Hello--
Dr. H. Hello Brains!
Did he-
Did he just..
Hello Brains! *giggles*
This is the second part of our Dr. Hallowell interview
where we talk about how those with us with ADHD can find and keep, a job that's right for us.
If you haven't seen the first part of the interview, you can watch it here!
So, here you go! Edward, roll the tape.
You said that two of the most important things in life for somebody with ADHD
is to find the right partner, which I don't know if anybody can tell anybody how to do. *Laughs*
but finding the right job is also really important, too,
and I've noticed that for myself.
I've felt like a failure most of my life and now that I'm doing this,
it, it just taps into something different, its right for me and I'm succeeding in a way that I never could before.
Dr H: So many of the problems folks with ADHD have derive from one or the other:
they're with the wrong person intimately or they're in the wrong job professionally
and don't sell yourself short if you're not feeling fulfilled in your job.
Don''t quit your job, but start looking for another one while you hold on to your old job, you know.
And, you really need a creative outlet. I found this,
the reason I write so many books, I'm just finishing my 20th book,
if I don't have a book going, I get depressed,
and I've found that's true for most people with ADHD.
You need to find a creative outlet, you need a way of exercising that creative gift that most of us do tend to have.
And you found it with your youtubing.
Jessica: But the channel, yeah, well, it's working well for me, but the people that haven't found that yet-
are there any jobs or careers that you recommend for people with ADHD?
Or are there any strengths that-
Dr H:Well, a good self assessment for a career: draw three circles.
Circle number one is what you really love to do.
And just put everything in that circle that you really love to do.
Gardening, sleeping, you know, everything you really love to do, put in that circle.
Then, the next circle is everything you're really good at doing.
Drawing maps, throwing a baseball, whatever.
And then the third circle, is what someone will pay you to do. So where those three circles overlap,
that should be your career. You combine what you love to do, what you're good at doing,
and someone will pay you to do.
And it's a good way of kind of redirecting, you know, where you should put your efforts.
Jessica: Something I've noticed with people with ADHD, is sometimes even once they find a job that's great,
that they like doing and everything, they'll still get bored of it. Is there a way to keep it exciting?
Or are we just doomed to going from job to job for the rest of our lives? Dr H: No, no,
you wanna, it's the same thing with relationships, you have to find ways of continually
, reinvigorating relationships, and renovating relationships, just as you have to find ways of reinvigorating jobs.
yeah know you need to *juice it up,* a lot of people with add to go
from relationship to relationship and go from job to job.
I say to my wife all the time we are stuck with each other, ok? haha
Ya know (Jessica giggles) so so we are stuck with each other
28 years, we are stuck with eachother, so if something goes wrong its up to us to find ways of making it more exciting.
Instead of saying "okay i am done with you i'll go find someone else" Which is not uncommon in the world of ADD
We say "okay what can we do differently?, what can we reactivate the fun, the chemistry, the *pazaz*"
The same things with you job, if you are finding that you are becoming *humdrum*
Talk to your supervisor, how can you use me differently?
What new project could you assign to me?
Instead of just sort of sucking it up, toughing it out, because you are afraid to talk about it.
Talking about it, his goal is the same as your goal which is maximum productivity for the company!
So, ya know have that discussion, and next thing you'll have *spiffed up* your job!
Jessica: Speak of talking to your supervisor. Do you think that it is a good idea, generally to disclose that you have adhd? How do you suggest people handle that?
Dr H: It all depends on the job.
When in doubt don't disclose, but what you can do is talk about what you are good at and bad at.
I am good at ideas, umm umm I am good at innovation, I am good at creativity.
I am bad at punctuality, organization and time management.
So that ADD, but you don't have to "I have adhd" you can just list what you are good at and what you are bad at.
In general most people in the work places don't understand this condition.
So they are going to hold it against you.
So you are better in general, not to use the term.
Jessica: But you can still ask for accommodations right? You can just say "Hey umm I tend to get distracted with a lot of noise around."
I work best with head phones on, right?
Dr H: Sure sure, absolutely!
But remember the best accommodation is finding the right job
So, yeah if you want to have headphones, or if you want to have a quite room, or not be near a window, sure you can ask for that
But you don't have to frame it "I am asking for this because I have adhd"
And I wouldn't call it a *accommodation*, I would just say "I work better not next to a window"
Jessica: right. Dr H: I like deadlines cuz they get me to get things done, instead of saying that well I procrastinate,
and I need a deadline to get the adrenaline so I get it done cuz I have add. You don't have to say all that!
Just, give me a dead line
and i'll, i'll do it better!
Jessica: And I have a feeling that most employers will probably be much more comfortable with that!
Dr. H: Yeah no exactly, they don't want to hear about the..the term. 99 out of 100 don't understand it at all. They will think it means you are unreliable.
So, just name the strengths name the weakness and then figure out ways of managing those.
Jessica: What do you find are some common strengths for people with adhd?
Dr. H: Oh my god! We are the innovators, we are the explorers, we are the kind of people colonized this country.
We're the risk takers, the dreamers, the disruptors the renegades, the creatives, the inventors, the visionaries, the entrepreneurs.
Most entrepreneurs have this. As I said earlier we tend to be incredibly generous, big hearted and giving.
But also strong willed, stubborn, tenacious, never give up, all those wonderful qualities, you can't buy and you can't teach!
And the down side, we can do something about it. We can help you get more organized, we can help you focus better, and we can counsel you about choices made and choice of job.
The downsides can be managed and upside can rule and carry the day, as it has for you!
Jessica:Thank you, there is one thing that I'm still having trouble with and I have a feeling i'm not alone with this.
How do you turn it off? Like i don't know how to stop working sometimes. When you find something you really love, how do you stop at the end of the day?
Dr. H: Well.. well nature will help you with that. You have to sleep (Jessica laughs). But you may stay up very late you know you get into something....
you are in the flow, you are passionate, keep at it your body will tell you when you need a rest. You need to get some sleep, get some exercise.
We tend to be people who like to work, we like to get into stuff, we do best when we are busy. If we are not busy we often get depressed.
But, we don't want to be stupid busy, you want to be smart busy, you want to be working on something that is useful and productive.
Jessica: Yeah in your book you suggest time blocking right? For dealing with distractions, rather than having your email open constantly and checking messages, you work in blocks.
Dr. H: Yeah, whatever works for you, blocks are good. Whatever works for you though.
I always think we find our own rhyme, "find your feel and make it real" is one of my mottos. What feels right to you as opposed to conforming to some external standard, this is the way to do it.
You know how to do it so, so you listen to yourself and your mind and body will find you and you'll find your own way, you'll find your own feel.
And then make it real!
Jessica: That is beautiful! Thank you so much for coming on and talking with me. I can't tell you what such a pleasure this is, its such a honor!
Dr. H: Ohhh, Jessica you're wonderful, its a honor for me and I love what you are doing! You're marvelous model lots of people.
Thats it for this week! Thank you again to the amazing Dr. Hallowell for visiting us Brains and sharing some wisdom.
If you have checked out his distraction pod cast, especially the episode with me in it...
The link is in the description. ALSO! Yesterday we hit a 100k subscribers!
Which is AMAZING, and humbling and exciting! The community we have built in barley 18 months is incredible and i am so grateful to each of you for being part of it
But, when it happened I was honestly too tired to post anything about it!
**Flash back to Dr. H's words of wisdom** "Your body will tell you when it needs a rest"
Yeah he is totally right, and apparently I hit that point!
Its natural for those of us with adhd to want to all the things!!! But....if we are going to we owe it to ourself to listen to our bodies when they finally tell us NO!
So, next week we will have all of our warp up vlogs from Vidcon and Tedx. As well as the mental health panel with me, Hannah Heart, Kate Morton and all these cool people!
And then the week after that I will be taking the whole week off to rest and let my brain cool.
After that, we have some exciting new episodes coming up! Extra big thank you to all my patrons brains, we had to hire someone in NY and go film Dr. Hallowell at his office.
So this interview literally would not have been possible without your support!
Bye Brains!!!....oh wait....
Dr. H: Good bye brains!
Jessica: Right..gosh this is so cool. This time for real! Bye Brains!
Question time....what are you going to do to celebrate 100k subscribers?!!?
I have no idea, but we do have special privileges now at the Youtube space now. One of which is being able to host events, soooo the sky's the limit! Let me know what you guys think I should do in the comments below!
*Music*