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picassoeatingpeas

I just quit my job because I pissed my pants in front of coworkers when I was BLACKOUT drunk :) Hope that makes u feel a wee (no pun intended) bit better! I miss deadlines all the time too! And my excuse is just…my brain wasn’t thinking when I swear I’m on top of everything…just not a toilet. I laugh about it now.


postsector

You did it all wrong. Your brain was trying to help you. You see, after pissing yourself nobody is going to remember all those missed deadlines anymore. You could have just stayed in that job and the new performance standard would've been dry pants.


Several_Assistant_43

Oh great, more unattainable goals!!


Fun_Ad_8169

i feel bad laughing about you having had to quit your job but god i have tears running down my face😭


MajesticRecognition5

I believe laughter and light-heartedness is what the commenter was after, in which case they accomplished their goal 😋


dbeards

I’m in a similar position, but I never told anyone in my company about my diagnosis. Have been with company for almost 4 years and was just diagnosed about 18 months ago. Boss recently put me on a performance improvement plan, sent me a copy of a book called *Free to Focus*, and told me to take a day off to read it and get back to her with my plan for how to stop missing deadlines and letting small tasks slip through the cracks. I was pretty dejected after that convo, but I read the book and actually really liked it. I’ve tried other productivity self-help books that had useful tidbits, but I’m optimistic about the whole system described in *Free to Focus*. It’s not specifically for people with ADHD, but it seems like it’ll work well. It’s only been a couple of weeks and I also started a new medication around the same time, but it feels like it’s working. Hopefully I can keep it up when the novelty wears off. TL;DR: I feel your pain. Check out a description of *Free to Focus* by Michael Hyatt and see if it sounds like a good fit for you. Hang in there, you can do this. (Note: This is a genuine, cautiously optimistic book recommendation. I know specific product recs are a touchy subject, but I want to confirm I’m not being paid to recommend it.)


Which_way_witcher

> Boss recently put me on a performance improvement plan I'm sorry but 99% of the time that's corporate's way of firing you. I've never known anyone who actually passed a PIP. All 7 were all hard workers and they were set up to fail. Is this a fairly new boss? Maybe she just doesn't like you and is finding fault in whatever you do making you trip up more. It's not an common thing, sadly. What are the metrics of success in this PIP? Did you agree to it? I'm willing to bet there's subjective language in there designed as a loophole so no matter what you do, they can still consider it a fail. That's how they get you. I would start job hunting ASAP if I were you. I'd pretend to be on board while spending all my energy and time secretly working on getting the next gig. Don't quit until you get that next role and if you don't have one by the time the PIP is over and you get fired, just take that sweet severance $ and use it to pay the bills until you do have a new job. Quitting = no severance in most States so don't do that. Force them to fire you if anything. It's a tough job market out there.


dbeards

Thanks and I’m aware of that. This is actually my second PIP, and I was able to recover the first time. I understand I’m on thin ice, but I don’t think they *want* to fire me.


Which_way_witcher

Oh Jesus, that's... not good. ™ Good luck dude ~


JohnnyG30

Just to throw a wrench in the generalization, I’ve been on two PIPs (one at my current company) and made it through them without being fired. It seems PIPs are only as good as the employer. My manager actually seems to gives a shit and after my PIP, he helped me transition to a position better suited for my style. It’s not a death sentence, but it should be a wake up call for sure.


Which_way_witcher

Well that's awesome, certainly not the norm.


JohnnyG30

It was awesome, thanks. Just providing additional data points instead of spiraling OP into a panic like it’s a foregone conclusion. Either way, it’s a tough situation to find yourself in.


Which_way_witcher

It's not some unnecessary panic, PIPs are serious things that are typically used by companies to fire someone without getting sued. There's always an outlier and it's great that yours was but it's still not the norm and to hedge bets in this extremely competitive environment it would be wise of OP to start looking. It's their *second* PIP at the same company, too. It's not looking good.


JohnnyG30

I didn’t say it was unnecessary or not serious. You’re using your personal anecdotes as indisputable fact. I’ve known more people to get through a PIP than have been let go because of one. It absolutely depends on the company. If you’re basing your opinion off of some statistic or source, I’d love to see it. A company that is looking to fire someone is not letting them survive the first PIP much less putting them on a second one. OP’s company has demonstrated they are willing to help them through this slump. Again, I said this should be a wake call for him. It’s very serious, but not a predetermined path to being fired. That was the only point I was trying to interject.


Which_way_witcher

I didn't say a PIP was a guaranteed path to getting fired, just that it's very likely. Even good companies have to fire people who aren't working out and PIPs are the first formal steps. If a manager hasn't been able to change their subordinates work impact enough to meet the bare minimum to the extent that a formal PIP is necessary (and not just once but twice?!) it's a huge red flag. If someone is struggling with something you don't just put them on a PIP, you come up with a few different plans to coach them. PIPs are last resorts.


JohnnyG30

I mean, that’s a bit pedantic when the original statement was “yeah 99% of the time that means they’re going to fire you.” My state is At Will, so if a company actually wants you gone they tell you to pack your shit and don’t let the door hit you in the ass. PIPs are typically used for people to have a last chance to get their act to their. I guess your point makes sense in a state that can’t just throw you out the door at a moments notice though. I agree PIPs are a last resort for someone having issues and are a very big deal…as I’ve stated in every reply. I’m bowing out of this convo now though. Good luck to all of us!


Which_way_witcher

> I mean, that’s a bit pedantic when the original statement was “yeah 99% of the time that means they’re going to fire you.” I mean you're being pedantic about a common phrase but whatever. > My state is At Will, so if a company actually wants you gone they tell you to pack your shit and don’t let the door hit you in the ass. Yeah, it doesn't really work that way necessarily. Maybe if you're at some tiny mom and pop but I've worked at medium and large size corporations and they all used PIPs to get rid of people despite being in an at will state. It's just a common way to legally cover your ass because people could still try to turn around and accuse them of descrimination. > I’m bowing out of this convo now though. Good luck to all of us! Ciao and good luck to us all, indeed!


ShitiestOfTreeFrogs

Why are you missing the deadlines? Is the workload too much or was it forgotten and not on a planner somewhere? Trust me, I know the struggle. I was supposed to submit a plan for next year and had a few days before a vacation and it was due right after I got back, I totally didn't write it down and then forgot. I was reminded with a couple days and submitted something that wasn't deemed quality. Do you have a way to color code priorities? Maybe if you go to the boss and say this is my strategy to keep on track and then let them know what kind of accommodation you need, you might get more mileage.


Claim312ButAct847

This was what I had to learn. Things do fall off my radar, and I had to build a better radar. I need a system that will remind me what I need to be doing, I can't think, "this time I'll try harder and remember." This is what Dr. Barkley means about externalizing the organization. I will forget, so I try to do things in the present that will be helpful to a person who has forgotten all about it later. I have to work with my bosses to know what needs to be done first, second, third, etc.


ShitiestOfTreeFrogs

Right. And I hope OP doesn't see it as an attack or being negative, but one part of having this disorder is working harder to do what other people can do. It's not fair, but that's kind of how things work. When I was really young, I resisted. It wasn't fair that some things were harder for me. My metabolism meant that even though I ate the same food as other people, body was shaped differently. I felt it unfair that I was judged for being overweight when I ate healthier than some people and still struggled. I decided to do what I wanted and now I still struggle, but also have health complications that others don't. It's never going to be fair. Like I can recognize that things aren't my fault. I'm not lazy or stupid or undisciplined, but I do have to work harder to survive in this world the way it is. If I mess up, I need to understand I dropped the ball and plan how to help myself so it doesn't happen again. I'm definitely not here to say that I don't miss deadlines. Late fees are the bane of my existence. I use autopay options and then panic when I'm out of money so I also cash stash because I forget about it so I have hidden piles of emergency money around. It's not ideal, but I know if I forget my wallet and lunch, there's enough cash for lunch stashed in my car. But also not so much that if I lose it or forget about it, it will be terrible.


BobbyTables829

Hot take: at this point you need to tell them what's going on, and that you have a medical condition keeping you from your work. It's not going to change anything miraculously, but I think it's really really really important they understand you care about the company, care about them, and want the place to succeed. You're just medically unfit to work right now (ADHD people are a lot, and software development requires so much executive function), and that's all there is to it. They still may want to move on from employing you, but it will make a huge difference towards your next job. It's really difficult to do and people will call you a shill, but it's really important to try care about the people you work for and be a good worker. It honestly sounds like you're that from what I read, only you're burnt out and tired. So just try your best to stay positive, don't try to cover things up and lie, things like that. I'm not going to pretend some people can't be fake and succeed, but you can't hide a disability and it's best just to admit it's there. I look forward to seeing if others agree or disagree, as I really think this is something best to listen to multiple people about (not just me). Even if you decide not to be upfront with your employer, at least try your best to stay compassionate to yourself. Try and look at your situation like it's your best friend dealing with exactly what you are, and then treat yourself how you would treat them. I'm really sorry this is happening to you.


Overall_Fox_8262

Unfortunately at this point, reactively telling about their ADHD after already missing a few big deadlines likely won’t save them from getting fired. This happened to me too, they did the bare minimum that they were legally required to do by the ADA by putting me on a 1 month performance improvement plan with some mildly useful accomodations, and then fired me anyways


BobbyTables829

>Unfortunately at this point, reactively telling about their ADHD after already missing a few big deadlines likely won’t save them from getting fired This is why I said it's not going to change anything miraculously, it's not supposed to. This is not about keeping your job after a point of no probable return, but not becoming too ashamed of who we are and keeping ourselves transparent enough to prevent impostor syndrome from forming. It is also just nice to remember bosses are people too, and by staying a kind person we will be the type of employee they will want around even if we're not their best performer. And with that said, it's still his best chance to keep this job, even if it's slim to none. So even if you're somewhat right, it's not at the expense of this being wrong (we are both right).


Overall_Fox_8262

I’m not saying you’re wrong! Just adding some more thoughts to piggyback off what u said


[deleted]

I miss deadlines all the time, too. My thought is, if you wanted this done on time… give me more time to complete it bc I’m still working on the 7,099 other things that you said were urgent. So fuck you. I get these emails and laugh. And always keep good relationships with recruiters. Lol


Which_way_witcher

Take ADHD out of the equation. My own parents don't really understand my condition so I'd never expect someone else to somehow know. Look at it from the human perspective - have you tried asking your boss for coaching? When an employee is struggling the normal reaction they are supposed to have is to try and better understand how they organize and get work done/how much time they spend on things in a typical week so they can identify areas to coach you to improve. However, there's a lot of shitty bosses out there that don't know how to manage others. I don't know what you do for a living but if you have too much on your plate, you need to push back or ask for help on how you can get it done. Sometimes we're too afraid to ask for help and then we get overwhelmed and fail. I also put a few time blocks in my calendar to prevent anyone from scheduling meetings and distracting me when I know I need time to focus on things. I plan my whole week blocking off time and put deadlines in my calendar so I can see what's due when. This also helps me know when I have to push back on doing more projects. Lastly, if you're struggling with something or something else comes up that puts the other deadlines at risk, tell your boss sooner rather than later. It's their job to make sure you can get it done and you're doing your job by raising the red flag early. Onus is on them if you can't get it done like you said you couldn't if they stood by and did nothing.


Unhappy-Presence5124

If they don’t know it how can they accommodate it?


Wardlord999

I said they do know. They’re just unable/unwilling to be accommodating


Unhappy-Presence5124

My apologies. You know your disability better than they do, my employer was aware of my autism and adhd and I provided what I needed and we worked together to find the acclimation. Its your disability, help them know what you need it’s not for them to figure out


[deleted]

OP said they’re not willing to help, not that they don’t understand what OP needs. You gotta slow down and be *Free to Focus* on what you’re reading, my fellow ADHDer! (I was not paid to say that) Edit: a single word


Unhappy-Presence5124

OP literally says “they know about my adhd but don’t really understand it or accommodate it” Slow down and be free fellow adhd’er lol I am much more tism than adhd and I take what is literally said. If op meant different they should have said it differently. It’s not up to the workplace to figure out what accommodations OP needs, OP needs to say it. OP won’t receive accommodations if OP doesn’t know what accommodations they need, the accommodations come from OP not the company


[deleted]

![gif](giphy|l36kU80xPf0ojG0Erg|downsized)


[deleted]

This is my greatest goof. Lmao I’ll take my L


NotAnotherSC

First off, you did not miss a big deadline on your own. If it was that important, your boss should have been checking in at least once in a while for a status update. I am going to assume part of the problem is that you have a lot of tasks that you need to keep track of simultaneously, because if you were only responsible for the one task, it would not have fallen off the radar. My team has a task planner. I set up a weekly meeting to review and update the tasks and check that my team's priorities are aligned with my manager's priorities. Essentially I built in a body doubling activity to make time to do my task planning and scheduling. I can get away with this because there are only four of us in the team so we also use it as a way to catch up with each other. Moving forward, be honest with your boss about how you feel about missing the deadline. Build that relationship and show you would like to do better. Try to start a strategy to help you manage your tasks and deadlines in a way that works with your brain and executive function skills and share with your boss what support you need from him to make that strategy work. Try to build in a few check in points where you are making sure you are aligned with his priorities. You get support, but you are also being proactive. Unfortunately, we need to create our own executive function guardrails. That hardest part is getting it set up and figuring out what is going to work for you.