Good Habits of Successful People With ADHD
Many successful people have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad, singer Justin Timberlake and comedian-actor Howie Mandel.
On the more local level, Daniel Arrigg Koh is among successful people who don't let ADHD get in the way of their accomplishments. He's making significant professional strides as chief of staff for the city of Boston where he primarily advises Mayor Martin J. Walsh. Before this role, he held positions that included working as general manager of HuffPost Live, serving as advisor to former Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and working in nonprofit consulting. He has a bachelor of arts in government from Harvard College and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.
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A Positive Mindset
"I view ADHD as an advantage," says Koh, who was formally diagnosed with ADHD when he was 14 after experiencing ongoing focus and attention difficulties mainly in classroom settings. Although he feels a stigma still surrounds the disorder (he was mocked in school and sometimes observes others struggling with related stereotypes to this day), he says having ADHD has helped him.
"I often have many balls in the air and am multitasking," he says of his daily work schedule. However, rather than crumbling under pressure, he credits his ADHD for helping him excel at so many tasks. "ADHD forces you in general to be stricter with life habits," he says. "You have no choice but to discipline yourself and become more productive as a result."
Clinical psychiatrist and a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Dale Archer, writes in Forbes that "there is so much more to this trait that can be leveraged to an advantage." In line with Koh's words, he explains that "ADHDers are often at their best in crisis mode, multitasking and free associating to intuitively reach a solution."
Keep Meetings Brief
With the exception of one daily meeting with city hall senior staff, legal counsel and other professionals that lasts a little over an hour, Koh says that he tries to keep meetings no more than 20 minutes long.
Sue West, a New Hampshire-based productivity and ADHD coach, says having an awareness of tasks that will take longer than 15 minutes is essential to the success of someone with ADHD. "Figure out what system works best for you to keep track of projects and make sure you have a way to break down tasks that'll take more than 15 minutes or so," she says. West explains that developing a unique personal system "will allow you to be your best, productive self," adding that a person with ADHD shouldn't apologize for developing an individual routine that best suits his or her needs. Instead, "own what works for you and your style, and you will soar."
For Koh, his 20-minute meeting habit is helpful because he prefers interaction that delves into the heart of the matter in favor of ones that linger. "Long, rambling conversations aren't necessarily for me," he says. "My brain's not wired for that."
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Establish Regularity
"I try to establish regularity with everything," he says of another habit that propels his success.
At 6:45 a.m., he usually meets with Mayor Walsh. At 7 a.m., he hits the gym, which is followed by the hourlong meeting with senior staff. He then goes about the rest of the day depending on various plans and events, then has a conversation with the mayor over the phone later in the evening to recap the day and touch on the next day's agenda.
It's this schedule which he says he "tries to stick to" daily.
Of the decision to incorporate exercise as part of a regular schedule, West explains that it's important for everyone, but especially those with ADHD. "ADHD puts more stain on minds, brains, willpower and energy," she says. "Figure out what self-care routines help you to manage your ADHD." Self-care, which she explains may include everything from journaling and exercise to meditation and even using adult coloring books, can help manage symptoms.
Use Technology
Turning to technology may also help adults with ADHD manage their work schedules. Koh uses Wunderlist, a cloud-based app that he says allows him to add items to a list, which is then accessible by both phone and computer. The app's site says that "Wunderlist for Business keeps all of your team's communication together with your to-dos. Say goodbye to endless emails and hello to seamless collaboration."
While West says that paper checklists or a phone's notes feature are good ways to manage routines, she agrees that apps are beneficial. Using them for planning morning routines, keeping track of office projects and prepping for the next workday can help with organization. She adds that many neurotypical people usually remember to do certain tasks simply by keeping them in mind and then acting on them at a desired time. That's not always the case for someone with ADHD, she notes, due to memory differences.
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Organize Your Inbox
Ending the day with a slew of emails sitting in the inbox is something Koh avoids. He makes a point of sorting through all of his emails on a daily basis. "I put my work inbox at zero at the end of every day," he says. Additionally, he does the same with his personal email inbox every Sunday night, explaining that these habits reduce clutter and allow him to start the day ahead with a more focused, organized approach.
Although there are bound to be circumstances that throw off any successful person's agenda on occasion, Koh says he's learned to let it roll off his back. "You learn to let some things go," he says. "If something doesn't work perfectly, it's OK. I try to stick as closely to my schedule as I can and maintain my positive habits."
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