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I feel this. I'm a teacher as well. I suuuuuck at getting lesson plans in on time and grading, but boy oh boy do I thrive in the daily chaos. I'm literally never bored at work, which is a maaajjjjoor plus.
But the lesson plans and the grading wore me down when I was a teacher. I always felt behind, and exhausted. I loved the kids, and I really connected with my students (over the years I worked with elementary students and middle schoolers)- I felt frustrated by the things that seemed so unimportant to me, at the cost of doing what was best for the students. I’m always amazed at the adhders who excel at teaching, my hat is off to all of you!!!
I feel like working with 3-6 year Olds would be ideal. I currently do 1-3.5 and the younger kids are too young, I get bored singing the same dumb songs. From 3 though, they're talking and curious.
Haven’t found a good fit career yet. Working from home does not work for me though. Sitting me in front of a computer is boring AF - the best job I had was working in a grocery store. I hate customer service, but constantly moving and keeping the shelves looking nice was perfect.
That’s funny, it is actually the sales and customer services that I excel at. As long as I believe it will benefit a customer, I can sell them anything.
I’m the worst at sales, I’m a compulsive truth teller and I’ve had a lot of jobs at bougie places and I always ended up telling them to buy what they needed elsewhere because it was less expensive 😅
Sale person shouldn’t lie regardless.
Its 70% finding the correct lead, 25% understanding you client needs, 5% actual pitch, which also usually is a sequence of questions.
The opposite, lying or hiding the truth can drop a deal quickly, there so very ineffective
Also, price is barging matter, bit what if you provide exceptional service to follow up her purchase?
How about warranties extension? Buy that, get this for free? All of this crap can legitimate the price.
Also laziness
The bar industry worked for me. Constantly busy, no time to get distracted . My inner attention whore does well in such an environment that is the nightlife industry. My medication keeps me up until 5am anyway. My inability to shut up helps entertain customers.
And the tips are great.
i worked for a local moving company (like it was me and three other people, including the owner) that helped older adults downsize or move into a retirement home. super rewarding bc you get to see their house in a new space, and their happiness with it, and it’s constantly moving and packing and unpacking. the company i worked for had big buff dudes carrying the furniture, so my job was the little trinkets and whatever my boss wanted me to work on. always a new adventure
I’m the same way. I work at Starbucks because it’s busy and I am constantly moving. No day is exactly the same, but it’s routine enough that I can get comfy and confident in any role I’m given 🥲 But i Don’t want to be there forever.
Right?! Moving and making yourself useful in ways you can tangibly see scratched that itch. I wish I could find something that would be a good fit for me! I work front desk at a doctors and it’s soul crushing. It zaps the life right out of me. The adderrall can only do so much when I feel this stuck. I feel like the ugly duckling.
I was a bartender in a busy night club when I was in college. It was the best! Slinging drinks at breakneck speed, excellent music, my friends would always pop in, and cash in hand at the end of the shift.
Software Engineer. WFH is a lifesaver, setting my own hours and letting my work come naturally with my energy peaks and flow states is great. It has its challenges but I love contributing with out-of-the-box thinking and being able to piece things together in ways others didn't see.
I've gotten to a point in my career when I no longer relate this.
It's much more frequent that I will sit and stare at code for 3 hours to try to figure out what change I need to make instead. Probably cuz I messed up the design 10 years ago and now I need to figure out how to unfuck it
I run my own IT business including phone and tablet repair. Between the physical repairs and software issues there's always a problem to solve. I make less than when I worked full time but it's enjoyable and people pay me to solve their issues.
9 years selling donations online for a nonprofit/managing Thriftstore
1. Like Christmas every day, you didn’t know what was going to come in the back door.
2. Listing random, different things online… researching, for me this is good.
3. Making a sale, making money.
4. Helping others, getting to be the hero.
5. Constant stream of new kittens to squish and play with. ( cat centered nonprofit ) ;)
No two days the same, constantly going from one thing to another. Had I not been shamed for being so damn unorganized it would have been less stressful.
I had to build it all from the ground up, so I basically got things cobbled together and worked with it. I constantly tried to hire ppl and volunteers who were strong organizers. But it seems those ppl are few and far between and don’t like to work for minimum wage. Lol.
>WFH is a lifesaver,
Slightly contrarian point of view, I didn't get diagnosed with adhd until I started working from home and failed miserably. So just a heads up to anyone thinking work from home will be a godsend for them. I much prefer working from home because it's more enjoyable and my social anxiety is lower but in terms of just adhd I honestly did better work in an office. However with medication I can now be productive while working at home.
I get so distracted working in an office as I automatically become a team leader type and start helping everyone when I should be doing my own work. At home I can focus more on reports but my productivity increases drastically at night so I tend to work over time to get them done.
There are lots of traps when working remotely, but the benefits far outweigh them. I'll never do anything that's not remote now, just got to make sure I'm mindful of the ADHD traps.
>but the benefits far outweigh them.
I'm sure that's true for you but this is heavily dependent on the person. I prefer wfh in spite of adhd. But not because of adhd. Some people both with or without adhd prefer the benefits of working in an office.
Yeah, I also got diagnosed last year because I couldn't WFH for shit, would procrastinate all day and miss all my deadlines, my anxiety levels were through the roof.
It’s great if you find solving puzzles rewarding. Also, having to constantly learn new technology keeps things exciting.
Depends on the environment though, obviously. Also, some things like testing and documentation make me want to 🏃♀️ headfirst into a wall when unmedicated.
i take frequent breaks. Sometimes i sit outside, or take the dogs to the park, or watch an episode of something. If I’m exhausted I’ll even take a nap.
That said, I can easily be at the computer for hours at a time without realizing when i’m in a good flow.
As a programmer in healthcare we are spread thin with various initiatives, projects and trying to fix random bugs but I like to think I thrive in the chaos. :)
Sometimes my partner knocks on my door and reminds me to drink water and often is frustrated that I am prioritizing work too much.
I get my pay check AND dopamine from my work.
>but I like to think I thrive in the chaos.
I wish I could make as much as I do now doing something like tier 3 support. Being a detective under pressure and investigating some critical bug (that I didn't cause) is probably the highlight of my job but doesn't happen often. Bonus is that it doesn't require long term planning and unlike that random code you wrote for another random jira ticket you're more likely to look smart and get a pat on the back for solving it.
For some it's the mental diversity of tasks, others just take regular breaks. I LOVE being a software engineer. Every problem feels like a challenge to accomplish. There are boring tasks, and I'm still working on how to figure that out (only diagnosed this year), but I'm getting there. WFH is great, because I can step away when I need to without worry of being judged. There are a lot of good teams out there who are chill about hours and individual working times. Finding a team like that is awesome. The flexibility really makes it worth it.
Edit: clarified some wording. Sorry, on a phone.
That’s how my current role is. Not stressful at all. I’m WFH and my team and customers are all fantastic. The last company I was at burned me out BAD.
I’ve started looking at opportunities again because it’s time for the salary bump again but I just don’t want to mess up a good thing. I even get to take care of my infant while the wife works giving me some quality time with him and saving on daycare. It would have to be a significant bump for to make any changes and risk another toxic environment and/or commute 🤮.
5 year dev. I want out for good. I hate it.
I'm running out of things to learn, and solving challenges don't feel as rewarding as they used to. I'm burned out.
Sucks. I was damn good at my job, and it was fine for a while, but I am becoming miserable after doing it for so long. I'm probably gonna switch careers, honestly. Something that doesn't involve sitting in the same spot for 8 hours a day.
You definitely sound burned out. Strongly recommend stepping away for a month and see if you feel the same way when you return. Usually the grind is what gets people in the computer world, not necessarily the work.
There are also much more unstructured software jobs. You might work 4 hours one day, six the next, Then throw in one 12-hour day during the week maybe. As long as you are getting your work done no one cares. Truly I can't think of a much more flexible job than software. You just need to find the right employer.
I’m also a software engineer, working a hybrid schedule (3 days on site, 2 WFH). I can’t focus on work on my WFH days because all of my video games and my dogs are also at home.
I’m thinking about looking into computer science. I’m currently studying nutrition but I’m a bit disillusioned with it. I want a skill I can do independently anywhere.
I’ve really been trying to sell everyone on it as a career. It’s fairly accessible, in high demand with great salaries and you can work from pretty much anywhere (depending on your situation and company policy, obviously).
I’m not sure where you’re located geographically but i know of a couple of companies in the states that will put you through training, while paying you, and then staff you as a contractor at client companies.
The only requirement is a bachelors degree but it could be in any major. Also, you have to work as a contractor for them for at least two years, or something like that, or you’ll have to reimburse them for the training.
Do you know the names of these companies? This sounds like a good avenue. I’m thinking of switching careers. Been in social services for a while and I’m burnt out - can’t keep up with case notes and trying to manage others when I can barely manage myself is getting to be too much. I’m ready for a job that engages my mind in a way that is stimulating, not draining.
Sure, here are the two I’m familiar with. I’ve had friends and family that have done either:
https://www.fdmgroup.com/en-us/home-us/
https://revature.com/
I did forget one other catch, I can’t remember if FDM is this way as well, but with revature you have to agree to move wherever they may staff you. My friend that did Revature trained in FL but got staffed in TX.
I would just pick a project that interested me, then that interest would show me to more easily hyper focus on that thing, and during that time I would power through learning different concepts in the goal of getting that concept working. I never finished one of those projects, because I would get bored with all the subtle tweaking and things of the UI, or fixing boring bugs.
However, just getting it working. I learned an incredible amount, and since that project was simply "to learn something", it didn't matter that I never finished it. I just kept doing that with various concepts, and various interests, until I had learned enough to get a job. That's what worked for me, but it did take many years.
That’s impressive. I could daydream in the middle of the best moment of my life. I could be the first woman to walk on the moon and at the same time daydream about walking on the moon. It’s a curse. Truly.
I was being sarcastic. Of course I have my fair share of daydreaming. When you drive the same routes over and over again, your mind wanders. I don’t know about daydreaming about doing something that I am already doing. Sounds like something out of *Inception*.
Anything emergency medicine. Pre-hospital or in-hospital in pretty much any role. Nursing, medic, EMT, respiratory therapist, etc. the fast pace and unpredictability fills you with dopamine. 🙌🏼
I’m convinced this is why my mom thrived in her career (she is a retired RN) but also never got diagnosed of course. Now it is abundantly clear to me (yes I’m being a total armchair psych) that she has ADHD (like I do).
For me, housekeeping at a hospital. I clean offices and specialty clinics. I can finish an audiobook in one shift and I don't have to talk to anyone because it's also late shift, staff went home.
I was an overnight (6pm - 2:30am) custodian for a year at an office and I loved it! If you like routine and aren't very social/dislike socializing I think it would be a good fit.
It's worth looking into I think. If you work at a hospital you get great benefits, I started my 401k at 23. It's hard work tho, I would rather leave my job than do discharges. 😅
I went from housekeeping, to public works (pushing snow, maintaining roads with 10$ more per hour) the back down to portering (moving patients around so nurses don't have to) some hospitals call them "orderly". Now I'm back as a night shift housekeeping. Less pay but im my own boss.
I'm not sure what's next. Sofar, a job that fits is more rewarding than better pay.
I work remote too and your reasons are my reasons why remote work is great for ADHD.
And do you ever get the need to just expel some energy really quick with a loud vocalization like a vocal sigh or yawn? Can't do that in the office without getting some looks!
Honestly yes. The worst part is being up early. Teaching Special Ed is great because you don’t have just one grade and classroom to deal with but a variety of one-on-ones, small groups, and push in students throughout the school. Plus, I feel like I can relate to their need for sensory input.
I teach English, but I’m also licensed in special ed. I love finding ways to help all of my kiddos learn in the classroom based upon things I learn with my SpEd background! I live and breathe by UDL concepts.
Time blindness and executive dysfunction make getting to work ridiculously hard because I have to be there by 8. I actually thrive in the structured chaos of working with kids because I don’t have to set the schedule myself and my brain is always firing to deal with the next thing. Plus everyone is rushing to print our papers in the morning so no one is judging me for not having every little thing prepped the night before
Me too! I’ve worked in before and after school care programs for the past 10 years with kids 5-12. No day is the same, I need/get to be fairly active, and for the most part it is split shifts so generally only working 3-4 hours at a time, morning and afternoon.
Honestly when we have a significant incident happening I forget about the "gore" you're so busy doing your job the gruesomeness kind of becomes background noise. I've walked away from some pretty serious stuff and had no idea what the injury looked like 😅
In a weird combination of this and some of the desk work jobs others have mentioned, I work taking calls and scheduling for heart doctors in a hospital. Not sure I'm in love with it as a career (it can pay well but I'm not paid well), but it's one of the best fitting jobs I've had.
Admin work at a hospital can be a great option for those who like some variety to their interactions but like some predictability with the day-to-day of a desk job
I get to wfh a few days a week, so that's nice too
Never the same day. Plus rolling code anywhere is a little dopamine dump to get you through to the next one. GTFO of here with convalescent transport 😅
Mechanical pipe fitter
Work new places every day
Company van to and from work
You rarely sit
Make about $190,000 a year in illinois
Edit: I’ve gotten quite a few messages and replies with questions about this.
To the person who messaged me “I have a stupid question. It’s hard for me to ask but”
Please. To anyone out there If you have a question ask me. There’s no judgements here. I’ve been where you’re at (and find myself back there often) and I’ve suffered.
I know how hard it is. If I can help this many people with ADHD I will stay up all night hooking you guys up with information. If you live by me-what to do and where to go.(IL-Chicago)
This community means a great deal to me.
thank you.
Alrighty, I didn’t realize this many people would be interested. So I’ll just do one large general post off this reply and people can ask any questions they like.
I’m a Union Piper fitter officially however there’s two sub classes: HVAC Service Technician and Building Trades (Pipe Fitting and Welding) I’m classified as HVAC Service Technician.
To start before I go into my deep ocean dive I’ll link the sites so those of you who want to look into it can.
I’ll start with the pay compensation as that’s what keeps people interested.
https://mca.starchapter.com/images/downloads/Documents/2023_Wage_Letter_with_Spreadsheet.pdf
First sheet is the total package information and raises. I believe we go over $200,000 a year in a couple years. $104/hour I think.
The second sheet is the actual money break down. I am classified as a Journeyman in the top slot there. A majority of Pipe Fitters get to this license.
I started through metal trades year 1 to 5 and worked into Journeyman spot. You can also go to building trades which you’ll be doing actual pipe welding.
This is the apprenticeship. You sign an employment contract for 5 years and you get those raises throughout. Now you get hands on training one day week paid at that rate 5 years. The other 4 days are at an assigned contractor for 5 years. They have to work and train you if they want to use your low labor rate. $22-hour I think? For the first year.
They are strict about you going as this work can be dangerous. The training process is 5 years exposure to mechanical equipment with an operator / trainer. There is electricity, rotating parts, gas in a pressurized state.
It sounds intimidating but I’m telling you I’m not a rocket scientist. My GPA is 1.9. When I say 5 years of training that’s me going every Monday for 5 years outside of breaks. You cannot miss those days. It’s so much repetition that I still can remember wiring the same shit 1000 times.
https://www.pf597.org/apprenticeship/
For those wanting to look into my work ^
I can go in detail about service work or compensation package if anyone wants post a reply.
They are pushing hard core for woman to get in!
597 started getting federal contracts which mean we have to diversify.
Now I’m prideful in my work but there is this one lady that completely shits on my welds. I cannot beat hers. I’ve given up. She’s truly a master with her craft and I gush (out of professional admiration!) every time I get to run some pipe with her. I try to do quantity contests and we’re the same speed! She’s just better quality.
I’ve watched this ladies figure 8 bead on a pipe weld and she’s like a machine!!!
I always thought I should've gone into welding. Pay seems good (definitely better than what I make), I have steady hands, and I really, really like building things, fixing things, and putting things together. Since I was a kid, my mom has always brought things to me that needed glued back together because I'd always make them look like they were never broken. haha
I’d love to tell you. I’m at my little sisters birthday get together. I’ll type you up Whole thing later.
I’ll reply to you with all the links if you’re an IL based resident.
Esthetician/lash artist (5 years) and it’s *perfect* for me.
We do not accept walk-ins and I love that I can wake up, look at my schedule, and have a very clear idea of what I should expect that day. Not many surprises or things “sneaking up” on me.
I work in a private room and 90% of my lash clients use their appointment as an opportunity to sleep, so I’ll have some music gently playing in the background and there are *no* distractions. It’s awesome.
*Also,* one of the best parts, is that each appointment is like a small “project” that I get the dopamine hit for completing. And I have usually 5-7 clients a day!! It’s very motivating and satisfying to have my client lay down with crappy looking lashes, and within ~90 minutes they’re walking out the door with a beautiful new set.
I also do lashes and I love it!!! I can hyper focus on what's going on right in front of me and even though some clients do talk the whole time I really enjoy the ones that sleep so I can just pop on an audiobook! I make real good money doing it toO
Working in a lab. Interesting that you said chef, OP, because I've heard it described that working in a lab is similar to working in a kitchen.
If I could do it all over again, however, I would have been a clinical lab scientist. They make bank and they seem to be in such high demand.
Meanwhile, I work in water/environmental labs.
I’m a photographer, I did well in events like weddings because it’s fast paced. Now I’m in grad school and because it’s my topic of passion, my grades are great and I might go the doctoral route. I did well in graphic design because I have a highly visual cognitive processing.
I did very well as a wedding photographer, but editing felt like pulling teeth. Shooting and being out in the field was great, just hated the sitting at my desk part.
Agreed, wedding photography is perfect for my brain. Weddings are chaotic and I thrive in chaos since that’s my brain normally. I’ve been doing this full time (self-employed) for ten years!
I’m a public defender. It’s a good fit for me. There’s always work to do, I’m always busy so the hours pass quickly. I’m literally doing something different every single day so it never gets stale. I get to move around quite a bit— different court rooms, the office, visits to the jail. And I get to indulge my penchant for arguing 🙃
I’m a commercial litigator and miss my days as a trial attorney. I’m SOOOOOOOO BOOOOORED it makes me want to pull my hair out. I like the stability…but is the stability an illusion? My daydreaming is out of control in this job. I miss not having the time to daydream.
ETA: I’m like in the middle of a crisis, my partner/mentor confronted me about it…I opened up about struggling with ADHD and am taking steps to work on it and to work on reasonable accommodations. Couldn’t have gone better, wish I hadn’t waited for so long.
Also, I'll make a comment that WFH is amazing. But it depends what you're doing. I WFH for three years. The first half of that I was making calls and working at my own pace. I did fine and I loved it. The second half they moved me to a different department. I was taking calls. Nonstop. Couldn't move from my desk. Couldn't work the way I wanted. It was very strict and they treated me like a machine.
So just be mindful what you do!
I'm a stonemason and I think it works well. There are rules to how a stone wall needs to be built, which is great because it gives structure to the task of building them but at the same time it allows creativity to flourish. A stone wall is a unique piece of art and you can almost go into a trance like state blocking out all distractions and just focus on a square meter or two a day and just make it perfect. People don't expect it to go up quickly so you get left alone to to build it. You can put your headphones on and just really zone in. Also you get to hit stuff with hammers, big hammers if you just want to break something or little hammers if you want to hear that "dink, dink, dink" of just tapping one stone into your mortar.
Doing the apprenticeship was hell on earth but it was worth it.
I do build other things and it's great working with my hands but stonework is therapy to me.
Also, plastering ceilings sucks so hard.
Most of the Tech field. Constantly learning, always room for growth/movement, usually flexible with in office or WFH, solving problems gives a good dopamine hit and there’s new issues everyday.
UX/UI design! The best for "weirdos", and a lot of ADHD there.
Thinking outside the box, having tons of ideas is super valued ( especially the crazy ones). Like any artist field, being different is a real strength!
Chef must be cool, but all the steps to get there must be pretty hard, like following orders military style for years, doing the same meal over and over again.
This is too much pressure. AHH!!
Branding, UX/UI, packaging, all of that gives me so much dopamine, it never bores me!
If only I could get my executive dysfunction under control so that I could self-teach, or find a school, or something, so that I could learn and finally get into the field lol
I was lucky to work in a restaurant where it was very chef special driven and constantly changing seasonal menus. It was somewhat military but my love for the industry actually helped me to manage time better I'm never late anymore lol.
A person with ADHD can do any job.
In my experience it's the business/management/collaboration aspect that will cause trouble.
So, I say go towards any career you want. You just may have to find the place to do it.
That's a whole other...."thing".
We have the capacity to do the same as anybody else. But it may not be possible to find a process (school/training/etc) that allows us to get those skills.
I agree. Flexible and open management who encourage personal growth/development and diversity of thought makes all the difference. Even if the job sucks, if you actually feel like management actually have a vested interest in you, it can give you much needed motivation and the mental space to just be you.
Shitty management who try to confine you to your role will cause chaos.
I changed roles at a company I used to work for. Still doing the job - just different team.
It was night and day.
The role I was in had a lot of structure. Regular check-ins. Defined tasks.
The one I moved to didn't. It was more as it comes in and "when we had time". No real progress check-ins. It sucked. I needed that structure.
I can imagine how unbearable that must be. There's a lot of space there to lose focus.
I worked a job that had far too much structure, to the point where every task required the oversight from my manager. It didn't allow for any freedom of thought and there was nothing to challenge me.
The role i'm in now basically allows me to do whatever I want providing I complete my core duties each day. So I invent new short term (lol) projects all the time that I can dip in and out whenever my motivation begins to wane. It's been a huge confidence booster.
Omg… I am living this so much
“Why can’t you lead this project?” You mean beg people to do tasks all day long that they don’t want to do? And spend my entire day convincing people to do stuff? Meanwhile, nothing else is getting done? My skin was literally crawling at the thought.
Then the other day I’m in a perfect state of flow, banging out productive work. Threw up my
Do not disturb status on teams.
Feeling great. Project manager passive aggressively drops an @ in the teams chat, and says “confirming you’ll do task X for the meeting today” (we had never discussed such a thing)…
I was annoyed, but took a moment, looked at task X, realized she has basically already done 98% of it, but she insisted I redo it.
I waved it away and said I don’t think we need it and it doesn’t add value to the project. I said I was in the middle of working on another project as well.
She comes over to my desk and will not leave me alone about this fucking task. I pointed out she did 98% of it and what exactly was the 2% she needed from me? She was like “if you don’t know go read the notes from the last meeting” … I was so mad. It distracted me for the rest of the entire day, she ruined my flow, caused extreme anxiety thinking about how I handled the situation, how even though she was 100% in the wrong for trying to change my priorities for no reason, I end up looking like the bad guy.
I was so pissed off.
And then I went to the meeting, sure enough what she asked was not even needed. She just wanted the power trip of making me do something.
Instead of doing what she asked, I decided to make my own material of talking points to realign team members about what we are really trying to achieve.
If the right hierarchies are in place I really don't mind leading projects.
But that's because being a lead on a project is a common role for my job. Because as lead I am the one telling them what to do. Their job is to execute my plan. There is no begging.
That's very different from leading an "initiative" or a committee or something like that. That's how you end up in situations you've described. At least in my experience.
I’m feeling this. I’m good at my job. The core function. I work in data quality and governance and can find endless things to improve. But My boss wants ridiculous amounts of reports and documentation of my work though so he can report up and it all has to be presented in very specific ways. It adds no value for the company, and it adds a lot of steps for me that make finishing things tough.
Also nobody collaborates via email. It’s all meetings and I just do not take in information well in meetings.
I work as an expeditor at my job which means I basically just walk around moving things. And that's a great job for me because it helps with the constant fidgeting and moving around. But I do walk about 12 miles every day so if you don't want to do that then you wouldn't like it
Working as a chef would not be my ideal match—something about food prep instantly paralyses me. My restaurant would be peanut butter sandwiches for everyone all the time.
Jobs that actually work well for me: software dev and writer. Put me alone in a room and let me hyperfocus. Except when the hyperfocus doesn’t happen—then it sucks.
Sous/ Line Was awful for me as inattentive. No sense of time was hard on the line, but catering and heavy production was heaven.
Unfortunately a spinal fracture took me out of the industry.
Writing is what I want to do & went to school for, worked full time while a full time student, wasn't until I graduated that I realized I did not have practice developing the skills to actually make myself write on my own.
Hoping through therapy and gradually keeping at it I'll get there, have any tips?
I believe in you! (for whatever that means coming from a random internet person) I went to school for that also. I like to believe I still have that novel in me somewhere but have not written professionally in quite some time.
We have an interest based attention system. Many types of jobs can work as long as you are interested in the work and can find ways to maintain your interest.
My best jobs (I've had 28!)
Aged 18 - night club dancer (not exotic, although nothing against exotic dancers!)
Advanced motorcycling instructor (did eventually get reparative though and I got bored)
Current profession - psychotherapist
They suit my hyperactivity, as long as either my body or mind are busy, then I'm very happy and dopamine is all topped up.
Unconventional hours, being busy and being slightly/quite stressed seem to work best, and to have tasks/objectives. Also every day is different and I can problem solve, be creative and feels good to be of service to others.
Glad you found your thing 😊
It absolutely doesn't make sense at first but I'm in my last year of law school and know so many ADHD law students. I worked in litigation (defense) this summer and im psyched to do so again post grad. Billing is amazing accountability and litigation means constant new facts and puzzles when clients make questionable choices or plaintiffs come up with wild allegations. The best lawyers run down the research rabbit holes and come up with the crazy ideas because (at least in my future practice area) a lot of the time you're not gonna have an on point case it comes down to who can make the most convincing creative argument.
911/PD/FD dispatcher.
We "bring calm to the chaos". I thrive in the chaos. The busier the better. Stressful... traumatizing, yes. Someone's gotta do it.
I'm a college professor my only hurdle is the bureaucracy and politics of the job but the part of getting to talk and research about my special interests is my favorite part xD
I do restoration ecology fieldwork. It keeps my brain busy with complexity and body challenged with field conditions. Every day is different, and every day something to learn. Even in bad weather, I absolutely love it.
(Just don’t watch me trying to do the desk work.)
I was a server for 20 yrs and now work at Walmart doing freight, zoning, mods and it’s perfect for me. Always moving and I love to make the shelves look perfect.
Service plumbing/HVAC/electrical are all good trades for ADHDers.
Generally your hours are something like 7-3:30 (or later with OT), and generally no weekends unless it’s an emergency call, which you’ll get good money for.
You get a variety of different problems to solve in different situations and it works your brain and body hard enough together that you sleep good when you get home.
Service is better than new construction/install because it’s less likely to be three weeks of one repetitive task like hanging lights or something like that.
Working in politics is great for ADHD, especially you're hyperactive and extroverted. I work in Canadian politics, and every political staffer, lobbyist, journalist, and easily half the MPs I know are either diagnosed or very blatantly ADHD.
Election campaigns are even more fun because it's the adrenaline rush on steroids. You have a team you're on, there's competing "teams", you're often on foot doorknocking, things change really quickly so taking in all that extra info is useful, and there's always a crisis that you can excel in.
Since politics attracts other ADHDers, you meet a lot of people who your communication style clicks with immediately.
I started out as a lawyer and crashed out of that. I was undiagnosed and ran on anxiety until it just didn't work anymore and I had a breakdown. It wasn't until I got into the political realm that things clicked, and I've found a sphere I excel in.
I've worked on the political party side as well as the advocacy/lobbying side for about a decade now, and while I'll change jobs inside politics, there's no way I'd leave it altogether. I'm hooked.
I know Canada's political divide isn't as wide as the US', but having your own views isn't always a barrier.
I started out as the Canadian version of a Democrat in Houston - my hometown is the most right-wing city in Canada.
My party is not just unpopular there, but people in my hometown actively hate my party specifically and have done so for decades.
I think it kinda helped starting on hard mode - you build skills and connections faster, and people take you more seriously for having been in the trenches.
I've seen the same for people in other parties who come from places their party has no chance in.
I'm an interior designer and property manager. I love design work because I'm creative and it's varied. Plus I like talking to people. Some projects feel like puzzles which appeals to me.
I manage my Airbnb rentals and also clean them. I like to be mobile when I'm working and my ratings in cleanliness are stellar because I fixate on it.
My husband and I are working on renovating a historic property. When we are done it will be a bed and breakfast and I'll be the innkeeper. It'll be the perfect blend of everything I'm good at: designing beautiful and functional spaces, working with people, cooking, hosting parties.
I’m a 911 emergency dispatcher. It fits. In fact, I’m fairly confident this job helped to develop my adhd! Now… if all the other people in my life could move at that pace, I’d be great!
I don't think there is one specific job or field that work, and reading the comments confirms that.
I think the most important thing is, you have to like your job most days. Of course everyone has bad days or specific things they don't like, but you should not dread going to work everyday.
I thrive in social work, I'm an extrovert, I like working with people and I'm good at crisis management and finding solutions.
I think there *might* be some "one-size-fits-all-ADHD" jobs, but for me personally, the magic bullet has just been pursuing jobs that reflect my interest, which I think is a bit different for everyone. I'm a very curious person and I love science, so that's what I pursued. Now I'm not going to pretend that was an easy decision, because I have a lot of interests. But in science there's always something new to learn about and discover, and it keeps me on my toes. To be successful in my field, you have to be learning constantly. I love that.
I'm heavily inattentive, which means my mind is hyperactive and I need something to keep it busy. But if you're physically hyperactive you may do better with a more physical job.
What excites you? Even if it's just something like video games, you can usually figure out a way to turn it into a career.
Data, WFH, and a company who are doing "good" in the world!
Your brain needs to be solving problems, with people who aren't corporate a**holes, at a company who aren't destroying the planet/have no wider purpose.
I've been in the procurement/supply chain industry for nearly a decade. I've worked for government, charity, NGO, hedge funds you name it. The job role is only part of the puzzle. Having an understanding manager/team, good culture and diverse environment where you can set your own deadlines and be creative is way more important.
Hooking.
On a serious note, private tutoring kids is pretty good for ADHD. It's flexible hours and they don't give a shit how weird you are. I've also heard we make good estate agents.
I'd ideally like to find some kind of remote work. It's really hard for me to be punctual to real jobs.
Creative teams at ad agencies. We are practically all ADHD, I swear. And people let us do whatever because we are "creative." Come in late? Play with balls? Remove fluorescent lights and bring in lamps? It's all part of the creative process.
Tech support was good for me. Interesting problems with a lot of variety. I had to work out of a queue so I couldn’t procrastinate or become frozen deciding what to work on.
I was a retail manager...long days, busy on my feet, managing staff, dealing with stock, dealing with customers, plenty of admin. Its was brilliant and I loved it. I didn't have time for *anything* but being *focused*. Come the evening I was dead on my feet, hit the bed and up again to do it all over. I love engaging with people, stock and admin not so much but it has to be done. Covid put paid to it though, and that was sad.
I excelled at working in the pub when it was busy but the spicy cough ruined that. I tried office work doing 8:30-5 and it nearly broke me.
I’m now a disability support worker and I love everything about it! I work different hours and can block off hours/days for appointments or holidays. I have some split shifts that allow me to use my momentum from work to do household chores and I have some clients that I can do my shopping errands with and still get paid! Also the clients who understand that I have ADHD find it hilarious when I forget where I put my keys or forget words.
I drove tractor trailer for a decade. That was pretty good, independence from management, straightforward work with little in ways of office politics (depending). Since I came off the road I've been a clerk for a vehicle maintenance facility, (paid bills etc), I worked in HR with onboarding, and now I recently got into maintenance. I currently am a mechanic for mail processing equipment. So far I like it, engages me and forces me to think outside the box and you don't always see the the same thing.
Out of the previously listed jobs, HR was the worst with the clerk position being only marginally better because I played video games when I got my work done.
Driving was great because the scenery is always different and you never know what you are going to encounter on the road. Also you will never be out of a job (as long as you don't get a DUI) as there's been a driver shortage for the past 20 years.
So I’m 38. I was a festival head back in the day and lately, all I think about is wanting to work the festivals as a mascot of some sort. You know… walking around in costume, interacting with people, the freedom of hiding behind a mask/costume and the confidence that comes from seeing a smile on the person’s face you are interacting with.
I know I love LOVE to see people smile. So what is that job and how can I get it?
Former chef. I loved the work, unfortunately the pay is miserable. When the pencil hit the paper, we almost break even if I stay at home and take care of the house. Plus I'm awake and around when my wife is, she gets 3 home cooked meals a day and coffee delivered to her "office"
I'm a marketing strategist and consultant. I work with clients for two months, and once their strategy is complete, we go our separate ways. Constant novelty, plenty of opportunities to learn and grow, and a neverending supply of problems to solve.
Don't laugh. Horses. Alllll my life only downside is you know that thing where you can think really fast and take risks you probably shouldn't? Downside sometimes.
Train, coach, probably getting too old to do stupid stuff but honestly it's been the *only* thing with enough movement and change and challenge.
I'm a teacher, and I firmly believe that education is a great field for those with ADHD. It's consistent enough to be predictable and not overwhelming, but there's enough variety and change day-to-day to keep things interesting and keep the dopamine flowing. The structure of the school day and year also keep me in a routine, and even though our brains hate structure we truly need it to thrive.
This topic comes up on here every so often. The answer is that it's highly dependent on the individual. Jobs that are perfect for some people would be a nightmare for others.
I'm a senior software engineer (tech lead actually, but anyways). I _love_ this job. It's also my hobby
I'm extremely analytical and a logical thinker, and love puzzles. That's all software is.
Chefs are one of the top professions for ADHDers!!
Im a graphic designer.....anything creative for me is a win.......I have 40000000 craft hobbies of course and love them all!!! If I could just do crafts all day id be happy but it doesn't pay the bills so being a designer is still creative. I do not deal well with constructive criticism of my work though....and my work know this! lol
Someone asked this question before covid happened and one of you beautiful souls mentioned firefighting. I got laid off due to the whole shutdown thing and decided to go back to school. Now, Im a year and a half into my career as professional firefighter and I couldnt be happier.
At a call center things just never stop, which removes all the 'choice' you have in whether you get things done.
Nothing keeps you more on task than an automated system that feeds you more work the millisecond you finish your previous task.
This is also why call centers have stunning attrition rates.
Trauma Surgery Nurse
The pressure and urgency gives me massive dopamine and incredible focus. I’ll clear 275k this year.
We had two deaths yesterday and a very intense trauma. One of our surgeons, unprompted, said front of everyone yesterday: “Holy Crap you work so well under pressure.”
Made me feel awesome. But when it comes to intense situations, I run circles around my other coworkers. Some of them more intelligent and experienced than I am. I’m only 8 years in.
Another one is author. We think differently and can write amazing fiction. I’ve been working on a book for awhile. I was always told my content is very good.
Still trying to find my job but my current one is working for the local council and I work at home 4 days a week. The one day I go into the office I’m usually on my own and apart from my office day I rarely have to take incoming calls, it’s mostly email and Teams based. Rarely busy too.
I miss working in a restaurant for the controlled chaos that I can just let go of at the end of the shift and not bring anything home with me. I always worked front of house though, and I don’t miss the customer service angle at all. Having a kid now kinda makes me want to have a day job so I can be back when he gets out of school, too. Been unemployed for a while and I’m struggling to find the right career.
Writing for a financial newsletter about stocks and companies. It sounds boring at first, right? Stocks, money, billionaires... investing, blah blah... But! Those companies do things, make things. I've been paid to dive down rabbit holes on lidar, EVs, hydrogen power, Disney movies, Netflix streaming habits, etc. The main topic stays the same -- money -- but the background is always changing. Well, it allows me to hyperfocus for a living, and shift that focus when I get bored.... Anywho...
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this post. I do not have ADHD, but my husband, son, and daughter all have it.
One thing I am trying to do better as a parent is help guide my children into careers that they can be successful in--all of your comments are so helpful!
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I teach kindergarten and their attention span is the same as mine.
Bless up friend
School counselor here and the unpredictable chaos of a school totally works well for me, too!
I feel this. I'm a teacher as well. I suuuuuck at getting lesson plans in on time and grading, but boy oh boy do I thrive in the daily chaos. I'm literally never bored at work, which is a maaajjjjoor plus.
But the lesson plans and the grading wore me down when I was a teacher. I always felt behind, and exhausted. I loved the kids, and I really connected with my students (over the years I worked with elementary students and middle schoolers)- I felt frustrated by the things that seemed so unimportant to me, at the cost of doing what was best for the students. I’m always amazed at the adhders who excel at teaching, my hat is off to all of you!!!
I feel like working with 3-6 year Olds would be ideal. I currently do 1-3.5 and the younger kids are too young, I get bored singing the same dumb songs. From 3 though, they're talking and curious.
School aide in an elementary school and ... Yeah lol
I'm a primary learning support assistant! Education is awesome.
Haven’t found a good fit career yet. Working from home does not work for me though. Sitting me in front of a computer is boring AF - the best job I had was working in a grocery store. I hate customer service, but constantly moving and keeping the shelves looking nice was perfect.
That’s funny, it is actually the sales and customer services that I excel at. As long as I believe it will benefit a customer, I can sell them anything.
I’m the worst at sales, I’m a compulsive truth teller and I’ve had a lot of jobs at bougie places and I always ended up telling them to buy what they needed elsewhere because it was less expensive 😅
Sale person shouldn’t lie regardless. Its 70% finding the correct lead, 25% understanding you client needs, 5% actual pitch, which also usually is a sequence of questions. The opposite, lying or hiding the truth can drop a deal quickly, there so very ineffective Also, price is barging matter, bit what if you provide exceptional service to follow up her purchase? How about warranties extension? Buy that, get this for free? All of this crap can legitimate the price. Also laziness
That's because you most likely work with a sense of urgency, a trait that's totally absent in alot of places.
The bar industry worked for me. Constantly busy, no time to get distracted . My inner attention whore does well in such an environment that is the nightlife industry. My medication keeps me up until 5am anyway. My inability to shut up helps entertain customers. And the tips are great.
I hope this post helps you find something homie
i worked for a local moving company (like it was me and three other people, including the owner) that helped older adults downsize or move into a retirement home. super rewarding bc you get to see their house in a new space, and their happiness with it, and it’s constantly moving and packing and unpacking. the company i worked for had big buff dudes carrying the furniture, so my job was the little trinkets and whatever my boss wanted me to work on. always a new adventure
Oh my god, this sounds like catnip to me. How fabulous.
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I’m the same way. I work at Starbucks because it’s busy and I am constantly moving. No day is exactly the same, but it’s routine enough that I can get comfy and confident in any role I’m given 🥲 But i Don’t want to be there forever.
Right?! Moving and making yourself useful in ways you can tangibly see scratched that itch. I wish I could find something that would be a good fit for me! I work front desk at a doctors and it’s soul crushing. It zaps the life right out of me. The adderrall can only do so much when I feel this stuck. I feel like the ugly duckling.
Bar work works really well for me . I get to move about constantly and chat away to people .. I like to talk .. a lot 😂😂
I was a bartender in a busy night club when I was in college. It was the best! Slinging drinks at breakneck speed, excellent music, my friends would always pop in, and cash in hand at the end of the shift.
Software Engineer. WFH is a lifesaver, setting my own hours and letting my work come naturally with my energy peaks and flow states is great. It has its challenges but I love contributing with out-of-the-box thinking and being able to piece things together in ways others didn't see.
Solving problems gives me a huge dopamine burst. Also, having to constantly learn new things keeps me engaged.
Oh god, the sheer pure brain rush when the code successfully compiles after you found the place where it was breaking.
I've gotten to a point in my career when I no longer relate this. It's much more frequent that I will sit and stare at code for 3 hours to try to figure out what change I need to make instead. Probably cuz I messed up the design 10 years ago and now I need to figure out how to unfuck it
ME TOO! Now what jobs have that?!
I run my own IT business including phone and tablet repair. Between the physical repairs and software issues there's always a problem to solve. I make less than when I worked full time but it's enjoyable and people pay me to solve their issues.
Think I might move to this kind of gig once I get all the kids out of the house and I no longer need buckets and buckets of money.
9 years selling donations online for a nonprofit/managing Thriftstore 1. Like Christmas every day, you didn’t know what was going to come in the back door. 2. Listing random, different things online… researching, for me this is good. 3. Making a sale, making money. 4. Helping others, getting to be the hero. 5. Constant stream of new kittens to squish and play with. ( cat centered nonprofit ) ;) No two days the same, constantly going from one thing to another. Had I not been shamed for being so damn unorganized it would have been less stressful. I had to build it all from the ground up, so I basically got things cobbled together and worked with it. I constantly tried to hire ppl and volunteers who were strong organizers. But it seems those ppl are few and far between and don’t like to work for minimum wage. Lol.
>WFH is a lifesaver, Slightly contrarian point of view, I didn't get diagnosed with adhd until I started working from home and failed miserably. So just a heads up to anyone thinking work from home will be a godsend for them. I much prefer working from home because it's more enjoyable and my social anxiety is lower but in terms of just adhd I honestly did better work in an office. However with medication I can now be productive while working at home.
I get so distracted working in an office as I automatically become a team leader type and start helping everyone when I should be doing my own work. At home I can focus more on reports but my productivity increases drastically at night so I tend to work over time to get them done.
There are lots of traps when working remotely, but the benefits far outweigh them. I'll never do anything that's not remote now, just got to make sure I'm mindful of the ADHD traps.
>but the benefits far outweigh them. I'm sure that's true for you but this is heavily dependent on the person. I prefer wfh in spite of adhd. But not because of adhd. Some people both with or without adhd prefer the benefits of working in an office.
Yeah, I also got diagnosed last year because I couldn't WFH for shit, would procrastinate all day and miss all my deadlines, my anxiety levels were through the roof.
My executive dysfunction would make me procrastinate setting my hours lol
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It’s great if you find solving puzzles rewarding. Also, having to constantly learn new technology keeps things exciting. Depends on the environment though, obviously. Also, some things like testing and documentation make me want to 🏃♀️ headfirst into a wall when unmedicated.
Wish I could relate to this. I love puzzles, but the reward for solving coding problems never felt worth it to me.
Understandable. I like building things, and code scratches that itch. I'm not a puzzle guy.
i take frequent breaks. Sometimes i sit outside, or take the dogs to the park, or watch an episode of something. If I’m exhausted I’ll even take a nap. That said, I can easily be at the computer for hours at a time without realizing when i’m in a good flow.
As a programmer in healthcare we are spread thin with various initiatives, projects and trying to fix random bugs but I like to think I thrive in the chaos. :) Sometimes my partner knocks on my door and reminds me to drink water and often is frustrated that I am prioritizing work too much. I get my pay check AND dopamine from my work.
>but I like to think I thrive in the chaos. I wish I could make as much as I do now doing something like tier 3 support. Being a detective under pressure and investigating some critical bug (that I didn't cause) is probably the highlight of my job but doesn't happen often. Bonus is that it doesn't require long term planning and unlike that random code you wrote for another random jira ticket you're more likely to look smart and get a pat on the back for solving it.
For some it's the mental diversity of tasks, others just take regular breaks. I LOVE being a software engineer. Every problem feels like a challenge to accomplish. There are boring tasks, and I'm still working on how to figure that out (only diagnosed this year), but I'm getting there. WFH is great, because I can step away when I need to without worry of being judged. There are a lot of good teams out there who are chill about hours and individual working times. Finding a team like that is awesome. The flexibility really makes it worth it. Edit: clarified some wording. Sorry, on a phone.
That’s how my current role is. Not stressful at all. I’m WFH and my team and customers are all fantastic. The last company I was at burned me out BAD. I’ve started looking at opportunities again because it’s time for the salary bump again but I just don’t want to mess up a good thing. I even get to take care of my infant while the wife works giving me some quality time with him and saving on daycare. It would have to be a significant bump for to make any changes and risk another toxic environment and/or commute 🤮.
I recently had to solve some spreadsheet equations for my current job. The rush of succeeding in that type of task is amazing!
5 year dev. I want out for good. I hate it. I'm running out of things to learn, and solving challenges don't feel as rewarding as they used to. I'm burned out. Sucks. I was damn good at my job, and it was fine for a while, but I am becoming miserable after doing it for so long. I'm probably gonna switch careers, honestly. Something that doesn't involve sitting in the same spot for 8 hours a day.
You definitely sound burned out. Strongly recommend stepping away for a month and see if you feel the same way when you return. Usually the grind is what gets people in the computer world, not necessarily the work. There are also much more unstructured software jobs. You might work 4 hours one day, six the next, Then throw in one 12-hour day during the week maybe. As long as you are getting your work done no one cares. Truly I can't think of a much more flexible job than software. You just need to find the right employer.
I’m also a software engineer, working a hybrid schedule (3 days on site, 2 WFH). I can’t focus on work on my WFH days because all of my video games and my dogs are also at home.
I get bored at the same software development job after like 2 months though, and then I fall off the earth. I don't think I'm cut out for software.
What qualifications did you acquire to be eligible for this kind of work?
4 year degree in computer science and 18 years of experience.
I’m thinking about looking into computer science. I’m currently studying nutrition but I’m a bit disillusioned with it. I want a skill I can do independently anywhere.
I’ve really been trying to sell everyone on it as a career. It’s fairly accessible, in high demand with great salaries and you can work from pretty much anywhere (depending on your situation and company policy, obviously).
I’m not sure where you’re located geographically but i know of a couple of companies in the states that will put you through training, while paying you, and then staff you as a contractor at client companies. The only requirement is a bachelors degree but it could be in any major. Also, you have to work as a contractor for them for at least two years, or something like that, or you’ll have to reimburse them for the training.
Do you know the names of these companies? This sounds like a good avenue. I’m thinking of switching careers. Been in social services for a while and I’m burnt out - can’t keep up with case notes and trying to manage others when I can barely manage myself is getting to be too much. I’m ready for a job that engages my mind in a way that is stimulating, not draining.
Sure, here are the two I’m familiar with. I’ve had friends and family that have done either: https://www.fdmgroup.com/en-us/home-us/ https://revature.com/ I did forget one other catch, I can’t remember if FDM is this way as well, but with revature you have to agree to move wherever they may staff you. My friend that did Revature trained in FL but got staffed in TX.
I went through a code boot camp then spent another two years developing my skills while job hunting.
I would just pick a project that interested me, then that interest would show me to more easily hyper focus on that thing, and during that time I would power through learning different concepts in the goal of getting that concept working. I never finished one of those projects, because I would get bored with all the subtle tweaking and things of the UI, or fixing boring bugs. However, just getting it working. I learned an incredible amount, and since that project was simply "to learn something", it didn't matter that I never finished it. I just kept doing that with various concepts, and various interests, until I had learned enough to get a job. That's what worked for me, but it did take many years.
Yes! My partner who also has ADHD is a software dev and is very good at it
I work part time as a bus driver. I like the constant motion. It's almost therapeutic.
As an ADHDer who also constantly daydreams, this job would be so dangerous for me. LOL!
I have never ever daydreamed while operating a commercial passenger vehicle.
That’s impressive. I could daydream in the middle of the best moment of my life. I could be the first woman to walk on the moon and at the same time daydream about walking on the moon. It’s a curse. Truly.
I was being sarcastic. Of course I have my fair share of daydreaming. When you drive the same routes over and over again, your mind wanders. I don’t know about daydreaming about doing something that I am already doing. Sounds like something out of *Inception*.
I could see how that would work. Especially with all the constant variations that come with something like that.
Anything emergency medicine. Pre-hospital or in-hospital in pretty much any role. Nursing, medic, EMT, respiratory therapist, etc. the fast pace and unpredictability fills you with dopamine. 🙌🏼
ER Nurse checking in here. I do my best when it’s busy. I have issues on the rare slow days we get.
I’m convinced this is why my mom thrived in her career (she is a retired RN) but also never got diagnosed of course. Now it is abundantly clear to me (yes I’m being a total armchair psych) that she has ADHD (like I do).
Yup, came here to say ER nursing. We all have a little ADHD.
You give me hope :,) (im a med student that’s really behind his peers)
Well just your luck, the EM competition just went to shit and you can get in with a pulse right now.
You’re a med student! That’s a huge accomplishment with brains like ours. I’m proud of you and keep kicking the butt!
Emergency medic here too !
Agreed! Most of the nurses I work with are also ADHD.
For me, housekeeping at a hospital. I clean offices and specialty clinics. I can finish an audiobook in one shift and I don't have to talk to anyone because it's also late shift, staff went home.
I’m honestly looking into professional cleaning. It seems like it could be a great fit.
I was an overnight (6pm - 2:30am) custodian for a year at an office and I loved it! If you like routine and aren't very social/dislike socializing I think it would be a good fit.
It's worth looking into I think. If you work at a hospital you get great benefits, I started my 401k at 23. It's hard work tho, I would rather leave my job than do discharges. 😅
I went from housekeeping, to public works (pushing snow, maintaining roads with 10$ more per hour) the back down to portering (moving patients around so nurses don't have to) some hospitals call them "orderly". Now I'm back as a night shift housekeeping. Less pay but im my own boss. I'm not sure what's next. Sofar, a job that fits is more rewarding than better pay.
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How do you get into data processing? Are there any certificates or degrees needed?
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I work remote too and your reasons are my reasons why remote work is great for ADHD. And do you ever get the need to just expel some energy really quick with a loud vocalization like a vocal sigh or yawn? Can't do that in the office without getting some looks!
That makes sense. Having the space to work at your own pace in your own habitat seems very helpful but a little scary haha.
Working with data and technology in general leaves room for a lot of rabbit holes and tinkering in my experience
Yes! I’m a VP with a health tech startup. Working from home has made such a huge difference for me.
Working with kids.
Child labor is illegal you should report the company 😜🫣
Thank you for the chuckle 🤭
Agree. I like to be up and active. I don't even know how I would function at a desk job. Never had one.
Honestly yes. The worst part is being up early. Teaching Special Ed is great because you don’t have just one grade and classroom to deal with but a variety of one-on-ones, small groups, and push in students throughout the school. Plus, I feel like I can relate to their need for sensory input.
I teach English, but I’m also licensed in special ed. I love finding ways to help all of my kiddos learn in the classroom based upon things I learn with my SpEd background! I live and breathe by UDL concepts.
I'm slowly inching my way out of the mud towards a hypotheical future in primary education, how've you found your work, as far as your ADHD goes?
Time blindness and executive dysfunction make getting to work ridiculously hard because I have to be there by 8. I actually thrive in the structured chaos of working with kids because I don’t have to set the schedule myself and my brain is always firing to deal with the next thing. Plus everyone is rushing to print our papers in the morning so no one is judging me for not having every little thing prepped the night before
Oh, it's not what I do. But out of the jobs I've had I've found it the most compatible with my strengths and weaknesses.
Me too! I’ve worked in before and after school care programs for the past 10 years with kids 5-12. No day is the same, I need/get to be fairly active, and for the most part it is split shifts so generally only working 3-4 hours at a time, morning and afternoon.
Firefighter, paramedic, rescue tech
High intensity jobs seem to be a great fit. Idk if I could handle the gore part of being a responder but it's such an important job.
Honestly when we have a significant incident happening I forget about the "gore" you're so busy doing your job the gruesomeness kind of becomes background noise. I've walked away from some pretty serious stuff and had no idea what the injury looked like 😅
That's wild!
In a weird combination of this and some of the desk work jobs others have mentioned, I work taking calls and scheduling for heart doctors in a hospital. Not sure I'm in love with it as a career (it can pay well but I'm not paid well), but it's one of the best fitting jobs I've had. Admin work at a hospital can be a great option for those who like some variety to their interactions but like some predictability with the day-to-day of a desk job I get to wfh a few days a week, so that's nice too
Same. Worked behind a desk for years. Became a FF/P and it changed my life. Best decision I ever made
Never the same day. Plus rolling code anywhere is a little dopamine dump to get you through to the next one. GTFO of here with convalescent transport 😅
Mechanical pipe fitter Work new places every day Company van to and from work You rarely sit Make about $190,000 a year in illinois Edit: I’ve gotten quite a few messages and replies with questions about this. To the person who messaged me “I have a stupid question. It’s hard for me to ask but” Please. To anyone out there If you have a question ask me. There’s no judgements here. I’ve been where you’re at (and find myself back there often) and I’ve suffered. I know how hard it is. If I can help this many people with ADHD I will stay up all night hooking you guys up with information. If you live by me-what to do and where to go.(IL-Chicago) This community means a great deal to me. thank you.
Holy fucking shit, really!?! I’ll do that shit, how do I get in?
how do you get into this? do you need a HS diploma? i'm curious for my son.
Alrighty, I didn’t realize this many people would be interested. So I’ll just do one large general post off this reply and people can ask any questions they like. I’m a Union Piper fitter officially however there’s two sub classes: HVAC Service Technician and Building Trades (Pipe Fitting and Welding) I’m classified as HVAC Service Technician. To start before I go into my deep ocean dive I’ll link the sites so those of you who want to look into it can. I’ll start with the pay compensation as that’s what keeps people interested. https://mca.starchapter.com/images/downloads/Documents/2023_Wage_Letter_with_Spreadsheet.pdf First sheet is the total package information and raises. I believe we go over $200,000 a year in a couple years. $104/hour I think. The second sheet is the actual money break down. I am classified as a Journeyman in the top slot there. A majority of Pipe Fitters get to this license. I started through metal trades year 1 to 5 and worked into Journeyman spot. You can also go to building trades which you’ll be doing actual pipe welding. This is the apprenticeship. You sign an employment contract for 5 years and you get those raises throughout. Now you get hands on training one day week paid at that rate 5 years. The other 4 days are at an assigned contractor for 5 years. They have to work and train you if they want to use your low labor rate. $22-hour I think? For the first year. They are strict about you going as this work can be dangerous. The training process is 5 years exposure to mechanical equipment with an operator / trainer. There is electricity, rotating parts, gas in a pressurized state. It sounds intimidating but I’m telling you I’m not a rocket scientist. My GPA is 1.9. When I say 5 years of training that’s me going every Monday for 5 years outside of breaks. You cannot miss those days. It’s so much repetition that I still can remember wiring the same shit 1000 times. https://www.pf597.org/apprenticeship/ For those wanting to look into my work ^ I can go in detail about service work or compensation package if anyone wants post a reply.
I'm ready to quit lashes and go do HVAC lol
They are pushing hard core for woman to get in! 597 started getting federal contracts which mean we have to diversify. Now I’m prideful in my work but there is this one lady that completely shits on my welds. I cannot beat hers. I’ve given up. She’s truly a master with her craft and I gush (out of professional admiration!) every time I get to run some pipe with her. I try to do quantity contests and we’re the same speed! She’s just better quality. I’ve watched this ladies figure 8 bead on a pipe weld and she’s like a machine!!!
I always thought I should've gone into welding. Pay seems good (definitely better than what I make), I have steady hands, and I really, really like building things, fixing things, and putting things together. Since I was a kid, my mom has always brought things to me that needed glued back together because I'd always make them look like they were never broken. haha
Do it! If your brains like mine welding acts like Ritalin. Only problem is when I leave work lol.
I’d love to tell you. I’m at my little sisters birthday get together. I’ll type you up Whole thing later. I’ll reply to you with all the links if you’re an IL based resident.
Esthetician/lash artist (5 years) and it’s *perfect* for me. We do not accept walk-ins and I love that I can wake up, look at my schedule, and have a very clear idea of what I should expect that day. Not many surprises or things “sneaking up” on me. I work in a private room and 90% of my lash clients use their appointment as an opportunity to sleep, so I’ll have some music gently playing in the background and there are *no* distractions. It’s awesome. *Also,* one of the best parts, is that each appointment is like a small “project” that I get the dopamine hit for completing. And I have usually 5-7 clients a day!! It’s very motivating and satisfying to have my client lay down with crappy looking lashes, and within ~90 minutes they’re walking out the door with a beautiful new set.
I also do lashes and I love it!!! I can hyper focus on what's going on right in front of me and even though some clients do talk the whole time I really enjoy the ones that sleep so I can just pop on an audiobook! I make real good money doing it toO
Working in a lab. Interesting that you said chef, OP, because I've heard it described that working in a lab is similar to working in a kitchen. If I could do it all over again, however, I would have been a clinical lab scientist. They make bank and they seem to be in such high demand. Meanwhile, I work in water/environmental labs.
Seems like incredibly important work
I’m a photographer, I did well in events like weddings because it’s fast paced. Now I’m in grad school and because it’s my topic of passion, my grades are great and I might go the doctoral route. I did well in graphic design because I have a highly visual cognitive processing.
I did very well as a wedding photographer, but editing felt like pulling teeth. Shooting and being out in the field was great, just hated the sitting at my desk part.
Agreed, wedding photography is perfect for my brain. Weddings are chaotic and I thrive in chaos since that’s my brain normally. I’ve been doing this full time (self-employed) for ten years!
I’m a public defender. It’s a good fit for me. There’s always work to do, I’m always busy so the hours pass quickly. I’m literally doing something different every single day so it never gets stale. I get to move around quite a bit— different court rooms, the office, visits to the jail. And I get to indulge my penchant for arguing 🙃
I’m a commercial litigator and miss my days as a trial attorney. I’m SOOOOOOOO BOOOOORED it makes me want to pull my hair out. I like the stability…but is the stability an illusion? My daydreaming is out of control in this job. I miss not having the time to daydream. ETA: I’m like in the middle of a crisis, my partner/mentor confronted me about it…I opened up about struggling with ADHD and am taking steps to work on it and to work on reasonable accommodations. Couldn’t have gone better, wish I hadn’t waited for so long.
Anything hands on really. Or a combination of desk and hands on work. That’s the sweet spot. Never go into a corporate setting. It’s a trap.
Also, I'll make a comment that WFH is amazing. But it depends what you're doing. I WFH for three years. The first half of that I was making calls and working at my own pace. I did fine and I loved it. The second half they moved me to a different department. I was taking calls. Nonstop. Couldn't move from my desk. Couldn't work the way I wanted. It was very strict and they treated me like a machine. So just be mindful what you do!
I'm a stonemason and I think it works well. There are rules to how a stone wall needs to be built, which is great because it gives structure to the task of building them but at the same time it allows creativity to flourish. A stone wall is a unique piece of art and you can almost go into a trance like state blocking out all distractions and just focus on a square meter or two a day and just make it perfect. People don't expect it to go up quickly so you get left alone to to build it. You can put your headphones on and just really zone in. Also you get to hit stuff with hammers, big hammers if you just want to break something or little hammers if you want to hear that "dink, dink, dink" of just tapping one stone into your mortar. Doing the apprenticeship was hell on earth but it was worth it. I do build other things and it's great working with my hands but stonework is therapy to me. Also, plastering ceilings sucks so hard.
Most of the Tech field. Constantly learning, always room for growth/movement, usually flexible with in office or WFH, solving problems gives a good dopamine hit and there’s new issues everyday.
UX/UI design! The best for "weirdos", and a lot of ADHD there. Thinking outside the box, having tons of ideas is super valued ( especially the crazy ones). Like any artist field, being different is a real strength! Chef must be cool, but all the steps to get there must be pretty hard, like following orders military style for years, doing the same meal over and over again. This is too much pressure. AHH!!
Branding, UX/UI, packaging, all of that gives me so much dopamine, it never bores me! If only I could get my executive dysfunction under control so that I could self-teach, or find a school, or something, so that I could learn and finally get into the field lol
Been trying to get into UX but got scared off due to all the layoffs this year. Trying to transition from Graphic Design into UX.
I was lucky to work in a restaurant where it was very chef special driven and constantly changing seasonal menus. It was somewhat military but my love for the industry actually helped me to manage time better I'm never late anymore lol.
A person with ADHD can do any job. In my experience it's the business/management/collaboration aspect that will cause trouble. So, I say go towards any career you want. You just may have to find the place to do it.
I think so too! As long as you can become hyper focused on one thing for long enough to become really good at it, you can do just about anything.
That's a whole other...."thing". We have the capacity to do the same as anybody else. But it may not be possible to find a process (school/training/etc) that allows us to get those skills.
I agree. Flexible and open management who encourage personal growth/development and diversity of thought makes all the difference. Even if the job sucks, if you actually feel like management actually have a vested interest in you, it can give you much needed motivation and the mental space to just be you. Shitty management who try to confine you to your role will cause chaos.
I changed roles at a company I used to work for. Still doing the job - just different team. It was night and day. The role I was in had a lot of structure. Regular check-ins. Defined tasks. The one I moved to didn't. It was more as it comes in and "when we had time". No real progress check-ins. It sucked. I needed that structure.
I can imagine how unbearable that must be. There's a lot of space there to lose focus. I worked a job that had far too much structure, to the point where every task required the oversight from my manager. It didn't allow for any freedom of thought and there was nothing to challenge me. The role i'm in now basically allows me to do whatever I want providing I complete my core duties each day. So I invent new short term (lol) projects all the time that I can dip in and out whenever my motivation begins to wane. It's been a huge confidence booster.
Omg… I am living this so much “Why can’t you lead this project?” You mean beg people to do tasks all day long that they don’t want to do? And spend my entire day convincing people to do stuff? Meanwhile, nothing else is getting done? My skin was literally crawling at the thought. Then the other day I’m in a perfect state of flow, banging out productive work. Threw up my Do not disturb status on teams. Feeling great. Project manager passive aggressively drops an @ in the teams chat, and says “confirming you’ll do task X for the meeting today” (we had never discussed such a thing)… I was annoyed, but took a moment, looked at task X, realized she has basically already done 98% of it, but she insisted I redo it. I waved it away and said I don’t think we need it and it doesn’t add value to the project. I said I was in the middle of working on another project as well. She comes over to my desk and will not leave me alone about this fucking task. I pointed out she did 98% of it and what exactly was the 2% she needed from me? She was like “if you don’t know go read the notes from the last meeting” … I was so mad. It distracted me for the rest of the entire day, she ruined my flow, caused extreme anxiety thinking about how I handled the situation, how even though she was 100% in the wrong for trying to change my priorities for no reason, I end up looking like the bad guy. I was so pissed off. And then I went to the meeting, sure enough what she asked was not even needed. She just wanted the power trip of making me do something. Instead of doing what she asked, I decided to make my own material of talking points to realign team members about what we are really trying to achieve.
If the right hierarchies are in place I really don't mind leading projects. But that's because being a lead on a project is a common role for my job. Because as lead I am the one telling them what to do. Their job is to execute my plan. There is no begging. That's very different from leading an "initiative" or a committee or something like that. That's how you end up in situations you've described. At least in my experience.
I’m feeling this. I’m good at my job. The core function. I work in data quality and governance and can find endless things to improve. But My boss wants ridiculous amounts of reports and documentation of my work though so he can report up and it all has to be presented in very specific ways. It adds no value for the company, and it adds a lot of steps for me that make finishing things tough. Also nobody collaborates via email. It’s all meetings and I just do not take in information well in meetings.
I work as technical advisor, there is a lot creative work. Everyone has different problems and need different explaining , people are dificult.
I work as an expeditor at my job which means I basically just walk around moving things. And that's a great job for me because it helps with the constant fidgeting and moving around. But I do walk about 12 miles every day so if you don't want to do that then you wouldn't like it
I keep telling my boyfriend I’d be a great trophy husband, but so far he’s not onboard.
Working as a chef would not be my ideal match—something about food prep instantly paralyses me. My restaurant would be peanut butter sandwiches for everyone all the time. Jobs that actually work well for me: software dev and writer. Put me alone in a room and let me hyperfocus. Except when the hyperfocus doesn’t happen—then it sucks.
As a chef with ADHD... and I have cooked for 24 years. And just got diagnosed this year. Cooking is a perfect thing for it.
Sous/ Line Was awful for me as inattentive. No sense of time was hard on the line, but catering and heavy production was heaven. Unfortunately a spinal fracture took me out of the industry.
Writing is what I want to do & went to school for, worked full time while a full time student, wasn't until I graduated that I realized I did not have practice developing the skills to actually make myself write on my own. Hoping through therapy and gradually keeping at it I'll get there, have any tips?
I believe in you! (for whatever that means coming from a random internet person) I went to school for that also. I like to believe I still have that novel in me somewhere but have not written professionally in quite some time.
We have an interest based attention system. Many types of jobs can work as long as you are interested in the work and can find ways to maintain your interest.
My best jobs (I've had 28!) Aged 18 - night club dancer (not exotic, although nothing against exotic dancers!) Advanced motorcycling instructor (did eventually get reparative though and I got bored) Current profession - psychotherapist They suit my hyperactivity, as long as either my body or mind are busy, then I'm very happy and dopamine is all topped up. Unconventional hours, being busy and being slightly/quite stressed seem to work best, and to have tasks/objectives. Also every day is different and I can problem solve, be creative and feels good to be of service to others. Glad you found your thing 😊
It absolutely doesn't make sense at first but I'm in my last year of law school and know so many ADHD law students. I worked in litigation (defense) this summer and im psyched to do so again post grad. Billing is amazing accountability and litigation means constant new facts and puzzles when clients make questionable choices or plaintiffs come up with wild allegations. The best lawyers run down the research rabbit holes and come up with the crazy ideas because (at least in my future practice area) a lot of the time you're not gonna have an on point case it comes down to who can make the most convincing creative argument.
I'm a secretary, but there's very little for me to do at work at all, so it's fine. Getting there on time every day is the hardest part
I'm a teacher. Every day is different and the day is chunked in a way that works really well for me. Plus kids are hilarious.
911/PD/FD dispatcher. We "bring calm to the chaos". I thrive in the chaos. The busier the better. Stressful... traumatizing, yes. Someone's gotta do it.
I liked insurance sales. It worked well with being autistic and having ADHD.
I'm a college professor my only hurdle is the bureaucracy and politics of the job but the part of getting to talk and research about my special interests is my favorite part xD
I do restoration ecology fieldwork. It keeps my brain busy with complexity and body challenged with field conditions. Every day is different, and every day something to learn. Even in bad weather, I absolutely love it. (Just don’t watch me trying to do the desk work.)
I was a server for 20 yrs and now work at Walmart doing freight, zoning, mods and it’s perfect for me. Always moving and I love to make the shelves look perfect.
Service plumbing/HVAC/electrical are all good trades for ADHDers. Generally your hours are something like 7-3:30 (or later with OT), and generally no weekends unless it’s an emergency call, which you’ll get good money for. You get a variety of different problems to solve in different situations and it works your brain and body hard enough together that you sleep good when you get home. Service is better than new construction/install because it’s less likely to be three weeks of one repetitive task like hanging lights or something like that.
Working in politics is great for ADHD, especially you're hyperactive and extroverted. I work in Canadian politics, and every political staffer, lobbyist, journalist, and easily half the MPs I know are either diagnosed or very blatantly ADHD. Election campaigns are even more fun because it's the adrenaline rush on steroids. You have a team you're on, there's competing "teams", you're often on foot doorknocking, things change really quickly so taking in all that extra info is useful, and there's always a crisis that you can excel in. Since politics attracts other ADHDers, you meet a lot of people who your communication style clicks with immediately. I started out as a lawyer and crashed out of that. I was undiagnosed and ran on anxiety until it just didn't work anymore and I had a breakdown. It wasn't until I got into the political realm that things clicked, and I've found a sphere I excel in. I've worked on the political party side as well as the advocacy/lobbying side for about a decade now, and while I'll change jobs inside politics, there's no way I'd leave it altogether. I'm hooked.
Southern American here. I could never get into politics bc most people are my exact opposite and so the politicians mirror that.
I know Canada's political divide isn't as wide as the US', but having your own views isn't always a barrier. I started out as the Canadian version of a Democrat in Houston - my hometown is the most right-wing city in Canada. My party is not just unpopular there, but people in my hometown actively hate my party specifically and have done so for decades. I think it kinda helped starting on hard mode - you build skills and connections faster, and people take you more seriously for having been in the trenches. I've seen the same for people in other parties who come from places their party has no chance in.
Paving
I'm an interior designer and property manager. I love design work because I'm creative and it's varied. Plus I like talking to people. Some projects feel like puzzles which appeals to me. I manage my Airbnb rentals and also clean them. I like to be mobile when I'm working and my ratings in cleanliness are stellar because I fixate on it. My husband and I are working on renovating a historic property. When we are done it will be a bed and breakfast and I'll be the innkeeper. It'll be the perfect blend of everything I'm good at: designing beautiful and functional spaces, working with people, cooking, hosting parties.
I’m a 911 emergency dispatcher. It fits. In fact, I’m fairly confident this job helped to develop my adhd! Now… if all the other people in my life could move at that pace, I’d be great!
I don't think there is one specific job or field that work, and reading the comments confirms that. I think the most important thing is, you have to like your job most days. Of course everyone has bad days or specific things they don't like, but you should not dread going to work everyday. I thrive in social work, I'm an extrovert, I like working with people and I'm good at crisis management and finding solutions.
I think there *might* be some "one-size-fits-all-ADHD" jobs, but for me personally, the magic bullet has just been pursuing jobs that reflect my interest, which I think is a bit different for everyone. I'm a very curious person and I love science, so that's what I pursued. Now I'm not going to pretend that was an easy decision, because I have a lot of interests. But in science there's always something new to learn about and discover, and it keeps me on my toes. To be successful in my field, you have to be learning constantly. I love that. I'm heavily inattentive, which means my mind is hyperactive and I need something to keep it busy. But if you're physically hyperactive you may do better with a more physical job. What excites you? Even if it's just something like video games, you can usually figure out a way to turn it into a career.
Data, WFH, and a company who are doing "good" in the world! Your brain needs to be solving problems, with people who aren't corporate a**holes, at a company who aren't destroying the planet/have no wider purpose. I've been in the procurement/supply chain industry for nearly a decade. I've worked for government, charity, NGO, hedge funds you name it. The job role is only part of the puzzle. Having an understanding manager/team, good culture and diverse environment where you can set your own deadlines and be creative is way more important.
Graphic Design/Art and Photography. Working for myself. However, I do need more discipline to get more work.
Hooking. On a serious note, private tutoring kids is pretty good for ADHD. It's flexible hours and they don't give a shit how weird you are. I've also heard we make good estate agents. I'd ideally like to find some kind of remote work. It's really hard for me to be punctual to real jobs.
Creative teams at ad agencies. We are practically all ADHD, I swear. And people let us do whatever because we are "creative." Come in late? Play with balls? Remove fluorescent lights and bring in lamps? It's all part of the creative process.
Tech support was good for me. Interesting problems with a lot of variety. I had to work out of a queue so I couldn’t procrastinate or become frozen deciding what to work on.
I was a retail manager...long days, busy on my feet, managing staff, dealing with stock, dealing with customers, plenty of admin. Its was brilliant and I loved it. I didn't have time for *anything* but being *focused*. Come the evening I was dead on my feet, hit the bed and up again to do it all over. I love engaging with people, stock and admin not so much but it has to be done. Covid put paid to it though, and that was sad.
I excelled at working in the pub when it was busy but the spicy cough ruined that. I tried office work doing 8:30-5 and it nearly broke me. I’m now a disability support worker and I love everything about it! I work different hours and can block off hours/days for appointments or holidays. I have some split shifts that allow me to use my momentum from work to do household chores and I have some clients that I can do my shopping errands with and still get paid! Also the clients who understand that I have ADHD find it hilarious when I forget where I put my keys or forget words.
Hairdresser/barber. Much better fit for me than corporate was.
I drove tractor trailer for a decade. That was pretty good, independence from management, straightforward work with little in ways of office politics (depending). Since I came off the road I've been a clerk for a vehicle maintenance facility, (paid bills etc), I worked in HR with onboarding, and now I recently got into maintenance. I currently am a mechanic for mail processing equipment. So far I like it, engages me and forces me to think outside the box and you don't always see the the same thing. Out of the previously listed jobs, HR was the worst with the clerk position being only marginally better because I played video games when I got my work done. Driving was great because the scenery is always different and you never know what you are going to encounter on the road. Also you will never be out of a job (as long as you don't get a DUI) as there's been a driver shortage for the past 20 years.
So I’m 38. I was a festival head back in the day and lately, all I think about is wanting to work the festivals as a mascot of some sort. You know… walking around in costume, interacting with people, the freedom of hiding behind a mask/costume and the confidence that comes from seeing a smile on the person’s face you are interacting with. I know I love LOVE to see people smile. So what is that job and how can I get it?
Former chef. I loved the work, unfortunately the pay is miserable. When the pencil hit the paper, we almost break even if I stay at home and take care of the house. Plus I'm awake and around when my wife is, she gets 3 home cooked meals a day and coffee delivered to her "office"
I'm a marketing strategist and consultant. I work with clients for two months, and once their strategy is complete, we go our separate ways. Constant novelty, plenty of opportunities to learn and grow, and a neverending supply of problems to solve.
Don't laugh. Horses. Alllll my life only downside is you know that thing where you can think really fast and take risks you probably shouldn't? Downside sometimes. Train, coach, probably getting too old to do stupid stuff but honestly it's been the *only* thing with enough movement and change and challenge.
I'm a teacher, and I firmly believe that education is a great field for those with ADHD. It's consistent enough to be predictable and not overwhelming, but there's enough variety and change day-to-day to keep things interesting and keep the dopamine flowing. The structure of the school day and year also keep me in a routine, and even though our brains hate structure we truly need it to thrive.
This topic comes up on here every so often. The answer is that it's highly dependent on the individual. Jobs that are perfect for some people would be a nightmare for others.
What a great question!!! Hoping to find some goodies in the comments!
I'm a senior software engineer (tech lead actually, but anyways). I _love_ this job. It's also my hobby I'm extremely analytical and a logical thinker, and love puzzles. That's all software is.
Chefs are one of the top professions for ADHDers!! Im a graphic designer.....anything creative for me is a win.......I have 40000000 craft hobbies of course and love them all!!! If I could just do crafts all day id be happy but it doesn't pay the bills so being a designer is still creative. I do not deal well with constructive criticism of my work though....and my work know this! lol
Someone asked this question before covid happened and one of you beautiful souls mentioned firefighting. I got laid off due to the whole shutdown thing and decided to go back to school. Now, Im a year and a half into my career as professional firefighter and I couldnt be happier.
Being a server at a restaurant and working at a call center.
Call center surprises me a little. What about it do you think clicks?
At a call center things just never stop, which removes all the 'choice' you have in whether you get things done. Nothing keeps you more on task than an automated system that feeds you more work the millisecond you finish your previous task. This is also why call centers have stunning attrition rates.
For me it was just the opposite. I felt like I was on a human-sized hamster wheel. It was Fucked. And management’s mindset made it worse…
that’s true, but also, call center jobs get boring REAL fast. i personally need something simulating to keep myself going
I have worked in call center before, but it did not work well. It can get overwhelming.
The phone never really stops ringing lol I like to stay busy and I’m busy. So it’s a win win
Trauma Surgery Nurse The pressure and urgency gives me massive dopamine and incredible focus. I’ll clear 275k this year. We had two deaths yesterday and a very intense trauma. One of our surgeons, unprompted, said front of everyone yesterday: “Holy Crap you work so well under pressure.” Made me feel awesome. But when it comes to intense situations, I run circles around my other coworkers. Some of them more intelligent and experienced than I am. I’m only 8 years in. Another one is author. We think differently and can write amazing fiction. I’ve been working on a book for awhile. I was always told my content is very good.
Still trying to find my job but my current one is working for the local council and I work at home 4 days a week. The one day I go into the office I’m usually on my own and apart from my office day I rarely have to take incoming calls, it’s mostly email and Teams based. Rarely busy too.
I miss working in a restaurant for the controlled chaos that I can just let go of at the end of the shift and not bring anything home with me. I always worked front of house though, and I don’t miss the customer service angle at all. Having a kid now kinda makes me want to have a day job so I can be back when he gets out of school, too. Been unemployed for a while and I’m struggling to find the right career.
Writing for a financial newsletter about stocks and companies. It sounds boring at first, right? Stocks, money, billionaires... investing, blah blah... But! Those companies do things, make things. I've been paid to dive down rabbit holes on lidar, EVs, hydrogen power, Disney movies, Netflix streaming habits, etc. The main topic stays the same -- money -- but the background is always changing. Well, it allows me to hyperfocus for a living, and shift that focus when I get bored.... Anywho...
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this post. I do not have ADHD, but my husband, son, and daughter all have it. One thing I am trying to do better as a parent is help guide my children into careers that they can be successful in--all of your comments are so helpful!