How to Run a Successful Business If You Are Neurodivergent
Many neurodiverse entrepreneurs and CEOs have excelled in business, despite the challenges they may face mentally. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson are some of the most successful businessmen in the world, yet they are all neurodivergent. This demonstrates the talent and skills neurodivergent individuals possess but what about the struggles that conditions such as ADHD, ADD and Autism can cause when running a business. A lack of focus, motivation and anxieties can inhibit you from doing what you do best.
So how can we push through like so many have before? At this stage in your career, you may have already picked up habits and techniques that have helped you get this far. But here are some of our favourite suggestions from our neurodivergent team and clients.
1. Make Your Environment Work For You
This requires some self-exploration, maybe you have it all figured out or are still trying to find what works best for you. But having the most optimal work environment for your mind to function at its peak, without stress or distraction, is the first big step. Some people prefer the quiet, emptiness of an office while others prefer the loud, bustling feel of a café.
Of course, your business will require some limitations on where and how you work, but that doesn’t mean you cannot improve the situation. Have some calm, ambient sounds. Work with a co-worker or body double if you prefer not to be alone. Having someone else do their tasks alongside you, physically or virtually, can be motivating.
2. Goals and Deadlines
Managing your schedule can go a long way to helping you stay on track with all those tedious or forgettable tasks. Even more so when we engage with the process and create a rewarding system. Goals are made to be encouraging, seeing how far you come as well as tracking the progress of yourself and your business. And with goals come deadlines, to motivate you to do them now.
Understand that you are only human, a goal should be realistic. In fact, it should be easy. Having 10 easy goals sounds better than 1, incredibly difficult goal. Even if you do not complete all of them, 7 out of 10 goals finished is more motivating than 1 goal looming over you.
3. Be Kind to Yourself
It is worth remembering, however, that as a business owner, you may not reach every goal. Whether this is a quarterly target or a phone call at the weekend, missing a goal is as discouraging as it can be encouraging. As with a lot of tasks for neurodiverse individuals, the simplest things become frustrating. Spiralling out of control like a domino effect. Don’t let it.
4. Watch the Clock
At times, everyone feels swamped by tasks and struggles with time management. However, if you're a neurodivergent business owner or experience organisational challenges, this scenario might feel like an everyday reality.
Moving beyond traditional planners and apps, there's a powerful time management tool specifically tailored to help those with ADHD - the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique operates on the principles of focused time and task segmentation, akin to time blocking, but with an added feature - a timer to dictate short and long breaks.
Here's how you can implement this simple six-step method:
Select the assignment, task, or work project you aim to tackle.
Set a timer for a focused 25-minute work session on your chosen task.
Engage non-stop with your task until your timer ceases.
Once your timer ends, pause your work and give yourself a mental high-five by marking a check on a piece of paper, indicating the completion of one Pomodoro cycle.
Allow yourself a short 5-minute break from your task. When you're ready to dive back in, reset your timer for another 25-minute burst of productivity.
After completing four Pomodoro cycles, reward yourself with a more extended 20- to 30-minute break.
Research suggests that human attention spans can fluctuate between a mere 8 seconds to 15 minutes. With this context, the Pomodoro Technique shines as it blocks periods of work into manageable, bite-sized time blocks, synchronizing with your brain's natural rhythm of sustained attention capabilities. By leveraging this strategy, you'll be able to harness the power of time and productivity, making it your ally in your entrepreneurial journey.
5. Get Support Where Needed
Even the best of us can stretch ourselves so far and with a business comes a mountain of admin, emails, and calls. If you are feeling the weight of running everything yourself, remember, you don’t need to do this alone. Whether that is support for your business or yourself, helping with the filing or keeping you accountable with your calendar, a virtual assistant is on standby to help.
If you want to know more about how we can support neurodiverse business owners, check out our page or book a FREE 1-2-1 consultation where we can discuss all your goals and concerns.
Celebrate You!
Starting a business is no small feat, requiring a level of skill and motivation you can feel proud of. Whether on your own, with a team of co-workers, or with the help of a virtual assistant, it all begins with you. As Neurodiversity Celebration Week rolls over, we must recognise it’s not the mind that limits but the space around it. Once you have an inclusive, productive environment there is no limit!
