Managing ADHD at Work - for Yourself or a Team Member

ADHD isn’t just something that exists in childhood classrooms; it shows up in workplaces every day. For many adults, ADHD shapes how they focus, manage time, communicate, and respond to pressure. While it can present challenges, it also brings significant strengths - creativity, energy, and adaptability - when it’s understood and supported.

Executive coach Rita Ramakrishnan recently joined The Modern Manager to discuss what ADHD looks like in the workplace, its impact on daily performance, and what managers can do to support themselves or an ADHD colleague to thrive at work.

Understanding ADHD at Work

ADHD—Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder- is often misunderstood. It isn’t simply “being distracted” or “hyperactive”; it’s a neurological difference affecting motivation, prioritization, and attention regulation.

Rita compares it to a Ferrari with bicycle brakes and no traffic cop. The brain rapidly takes in a great deal of information and processes it in unique ways, but it can be challenging to slow down or maintain focus on a single task.

ADHD brains often cycle between hyperfocus, long stretches of intense focus on work that excites them, and distraction, when every task feels urgent or overwhelming. At work, this can look like:

• Jumping between multiple unfinished tasks

• Leaving projects until the last minute to spark a “dopamine rush”

• Feeling overwhelmed by clutter or sensory input

• Forgetting small details while excelling in creative problem-solving

These patterns are not signs of laziness or poor discipline. They reflect a different way of engaging with work.

Self-Awareness is the Starting Point

Success starts with self-awareness for both managers and employees. 

Understanding how focus, energy, and motivation fluctuate during the day helps people work with their brain, rather than against it.

Managers can observe patterns in their teams with curiosity: who thrives under pressure, who loses energy in long meetings, and who performs best when given autonomy.

Rita recommends beginning with a Minimum Viable Routine (MVR), a small set of core habits that anchor the day and reduce mental load. Examples include:

• Moving your body in the morning

• Setting clear cues for starting and ending work

• Building small rituals around meals, exercise, or reflection

These routines free up cognitive bandwidth for the most important work, rather than restricting creativity.

Simplify, Automate, and Stack Habits

Managing ADHD often means managing cognitive load, the constant stream of decisions and distractions competing for attention. Simplifying and automating tasks can free mental energy for high-value work:

• Automating routine tasks, like meeting follow-ups or recurring reports

• Using smart-home cues for simple tasks lights, coffee, or music, to simplify your start to the day

• Setting recurring reminders for planning or reviewing tasks

  
  

Even small systems can make a meaningful difference. Habit stacking, or linking a new habit to an existing one (for example, reviewing top priorities after making coffee), can create consistency and stability that ADHD brains often need.

Aligning Work with Energy

Not all hours are created equal. People with ADHD often notice fluctuations in energy and focus throughout the day. Tracking energy patterns over a couple of weeks allows individuals to align work to their peak periods:

• High-focus, strategic work during peak energy hours

• Routine or administrative tasks when energy is lower

  
  

Managers can support employees by offering flexibility around deep work, helping team members structure their schedules in a way that maximizes productivity and reduces stress.

Open Communication is Key

ADHD can feel isolating if employees feel pressure to mask their needs. Open communication is essential. Employees should feel comfortable sharing preferences, whether they need agendas, bullet points instead of long paragraphs, or time to do their best thinking.

Managers can foster psychological safety to discuss individual needs by asking questions like:

• “How do you work best?”

• “What helps you stay focused and motivated?”

• “Are our current meetings supporting your productivity?”

• “What’s getting in the way of you doing your best work?”

  
  

Approaching these conversations with curiosity rather than judgment builds trust and benefits the entire team. Adjustments that support neurodivergent employees such as clear communication, flexible schedules, and manageable workloads often improve work for everyone.

Tools and Cues to Support Focus

The right tools can make a big difference:

• Timers or Pomodoro apps for focused work bursts

• Digital assistants that cue daily routines or read schedules aloud

• Calendar alerts for deadlines or tasks

• Physical cues like sticky notes that provide a tangible sense of completion

  
  

Automation doesn’t mean rigidity; it creates a structure that supports flow and reduces decision fatigue.

Supporting employees with ADHD doesn’t require special treatment. It means recognizing different ways of thinking and designing systems where everyone can contribute their best. 

ADHD at work isn’t just an individual challenge; it’s an opportunity for the team. Managers who create environments that support focus, flexibility, and communication unlock potential for everyone.

By reframing ADHD as a difference rather than a deficit, managers can turn it from a workplace challenge into a source of creativity, adaptability, and growth.

Listen to the entire episode HERE to learn more about how to support yourself or team members with ADHD.

Keep up with Rita Ramakrishnan

- Follow Rita on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaram

- Visit Iksana here: https://www.iksana.com

Guest Bonus: 20% Off Coaching Services

Rita is offering members of Podcast+ 20% off her coaching services. She provides executive and team coaching specifically designed for neurodivergent leaders and the teams who work with them, helping executives leverage their cognitive differences as strategic advantages while creating psychologically safe, high-performing environments.

To get this bonus and many other member benefits, become a member of The Modern Manager Podcast+ Community.

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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive and great work gets done.

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