Many adults struggle at work without knowing why. You may work hard and still lose focus, forget instructions or miss deadlines. This is not laziness. Some people’s brains work differently, and the right support can make work much easier.
Does this sound like you?
- You lose focus in meetings or on long tasks.
- You forget spoken instructions, or need them repeated.
- You miss deadlines, even when you start with good intentions.
- You find it hard to plan your work or decide what to do first.
- Reading or writing emails, reports and forms takes you much longer than your colleagues.
- Learning a new task or system takes you longer than others.
- Noise, a busy office or constant interruptions leave you exhausted.
These can be signs of ADHD, dyslexia, autism or other differences. They can also have other causes, such as stress, poor sleep, illness or too much work. A screening can help you decide whether to talk to a professional.
Take the free screening
Start the free screening and choose I’m an adult at work at the start. You will get questions about everyday situations at work, such as focus, instructions and deadlines.
Your answers stay on your phone. Your employer is never told.
Small changes that often help
- Instructions in writing: ask for them, or write them down and read them back.
- Small steps: break big tasks into small steps, each with its own deadline.
- Reminders: use your phone’s alarms and a simple checklist for each day.
- One thing at a time: turn off notifications while you work on a task.
- A quieter place: work somewhere calmer, or use earphones if your workplace allows it.
- Regular check-ins: agree a short weekly talk with your supervisor about priorities.
For employers and managers
People who think differently often bring real strengths to a team, such as creativity, attention to detail and new ways of solving problems. Small, low-cost changes help the whole team work better:
- clear, written instructions and deadlines
- predictable routines, with warning before changes
- a quiet space for focused work
- more than one way for staff to show what they have done
Charis can run neurodiversity awareness sessions for managers and teams. Talk to us about a session for your workplace.
Telling an employer about a difference is a personal choice. No one should be asked to take a screening, or to share their results, as a condition of their job.