ADHD and Overworking

Many ADHD sufferers are prone to working themselves to exhaustion. This might be because of high-stakes work environments where your job requires you to exert extra effort to meet deadlines, complete tasks, or achieve goals.

If neurotypical work colleagues struggle with work demands, then those who struggle with ADHD will typically struggle even more. The effort it takes to mask your symptoms, focus on tasks, and ignore distractions can be physically and emotionally draining. Many jobs are hard to leave behind at the end of the workday.

Overwork can affect anyone, but it affects those with ADHD in unique ways. The average person might experience symptoms of overwork in the form of an overstimulated nervous system, heightened emotions, changes to appetite, and interrupted sleep.

People with ADHD experience many of these symptoms during any average workday due to nervous systems that are wired differently and brains that are in a constant state of processing stimuli that might not even register in the neurotypical brain. The effort it takes to mask or manage ADHD symptoms is physically and emotionally taxing.

This makes it all the more important for those with ADHD to develop strategies to cope with work pressures and avoid overwork. You need the right amount of sleep, downtime, and non-work-related interests to ensure good mental health. Some strategies will be a case of trial and error because everyone is different. However, there are certain things that every person who struggles with ADHD can try to keep from being drained by work.

Highflyers

Some people are naturally anxious achievers. From childhood, they have been motivated to give their best in any and every circumstance, to the point that not achieving the best results feels like failure. These people have focused, serious, and ready-for-action personalities. They might find it difficult to compartmentalize their work life from their home life, and they will likely struggle with boundaries.

When this personality type has to deal with ADHD along with everything else, it can make for a difficult and exhausting combination. Such people naturally seek challenge and stimulation, so rising to the task and meeting difficult deadlines might be an alluring prospect.

The phrase “biting off more than you can chew” comes to mind with these types, as they tackle projects with great gusto, only to succumb to the regular ADHD struggles with concentration, focus, and task switching.

Fear of Failure

There is often a fear of failure lurking beneath the surface of many go-getters. A lot of the time, their drive to achieve and take on challenges is less about the satisfaction of a job well done and more about a fear of not achieving or being seen as competent. Of course, a person might be both driven to achieve and afraid to fail, but generally, one motivation will take over and be the driving force.

The fear of failure in those with ADHD is often more complex than in their neurotypical counterparts. The average ADHD individual often fears failure related to their diagnosis. For example, they might take on a project knowing that they will struggle to finish it or meet the deadline due to concentration issues.

When they push themselves to breaking point to finish the task in time, it is partly because they are hardworking, but also because they are afraid of being seen as less competent or afraid of letting their diagnosis impact their work performance.

It’s common for people with ADHD to feel like they are playing catch-up with coworkers and peers whose productivity is not affected by a neurological trait. It can feel as if you are running simply to stay in one place while the people around you walk at a leisurely pace only to overtake you.

Over time, anxiety and fear tend to build to a breaking point, resulting in an emotional crash of sorts. The worst part is that many who overwork know that they have underlying fear and anxiety, much of which is attached to their ADHD. They simply don’t know what to do about it.

The Outcome of Overworking

Being successful feels great. It is a feeling that makes up for all the blood, sweat, and tears you put into a task. To be on a winning streak, despite challenges related to ADHD, is exhilarating and can feel almost intoxicating at times.

This is one of the reasons that those who overwork are often described as workaholics. Continuously pursuing the high of achievement can become a form of addiction. Perfectionism, driven by ADHD, can become an obsession, striving for results that are unattainable or, at least, unsustainable.

At what cost? Eventually, there will be indicators that your lifestyle has become imbalanced and potentially dangerous for your health. Success and achievements begin to feel hollow. Life becomes an endless series of meetings, deadlines, submissions, and reminders.

No matter how hard you try to switch your mind to other things at night, you find yourself awake and thinking of everything you need to do. This begins to impact your workdays as you find yourself exhausted and uninspired, drained by overthinking and anxiety.

You might become increasingly short-tempered and snappy, even around those you love. These aggressive, knee-jerk responses often result in shame, regret, and frustration for you, but they happen because you are not finding anything joyful or inspiring in life. If it feels like you are living to work rather than working to live, you need a change.

The Power of Breaks

There is power in taking breaks. Individuals with ADHD tend to become hyper-focused on small tasks and big projects. When you get into a hyper-focused mode, you will work until you have no energy remaining. Taking breaks can work on a micro-scale, in terms of breaking up the task you are doing at the moment, or on a larger scale, taking time out of your month or year to get a change of scenery in the form of a vacation or weekend getaway.

A healthy rule of thumb is to plan hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly breaks. Planning typically does not come naturally for those with ADHD, who often prefer to do things spontaneously. However, learning how to take breaks will help you in the long run.

Regular breaks will help you refocus and refresh while reminding you that life is about more than work.

What do these breaks look like? Taking breaks daily and even hourly is important because it keeps you refreshed and reenergized. Some tasks can be absorbing, and your tendency as someone with ADHD might be to power through to the end of it in one go.

Your body and brain need refreshment, even when it feels like you could work longer. Getting some fresh air, a healthy snack, having a short conversation with a coworker, and looking away from screens for a bit can go a long way to keeping you refreshed.

Incorporating mindfulness into your day with a breathing exercise or tuning into your senses while taking a short walk can work wonders for reducing anxiety and increasing productivity. Interrupting your flow and breaking your concentration might feel frustrating at first, but taking a break has a calming effect on your nervous system when work is intense and you’re pulled in multiple directions, not unlike a car engine cooling after running for a long time.

Keep your weekend sacred and try to do as many non-work-related activities as possible. The occasional day off mid-week can be positive, too. Try to plan at least one holiday a year where you travel and get out of your everyday situation. You can just as easily accomplish healthy goals by exploring new places, eating different cuisines, and enjoying other cultures.

Nurture your relationships outside of work. Take time for community and fellowship. Overworking can cause you to feel like you don’t have the energy for social connection. Although many people do need time alone to recharge, when we’re overworked and exhausted, it may be tempting to isolate and avoid the human connection we all need. Allow yourself downtime, but even if you have to force yourself, make the effort to connect with friends or family.

Getting Help

Many people are prone to overworking for different reasons, but those with ADHD mostly overwork because they are trying to mask their symptoms or keep pace with their neurotypical colleagues. It is possible to break up your ADHD hyperfocus by taking regular breaks. This will stimulate your brain and keep you refreshed. It’s a good idea to be intentional with daily and weekly breaks, as well as monthly and yearly breaks.

Dealing with ADHD can be a lonely and frustrating experience, but there are counselors out there ready and willing to talk with you. Although reaching out to schedule that first appointment may feel intimidating, counseling isn’t a scary thing; it can be as simple as sharing your thoughts and experiences with someone who understands.

If you wish, counselors can also provide strategies to manage work stresses and ADHD challenges, helping you to find balance in a busy life. If you would like to begin counseling, reach out to our offices today. We will connect you with a counselor who can help.