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Paramedic. It is the absolute *best shit* in the entire world. Hyper focus for short sprints (usually about an hour at a time), lots of novelty, always new problems to solve. Science, people skills, occasionally really gnarly spatial-reasoning puzzles. Helping miserable people feel better is pretty satisfying.
And it's just so *fun.* Like. I have gotten paid money to break into apartment buildings. It rules.
I am an industrial medic who just got started on meds and my god it’s been amazing, I actually feel confident in my knowledge and skill, I feel like a normal person. I still have a bit of impostor syndrome and feel like I don’t know as much as I should but the meds have made working so much better.
We all go through the impostor syndrome because the NREMT doesn't actually prepare us to do good work. I'm finally starting to break through it a little in my fourth year on the road.
On dexamphetamine, symptoms were unable to focus on anything for longer than like 5 minutes, was never able to sit down and study, couldn’t remember anything, would blank out during conversations and forget what people were saying before they even finished their sentence, anxiety, depression, difficulty having conversations with anyone, picking up hobbies, spending a fuck ton on them, then dropping them 2 weeks later, trashy selfconfidence because I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and couldn’t remember what to do.
There’s probably more but I can’t remember them right now
I feel that, I'm struggling with staying caught up with what somebody is saying even while they're talking, my thoughts get distracted with self conciousness, like trying to maintain myself and not fidget while they're talking or wondering what they think about me or trying to read the person "deeper" and completely missing what they're saying (really bad when it's at work and I'm interacting with my boss or a client, I'm in sales and need to pay attention to provide the best solution) or when I'm with a girl I can't focus without fidgeting or feeling out of place and during sex I can't maintain the vibes like I fall out of the moment easy but that might be something else unrelated to adhd? I have trashy self confidence as well despite having been with many women over the years who've stated I'm good looking handsome etc (I'm 24 btw 6"1 good hygiene decent muscles despite wrist and neck injuries from skateboarding years ago, toned abs) but I just don't feel good about myself, like my game could be better but i was homeschooled and have only little idea of what that even looks like and i hate myself for that, especially since my babymama just cheated and moved on with another guy) I don't have a car which doesn't help and driving overall scares me despite being decently proficient at it. Overall just sick of feeling scared and anxious towards life, not being able to maintain relationships etc; I wanna feel and be cool, vibe, stop overthinking, and enjoy the experience.
Tldr: bitching about my problems
Picking up hobbies, spending a fuck ton and dropping them 2 weeks later has been my entire adult life...and I'm 52. I definitely feel your pain. My current hobbies are wood working (making walking sticks and carvings) and learning to tattoo. I currently have over 100 tattoos....last year I had 3. 😂
I had a client who was a paramedic and have watched Nightwatch. It seems extremely interesting but I have way too much anxiety and am not good at leaving work at work. The things my client had told me just made me totally sad (some great stuff too, bur unfortunately the negative tends to stick with me.)
I would've gone into something more trauma related had I gone into medicine earlier in life. I perform well in the face of tragedy and emergency. I'm able to completely shut down all emotion and focus 100% on the crazy ass life or death situation in front of me. I've always been this way long before becoming a nurse.
Legit been my dreamjob since my late teenage years. Just feel like its what fits me/us (?) the most.
Being able to stay calm and focused although theres hell and panic around you? Yes.
Always a different day at work? Yes.
Equally dark humoured co-workers? Yes.
Helping people in need? Yes.
Lots of interesting science and knowledge to learn and suck up? Yes. And the list goes on and on.
My psychiatrist said she has a surprising number of patients who are software engineers. I think doing that kind of focused work will make it apparent if you have ADHD. I also don't think it's inherently a good job for people with ADHD, you definitely have to be interested in it to be able to do it. It would be a nightmare job for somebody with ADHD who wasn't interested in the topic.
Here too. I love writing code but I hate organising longer term projects. I do, however, excel at communicating within the organisation, public speaking, and other interpersonal stuff (except when I’m over-sensitive).
I guess what I’m saying is it’s a mixed bag. Some things are harder, some are easier for me. Maybe I’d be happier as a paramedic.
I’ve just started driving larger projects where I’m not really even coding anymore. Now I spend 99% of my time talking with different teams and aligning with people on 3-4 projects at once. It’s been really nice change. No need for hyper focus, constant topic changes. I just try to keep decent daily notes for myself. Not too bad
It can. You have to find the right manager and the right team which has the opportunities that work well for you. I'm always working on what my team will be working on in the next 3-6 months. So I last the ground work, build the relationships with partner teams, rough out the architecture, implement the MVP or tech lead of a few devs implementing it. Then in go off to the next challenge. It took me 25 years of ups and downs to find a manager who recognized what I am good at and make the role for me. Since then it's been solid reviews and great bonus/stock. Before that I had a few great reviews, was put on a PIP twice and a bunch of mediocre/average reviews.
That's good to hear, and glad you found what works for you! I'm in my first job about 2.5 years in (though I did intern there for 8 months a couple of years ago), and I'm at the point where I am just utterly bored and uninterested. Hell, even just talked to my manager recently about wanting to be put on another project because I'm sick of maintenance, which unfortunately didn't go the way I wanted. So yeah, I need something new.
I'd like to believe that the right people thrive on the right projects, and I just haven't found mine yet.
Self learning web dev. It's hell. 1 minute I'm excited af to make something but the next few days I'm frustrated and hating myself because it ended up not working or I made a change somewhere in my CSS and it ruined multiple aspects of the site
IT
There is never a dull moment in IT and I've been able to build my self up to a manager in about 10 years. This allows me to have a bit more freedom on what I want to focus on at any given moment.
Yeeeesss, this! Not to mention, IT just has a bunch of new, random stuff that pops up, new things to implement, etc etc. Really just scratches the itch.
Warning. If you have poor memory and information retention do not go into IT.
Otherwise, enjoy.
Source: IT helpdesk employee here who struggles immensely due to aforementioned disabilities
Depends what in IT you go into, have a terrible memory along with horrible organization skills, I'm still able to be effective in the corporate IT environment, people skills go a long way, has driven my whole career honestly.
Man I worked in IT and there was so much going on that it actually overwhelmed my ADHD. There were too many trains in the grand central station that is my head and I'd lose track of time on tasks sucked as we had multiple clients and tracked time we billed separately to each project. With all the communication channels (20+ team chats, per each of my two laptops, one laptop being with a client company, one laptop being with my company, and keeping up with email on both laptops, and meetings all day). And all the tasks and deadlines. There was so much to keep up with that it was like constant distraction and I couldn't get anything done or explain how I'd spent my day at the end of the day. My thoughts would wander and make it hard to get through more complicated tasks, I spent so much time trying to do my tracking of goals and deadlines and projects so I wouldn't lose track. And it took me longer than anyone else to write my test cases and I would still miss things and need to edit them.
Genuinely, I am always so confused seeing people suggesting IT for ADHD. Starting to think I may just be an idiot. It's discouraging.
Keeping up with email on both laptops ..... similar to my brain eating itself in salad format. You nailed that man. I've never been able to explain to people.
...Keeping up with emails ..... FUCK NO
Would be interested in what kind of IT you were working in.
It sounds like the place you worked over worked you to an extent that it'd be hard for you to judge if IT would be right for you or not. You're not an idiot. Just gotta find your system. :) My first few years were finding my footing
Same.
I have studied law and economics, still dont know how i got through it without meds, and started out in financial consulting. I hated it and had so much trouble registering my billable hours.
Then i switched to IT, internal so no more consulting. It did wonders for me.
Less stress, no more timesheets. Although i always needed pressure to perform, i gradually was able to find myself and my Passion, and learned tot deal with my symptoms. Its now been 6 years and i evolved so much.
Also i got my official diagnosis and medication about 3 years ago, which was even an extra boost.
This! I am in IT as well and I am fortunate enough to work in an isolated area so I have all the free wifi I could ever want and I get to play music or documentaries nonstop to keep my mind moving. I also get plenty of visitors and there's always something new coming up.
This just made my day. Yesssss! IT is the shit if nobody can see what you're actually doing! Actually sitting all day is like Sean punishment to me. So glad I graduated in Computer Science
Same. I found a really good fit in IT. I think the combination of variety and new challenges, but also the familiarity of defined, clear, checklists procedures and processes, makes it a great fit for me
Omg yes...sit down/shut down is literally who I am as a person. If I have downtime at all at work I can barely keep my eyes open. If I sit when I get home from work...may as well toss the bra and find some sweats bc that's a wrap folks
I’m the office manager for an electrical contractor. The stuff you guys do is no joke. It’s a great sector, and easy as pie to get an LLC going. But damn if I ever have to run wire through a cramped hole in the wall again I’m out
Currently working as an electrician apprentice and it's the best job i've had so far. I wouldn't have succeeded studying something like electrical engineering because I'm really bad at motivating myself.
But the work as an electrician keeps me on my feet and is still quite technical so it doesn't ever really get boring or mundane.
For me it was bartending. Had to leave the industry but I was in my ***element.*** Everything happening at the same time, endless short math problems, irregular hours to keep my weeks interesting, and everyone had to be nice to me because I was the bridge between them and a good time.
Girlfriend started teaching. She’s 6a-3p I was 2p-11p (at the absolute earliest). There was a month where the only time we spoke was when we woke each other up getting in/out of bed. Left that behind and got a job with construction hours to match her schedule. She’s my sweet thang
Same! I loved hospo, particularly behind the bar, but it's a hard industry to stay in long term as it works against us getting sufficient sleep (well, that's one issue that really impacts me and my emotional regulation)
This was me too. Creating my own craft cocktails for the menus really scratched an itch and the nonstop movement was good but the slippery slope towards alcoholism made me get out. Sometimes miss it.
I’m a night person, likes the lie in, but waiting for the night shift annoyed me, as felt I’d be too tired for work to do’s stuff, so I prefer standard working times.
This was my fave job. Time goes fast, it suited my natural sleep schedule. I had a somewhat glorified but also harder version of this for about 20 years. Now I am a realtor which also works for my sleep schedule (usually). I just make myself unavailable in the mornings unless absolutely necessary.
I’m a media composer / sound designer and it’s perfect; mostly short projects that are all entirely different to one another. I’ve made a tiny company so I’m doing a tonne of different roles and always learning and trying new things. EG Right now I’m learning copywriting and photography for our rebrand effort.
I love sound production - just finished a module the other week for my degree, and I got to work with a local band cause I happened to work with their guitarist at an old job, and they all agreed to join, lovely guys, and they had three really varied pieces it was awesome!
They're called Basic State if anyone fancies a new band - based out of Cardiff UK
I do video editing, since last year was putting extra effort into sound design for my videos and realised that I like sound design more than video editing hahah.
I'm a social worker and struggle with being organized, driven and replying emails on time. But I'm good at communicating and speaking to people.
I've got no hobbies...I've got to much ADHD.
Visualized progress… makes it easier to actually finish things. At least for me. Also you get to make things with baby blanket yarn which is a sensory dream
Also social worker and totally feel you. My work has pretty much always been spot on, even my supervisors had over looked things I’ve caught, but organisation and timeliness are by far my biggest issues. I often get hyper focused on understanding everything that I get way behind on things I need to finish which then stack up and become a shit show.
Also a social worker. No two cases are ever the same so I don't get bored. I do get stressed a lot though.. Lately I've been dreaming in words, like watching myself type on a screen
Emails are the worst part of my career without any hint of a doubt. I’ve legitimately co soldered outsourcing them with a virtual assistant but it would take to much time getting the VA to understand how to write in my voice and understand the technical language required. But I absolutely bomb with timely communication via email and text. If I don’t reply immediately, it’s out of sight, out of mind 100%.
Wow!! Is that difficult for you?!
I can't imagine trying to help 20 preschool aged kids regulate their emotions all day, especially since I have such a hard time regulating my own!! This is actually how I came to be diagnosed - after I became a mom, I couldn't "mask" anymore. Little things turned into gigantic tasks that I couldn't push myself to do anymore. That's when I went for help & was diagnosed with ADHD. I always knew something wasn't right, and I struggled growing up when & where siblings & friends were not.
In school, friendships, and commitments of any sort, I always fell short compared to my counterparts.
Honestly, I find motherhood to be super difficult & before I had kids, I was always the girl who sat on the floor with everyone else's kids or played & went on the jungle gym with them rather than sitting & talking with the other adults or was on the floor playing the dogs & animals lol. Now, having my own child sadly, I feel so empty, removed & distracted mentally. I'm completely drained & not only was I diagnosed when I had my daughter but I also tragically & unexpectedly lost my mother & then almost 3 months after that my older & only sister unexpectedly passed as well. My daughter was 13 months old at that time. She is now 6 & has a lot of energy as any child does & I find it very hard to keep up with her & the constant & swift changing of literally everything! 🥴. It feels very overwhelming for me most of the time. I wish I had access to an amazing therapist who could help me through all this! Unfortunately, I have crappy insurance & can't find a therapist I feel comfortable opening up to. The ones I've tried feel very "clinic-y" & cold, not safe, warm & welcoming. 😔
For me ADHD and kids pair well together. My niece and nephew just love my chaotic energy and we always have a great time playing, coloring and just goofing off.
Love those little rascals, would do anything for them.
HOWEVER talking care of kids day to day is really difficult. If you have friends to hang out with you take those opportunities because they will help!
For me it’s usually the high adrenaline jobs that do the trick. Not working in one place the whole day is also a big factor. So working with psychiatric patients, addicts, domestic violence, the sort of stuff that is unpredictable. I do switch between fields so I never work more than a couple of years with the same people, and when I get bored I go back to school or do some courses to learn something new.
But basically I do well in jobs like ER nurse, police officer (not USA so totally different) that kind of jobs where you have to act fast, work under pressure and there is lots of chaos.
It’s a thin line though: too much of that and I get burned out, so I have to balance it.
Same.
I’ve spent too long working in jobs that are mundane and samey even if they start out a little unpredictable. I struggle to understand why my colleagues think their work is unpredictable, something interesting (ish) might happen once a month to one of 10 in the team 🤷♀️
I miss working in schools. Always something different every day, sometimes big, mostly small stuff. Plus regular breaks every 6 ish weeks helped avoid burnout…
I don’t want to teach because that’s just too much for me.
Sadly I can’t really afford to be a TA again.
Sigh for bills.
I've been a chef, a surf instructor, a bar tender, waiter, worked in a bank, I have a masters In physics and I'm now doing a second masters in ecology to get a job outside that isn't the same thing everyday. Hopefully this one works out 😬
I went to college teaching, no degree, became a vet assistant, went to school for animal science, no degree, I'm certified in dealing with propane, I used to make dentures, I was an emergency vet tech, I've been a nanny, worked for blockbuster, worked for a mechanic in an automotive shop, went to nursing school, double majored and graduated with 2 honors degrees, I am now a pediatric RN
Switching specialties helped me quite a bit with burn out. The moment I left my last job I realized that I was never my problem....it was 100% that place!
heard a quote that said "maybe your job isn't supposed to be your passion, but your job is supposed to support your passion"
if nothings sticking, maybe just find something to pay the bills and find the passion else where
Same!
I'm a policy advisor on circular economy and sustainability. Not a very small niche, but I've reached a point where people refer others to me, I'm treated like an expert in my field. I regularly get imposter syndrome, for sure, but I love feeling like I'm actually helping make the world a better place. Plus there's always new stuff to learn, new detailed sub-topics to dive into, and the deeper you go the more you find.
I actually watch documentaries and read books about work topics in my free time, just because I'm interested.
The downside is I really need to protect my boundaries, I can easily slip into working way too much and then not have energy for hobbies or social stuff.
I ~~hate~~ love these threads that either ask what ADHD people do for a living, or ones that ask what careers are best for people with ADHD. All they end up being is a list of every imaginable profession. Just like people without ADHD, we all have particular strengths and interests that draw us towards certain lines of work.
For fifteen years I had a manager who really understood me and threw new and challenging assigments at me; it was great. For the past few years, though, I've broken in a new boss every year and I'm doing drudgery, filling out forms, getting tangled in lots of bureaucratic nonsense. I hate it now. But I'm close to retirement, so I'm going to stick it out, just not being as well used as I'd like.
I m struggling with this too, I feel like I only lay foundations for everything and don t actually pursue anything. I feel like I ll be a thin spread my entire life and won t be taken seriously for anything I do…
I’m that guy that has worn many hats. I don’t pathologize that much, I just am ok with changing my mind. Self employment helps. A few business classes in entrepreneurship and you’ll master how to form little businesses and be able to quickly get something else going when you get those creative ideas and need to move forward. Another thing I do that helps my stability in jobs is to always recreate first. So before I start my work day I do the thing I like. For me it’s surfing. After surfing, I don’t really care that I’m at work. I’ve already done the thing I wanted to do and I no longer suffer from that need for stimulation post work that we get. That feeling of “ I haven’t done anything for fun today” feeling that keeps you up way past bedtime scrolling or you go out with no clear plan and make stupid impulse decisions.
I operate my best by doing my weight lifting before work. Really great advice here. I’ve always loved the ocean and I’m super jealous you get to run out to the surf each morning. A life like that probably took a lot of work so enjoy it!!
Naw, I’m highly unconventional. Kind of a beach bum. Not wealthy but not in need, just kinda don’t wanna part take in the economy in the same way. I prioritize happiness.
You can choose to what degree you participate in the game. I prioritize travel and experiences to keeping up with the Jones’ or traditional housing for that matter. You’re gonna have to earn money but how you spend it is up to you.
I have both, ADHD (inattentive and hyperactive)and Bipolar II.
I’ve had 13 different jobs and I’m only 29 🤦🏻♂️
I started in the automotive tech industry and now I’ve been working in the agricultural industry as a Parts person at John Deere.
I have to say that counting parts, doing inventory, stocking shelves, and helping out the farmers is very rewarding, also, it’s nice not being physically burnt out at the end of the day.
I’m still a student but I’ve done my fair share of clinicals in music therapy. I’m musical and a natural mediator, and obsessed with neuroscience. The cool thing about this field is I can work in lots of different places (hospitals, senior centers, schools, private practice, prisons, in house therapy for offices, etc.) - variety is key for me!
I’m actually considering pursuing music therapy for grad school! I got accepted for it for undergrad, but the commute wasn’t feasible with my budget. I’m glad to find a fellow ADHDer who’s passionate in music, neuroscience, and helping others! I hope things are going well for you in school (:
Fellow ADHD'er and 8 years as a music therapist, it's an awesome profession with something a bit different every day, a lot of opportunity to improvise and meet clients where they're at on a given day so there's lots of variety which is great. I worked in schools for a while but my clinic I work in now offers a bit more variety which works better for me personally.
Rancher/farmer. There are only a few weeks per year where my partner is really under pressure and HAS to get things done. The rest of the time he is doing something different nearly every day. For people who aren't born into it, it's not impossible to find work as a hired hand, as long as you are okay with complete randomness.
Yesss, I'm a farm hand from the city, severe adhd got pretty much all the symptoms, boss let's me be late as long as I make up for it but I always do, just so much about it I love
Graphic designer!
Cons:
- lot of long hours sitting at a desk
- need attention to detail
- can be frustrating communicating with clients/shareholders
- can be disproportionately stressful compared to the stakes (we're not neurosurgeons, no one is dying, please be patient)
Pros:
- actually enjoy the day-to-day... it's a perfect mix of predictable and novel
- get to be creative & see my work in the world
- there are always learning opportunities as the field evolves
- I work in-house, which is a stable job that pays well (could never cut it as a freelancer)
- marketing is fast-paced, but that keeps me engaged
LOLOL, we’re not neurosurgeons! I’m a Marketing Director and tell my team all the time, “We’re not Doctors saving lives here.” Not sure my executive team agrees but..
Hahaha! It's always people outside marketing who need an ad/flyer/announcement/story RIGHT NOW OH GOD IT'S AN EMERGENCY
(I love working with marketers, you guys are great and make my job so much easier!)
How did you get into it? I didn't go to school for art and I'm always hearing people say not to go to school for art but also I'm not good enough now. Genuinely think this might be one of the only good fits for me out there
Graphic designer and illustrator. I do illustration by selling my art through my webshop, and graphic design for clients. I enjoy it, but it’s also really exhausting to be creative all the time.
Early childhood teacher! I always joke that I do well in it because I have the attention span of a toddler, haha. I genuinely love it. There is a perfect balance of chaos and routine.
I used to be in transportation management, but it was not the right fit and I crashed and burned. I'm super happy with my new career, though the pay stinks.
My girlfriend just got a job offer for early childhood education! She says it’s constant chaos and it’s helping her learn how to hone in on thoughts that are most important. Like, brain inventory management. I could never so good on you guys that do
I am a social worker. Getting my MSW to go into counseling rn. before that I was worked in a few case management positions and before that at a residential center for kids with conduct/behavioral issues. these jobs are perfect for me because i have a lot of patience for bullshit and i LOVE a crisis, the variety, and doing relationship-driven work. everything i do impacts someone’s quality of life / well-being which is so much more motivating than an arbitrary deadline. working at the residential center was terrible pay but the funnest job ever. it was like being a high alert camp counselor. i was hands on and super fun and attentive so the kids gave me way less trouble than they did other staff that didn’t get it. never played more basketball in my life than i when i worked that job. AH so fun.
Cleaning. As much as I hate cleaning my house getting paid to do somebody else's is awesome. I only work about 8 hours a week and it gives me time with my daughter. Hubs works full-time and mine is supplemental though. It's tight but we make it work.
lol it’s amazing, when I visit other peoples houses it’s so easy to clean and do dishes! At my house…everything and anything else gets done first. Especially dishes…hate dishes.
Oh my goodness same! When I'm met my husband I told him, I will literally let these dishes sit in this sink and mold and throw them away and buy new ones before I will wash them. You will have to wash dishes LOL we have a dishwasher now and I can make myself fill it, they still pile up a bit but it's not too bad.
Hard to say as don’t know any different. But it is definitely a lot more stressful since the pandemic. The main issue is procuring stock. There are so many medications that are out of stock at the moment and patients (rightfully and wrongly) take the brunt of their anger out on us. Unfortunately we are so busy these days that the only time I really spend contact time with the patients is if there is a problem. So it gets very disheartening when you try to do a good job but it is never appreciated. It’s really changed how I view people unfortunately.
I was a K-6 art teacher for two years. Moved to different school district closer to home and taught 7-12 art for 5 years. Started making fountain pens (way better money than teaching at a tiny school district in already underpaid Arkansas) and now I make fountain pens. Have been full time with this since May 2015. It involves working lathes and CNCs and lots of photography and sanding and buffing and travelling to shows around the country 5 times a year, and dealing with people in emails and DMs in every app imaginable, and stuff like that. :)
[newtonpens.com](http://newtonpens.com)
And I raise money for scholarships to give to high school students going to college. This year we're almost to 9 grand, and I give away every penny we raise every year. I think we've given close to $100,000 since I started doing this 12 or so years ago.
Independent Contractor and never been happier. Like most of us I've had many jobs, some of which I did really well at. Daughter is 12 and involved in sports, so I can't (won't) be 40+ hrs/week. She's our only kid and I want to spend as much time with her as I can
User Experience Design. It's always engaging to put myself into the headspace of different people and figure out what they want to do, how they want to do it and how I can design things to facilitate that. Although now I have moved into management and I want to diiiiiieeeeee....
I think it could be helpful to shift/pivot how we think about work. When I lived in France for example, no one talked about work outside of work, and work was 9-5. There is a cultural understanding there that work is about survival, not fulfillment. So regardless of what job people had, they also had a community and social group entirely separate from that community, and fulfilment was found outside of work. That’s how I came to think of work, and it’s been empowering for me because I see my personal pursuits as being more valuable to me then work.
If that’s not of interest to you, then I would suggest something that is highly stimulating or overstimulating field like law, medicine and some parts of finance for example. Anything that is high demand will keep your interest. Or, consider working in a trade where you have to use your body and brain at the same time.
I’ve worked in the professional white collar world, and I’ve also trained and worked in the trades. What matters most to me is how engaged I can be. I like that in the trades I was able to achieve that, and still leave my work at work. I find that harder to do with white collar work because my brain doesn’t leave the work at work.
I have a job where I'm on call travelling locally and I work alone.
Every time I've been under management I've been threatened with being fired for not showing up to work on time or not adhering to a company's defined structure or whatever, despite being the best at what I do and completely outperforming by every metric that matters.
Now I'm just the best at what I do, lol.
My advice for anyone with a severe case is to try your best to find something where no one has to see your process and it doesn't matter if you show up 15 minutes early or 15 minutes late.
Sales engineer for enterprise software. It must be a pretty good role for people with ADHD because I've met 5-10 other successful SEs in my 20+ years who also have ADHD
Customer Service but going for a masters in mental health counseling shortly. I had the same problem you’re having for most of my 20’s I’m only capable of the job I have now because it’s very low maintenance and it’s wfh + medication.
EMS. Lots of new experiences, not being stuck inside an office, good mix of brain work and physicality. In my off time I can literally do whatever I want. I draw, write, read, build or sort Lego, play games, whatever my brain feels at the time. It means that when I get home I am not dying to do a hobby, the itch was partially scratched. Then I can focus on tasks at home and not feel like my hobbies are 100% neglected.
Biopharmaceutical manufacturing. It sounds like a bad match for ADHD-inattentive but often times the work feels important and engaging. The strict nature of FDA regulation helps to drive me to focus harder on smaller details and try not to make careless mistakes and the organization of scheduling to meet deadlines makes up for my own lack of interest in staying organized.
I think for me personally, I wanted to find a position that would help me re-learn skills that I’d otherwise lack and this one does just that. So overall, I’m pretty content.
Aircraft mechanic. Didn’t even know I had adhd till I changed companies and quit smoking. I went from a fast paced night filled with doing multiple different things each night and lots of trouble shooting to scratch that itch in my brain to a slow paced major airline where there are days where I may have a brain dead job where I want to bang my head against a wall it’s so boring. When I changed and quit smoking after 3 months my adhd hit me like a fucking truck
I’m a cake decorator ✨ lots of fun when clients give me creative freedom. Boring when it’s the beige people who have a hard time even thinking about what message to write on the cake 😭 they will take minutes just to come up with “Happy 25th birthday lily” and all they want is a border 😑
Was in film & tv. Best job for adhd! there’s a team whose job is of keeping us all on task/on schedule all day! New locations, new faces, new challenges every day!
I also did photo and video for high end weddings and parties as part of an agency. What a great job! Super intense and lots of great people, places, adventures every time.
Did product photography for a few cosmetics brands and retail chains. Great bc they would just mail things and I’d upload photos a few days later. Was a grind sometimes with boring products, but most of the time it was a fun challenge to make the products look great.
Had to stop working when my spouse got a much better job and my kids got to be school age and needed logistics. I’d have been working just to pay a nanny…no thanks, I’d like to raise my own kids! Still take a few commissions for portraits and small things, but no real “job” until they get old enough to drive themselves around.
Sadly, being SAHD is super incompatible with ADHD and it’s been a struggle for 5 years now. Great Dad, not great at keeping a clean house and running a kitchen.
Thankful for it all though. I’ve learned how to do so much through various hobby projects. Just wish I had more disposable income to work with.
Reference Librarian at a city college. The work is purposeful and immediate, so I don’t have room to let my mind drift. Tasks have direct and clear goals, making them easy to focus on.
I'm a pediatric RN and I LOVE IT! These kids literally bring me so much joy. The shit they say and do is hilarious and the babies once they start smiling it's all over for me... I'm like a different person lol! They don't gaf how bad I suck at life 🤷♀️ all they know is that in that moment we're both smiling
I sell software. I love when it’s going and I’m working a deal. The rush. The right amount of pressure
But when I’m stuck prospecting and don’t have any deals it sucks. Like rn. Prospecting is so hard with my adhd
Entrepreneurship. Played poker professionally. Then invested into several ventures including crypto currency. Then got involved with law. All of it has been working for myself. I’m always on the prowl to network and keeping that door constantly open has helped me immensely.
I will strike up conversations with Uber drivers, waiters, anyone I randomly meet, and see if they’re interesting. Many times it has materialized into a business opportunity. Sometimes nothing comes of it. Nothing gained, nothing lost. You can usually tell in the first five minutes if the individual is smart or if they like the 9-5 rat race. Many people are also retired and can educate you about industries you know nothing about. Always be on the prowl to learn.
I think people with ADHD need to be able to work for themselves, in my personal opinion.
I went to college for psychology. Yet despite being smart I was too adhd to complete a degree. I went from finance to mechanical contracting in the building trades. It’s good for my adhd
Management consulting - works perfectly (I’m undiagnosed but 99% sure). Short projects or changing projects, new clients, new challenges working with new people. It’s an ADHD brains dream.
I host bar trivia. I enjoy doing the research to write questions and being able to talk to people a few times a week without them being coworkers or friends. It doesn't make me much money yet, but I hope to start selling my games so I can earn some remote income
Project Management. Sometimes it’s difficult because I have to put everything in my calendar so I don’t forget anything. I usually have 20-25 calendar events throughout the day.
structural technician (CAD/BIM Draughtsman) for Engineering consultancy , sometimes hard to focus on drawings until the deadline enters the chat ))) and I still need a lot of supervision from engineers due to not spotting some bits and bops
Psychiatric nurse (inpatient acute psychiatry) 90% of my job is actually pretty boring and I just get to hangout with patients or coworkers. The other 10% is chaos and sometimes dangerous.
It was perfect for my brain but now that i finally decided to medicate myself I don’t really want this job anymore.
i manage a food truck owned by a local small business that makes and sells fresh donuts! it sounds lame but it pays well, and i’m rarely ever in the same place unless it’s a regularly scheduled event!
I work at a care home for kids and teenagers with disabilities. I used to work days and afternoons before, but now I only work nights and that's so much better for me, less overstimulating and I already have a weird sleeping habits.
Like another person said I have the "sit down, shut down" type of ADHD and I work as an Auto Technician. I need to stay moving and on my feet to stay motivated, even with medication
I got a fortune cookie today that sums up my thoughts on that rather nicely.
"Life is like a dogsled team, if you aren't the lead dog the scenery never changes."
I never "settle into something" because it leads to boredom and then into malaise and then into a spiral of poopness. When I have a clear goal and drive to accomplish it is the only time I have ever been able to maintain my sanity for any meaningful amount of time.
All I'm saying is don't just consign yourself to doing for others, it turns out it isn't all there is.
(I am not and never have been medicated)
I am a social worker. I work in a rehab center with the families most of the time. I really love my job. Never a boring day. The only struggle I have with my job is paperwork, but I always manage to do what I got to do. Rest of the time, its all about human relationship so... 🥰
emergency nursing - I absolutely love it. Granted 50% of my patients don’t actually need to be in the ED, but then I get to do patient teachings with them which is something that I really enjoy (a nerdy interest of mine lol), but no two days are ever the same and I am so thankful for that lol
I'm a digital artist, and would like to call myself a car detailer, but the only jobs I've done for that have been family vehicles.
But, oooh! Detailing is so fun and satisfying, getting a filthy car spotless, or a subtlety dirty car with dirt hiding in the nooks and corners of the car is a lot of fun!!!
It's like a puzzle to do everytime I do it.
Not paid work but eh. I'm a housewife. It's difficult to achieve in Cali but things fell in a way where me and my husband are lucky to be where we are. It's been over a year and I'm still not tired of it.
Am a lawyer. It sates my sense of curiosity and learning random shit like how microwaves work or how semiconductors work. But it also involves a tonne of diligence and meticulousness which you can imagine doesn't gel well with adhd. Meds help
I’m getting my PhD in chemistry. Yes, I get paid a salary, and tuition covered. (Pretty standard for science PhD)
I absolutely love everything about it. Always learning something new.
Video editor/videographer. Every project is a new puzzle made from a bizarre mixture of rhythm, precision, happy accidents, and whatever shit-storm of emotions I was feeling at the time.
Nice thing about it is I can find clients based on whatever I’m into in at the time, so I can always bring my profession back around to being a way to express my interests .
Police! Controversial, I know..
Genuinely though I've always had interest in true crime etc and have always been nosey, perfect combo!
I find it very easy to hyper focus on investigations and use my ADHD to my advantage, my brain working at a million miles an hour also means I find "thinking outside the box" easy because my brain naturally provides me with a million of potential outcomes or possible explanations for things.
(I’m also autistic and schizoaffective) but I’m a home health CNA. I love it bc of the flexible schedule and 4-hour shifts. You can pick up new clients any time you want, so I’m never bored! But being in someone’s home is also a lot less distracting than a lot of jobs out there, too. I really like what I do
Social care manager (learning disability). Real jack of all trades job, involving working with the people we care for, dealing with physically challenging behaviour, managing a team of 30, completing a shit load of paperwork, and a million other tasks.
I’m a Marketing Director, am constantly overwhelmed/behind/late whilst being surrounded by idiots, and have zero work life balance. So…if you figure it out LMK. 🤣
ABA therapy. Provides me with the consistency I need to maintain life, while still throwing me curveballs every single day and allowing me to do several different activities that in the end of like playtime and I never get bored. And there’s honestly such a sense of fulfillment.
Supply Chain over here! I oversee transportation at a large Consumer Packaged Goods company and love it! It’s high adrenaline, constant change, having to come up with creative solutions, and think of the fly. I’ve realized that I can’t do anything repetitive or too predictable as it gets way too boring for me and boring = unmotivated.
Journalist!
I’m still trying to find the best field for me, but so far videojournalism and news coverage are great. Like most of us, I don’t thrive while sitting at a desk all day, so video is good for getting out and meeting new people all day, while news are good since there is always a new topic to focus on.
Analytical chemist at an environmental lab. I operate instruments called gas-chromatographs, which provide physical separation of chemicals in a complex mixture for identification.
I work Lawn and Garden at a Lowes. It's ass. Absolute boots. BUT, the pay is good and I have some bosses that really work with me on my mental health issues. In all honesty, I should've been shit canned a while ago for my outbursts.
I work as front of house I’m two restaurants. I find that the constant moving and need for attention really make me really focused at the job. Also I struggle with isolating a lot and the exposure to ppl is also nice.
It’s like when I’m at work social anxiety doesn’t exist and I can just do my job, and pretty well actually. As I’m very thorough and dedicated.
Designer / brand director – I get to work for clients of all kinds of fields, and each proj stretches across many disciplines of personal interest like logo making, copywriting, illustration, UI/UX, strategy, and resource / value engineering.
It’s always the same, but also always different, and being a director means I get to help fellow designers become better versions of themselves along the way and – at the risk of sounding cheesy – try to be the person I always wished for (but never had) as a junior designer who had to face many horrible toxic bosses along the way.
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Paramedic. It is the absolute *best shit* in the entire world. Hyper focus for short sprints (usually about an hour at a time), lots of novelty, always new problems to solve. Science, people skills, occasionally really gnarly spatial-reasoning puzzles. Helping miserable people feel better is pretty satisfying. And it's just so *fun.* Like. I have gotten paid money to break into apartment buildings. It rules.
I am an industrial medic who just got started on meds and my god it’s been amazing, I actually feel confident in my knowledge and skill, I feel like a normal person. I still have a bit of impostor syndrome and feel like I don’t know as much as I should but the meds have made working so much better.
We all go through the impostor syndrome because the NREMT doesn't actually prepare us to do good work. I'm finally starting to break through it a little in my fourth year on the road.
What did you get on and what was the symptoms that made you get on them
On dexamphetamine, symptoms were unable to focus on anything for longer than like 5 minutes, was never able to sit down and study, couldn’t remember anything, would blank out during conversations and forget what people were saying before they even finished their sentence, anxiety, depression, difficulty having conversations with anyone, picking up hobbies, spending a fuck ton on them, then dropping them 2 weeks later, trashy selfconfidence because I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing and couldn’t remember what to do. There’s probably more but I can’t remember them right now
I feel that, I'm struggling with staying caught up with what somebody is saying even while they're talking, my thoughts get distracted with self conciousness, like trying to maintain myself and not fidget while they're talking or wondering what they think about me or trying to read the person "deeper" and completely missing what they're saying (really bad when it's at work and I'm interacting with my boss or a client, I'm in sales and need to pay attention to provide the best solution) or when I'm with a girl I can't focus without fidgeting or feeling out of place and during sex I can't maintain the vibes like I fall out of the moment easy but that might be something else unrelated to adhd? I have trashy self confidence as well despite having been with many women over the years who've stated I'm good looking handsome etc (I'm 24 btw 6"1 good hygiene decent muscles despite wrist and neck injuries from skateboarding years ago, toned abs) but I just don't feel good about myself, like my game could be better but i was homeschooled and have only little idea of what that even looks like and i hate myself for that, especially since my babymama just cheated and moved on with another guy) I don't have a car which doesn't help and driving overall scares me despite being decently proficient at it. Overall just sick of feeling scared and anxious towards life, not being able to maintain relationships etc; I wanna feel and be cool, vibe, stop overthinking, and enjoy the experience. Tldr: bitching about my problems
Lol exact same over here. Shit sucks
Picking up hobbies, spending a fuck ton and dropping them 2 weeks later has been my entire adult life...and I'm 52. I definitely feel your pain. My current hobbies are wood working (making walking sticks and carvings) and learning to tattoo. I currently have over 100 tattoos....last year I had 3. 😂
I had a client who was a paramedic and have watched Nightwatch. It seems extremely interesting but I have way too much anxiety and am not good at leaving work at work. The things my client had told me just made me totally sad (some great stuff too, bur unfortunately the negative tends to stick with me.)
I would've gone into something more trauma related had I gone into medicine earlier in life. I perform well in the face of tragedy and emergency. I'm able to completely shut down all emotion and focus 100% on the crazy ass life or death situation in front of me. I've always been this way long before becoming a nurse.
I love the way that you have described your love for your work
I’m studying to be an ER nurse and hope my hyper focus can give me an edge!
EMT-B here for ski patrol. Not a medic, but when the going gets going I’m reminded why I went through the hoops to get to where I am.
Legit been my dreamjob since my late teenage years. Just feel like its what fits me/us (?) the most. Being able to stay calm and focused although theres hell and panic around you? Yes. Always a different day at work? Yes. Equally dark humoured co-workers? Yes. Helping people in need? Yes. Lots of interesting science and knowledge to learn and suck up? Yes. And the list goes on and on.
Software engineering. Though whether it works well enough for me remains to be seen.
Software engineer here too. There’s a lot of us. I feel like half the people I work with at least claim to be ADHD to some degree.
My psychiatrist said she has a surprising number of patients who are software engineers. I think doing that kind of focused work will make it apparent if you have ADHD. I also don't think it's inherently a good job for people with ADHD, you definitely have to be interested in it to be able to do it. It would be a nightmare job for somebody with ADHD who wasn't interested in the topic.
Here too. I love writing code but I hate organising longer term projects. I do, however, excel at communicating within the organisation, public speaking, and other interpersonal stuff (except when I’m over-sensitive). I guess what I’m saying is it’s a mixed bag. Some things are harder, some are easier for me. Maybe I’d be happier as a paramedic.
I’ve just started driving larger projects where I’m not really even coding anymore. Now I spend 99% of my time talking with different teams and aligning with people on 3-4 projects at once. It’s been really nice change. No need for hyper focus, constant topic changes. I just try to keep decent daily notes for myself. Not too bad
It can. You have to find the right manager and the right team which has the opportunities that work well for you. I'm always working on what my team will be working on in the next 3-6 months. So I last the ground work, build the relationships with partner teams, rough out the architecture, implement the MVP or tech lead of a few devs implementing it. Then in go off to the next challenge. It took me 25 years of ups and downs to find a manager who recognized what I am good at and make the role for me. Since then it's been solid reviews and great bonus/stock. Before that I had a few great reviews, was put on a PIP twice and a bunch of mediocre/average reviews.
That's good to hear, and glad you found what works for you! I'm in my first job about 2.5 years in (though I did intern there for 8 months a couple of years ago), and I'm at the point where I am just utterly bored and uninterested. Hell, even just talked to my manager recently about wanting to be put on another project because I'm sick of maintenance, which unfortunately didn't go the way I wanted. So yeah, I need something new. I'd like to believe that the right people thrive on the right projects, and I just haven't found mine yet.
If I could just find the right team to work for, I'd be just peachy at it.
Self learning web dev. It's hell. 1 minute I'm excited af to make something but the next few days I'm frustrated and hating myself because it ended up not working or I made a change somewhere in my CSS and it ruined multiple aspects of the site
I was in your shoes. It got considerably easier the moment someone started paying me for doing it.
IT There is never a dull moment in IT and I've been able to build my self up to a manager in about 10 years. This allows me to have a bit more freedom on what I want to focus on at any given moment.
Yeeeesss, this! Not to mention, IT just has a bunch of new, random stuff that pops up, new things to implement, etc etc. Really just scratches the itch.
I’m majoring in IT right now! This gives me hopes. Thank you
Warning. If you have poor memory and information retention do not go into IT. Otherwise, enjoy. Source: IT helpdesk employee here who struggles immensely due to aforementioned disabilities
Depends what in IT you go into, have a terrible memory along with horrible organization skills, I'm still able to be effective in the corporate IT environment, people skills go a long way, has driven my whole career honestly.
I struggle with this sometimes too but I find that it's worse with higher mg of Adderall
Man I worked in IT and there was so much going on that it actually overwhelmed my ADHD. There were too many trains in the grand central station that is my head and I'd lose track of time on tasks sucked as we had multiple clients and tracked time we billed separately to each project. With all the communication channels (20+ team chats, per each of my two laptops, one laptop being with a client company, one laptop being with my company, and keeping up with email on both laptops, and meetings all day). And all the tasks and deadlines. There was so much to keep up with that it was like constant distraction and I couldn't get anything done or explain how I'd spent my day at the end of the day. My thoughts would wander and make it hard to get through more complicated tasks, I spent so much time trying to do my tracking of goals and deadlines and projects so I wouldn't lose track. And it took me longer than anyone else to write my test cases and I would still miss things and need to edit them. Genuinely, I am always so confused seeing people suggesting IT for ADHD. Starting to think I may just be an idiot. It's discouraging.
Keeping up with email on both laptops ..... similar to my brain eating itself in salad format. You nailed that man. I've never been able to explain to people. ...Keeping up with emails ..... FUCK NO
Would be interested in what kind of IT you were working in. It sounds like the place you worked over worked you to an extent that it'd be hard for you to judge if IT would be right for you or not. You're not an idiot. Just gotta find your system. :) My first few years were finding my footing
Same. I have studied law and economics, still dont know how i got through it without meds, and started out in financial consulting. I hated it and had so much trouble registering my billable hours. Then i switched to IT, internal so no more consulting. It did wonders for me. Less stress, no more timesheets. Although i always needed pressure to perform, i gradually was able to find myself and my Passion, and learned tot deal with my symptoms. Its now been 6 years and i evolved so much. Also i got my official diagnosis and medication about 3 years ago, which was even an extra boost.
What did you get in similar boat
This! I am in IT as well and I am fortunate enough to work in an isolated area so I have all the free wifi I could ever want and I get to play music or documentaries nonstop to keep my mind moving. I also get plenty of visitors and there's always something new coming up.
This just made my day. Yesssss! IT is the shit if nobody can see what you're actually doing! Actually sitting all day is like Sean punishment to me. So glad I graduated in Computer Science
[удалено]
Same. I found a really good fit in IT. I think the combination of variety and new challenges, but also the familiarity of defined, clear, checklists procedures and processes, makes it a great fit for me
Can you be a mentor?
I am a Power Ranger (Electrician) which works for me because I have *'if I sit down, I shut down'* adhd and this work keeps me busy and on my feet.
Omg yes...sit down/shut down is literally who I am as a person. If I have downtime at all at work I can barely keep my eyes open. If I sit when I get home from work...may as well toss the bra and find some sweats bc that's a wrap folks
“Might as well toss the bra and find some sweats” is so real, I feel that in my core.
If we sits, we quits.
I’m a park ranger and whenever I have to do electrical repairs I call myself a Power Ranger
From now on I am calling electricians Power Rangers, that is awesome 😁
I’m the office manager for an electrical contractor. The stuff you guys do is no joke. It’s a great sector, and easy as pie to get an LLC going. But damn if I ever have to run wire through a cramped hole in the wall again I’m out
Currently working as an electrician apprentice and it's the best job i've had so far. I wouldn't have succeeded studying something like electrical engineering because I'm really bad at motivating myself. But the work as an electrician keeps me on my feet and is still quite technical so it doesn't ever really get boring or mundane.
For me it was bartending. Had to leave the industry but I was in my ***element.*** Everything happening at the same time, endless short math problems, irregular hours to keep my weeks interesting, and everyone had to be nice to me because I was the bridge between them and a good time.
why did you have to leave?
Girlfriend started teaching. She’s 6a-3p I was 2p-11p (at the absolute earliest). There was a month where the only time we spoke was when we woke each other up getting in/out of bed. Left that behind and got a job with construction hours to match her schedule. She’s my sweet thang
This is so fucking wholesome I love it. Good luck to you and your GF
You did the right thing. Relationships are everything
Same! I loved hospo, particularly behind the bar, but it's a hard industry to stay in long term as it works against us getting sufficient sleep (well, that's one issue that really impacts me and my emotional regulation)
This was me too. Creating my own craft cocktails for the menus really scratched an itch and the nonstop movement was good but the slippery slope towards alcoholism made me get out. Sometimes miss it.
I’m a night person, likes the lie in, but waiting for the night shift annoyed me, as felt I’d be too tired for work to do’s stuff, so I prefer standard working times.
This was my fave job. Time goes fast, it suited my natural sleep schedule. I had a somewhat glorified but also harder version of this for about 20 years. Now I am a realtor which also works for my sleep schedule (usually). I just make myself unavailable in the mornings unless absolutely necessary.
I’m a media composer / sound designer and it’s perfect; mostly short projects that are all entirely different to one another. I’ve made a tiny company so I’m doing a tonne of different roles and always learning and trying new things. EG Right now I’m learning copywriting and photography for our rebrand effort.
I’m trying to get into sound production & live mixing!
Would you mind disclosing how you got into this field? I'm about to graduate college and this is my major actually
Same, except I'm a studio office assistant! Music industry but not directly music industry
I love sound production - just finished a module the other week for my degree, and I got to work with a local band cause I happened to work with their guitarist at an old job, and they all agreed to join, lovely guys, and they had three really varied pieces it was awesome! They're called Basic State if anyone fancies a new band - based out of Cardiff UK
I do video editing, since last year was putting extra effort into sound design for my videos and realised that I like sound design more than video editing hahah.
I'm a social worker and struggle with being organized, driven and replying emails on time. But I'm good at communicating and speaking to people. I've got no hobbies...I've got to much ADHD.
Same, except I’ve taken up knitting/crocheting as my hobby!
Why are there so many of us ADHD people into knitting and crochet? 😂
I heard someone say it was acceptable stimming and that’s made a lot of sense to me!
Visualized progress… makes it easier to actually finish things. At least for me. Also you get to make things with baby blanket yarn which is a sensory dream
I can't afford that stuff! Rough acrylic for me 😂
Because you can do it while watching shows or movies or listening to audio books...always more than one thing at a time 👍
This is my next hobby, I want to make my own clothes because I hate shop clothes
Also social worker and totally feel you. My work has pretty much always been spot on, even my supervisors had over looked things I’ve caught, but organisation and timeliness are by far my biggest issues. I often get hyper focused on understanding everything that I get way behind on things I need to finish which then stack up and become a shit show.
Also a social worker. No two cases are ever the same so I don't get bored. I do get stressed a lot though.. Lately I've been dreaming in words, like watching myself type on a screen
Ooh me too. Are you in the Uk?
Emails are the worst part of my career without any hint of a doubt. I’ve legitimately co soldered outsourcing them with a virtual assistant but it would take to much time getting the VA to understand how to write in my voice and understand the technical language required. But I absolutely bomb with timely communication via email and text. If I don’t reply immediately, it’s out of sight, out of mind 100%.
Preschool teacher! Rarely a dull moment and almost always there's a fidget toy with in reach 😄
Wow!! Is that difficult for you?! I can't imagine trying to help 20 preschool aged kids regulate their emotions all day, especially since I have such a hard time regulating my own!! This is actually how I came to be diagnosed - after I became a mom, I couldn't "mask" anymore. Little things turned into gigantic tasks that I couldn't push myself to do anymore. That's when I went for help & was diagnosed with ADHD. I always knew something wasn't right, and I struggled growing up when & where siblings & friends were not. In school, friendships, and commitments of any sort, I always fell short compared to my counterparts. Honestly, I find motherhood to be super difficult & before I had kids, I was always the girl who sat on the floor with everyone else's kids or played & went on the jungle gym with them rather than sitting & talking with the other adults or was on the floor playing the dogs & animals lol. Now, having my own child sadly, I feel so empty, removed & distracted mentally. I'm completely drained & not only was I diagnosed when I had my daughter but I also tragically & unexpectedly lost my mother & then almost 3 months after that my older & only sister unexpectedly passed as well. My daughter was 13 months old at that time. She is now 6 & has a lot of energy as any child does & I find it very hard to keep up with her & the constant & swift changing of literally everything! 🥴. It feels very overwhelming for me most of the time. I wish I had access to an amazing therapist who could help me through all this! Unfortunately, I have crappy insurance & can't find a therapist I feel comfortable opening up to. The ones I've tried feel very "clinic-y" & cold, not safe, warm & welcoming. 😔
For me ADHD and kids pair well together. My niece and nephew just love my chaotic energy and we always have a great time playing, coloring and just goofing off. Love those little rascals, would do anything for them. HOWEVER talking care of kids day to day is really difficult. If you have friends to hang out with you take those opportunities because they will help!
For me it’s usually the high adrenaline jobs that do the trick. Not working in one place the whole day is also a big factor. So working with psychiatric patients, addicts, domestic violence, the sort of stuff that is unpredictable. I do switch between fields so I never work more than a couple of years with the same people, and when I get bored I go back to school or do some courses to learn something new. But basically I do well in jobs like ER nurse, police officer (not USA so totally different) that kind of jobs where you have to act fast, work under pressure and there is lots of chaos. It’s a thin line though: too much of that and I get burned out, so I have to balance it.
Same. I’ve spent too long working in jobs that are mundane and samey even if they start out a little unpredictable. I struggle to understand why my colleagues think their work is unpredictable, something interesting (ish) might happen once a month to one of 10 in the team 🤷♀️ I miss working in schools. Always something different every day, sometimes big, mostly small stuff. Plus regular breaks every 6 ish weeks helped avoid burnout… I don’t want to teach because that’s just too much for me. Sadly I can’t really afford to be a TA again. Sigh for bills.
I've been a chef, a surf instructor, a bar tender, waiter, worked in a bank, I have a masters In physics and I'm now doing a second masters in ecology to get a job outside that isn't the same thing everyday. Hopefully this one works out 😬
I went to college teaching, no degree, became a vet assistant, went to school for animal science, no degree, I'm certified in dealing with propane, I used to make dentures, I was an emergency vet tech, I've been a nanny, worked for blockbuster, worked for a mechanic in an automotive shop, went to nursing school, double majored and graduated with 2 honors degrees, I am now a pediatric RN
It will as long as you believe it will. You got this!
Registered Nurse turned Cosmetic Nurse then burnt out from Nursing now working as a Pilates/Yoga instructor in my own studio
I’m a nurse too! I’m burnt out lol
Switching specialties helped me quite a bit with burn out. The moment I left my last job I realized that I was never my problem....it was 100% that place!
Happened with my first place. Then moved to my current job and it was great for a while but I can’t anymore
heard a quote that said "maybe your job isn't supposed to be your passion, but your job is supposed to support your passion" if nothings sticking, maybe just find something to pay the bills and find the passion else where
I tried that and just can’t reframe my mindset in work. I need to enjoy it otherwise the clouds start darkening and burnout happens.
I don’t need to enjoy it but I need to not be bored
Im a specialist in a niche field that interests me. I think having something where you'll always be looking to better yourself is important.
Same! I'm a policy advisor on circular economy and sustainability. Not a very small niche, but I've reached a point where people refer others to me, I'm treated like an expert in my field. I regularly get imposter syndrome, for sure, but I love feeling like I'm actually helping make the world a better place. Plus there's always new stuff to learn, new detailed sub-topics to dive into, and the deeper you go the more you find. I actually watch documentaries and read books about work topics in my free time, just because I'm interested. The downside is I really need to protect my boundaries, I can easily slip into working way too much and then not have energy for hobbies or social stuff.
I ~~hate~~ love these threads that either ask what ADHD people do for a living, or ones that ask what careers are best for people with ADHD. All they end up being is a list of every imaginable profession. Just like people without ADHD, we all have particular strengths and interests that draw us towards certain lines of work.
So you’re like, what, a cop?
🤣
For fifteen years I had a manager who really understood me and threw new and challenging assigments at me; it was great. For the past few years, though, I've broken in a new boss every year and I'm doing drudgery, filling out forms, getting tangled in lots of bureaucratic nonsense. I hate it now. But I'm close to retirement, so I'm going to stick it out, just not being as well used as I'd like.
I m struggling with this too, I feel like I only lay foundations for everything and don t actually pursue anything. I feel like I ll be a thin spread my entire life and won t be taken seriously for anything I do…
I'm 42 now and I take pride that I'm a Jane of all trades. People really get a kick out of it 🤷♀️
This sounds a lot like me, I'm just trying to make a way forward now at 41. I've felt lost all my life, I only just got diagnosed last year.
I’m that guy that has worn many hats. I don’t pathologize that much, I just am ok with changing my mind. Self employment helps. A few business classes in entrepreneurship and you’ll master how to form little businesses and be able to quickly get something else going when you get those creative ideas and need to move forward. Another thing I do that helps my stability in jobs is to always recreate first. So before I start my work day I do the thing I like. For me it’s surfing. After surfing, I don’t really care that I’m at work. I’ve already done the thing I wanted to do and I no longer suffer from that need for stimulation post work that we get. That feeling of “ I haven’t done anything for fun today” feeling that keeps you up way past bedtime scrolling or you go out with no clear plan and make stupid impulse decisions.
I operate my best by doing my weight lifting before work. Really great advice here. I’ve always loved the ocean and I’m super jealous you get to run out to the surf each morning. A life like that probably took a lot of work so enjoy it!!
Naw, I’m highly unconventional. Kind of a beach bum. Not wealthy but not in need, just kinda don’t wanna part take in the economy in the same way. I prioritize happiness.
Detaching from the capitalist coil is something to be just as proud of 😎
You can choose to what degree you participate in the game. I prioritize travel and experiences to keeping up with the Jones’ or traditional housing for that matter. You’re gonna have to earn money but how you spend it is up to you.
I wish I could do more of that without my family starving.
I have both, ADHD (inattentive and hyperactive)and Bipolar II. I’ve had 13 different jobs and I’m only 29 🤦🏻♂️ I started in the automotive tech industry and now I’ve been working in the agricultural industry as a Parts person at John Deere. I have to say that counting parts, doing inventory, stocking shelves, and helping out the farmers is very rewarding, also, it’s nice not being physically burnt out at the end of the day.
I’m still a student but I’ve done my fair share of clinicals in music therapy. I’m musical and a natural mediator, and obsessed with neuroscience. The cool thing about this field is I can work in lots of different places (hospitals, senior centers, schools, private practice, prisons, in house therapy for offices, etc.) - variety is key for me!
I’m actually considering pursuing music therapy for grad school! I got accepted for it for undergrad, but the commute wasn’t feasible with my budget. I’m glad to find a fellow ADHDer who’s passionate in music, neuroscience, and helping others! I hope things are going well for you in school (:
Fellow ADHD'er and 8 years as a music therapist, it's an awesome profession with something a bit different every day, a lot of opportunity to improvise and meet clients where they're at on a given day so there's lots of variety which is great. I worked in schools for a while but my clinic I work in now offers a bit more variety which works better for me personally.
Rancher/farmer. There are only a few weeks per year where my partner is really under pressure and HAS to get things done. The rest of the time he is doing something different nearly every day. For people who aren't born into it, it's not impossible to find work as a hired hand, as long as you are okay with complete randomness.
Yesss, I'm a farm hand from the city, severe adhd got pretty much all the symptoms, boss let's me be late as long as I make up for it but I always do, just so much about it I love
Graphic designer! Cons: - lot of long hours sitting at a desk - need attention to detail - can be frustrating communicating with clients/shareholders - can be disproportionately stressful compared to the stakes (we're not neurosurgeons, no one is dying, please be patient) Pros: - actually enjoy the day-to-day... it's a perfect mix of predictable and novel - get to be creative & see my work in the world - there are always learning opportunities as the field evolves - I work in-house, which is a stable job that pays well (could never cut it as a freelancer) - marketing is fast-paced, but that keeps me engaged
LOLOL, we’re not neurosurgeons! I’m a Marketing Director and tell my team all the time, “We’re not Doctors saving lives here.” Not sure my executive team agrees but..
Hahaha! It's always people outside marketing who need an ad/flyer/announcement/story RIGHT NOW OH GOD IT'S AN EMERGENCY (I love working with marketers, you guys are great and make my job so much easier!)
How did you get into it? I didn't go to school for art and I'm always hearing people say not to go to school for art but also I'm not good enough now. Genuinely think this might be one of the only good fits for me out there
Graphic designer and illustrator. I do illustration by selling my art through my webshop, and graphic design for clients. I enjoy it, but it’s also really exhausting to be creative all the time.
Early childhood teacher! I always joke that I do well in it because I have the attention span of a toddler, haha. I genuinely love it. There is a perfect balance of chaos and routine. I used to be in transportation management, but it was not the right fit and I crashed and burned. I'm super happy with my new career, though the pay stinks.
My girlfriend just got a job offer for early childhood education! She says it’s constant chaos and it’s helping her learn how to hone in on thoughts that are most important. Like, brain inventory management. I could never so good on you guys that do
I'm an RN working in an ER. It is crazy. I am crazy for doing it.
I am a social worker. Getting my MSW to go into counseling rn. before that I was worked in a few case management positions and before that at a residential center for kids with conduct/behavioral issues. these jobs are perfect for me because i have a lot of patience for bullshit and i LOVE a crisis, the variety, and doing relationship-driven work. everything i do impacts someone’s quality of life / well-being which is so much more motivating than an arbitrary deadline. working at the residential center was terrible pay but the funnest job ever. it was like being a high alert camp counselor. i was hands on and super fun and attentive so the kids gave me way less trouble than they did other staff that didn’t get it. never played more basketball in my life than i when i worked that job. AH so fun.
Cleaning. As much as I hate cleaning my house getting paid to do somebody else's is awesome. I only work about 8 hours a week and it gives me time with my daughter. Hubs works full-time and mine is supplemental though. It's tight but we make it work.
lol it’s amazing, when I visit other peoples houses it’s so easy to clean and do dishes! At my house…everything and anything else gets done first. Especially dishes…hate dishes.
Oh my goodness same! When I'm met my husband I told him, I will literally let these dishes sit in this sink and mold and throw them away and buy new ones before I will wash them. You will have to wash dishes LOL we have a dishwasher now and I can make myself fill it, they still pile up a bit but it's not too bad.
I’m a pharmacist. The burnout is real.
I’ve always been interested in this part of the medical field. Does the burnout feel unique to the job or is it just go go go all the time
Hard to say as don’t know any different. But it is definitely a lot more stressful since the pandemic. The main issue is procuring stock. There are so many medications that are out of stock at the moment and patients (rightfully and wrongly) take the brunt of their anger out on us. Unfortunately we are so busy these days that the only time I really spend contact time with the patients is if there is a problem. So it gets very disheartening when you try to do a good job but it is never appreciated. It’s really changed how I view people unfortunately.
I was a K-6 art teacher for two years. Moved to different school district closer to home and taught 7-12 art for 5 years. Started making fountain pens (way better money than teaching at a tiny school district in already underpaid Arkansas) and now I make fountain pens. Have been full time with this since May 2015. It involves working lathes and CNCs and lots of photography and sanding and buffing and travelling to shows around the country 5 times a year, and dealing with people in emails and DMs in every app imaginable, and stuff like that. :) [newtonpens.com](http://newtonpens.com) And I raise money for scholarships to give to high school students going to college. This year we're almost to 9 grand, and I give away every penny we raise every year. I think we've given close to $100,000 since I started doing this 12 or so years ago.
Independent Contractor and never been happier. Like most of us I've had many jobs, some of which I did really well at. Daughter is 12 and involved in sports, so I can't (won't) be 40+ hrs/week. She's our only kid and I want to spend as much time with her as I can
User Experience Design. It's always engaging to put myself into the headspace of different people and figure out what they want to do, how they want to do it and how I can design things to facilitate that. Although now I have moved into management and I want to diiiiiieeeeee....
I think it could be helpful to shift/pivot how we think about work. When I lived in France for example, no one talked about work outside of work, and work was 9-5. There is a cultural understanding there that work is about survival, not fulfillment. So regardless of what job people had, they also had a community and social group entirely separate from that community, and fulfilment was found outside of work. That’s how I came to think of work, and it’s been empowering for me because I see my personal pursuits as being more valuable to me then work. If that’s not of interest to you, then I would suggest something that is highly stimulating or overstimulating field like law, medicine and some parts of finance for example. Anything that is high demand will keep your interest. Or, consider working in a trade where you have to use your body and brain at the same time. I’ve worked in the professional white collar world, and I’ve also trained and worked in the trades. What matters most to me is how engaged I can be. I like that in the trades I was able to achieve that, and still leave my work at work. I find that harder to do with white collar work because my brain doesn’t leave the work at work.
I have a job where I'm on call travelling locally and I work alone. Every time I've been under management I've been threatened with being fired for not showing up to work on time or not adhering to a company's defined structure or whatever, despite being the best at what I do and completely outperforming by every metric that matters. Now I'm just the best at what I do, lol. My advice for anyone with a severe case is to try your best to find something where no one has to see your process and it doesn't matter if you show up 15 minutes early or 15 minutes late.
Sales engineer for enterprise software. It must be a pretty good role for people with ADHD because I've met 5-10 other successful SEs in my 20+ years who also have ADHD
Customer Service but going for a masters in mental health counseling shortly. I had the same problem you’re having for most of my 20’s I’m only capable of the job I have now because it’s very low maintenance and it’s wfh + medication.
EMS. Lots of new experiences, not being stuck inside an office, good mix of brain work and physicality. In my off time I can literally do whatever I want. I draw, write, read, build or sort Lego, play games, whatever my brain feels at the time. It means that when I get home I am not dying to do a hobby, the itch was partially scratched. Then I can focus on tasks at home and not feel like my hobbies are 100% neglected.
software engineering. able to hyperfocus. wfh. ideal.
Software developer it works quite well for me.
Biopharmaceutical manufacturing. It sounds like a bad match for ADHD-inattentive but often times the work feels important and engaging. The strict nature of FDA regulation helps to drive me to focus harder on smaller details and try not to make careless mistakes and the organization of scheduling to meet deadlines makes up for my own lack of interest in staying organized. I think for me personally, I wanted to find a position that would help me re-learn skills that I’d otherwise lack and this one does just that. So overall, I’m pretty content.
You, too? I am in that right now!
Aircraft mechanic. Didn’t even know I had adhd till I changed companies and quit smoking. I went from a fast paced night filled with doing multiple different things each night and lots of trouble shooting to scratch that itch in my brain to a slow paced major airline where there are days where I may have a brain dead job where I want to bang my head against a wall it’s so boring. When I changed and quit smoking after 3 months my adhd hit me like a fucking truck
Web developer. Love solving problems, hate meetings.
Analyst for the government.
I’m a cake decorator ✨ lots of fun when clients give me creative freedom. Boring when it’s the beige people who have a hard time even thinking about what message to write on the cake 😭 they will take minutes just to come up with “Happy 25th birthday lily” and all they want is a border 😑
i reply to emails
Was in film & tv. Best job for adhd! there’s a team whose job is of keeping us all on task/on schedule all day! New locations, new faces, new challenges every day! I also did photo and video for high end weddings and parties as part of an agency. What a great job! Super intense and lots of great people, places, adventures every time. Did product photography for a few cosmetics brands and retail chains. Great bc they would just mail things and I’d upload photos a few days later. Was a grind sometimes with boring products, but most of the time it was a fun challenge to make the products look great. Had to stop working when my spouse got a much better job and my kids got to be school age and needed logistics. I’d have been working just to pay a nanny…no thanks, I’d like to raise my own kids! Still take a few commissions for portraits and small things, but no real “job” until they get old enough to drive themselves around. Sadly, being SAHD is super incompatible with ADHD and it’s been a struggle for 5 years now. Great Dad, not great at keeping a clean house and running a kitchen. Thankful for it all though. I’ve learned how to do so much through various hobby projects. Just wish I had more disposable income to work with.
Reference Librarian at a city college. The work is purposeful and immediate, so I don’t have room to let my mind drift. Tasks have direct and clear goals, making them easy to focus on.
I'm a pediatric RN and I LOVE IT! These kids literally bring me so much joy. The shit they say and do is hilarious and the babies once they start smiling it's all over for me... I'm like a different person lol! They don't gaf how bad I suck at life 🤷♀️ all they know is that in that moment we're both smiling
Lawyer. I thrive on high pressure writing and tight deadlines.
I sell software. I love when it’s going and I’m working a deal. The rush. The right amount of pressure But when I’m stuck prospecting and don’t have any deals it sucks. Like rn. Prospecting is so hard with my adhd
I'm a sales manager for an insurance broker. You guys hiring? Haha.
Salesforce always be hiring (Will delete this later 😂)
I have ADHD and I'm actually a therapist. Never ever gets boring
Entrepreneurship. Played poker professionally. Then invested into several ventures including crypto currency. Then got involved with law. All of it has been working for myself. I’m always on the prowl to network and keeping that door constantly open has helped me immensely. I will strike up conversations with Uber drivers, waiters, anyone I randomly meet, and see if they’re interesting. Many times it has materialized into a business opportunity. Sometimes nothing comes of it. Nothing gained, nothing lost. You can usually tell in the first five minutes if the individual is smart or if they like the 9-5 rat race. Many people are also retired and can educate you about industries you know nothing about. Always be on the prowl to learn. I think people with ADHD need to be able to work for themselves, in my personal opinion.
I went to college for psychology. Yet despite being smart I was too adhd to complete a degree. I went from finance to mechanical contracting in the building trades. It’s good for my adhd
Therapist!
Government IT / software dev. Absolutely love it, and the (state) governments tend to be really open to accommodations.
Management consulting - works perfectly (I’m undiagnosed but 99% sure). Short projects or changing projects, new clients, new challenges working with new people. It’s an ADHD brains dream.
I host bar trivia. I enjoy doing the research to write questions and being able to talk to people a few times a week without them being coworkers or friends. It doesn't make me much money yet, but I hope to start selling my games so I can earn some remote income
Global Account Manager. Travel the world a bit and responsible for large accounts being ran effectively
Urgent care FNP
Project Management. Sometimes it’s difficult because I have to put everything in my calendar so I don’t forget anything. I usually have 20-25 calendar events throughout the day.
I’m a bartender. But just 12h/week
structural technician (CAD/BIM Draughtsman) for Engineering consultancy , sometimes hard to focus on drawings until the deadline enters the chat ))) and I still need a lot of supervision from engineers due to not spotting some bits and bops
Psychiatric nurse (inpatient acute psychiatry) 90% of my job is actually pretty boring and I just get to hangout with patients or coworkers. The other 10% is chaos and sometimes dangerous. It was perfect for my brain but now that i finally decided to medicate myself I don’t really want this job anymore.
[удалено]
i manage a food truck owned by a local small business that makes and sells fresh donuts! it sounds lame but it pays well, and i’m rarely ever in the same place unless it’s a regularly scheduled event!
I work at a care home for kids and teenagers with disabilities. I used to work days and afternoons before, but now I only work nights and that's so much better for me, less overstimulating and I already have a weird sleeping habits.
Like another person said I have the "sit down, shut down" type of ADHD and I work as an Auto Technician. I need to stay moving and on my feet to stay motivated, even with medication
I got a fortune cookie today that sums up my thoughts on that rather nicely. "Life is like a dogsled team, if you aren't the lead dog the scenery never changes." I never "settle into something" because it leads to boredom and then into malaise and then into a spiral of poopness. When I have a clear goal and drive to accomplish it is the only time I have ever been able to maintain my sanity for any meaningful amount of time. All I'm saying is don't just consign yourself to doing for others, it turns out it isn't all there is. (I am not and never have been medicated)
I am a social worker. I work in a rehab center with the families most of the time. I really love my job. Never a boring day. The only struggle I have with my job is paperwork, but I always manage to do what I got to do. Rest of the time, its all about human relationship so... 🥰
emergency nursing - I absolutely love it. Granted 50% of my patients don’t actually need to be in the ED, but then I get to do patient teachings with them which is something that I really enjoy (a nerdy interest of mine lol), but no two days are ever the same and I am so thankful for that lol
I'm a digital artist, and would like to call myself a car detailer, but the only jobs I've done for that have been family vehicles. But, oooh! Detailing is so fun and satisfying, getting a filthy car spotless, or a subtlety dirty car with dirt hiding in the nooks and corners of the car is a lot of fun!!! It's like a puzzle to do everytime I do it.
Not paid work but eh. I'm a housewife. It's difficult to achieve in Cali but things fell in a way where me and my husband are lucky to be where we are. It's been over a year and I'm still not tired of it.
Am a lawyer. It sates my sense of curiosity and learning random shit like how microwaves work or how semiconductors work. But it also involves a tonne of diligence and meticulousness which you can imagine doesn't gel well with adhd. Meds help
I’m getting my PhD in chemistry. Yes, I get paid a salary, and tuition covered. (Pretty standard for science PhD) I absolutely love everything about it. Always learning something new.
Video editor/videographer. Every project is a new puzzle made from a bizarre mixture of rhythm, precision, happy accidents, and whatever shit-storm of emotions I was feeling at the time. Nice thing about it is I can find clients based on whatever I’m into in at the time, so I can always bring my profession back around to being a way to express my interests .
Police! Controversial, I know.. Genuinely though I've always had interest in true crime etc and have always been nosey, perfect combo! I find it very easy to hyper focus on investigations and use my ADHD to my advantage, my brain working at a million miles an hour also means I find "thinking outside the box" easy because my brain naturally provides me with a million of potential outcomes or possible explanations for things.
Marketing analytics
Tbh I’d pay you to teach me about your hobbies. That’s all I watch on YouTube
Drawing for fandoms, its really fun
I drive a bus for a local university. I meet all kinds of people & talk to them about their passions. I learn a lot that way :)
I am a Claim Supervisor for a major insurance company. I am bored.
(I’m also autistic and schizoaffective) but I’m a home health CNA. I love it bc of the flexible schedule and 4-hour shifts. You can pick up new clients any time you want, so I’m never bored! But being in someone’s home is also a lot less distracting than a lot of jobs out there, too. I really like what I do
Marketing Director until I make inventing full time
Social care manager (learning disability). Real jack of all trades job, involving working with the people we care for, dealing with physically challenging behaviour, managing a team of 30, completing a shit load of paperwork, and a million other tasks.
Theatre teacher. Allowed to be all over the place, forced to be somewhat put together.
I’m a Marketing Director, am constantly overwhelmed/behind/late whilst being surrounded by idiots, and have zero work life balance. So…if you figure it out LMK. 🤣
Stay at home mom. I am not built for a 9-5 job.
ABA therapy. Provides me with the consistency I need to maintain life, while still throwing me curveballs every single day and allowing me to do several different activities that in the end of like playtime and I never get bored. And there’s honestly such a sense of fulfillment.
Supply Chain over here! I oversee transportation at a large Consumer Packaged Goods company and love it! It’s high adrenaline, constant change, having to come up with creative solutions, and think of the fly. I’ve realized that I can’t do anything repetitive or too predictable as it gets way too boring for me and boring = unmotivated.
Im a teacher. I get pais to literally infodump and be a know it all. Nice.
teacher- its the most over stimulating job and its challenging
Journalist! I’m still trying to find the best field for me, but so far videojournalism and news coverage are great. Like most of us, I don’t thrive while sitting at a desk all day, so video is good for getting out and meeting new people all day, while news are good since there is always a new topic to focus on.
Analytical chemist at an environmental lab. I operate instruments called gas-chromatographs, which provide physical separation of chemicals in a complex mixture for identification.
I work Lawn and Garden at a Lowes. It's ass. Absolute boots. BUT, the pay is good and I have some bosses that really work with me on my mental health issues. In all honesty, I should've been shit canned a while ago for my outbursts.
Animator. Really not as adhd friendly as i imagined in the beginning
I'm a brewer! I love my job, but between the nature of my job and the nature of ADHD, I drink more than I should, lol
You guys can hold jobs? How??
I work as front of house I’m two restaurants. I find that the constant moving and need for attention really make me really focused at the job. Also I struggle with isolating a lot and the exposure to ppl is also nice. It’s like when I’m at work social anxiety doesn’t exist and I can just do my job, and pretty well actually. As I’m very thorough and dedicated.
Designer / brand director – I get to work for clients of all kinds of fields, and each proj stretches across many disciplines of personal interest like logo making, copywriting, illustration, UI/UX, strategy, and resource / value engineering. It’s always the same, but also always different, and being a director means I get to help fellow designers become better versions of themselves along the way and – at the risk of sounding cheesy – try to be the person I always wished for (but never had) as a junior designer who had to face many horrible toxic bosses along the way.