypical people out there who all have exactly the same predictable traits, experiences, and opinions, when in fact, neurotypical people have plenty of variation and would likely object to being placed into that bucket. The same applies for the adjective "neurodivergent" used as a noun (and any other adjective for people, for that matter).

Language may seem like a small nuance, but it plays a big role in how neurodivergent people are viewed by others, and how they view themselves.

"Ok great, but how do I fix it?"

You can't.

Let me say that again: you cannot "fix" a neurodivergent person. You cannot "fix" yourself.

This is probably the single hardest thing I had to accept after getting diagnosed. I cannot be "cured" of a brain which has structurally grown differently than others. I cannot get a brain transplant - and even if I hypothetically could, I would lose a sense of who I am as a person. Even with medication, one is never really "cured."

Part of the reason these conditions can be so hard to accept is the framing of their value and utility in our lives. Over the last year, I've read a lot of articles about ADHD, and while there are many great ones out there, there are many that frame ADHD as a thing to overcome. And yes, in some ways, there are things to overcome; but we spend a lot of time and attention on the negative outcomes that we wish we could eliminate or reduce in some way. After a lot of learning and personal growth, I've come to realize that, while at times it felt like I managed to survive in spite of my condition, it was actually because of my experiences with this condition (good and bad) that I've become a person who is not just capable of surviving, but also capable of succeeding.

This acceptance may sound like this bears little relevance in the professional setting, but it's the most important first step for neurodivergent people to take in order allow themselves to pursue appropriate, sometimes divergent strategies that work with rather than against them.

What's a "divergent strategy" and how does that help?

(To be abundantly clear: I am not a medical professional, and thus, I will not be addressing medical treatment in these articles. I recommend speaking with your healthcare provider to find out whether medical intervention is or isn't appropriate for you.)

A divergent strategy is an approach to solving a problem that deviates from conventional wisdom or popular opinion. These strategies can sometimes be in the form of certain tendencies that are often "trained out" of neurodivergent folks.

For example, as a person with ADHD I have what is affectionately nicknamed "bouncy-bouncy leg," which is when someone bounces their legs compulsively and repeatedly while seated. It used to drive my family crazy because it can get annoying at the dinner table. For years I wasn't sure why I would ever voluntarily expend energy on something so inefficient or so frivolous.

Turns out, this is something called "stimming," which involves making repeated movements or sounds, common in both ADHD and autism. Other examples include pen tapping/clicking, scratching a surface, or even rocking back and forth. Since many neurodivergent children and adults try to self-soothe their symptoms to cope, some of these habits (healthy or otherwise) develop early on and are sometimes carried into adulthood. According to Healthline: "Research in children with [ADHD] suggests that repetitive movements improve concentration and attention. The shaking could help distract the part of your brain that’s bored. With that part of your brain occupied, the rest of your brain can focus on the task at hand."

This can, of course, be destructive or disruptive if the wrong habit is chosen. I learned over time that a good way for me to pay attention was physical movement of some sort. Teachers encouraged me to take notes, and it worked, but not for the reasons you think. The notes themselves had little to no bearing in whether I learned; I sparingly looked at my notes anyway. It was the physical act of moving my pen or pencil that allowed me to focus on what was being said. Sometimes teachers would think I was not paying attention or was "practicing for art class" if I was doodling unrelated drawings or doodles in my notebook, when in fact, it was my way of being able to listen more closely.

The point is, there may be strategies that come more naturally than others for neurodivergent people. Some of the most insightful discoveries I made were directly related to some of the less popular strategies I chose as a kid.

How does someone with ADHD focus?

Here are the other strategies that I lean into these days to help me stay focused and productive:

• Not just any list, but a dynamic list: Lists (even with checkmarks) quickly become invisible if they visually do not change in appearance. Frequently erasing and rewriting my whiteboard to do list (or using Trello) helps me stay aware of tasks I need to get done. I don't get a dopamine kick from checking a box on a static list (and wish I did). I do however respond really well to dragging an item from my "In Progress" Trello list into the "Done!" list and seeing the entire list of remaining items shift accordingly.
• Leaning into hyperfocus and using timed challenges against myself or others: If I catch a wave of hyperfocus, as I've said before, I will ride it into the ground. I'll also gamify things I don't want to do by timing myself to see how quickly I can do it, which gives me something to focus on beyond the task itself. These often mean I will work far longer or later than most others will, but it also means I take breaks at times others might be working.
• Body doubling (also known as coworking): When I'm around or talking to other people (whether I know them or not) I feel compelled to do the task I set out to do. By having others around, it makes me feel like I'm not alone but also have someone expecting me to do my work. It keeps me accountable. I do this by doing a Zoom meeting, or by going to a coffee shop to be around other people.
• Playing instrumental music (and not): I alternate between background music and absolute silence to focus. Background noise can sometimes help me be distracted "just enough" to focus only on what I'm working on. That said, sometimes music with lyrics actually distracts me more, or music as a whole has diminishing returns. I'm sure others can relate to the funny and irrational need to turn the volume down on your car stereo when you're looking for parking, even though looking for parking has nothing to do with sound! I've found alternating now and then gives the best results.
• Meditation: I'll be honest, I could do better with this; I used to do it more often. But meditating for 5-10 min a day before or after work helps me emotionally regulate so that I don't hyperfixate on anything stressful and carry it into or out of my workday.
• Using screen readers and buying audiobooks to supplement my reading: I just got LASIK recently, and can see better than I ever have, but sometimes it can still be hard for me to focus through an entire article or paper in one sitting. I will listen to articles, papers, books, any long-form writing - not just when I'm walking or driving around, but also while I'm reading the same text. (On that note, I practically abuse the "rewind by 15 sec" feature because sometimes listening without reading is also very difficult.)
• Whenever someone asks me to do something I talk them through ALL the steps and how long each step may take so that I may better estimate time. This may initially come off like I'm complaining, but I'm awful at assessing how much time I need because of "time-blindness." My negative experiences with asking for longer timelines or extensions in the past has made me very cognizant of looking lazy or slow, so I used to not speak up at all when I felt overwhelmed. But I'm now of the mind that over-communicating is better than under-communicating, it helps me and everyone else involved.
• Apple Watch. This is definitely one of the bigger splurges, but I cannot tell you how much the accessibility features have changed my life. The watch vibrations help wrench me out of hyperfocus and keep me on track to get to meetings on time, especially if visual cues are missed. I've enabled a silent (haptic) notification to occur every 15 min during non-sleep hours. This helps me easily keep track of time passing so I am less susceptible to "time blindness." I also heavily rely upon the "ping my phone" feature because I misplace my phone in my house all the time and don't always have a helpful family member around to call it. (What's worse, my phone is almost always on silent because I get so easily distracted and irritated by excessive high pitch noises. So, ping my phone overrides that setting for when I need it most).
• Calendar events and timed reminders for everything - from appointments, working time, taking breaks, driving my car, ending the work day: It looks excessive at first, but it helps me keep my days and weekends on track. I also make a point of adding an event in my calendar while I schedule it with someone, even if it means interrupting the conversation I'm having. Otherwise, there is a high probability I will get distracted and forget to save it (and therefore miss it in the future).
• I've uninstalled all social media apps from my phone. I also turned off the news widgets, because I get sucked into news articles quickly. I am prone to "scrolling forever" and losing hours of time. I purposefully create more friction in that experience and force myself to log in with a mobile browser, so that I don't check it as much. I've even contemplated deleting social media accounts altogether, however, it's the main way I keep in touch with many important people in my life, so I haven't (yet).
• This article has many more awesome strategies for optimizing productivity with your phone if you're interested in that type of deep dive.

The Neurodivergent "Tax"

You might be thinking, "Therese, not everyone can afford an Apple Watch." You're right. I'm absolutely a lot more privileged than many people. I'm lucky to have a job that affords me flexibility and that I can afford these things at all. That said, the unfortunate reality of these conditions is that they cannot be solved with willpower. They require external solutions and interventions, which is why folks with chronic illnesses or disabilities often talk about their condition's "tax," meaning, extra costs that come with having the condition.

These costs aren't just medical, but also include supports. For me those supports include an Apple Watch, buying both audiobooks and ebooks, and paying for a screen reader subscription to help me read and work effectively. Meal kits or pre-prepared food help me quickly put together a healthy meal. A monthly cleaning service helps me keep my house livable. All of these require extra money.

These may sound like luxuries, because for neurotypical folks, these aren't necessary to live a good quality of life. For neurodivergent folks, though, these "luxuries" are more of a necessity when their conditions prevent them from having a good quality of life otherwise.

In the case of home life - I've heard many kitchen horror stories from those with ADHD, ranging from burnt food to undercooked food to straight up house fires. Not that pre-chopped food directly stops house fires, but by alleviating the cognitive load and challenges on working memory that come with food prep, pre-prepped food actually significantly reduces the potential for distraction, helping people who struggle with working memory in the first place! So, pre-prepped food can help us put together meals both quickly and safely.

To wrap up...

Neurodiversity allows us to build an arsenal of new perspectives, build expertise, and innovate more quickly. Neurodiversity also introduces unique needs and often requires unconventional ways to address those needs. When these needs are addressed, neurodivergent people have a lot to offer, and those same strategies can help neurotypical people who are struggling in their own ways.

Strategizing around neurodivergence involves far more than will-power; it involves behavioral strategies and a systemization of controls and supports. If we really want to allow everyone to succeed, we need to acknowledge that some people can access supports better than others. The more we can empower each other to access and use these supports, the better off we all will be.

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Thanks for reading this installment of my Neurodiversity Celebration Month article series! I've published an article for every week of April. I've written this article plus three others:

• #1 - I am a woman in tech with ADHD (Apr 1, 2022 - 10 min read) - Cognitive and neurological conditions often lack external physiological symptoms or forms, and thus, can go unnoticed, undiagnosed, and untreated for years at a time. Some of your colleagues may be living with one of these invisible disabilities, and there are things you can do to help support them. I share the story closest to home: mine.
• #3 - Celebrating Neurodiversity in the Workplace (Apr 18, 2022 - 14 min read) - Neurodivergent employee strategies will only be as successful as the supports in place to pursue those strategies. This article covers: what is legally required by employers, how organizational trust plays a major role in the ability to create an effective accommodation plan, and 3 (or 5?) P's to build competency and foster a culture of inclusivity and accessibility.
• #4 - The Neurodivergent Prospect: Tackling the Hiring Process (Apr 30, 2022 - 13 min read) - In this article, I cover some observations and advice on personal branding and professional networking. It's just a representation of my own personal experiences, but I hope it sparks more discussion on how to make the hiring process better for all, ND and otherwise.

It means a lot to have the support I've been given over the last month, and I am sincerely grateful for your attention (especially if you have ADHD, that attention is precious). I would love to pay forward the kindness I've received, so if you or someone you know is a neurodivergent person in the UX/tech space, please don't hesitate to connect with me. I would love to keep the conversation and momentum going.

If you have strategies that have helped you work, or your organization has helped support your needs in some way, feel free to share strategies in the comments!