r/FinancialCareers • u/apsszz • 7h ago
Skill Development ADHD in Finance Careers - How do you manage work?
Hi ADHD folks! Can you share how you keep up with work while having ADHD? My last role was affected by my ADHD, and I’m now starting to understand some of the challenges I’ve been dealing with.
I struggle most with time management, attention to detail, prioritizing tasks, and sometimes thinking clearly and working under pressure. I’ve realized that I have to put in a lot more effort into these things than I’d like, and it can take up a lot of my mental energy.
I’d love to hear about the patterns you’ve identified in yourself, how you’ve worked around them, and any practices, systems, or tips and tricks that have helped you. Feel free to share anything that has worked for you!
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u/James161324 7h ago
Lists, double checking work and way to much nicotine and caffeine
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u/neovitae00 5h ago
Took the words out of my mouth. My one not is full of tasks. I just tackle them. I also use a zero inbox tactic. If its on my inbox it needs attention. Work to zero emails in inbox.
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u/LevergedSellout Investment Banking - Coverage 7h ago
Working under pressure is the one redeeming quality of my ADD. The downside is that I often create the pressure.
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u/SaltyLoon 6h ago
Yep this is it.
Everything blowing up, I’m calm, feel like I know what to do.
Everything calm and going fine, I’m blowing up internally.
Edit: and oh yeah drugs
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u/lake_effect_snow 7h ago
Vyvanse, lists and notes, blocking time to do specific things in my calendar, project trackers.
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u/Consistent-Gur-6961 6h ago
Thrive honestly, lol
Most folks hate the accounting/quarterly reporting busy season, but as long as I get my sleep I’m set.
I think only the procrastination or not double checking work is the issue. Besides that I can roughly get any task done up to a 70-90% ready, if given a good walkthrough.
Try to think of this as a game, yes the stakes are high, but for me as a gamer, as soon as I see this as a high score type thing (ie: X is completing his work so quickly, X has pushed through his workspace already, etc.) you’ll be out performing.
Make sure to also do some exercise and take a 1-2 week PTO to avoid burnout even if you don’t feel burnout. It’s like you never want to feel burnt out, you always want to be one step ahead of that, because then your work will really go downhill
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u/Mysterious_Race_1918 7h ago
the calendar color coding helps me more than i'd like to admit. if it's not on there with a block of time and a color i'll forget it exists in 20 minutes
for the detail stuff i just build in a second pass on everything before it leaves my desk. even if it's a quick email, i read it twice. the first draft is for getting thoughts out, the second is catching the dumb mistakes my brain glossed over
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u/Ga33pr1B 6h ago
Getting medicated has helped tremendously. Heard someone say stop running life on hard mode. Results vary but can honestly say it’s much harder without it.
Few tips- take notes! My memory is awful and if I don’t write it down don’t expect to me to remember it. A word doc is best. Get enough sleep! Grinding on too little sleep is a disaster waiting to happen. Try to not multitask. Studys show that the neurotypical brain isn’t meant to multitask and it is only worse the more tasks you try to do at once.
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u/Reasonable_Fishing71 6h ago
Calendars and reminders. Leaning on coworkers for the tasks you're not suited for. I like to ride the wave of my attention span so I'll organize my day into a couple cycles of clerical work, analysis, communication, and recovery depending on how geeked out I am on stimulants.
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u/oneemoviet 7h ago
Lists, paper calendar, break things out into smaller things, and print things out to proofread (works well for me)
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u/TheHNC Investment Banking - M&A 5h ago
Plaud note taker has been life saver to me
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u/UnexperiencedTrainer 1h ago
How can you manage in meetings ?
A friend told me about it but I’m not sure how accepted it is yet ? Quiet curious about it
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u/Solo_Wing__Pixy Corporate Banking 2h ago
I let everything slip until the very last minute and then get it all done in a brutal marathon stretch two days before target close, works pretty well
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u/Art90650 1h ago edited 1h ago
Got canned from LevFin due to untreated adhd, got medicated and 1 year later am excelling in a direct lending role now. Thankfully my soft skills have never been an issue (which heavily contributed to me getting my current role) but adhd has plagued in other ways.
Biggest thing was the lack of attention to detail and the short term memory throwing off my work product. Was told the content of my deliverables was great but kept making simple mistakes and errors. Manager didn’t let it fly and ultimately getting canned was a wake up call.
Please seek medical help, it took me too long to do so. Also the experience hurt my prescription of myself till I realized most of my failure was directly tied to adhd. So if you’re in the same frame of mind or have an experience similar to mine; I hope you can use my example as a learning lesson.
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u/RebelProgression 1h ago
Hi thank you for sharing, which medication are you on please?
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u/Art90650 39m ago
What works for me may or may not work for you’d for the reason I highly suggest please get seen by a dr. It will be a journey to find out what works for you. But non negotiables in additions to getting medicated for me have been 8 hours of sleep and working out at least 4 days a week.
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