Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace
At 360DG, unique perspectives and divergent thinking inspire innovation and fuel creativity. However, being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world can present obstacles, especially when that workplace is in the fast-paced industry of meetings and events. That’s why we polled our staff to get the low-down on the tips, tricks, and tools they use to turn common challenges into superpowers. One of our staff said: “As someone who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, I would’ve loved an article like this while navigating the hospitality world!” Well, we’re more than happy to deliver. 😎 Here are some ways to embrace being neurodivergent in the workplace.
Getting (And Keeping) Your Ducks in a Row
Whether you have ADHD, OCD, or just struggle to stay organized, this list is for you!
- Make a detailed to-do list! Start by writing your list in a stream-of-consciousness style to get it down on paper. Then, reorganize it by priority. Finally, break each item into micro-tasks; for example, try breaking “Do Laundry” down into “Wash Clothes,” “Dry Clothes,” and “Put Clothes Away.” Those with ADHD often struggle with low dopamine levels, which trigger feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. Guess what? You’ll get a little dopamine boost whenever you check something off your list! More micro-tasks = more dopamine. That’s an equation any brain can get behind.
- Use your Outlook or Google Calendar to block off focus time during your day. Set the events as “Tentative” or “Free” so others know they can set a meeting with you if they need to.
- Email is great for communication, but it’s not the best way to track what you need to do. A to-do list app (like Todoist) lets you copy and paste action items from your email into a tracker that you can edit and reorganize throughout the day.
- Balancing client, vendor, and internal meetings can feel like a full-time job. Color-coding to the rescue! Using different colors for various types of calls or meetings can help keep things straight and let you know who you’re talking to at a glance. Color-coding tasks based on priority is also super helpful!
- Are you losing track of time? Ring the alarm! By setting a timer or alarm on your phone, you can stay on schedule and start to understand how long things really take you. Time blindness, a common trait among neurodivergent folks, means that tasks often seem shorter than they are. Making time “visible” this way is a great method to stay on track!
- When navigating neurodiversity in the workplace, feeling overwhelmed can often lead to anxiety that gets in your way in a big way. If you are juggling projects or working on a high-priority proposal, make a daily schedule for yourself the night before. Only include what you can control and leave room for unknowns or random requests. Oh, and don’t forget to schedule time to eat and hydrate! Those of us who are neurodivergent tend to get hyper-focused on tasks and can ignore hunger or thirst cues for hours.
- Give yourself the time you need to get the job done right. If you have dyslexia, set a deadline a day or two before the client-facing deadline. This way, you can proof (and reproof) documents and proposals with fresh eyes to ensure you don’t miss anything.
Tips for Keeping Your Cool While Navigating Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Even those of us in the extroverted world of hospitality can experience social anxiety or difficulties relating to others. Here are some of the ways we take the stress out of our day-to-day lives.
- One of our colleagues said it best: “Remember to give yourself grace. We live and work in a world designed for and by neurotypical people.” Preach!
- When your anxiety builds up, take some time to meditate, do yoga, or pray. Getting away from your desk for a quick 15-minute mindfulness break will get your brain back on track.
- Some of us prefer to prepare for social interactions. If an unexpected call comes through, don’t try to power through your anxiety. Instead, send it to voicemail, read the transcription, or listen to the message, and then reach back out when you’re ready to help!
- Video calls are the new norm in hybrid and remote work cultures, but if making eye contact or facing the camera triggers anxiety, try scheduling a phone call instead. If you do need to hop on video, try openly sharing that turning off your camera allows you to focus better. Also, give yourself a 10 to 15-minute buffer between meetings to decompress and prep for the next one.
Brain Hacks to Boost Productivity
Remember when we said you could turn your challenges into superpowers? Consider this list for your starter kit (cape not included).
- Habit stacking is a great way to incorporate a new habit into your routine. For example, if you already have a habit of checking your email first thing in the morning, you can stack a new habit on top of this by setting a 5-minute timer to clean out your inbox immediately after.
- Need help getting motivated? First, try conquering the more difficult tasks, like pricing, and then use the fun tasks, like decor concepts, as a reward!
- Sometimes, the best way to conquer your challenges is to embrace them! If you have trouble focusing, allow for time throughout the day to let your mind wander by researching something you find interesting. You can also listen to music or have a favorite TV show in the background to harness your inner multi-tasking magic. Lo-Fi music (Spotify or YouTube) and binaural beats (YouTube) can induce a calm, meditative state that lets you tune out your anxiety and fine-tune your focus! Noise-canceling headphones also filter out distracting background sounds.
- In addition to not letting yourself go hungry or thirsty, eating nutritious foods throughout the day is vital. Gut health directly impacts serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for boosting your mood. Ensure you get enough protein in your diet to keep your energy up, as opposed to relying too much on caffeine, which can trigger anxiety.
- Start your day by brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand. This practice tricks your brain into waking up faster and fires up those neurons we need to make it through the day!
Trusty Tech and Tools
When a to-do list just doesn’t do it, here are some sidekicks you can add to your arsenal to achieve your objectives and crush your goals.
- Invest in office supplies that work for you! If you find clacking keyboards distracting or irritating, invest in a quiet digital keyboard.
- One app was mentioned more than any other in response to this article: OneNote. Many on our team consider OneNote a game-changer. Setting up tabs for different focus areas allows you to organize even your most random thoughts and reference them when needed.
- Fidget spinners and push-pop bubble fidget sensory toys aren’t just for kids! Keep one on your desk and play with it on calls or throughout the day if you feel overwhelmed or find your mind scattered.
- The task functions in Outlook and Google Calendar are not-so-secret weapons in the daily lives of busy event professionals.
- Take advantage of AI by using Amazon Alexa or Siri to set reminders for yourself. This way, if you can’t do something now, you won’t forget.
- While Outlook and Teams are great tools, they can also be distracting. If you need to focus and be present, try turning notifications off on your phone so you don’t get pulled away from what you need to work on.
Help Others Help You
While neurodivergent folks take on the responsibility of managing their challenges, teamwork makes the dream work. Here are a few tips you can use to help others understand your needs and take action!
- When implementing corporate training or career learning and development, give the people what they want! Some folks learn better listening, others want to watch a video, and some prefer reading to absorb information. Supporting neurodiversity in the workplace by accommodating different learning styles helps everyone engage with new information in a way that works best for them.
- Incorporating visual cues in your emails makes them more scannable and accessible. Bullet points, numbered lists, and bold or underlined headlines are your friends! Instead of writing long-winded paragraphs, follow up a meeting with something like the following (Yes, you can copy and paste this into your next email. We won’t tell.):
General Feedback:
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- Item 1
- Item 2
Actionable – Existing Items:
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- Item 1
- Item 2
Actionable – New Items:
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- Item 1
- Item 2
- Enable your colleagues to have quiet or focus time. Before you schedule a meeting, check and see if the person has time to eat, rest, and recharge between your session and the next or the one prior. If not, find another time and avoid over-scheduling anyone.
- Listen with empathy! If a team member shares their diagnosis with you, don’t judge them. Instead, hear them out and find ways to make their lives easier to support them. A little understanding goes a long way!
Are you feeling empowered? We hope so! At 360DG, we celebrate the power of neurodiversity in the workplace and the unique strengths it brings to our team. If you’d thrive in our inclusive and dynamic workplace, check out our careers page!
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