Building Work Routines That Fit an ADHD Brain

Notice Where the Day Falls Apart

Most workdays have a few predictable trouble spots. Maybe mornings start with email and never recover. Maybe the afternoon slump wipes out focus, or meetings break the day into pieces too small for real work. Tracking a typical week with honest notes can reveal where small changes would matter most. This is information gathering, not a performance review. Once you can see the pattern, it becomes much easier to choose one change that is worth testing first, rather than overhauling everything at once.

Protect Focus in Small Blocks

Long stretches of uninterrupted focus may not be realistic. Shorter blocks with a clear single task, a visible timer and notifications paused can be more achievable. Some people work better with background noise or a body double, meaning another person working nearby or on a video call. Therapy can help you test options and keep the ones that hold up on an ordinary busy day. Even two protected blocks a day can make a noticeable difference.

Capture Before You Forget

Ideas, requests and reminders arrive constantly at work. Without a reliable place to put them, they either get lost or circle in your head. A single capture spot, whether a notebook, one app or a note on your phone, reduces that mental load. The key is reviewing it at a set time. Marie may help you build a short end-of-day routine that closes loops before you log off. Closing loops can make evenings feel lighter.

Handle the Thoughts About Work Too

Years of feedback about missed details can lead to beliefs like I always mess things up or they are going to find out. Those thoughts can make you overprepare, avoid asking questions or freeze before a deadline. CBT gives you a way to examine those beliefs alongside practical routines, so you are working on both the system and how you talk to yourself about it. Small wins at work can also become evidence that challenges older beliefs.

Talk About Your Workweek

Marie offers a free 15-minute consultation to talk through what is happening and whether her practical, collaborative CBT approach seems like a fit. Sessions are 50 minutes, and individual sessions are $200. Online therapy is available anywhere in Oregon, and you can ask about current Portland office availability if meeting in person matters to you. Bringing one or two concrete examples to the call is usually more useful than a full history.

Questions You May Have