If you have ADHD and work from home, you may benefit from keeping a routine, incorporating movement during your workday, and communicating face-to-face as often as possible.

Working from home can provide a certain degree of flexibility that you may not otherwise have in an office setting.

But this flexibility comes with a reduction in routine or structure, which individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may find to be beneficial.

However, you can do a few things that may help boost productivity while working from home.

If you work in an office for part of the week, you have a routine on workdays — you have to wake up at a specific time, get dressed, commute to work, have lunch in the office, and leave at a specific time to go home.

When you work at home, maintaining your in-office routine — or establishing one if you work from home full-time — is essential.

If you have ADHD, having the structure of a routine may be beneficial. It can reduce perceived stress and ADHD symptoms and increase satisfaction with everyday tasks.

Tips for creating a workday routine with ADHD

  • Wake up and go to bed at the same time during the work week.
  • Start and end work at the same time every day.
  • Have a designated workspace. Try not to work in other locations. This way, you can associate working with that physical space.

Writing down your tasks can be helpful for productivity.

It can also help to estimate the time each task will take. Try to give yourself more time than you think you’ll need to complete each one. This can help you manage your stress levels and provide flexibility if something unexpected arises.

Creating personal deadlines in advance of your real deadlines can give you even more flexibility.

Once you make a plan, it’s important that it’s visible to you. Consider using a whiteboard that hangs above your desk so it’s in your line of sight most of the time.

If you prefer to keep track of your tasks digitally, you can set filter views on a spreadsheet to show only specific items, such as tasks in a certain category or tasks that need to be completed on a certain day.

A 2019 study found that, in individuals with ADHD, attention improved when walking on a treadmill compared to sitting down.

You may consider incorporating a walking pad and a standing desk into your office space. This can allow you to move while you complete tasks that involve processing information.

If a standing desk and walking pad are not an option for you, exercising before work is also an option. Another 2019 study found that acute aerobic exercise improved attention and processing speed in adults with ADHD.

While it may seem odd initially, hosting an all-day video conference can reduce the back-and-forth email or text conversations in which you must jump between different topics and reorient yourself with what has been discussed whenever there is a new message.

This can reduce friction, which involves the number of steps to complete a task or communicate with someone. If there’s less friction involved in interactions, it can reduce the urge to switch to less taxing tasks or to something else. On a video call, you can talk through problems and ask follow-up questions immediately.

Further, this format can hold you accountable. Having someone observe you while you work in this way is similar to body doubling. If you have coworkers who would also benefit from this, they could join you on your call, or you could join theirs.

On a lighter note, you can also use this space to socialize with other coworkers as you would during lunch hour.

Consider occupational therapy

Occupational therapists can help you with the tasks above and provide personalized advice and support. They can also share resources and recommend assistive devices that may help you with work.

Learn more about occupational therapy for ADHD.

Working from home can present challenges for many individuals, regardless of whether or not they have ADHD. However, creating structure and an environment that simulates the workplace can help make working from home easier.

Establishing a routine, planning out your day, incorporating movement, and prioritizing face-to-face communication are all things you can do to improve the experience of working from home.

An occupational therapist can also help you with organization and structure. They can give you tailored advice for your situation and recommend assistive devices to help improve your work.