I’ve been with neurobox for ten months now, but by the end of my first month, I came to the realisation that I am neurodiverse.
It wasn’t a dramatic revelation, but it was a deeply important one. I had always suspected I might have ADHD, dyslexia, or dyscalculia, but I never took those thoughts too seriously. Yet, after just one month at neurobox, I experienced a series of “lightbulb moments.” Suddenly, all the challenges I faced throughout school, university, and my career all made sense — they all pointed to the fact that I was neurodiverse.
I feel incredibly fortunate to work at neurobox, where I get to see firsthand how the support we provide makes a real difference for neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. I was offered a workplace needs assessment, and after a great conversation about the challenges I’d been facing for years, it was recommended that ADHD coaching would be a helpful next step for me!
A couple of weeks later, I was introduced to my wonderful coach, and so began my coaching journey!
What did I want out of this journey?
At first, I felt incredibly anxious about discussing myself – who wouldn’t? However, my coach immediately put me at ease. She began by exploring what I wanted to gain from coaching and what I hoped to achieve from our sessions. Initially, it was challenging to articulate my thoughts; all I really wanted was to feel “normal” and “be better”. I wanted to become more organised, boost my confidence and look at ways to help me focus. She was exceptional at getting to the heart of the matter. She allowed me to express myself freely without interruption, and when I finished, she would identify key points I’d said but hadn’t recognised, and we’d delve into them together.
I felt completely safe in this space to confront the challenges I had faced in the past, tackling them one by one. I recognised that my low confidence stemmed from my neurodiversity, which, up until this point, I hadn’t understood before. I often felt unsupported at past jobs, which lead to embarrassment and years of masking and hiding my struggles or mistakes. I couldn’t grasp why focusing and organising seemed so difficult and why I kept making mistakes, all of which eventually impacted my mental health.
Acceptance
Starting the coaching sessions was a significant turning point for me. Having a dedicated space to discuss my past experiences, along with my coaches insights and solutions, was amazing. I understood that there was a reason I wasn’t performing as I believed I “should.”
The word “should” dominated my early conversations. I “should” have finished that task already or I “should” know better by now. But by our final session, I didn’t use it at all! The pressure of not being good enough gradually faded, which allowed me to focus on who I actually was—rather than the unrealistic expectations I had imposed on myself. I began to see that I wasn’t as incapable as I’d always thought.
This journey helped me reframe my perceived failures. My determination to succeed often felt like a burden; I always felt like I had something to prove after years of what I believed was underachieving. I had spent my life masking my struggles to fit into a professional world where everyone else seemed confident, knowing exactly what they were doing. What I truly needed—and what coaching provided—were the tools not just to try and survive anymore but to thrive.
Getting excited about the future.
For the first time in my career, I genuinely feel passionate about my work and excited to go to the office. I apply the lessons from my coaching sessions every day. My focus has never been sharper; I’m better at organizing my priorities, and I now have a personal toolkit of strategies to manage my ADHD without letting it take over my life.
Thanks to coaching, I’m significantly happier with who I am. I’ve found a new level of confidence, and my outlook for the future is brighter than ever. Although my challenges will always be there, I now have my own set of tools to manage them, letting me live alongside my ADHD instead of fighting an invisible daily battle.
If coaching sounds like something you might benefit from, have a look through our coaching pages.
A few strategies she suggested
Fidget toys!
Distractibility is one of the most common traits of ADHD, and it has often hindered my progress. For me, meetings are particularly challenging. It only took a brief thought —“That’s a nice top,” “This room is cold,” or “Their writing is so neat!”— for my attention to drift away. Kathy referred to trying to maintain focus as “anchoring.” She suggested that having something to fidget with could help me regain my focus.
Confidence
With my coach’s guidance, we developed several strategies to help me build my confidence. One effective method is to celebrate small victories. I maintain a portfolio of my accomplishments, or “high fives,” collecting even the tiniest wins. If something makes me proud, I reward myself with a high five!
Another strategy was simply communicating with my manager. Since my manager was aware of my coaching, we created catch-up plans to ensure I’m prioritising tasks effectively, staying on top of my responsibilities, and keeping everything on track.
Music – headphones.
I cannot stand complete silence in an office. Listening to music through my headphones acts like a fidget spinner for my brain. I’ve always got them on me, so if it gets too quiet, in they go!
What does this mean?
What it also reveals, in my mind, is the need for each of us to be sufficiently self-aware of how we work at our best, and sufficiently self-confident to be able to present to our colleagues and managers how we can best thrive in the workplace, without fear of rebuke, criticism, judgement or dismissal.
I have always been impressed, from my coaching experiences, of the qualities and values of those that I have coached. Every single one of them has been determined, hard-working, conscientious, creative and fuelled by integrity. It shines through in our sessions. And these are such valuable traits, surely at the top of the list of essential characteristics for any employee!
For many of the people that I have coached their self-confidence has been severely knocked by their experience at work, often at the hands of managers who (like me, back in the day) did not have the slightest understanding of their colleague’s experience as a neurodiverse person.
It would be great if there was a simple solution to this problem, but of course there is not.
I believe that we all have to continue to work together, respecting each other, being kind, asking questions, listening carefully and supporting each other to do good work and get the job done.
In the workplace, whether colleague or manager, we are all in the same boat, we have sold our time for money, that’s the deal. If we can remember that and work together to help each other, whilst playing to our strengths and not antagonising our weaknesses or fallibilities, we have a better chance to thrive as a team and find satisfaction in our role.
So, to all those people who I failed to support adequately, through my own ignorance – whether pupil, parent, colleague or teacher – I apologise. I would be a better teacher/colleague/manager now, when it is too late, of course. But the principles of respect and kindness, open-mindedness and inclusivity still apply in everyday life in every encounter and that is what we must continue to promote and practice.
If you’d like to become a better manager for your neurodiverse team, have a look at our neurodiversity awareness training for managers.
About the author
Jess joined the team in 2024 and is a seasoned marketing professional with over seven years of experience in the industry.
Jess has a track record for delivering successful marketing campaigns across various channels. A key highlight of includes spearheading the development of innovative graphics for a major rebrand, ensuring a cohesive and impactful visual identity across all platforms.
Jess leads on our event schedule engaging audiences, and driving results through webinars and face-to-face events and exhibitions!
Related readings
What’s your Strength – The Neurodiversity Pack has Arrived
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Thank you for sharing your personal journey with ADHD coaching, Jess! Your story highlights the importance of understanding and supporting neurodiverse individuals in the workplace. It’s inspiring to read how coaching has empowered you to embrace your strengths and navigate challenges with newfound confidence. Your experience will surely resonate with many who are on a similar path. Keep up the amazing work at neurobox!
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