If you are looking for a good job for people with ADHD with NeuroDivergent, we have some creative ideas for you!
Careless Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has always been a part of life for all members of my 100% nervous family, but there was a time when others didn’t understand why what came easily was more difficult for us.
After moving to a more flexible work environment as self-employed freelance workers, we finally realized that we are not working at the best work due to our specific neurodiversity needs.
Whether you have or have not been diagnosed with ADHD, but you have symptoms of ADHD and think that your traditional career path is right for your needs, you may transformatively reconstruct your work life just like we do. In this post, we break down some of the best remote jobs for ADHD (and some other neural styles) and analyze why it is suitable for people with ADHD brains.
How ADHD can interfere with your work life
Let’s start with the warning that NeuroDivergence does not limit everyone in a traditional work environment. I know people diagnosed with ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). But I think you’re here because you’re not one of those people.
My husband and I were excellent at astounding our employers with our creativity and ability to solve problems, but we struggled with time management, boredom and burnout in our workplace, especially in the type of business.
We are always people with big new ideas, but we absolutely hate the monotony of workplace routines. We love to show off our passion and interests, but we tend to zone out at meetings. Does it sound familiar?
Escape the role of traditional work
Depending on your personality and lifestyle, there are many traditional jobs that suit ADHD well. There were relatives diagnosed with ADHD, and adults were rarely diagnosed for the first time. He had a long and happy career as a firefighter and a small town volunteer police officer.
The roles of emergency medical technicians (EMTs), nurses, emergency room doctors and other fast-paced healthcare workers can also work well for some advisors as they tend to provide opportunities to think on your feet and are not filled on a daily basis. However, all of these jobs tend to have three similarities: high stress, prolonged duration, and physical tension.
Similarly, my husband and I have always worked well at work at a fast pace, fast paced, requiring high energy levels and quick thinking. We worked as a restaurant server, spent years in the restaurant and bar scene, and my husband worked as a sushi chef and restaurant manager for several years.
We both enjoyed the pace and social aspects of those work, but as we got a little older, we began to love the way the tolls, high stress levels and unconventional schedules they took on our bodies often interfere with family time, so we tried to move towards a more structured occupation.
However, none of these structured jobs, especially desk jobs, were appropriate, so we were able to move to a 100% remote work lifestyle and find the job satisfaction we had lost for years.
Find a remote job that works for you
Everyone is different, and that applies to people with ADHD and other neural styles. In other words, what works well for one person may not work well for another person. Therefore, it is important to think about the type of work that is best suited to the characteristics of ADHD.
My husband and I prefer to be flexible in managing our own schedules, and more specifically our workflow. We are both freelance in multiple roles. I work as a writer, editor and wedding presenter, and he works as a writer and a small engine mechanic. We are completely freelance so we can avoid ADHD symptoms and back or shift gears if necessary.
This is a list of remote and telecommuting jobs for people with ADHD.
1. On-call electrician
Any combination of mental and physical work is a positive for our adverse, and the electrician’s work fits both count bills. Depending on the local ordinance you live in, you will need to have a license and insurance.
But electrical work is a solid gig that allows you to make your own time, with more companies relying on remote on-call workers to gig the electrician work. It is also a job that can usually be entered at a local vocational training school for less than a year.
2. Hand pan
A convenient job is another of those magical tasks of mind and body. From an insurance and licensing perspective, Handyperson’s job also depends on where you live and the type of work you are doing. And it’s always a good idea to check your local ordinance before advertising on Facebook.
But if you can line up everything, you can introduce solid income that installs solid income, and perform drywall repairs, faucet replacements, ceiling fans, and other small home jobs. And with the advent of YouTube, there is really no way we can’t teach ourselves how to do these days.
Easily connect with skill-required clients using third-party platforms like Angi, TaskRabbit, Handy, and Thumbtack.
3. Mechanic
If you’re an ADHD girly who thinks about how things work and loves to diagnose problems, then this might be your dream career path.
My husband first learned to work as a mechanic in his high school vocational training class, and he swears to this day that he is the most useful thing he has learned in his life. Recently, he has used these skills to supplement his income by repairing small engines such as lawn mowers, chainsaws and Vespa-style motor scooters.
He loves the mental stimulation of diagnosis and the opportunity to enter slashgear articles to do physical work. And there appears to be a large demand for this type of work, especially from spring to late autumn.
Recently he came across another type of freelance mechanic gig that performs guarantee assessments for domestic chains. It worked pretty well and so far he had the opportunity to expand his workload according to what works best for him.
4. Freelance writer
My ADHD brand is the kind that works best when there’s a little fire underneath me. That’s why I love putting pressure on me to meet the deadlines I work with freelance writing. But it’s not just the sweet and sweet pressure of burning the clock at the 24-hour deadline. It’s about autonomy too.
I love the fact that when I’m given an assignment or when my pitch is approved, I’m working completely myself to work completely. Once I’m done, all I have to do is upload. There are no meaningless meetings with supervisors drawing on KPIs (major performance indicators) or other mentally clad corporate jargon, and no forced social interactions. It’s a pure joy of hyperfocus on any topic I write about, my keyboard, and even my work focus playlist adjustments. Ah, bliss.
5. Online Resellers
For some ADHD people, going out to sell yards, rift stores, or browse bin stores can be better than being stuck behind a computer all day. And the good news is that you can actually turn this into a rather lucrative career, or at least turn it into a decent side hustle by flipping your second-hand items on the Facebook market, Mercari, Poshmark, or other online stores. That’s what my family enjoys doing to take a break from their routine and make a few dollars at the same time.
6. Copy the editor
If you love the ADHD brand focuses on details, freelance copy editing is another great job that allows you to work at your own pace. There are many sites like Upwork and Fiverr that attract clients looking for gig workers. However, I have been able to pick up freelances who edit clients through Facebook groups and Subreddits in the past.
7. Graphic Designer
Many of my ADHD artist friends and relatives have worked as freelance graphic designers and have been turning on the lights for many years. I have a step-law who has created a decent living design website for years, and I have a friend who designs and sells geek-themed products and stickers to pick up at comic book competitions. However, there are many other ways to convert your graphic design skills to profit, such as logos, signs, business cards, newsletters, promotional flyers, and even a complete branding package for your clients.
Conclusion: Adhders Make the Best Entrepreneurs
We don’t always thrive on desk work, but people with ADHD are responsible for some of the best businesses as they tend to live (and thrive) outside the box with all the fun ideas.
And take it from people who don’t know it: taking what you enjoy doing and turning it into freelance or business opportunities can completely change your life.
Do you have a favorite job to navigate ADHD or other neural styles? Please let me know in the comments! I look forward to reading about your experience.
