new job | ADHD Information
Why don't you try not to go overboard in the beginning, spreading out your stunning excellence over time? It can be too hard to maintain that level over a long period. Going all out in the beginning burns you out too quickly and that's when it becomes boring.... It's okay when it's just a short project.
Congradulations and good luck!
Congrads!!! Even though you are afraid you may become bored I can see you are going in with a great attitude! Now I'm laughing because I say you have a good attitude but you did predict you will fire people and somehow that doesn't seem right. Like I'm cheering you on to fire those lazy no good workers!
Ah, heck: GO HAND OUT SOME PINK SLIPS!!! So I'm taking the promotion I whined about here not long ago.The boss came around and found me and said "We want you, in fact we are going to make an exception to the rules and promote you before you are eligable."
Several thousand people are at my workplace. I'll oversee roughly 15.
HUGE reduction in physical labor, but more responsibility and stress dealing with people and the endless soap-opera crap I see coming up every day.
I have zero doubt I can hit a grand-slam home run performing the job.
My only worry is that it will become tiresome as all other jobs have, that I will lose interest, and long-run get canned again.
My job cycle is:
1. Stun and amaze employer with unprecedented excellence.
2. become average.
3. get even more bored, start screwing up.
4. get fired, leaving all scratching their heads.
Oh well. Hours are good. Active work. maybe the soap operas and dramas can even become boredom fighters if looked at the right way.
I gotta go brush my people skills off. I predict I will fire three people in the first year.
I had another interview with the next corporate type up the ladder today. Seems there is a vast cornucopia of different little jobs to be had and a huge demand for people to fill them, promoted from inside only or at least first.
I have been very VERY highly recommended to him by the two supervisors I work for. He can't wait to bring me over to the dark side.
Sweeeeet.
Hours are a cinch.
I can even go back to school on their dime.
That is so great! It feels great to be valued for your work, doesn't it? Do you do the snoopy dance? Here, I will.
*snoopy dance*
Way to go!
I have seen dudes adjusting the lasers in the plant. They work alone, get cool little carts to tool about in. Climb around on conveyors.
I think that's me.
Hehe, maybe I shouldn't respond to posts after 9 PM or something.
Heh, lemme try again with meds.
[QUOTE=Reisa]
My job could have been set up with ADHD in mind. It is mostly interesting and always complex. I have all sorts of automatic to do lists, and 4 or 5 other people in specialty areas that check my work. I find ways to entertain myself instead of dwelling on my boredom.
I make up and imaginary story about why this pile of paperwork must be finished, RIGHT NOW. Or I see how fast I can do this boring thing compared to last time. (Be sure to track your high score!) 
Almost anything can be entertainment in my ADHD universe. For example, I get tons of dumb emails. I forward the message (to trusted friends) with my sarcastic or silly commentary. I put effort into them, paste funny pictures on them... The used to make me mad, now they are kind of fun.
I have found that most managers will bend over backwards for someone who wants to improve their skills, social skills or not. I have a plan for my future, and I take on responsibilities that get me where I want to go.
If I still have time to be bored, I can stand around talking and distracting others. *grin*
Edited now that meds working, pfft!
I hope the lateral challenge works for you. I think it will be important to be able to convince your boss (and coworkers) that the lateral challenge is more important to him or her than another use that she or he may be able to make of your time.
I'm a terrible realist.
Wow.Lotsa words.
And blank spaces.
I got a few blank spaces in my head, too.
Hey Res, way to go. Sounds like your meds are working.
Well come back, too.
[QUOTE=The Resistance!]
I know the question I am looking to answer.
"How can I remain sane AND employed"
I need to sledgehammer my personal reality into something more "sane" and less shining for a daily work shift.
...
I am already starting to fade at my position. Probably lucky to move on before I get to the boring part.I have more responsibilities and work more hours than anyone else in my job. The responsibilities come from "horizontal movement" discussed here.
[/QUOTE]
I am certainly no expert, I have had 15 or so years of jobs that I got bored with or was not good at. Having just found the only job I am sure I won't fizzle on, I can tell you how this job is different, and how I am different in it. *Shrug* Can't hurt.
First, the job I have now could have been set up with ADHD in mind. It is mostly interesting and always really complex. I am half attorney, half doctor, half secretary, half vocational expert and half government-worker-cog. I have all sorts of automatic electronic to do lists, set in stone time requirements, and there is no memory required. No one - even if they have worked there 30 years - could know it all. What I do have to do is be able to locate the information quickly when I need it, while having a phone conversation with someone who is looped out on pain medication. Of course, it is impossible to do everything correctly, so it takes 4 or 5 other people in various specialty areas to check my work.
Second, after having a bunch of painful jobs, then leaving this job and having a bunch more painful jobs and finally deciding to come back to the job I have now...I am absolutely certain that I do not want to "experience the wide world" anymore, at least through work. So I am committed to this job. I do enough extra work, to be considered a good asset. For most of my co-workers, that is all they have time for. However, because this job plays to so many of my strengths, I still have a significant amount of time to get myself in trouble somehow. So instead of procrastinating, or driving people nuts with my perfectionist streak, I try to entertain myself instead.
I make up and imaginary story about why this pile of paperwork must be finished and LEAVE! GO! RIGHT NOW. Or I see how fast I can complete the task compared to last time. (My job is production oriented - fewer mistakes and the faster the better.)
I get tons of really dumb emails. I used to get disgusted with idiocy. Then I decided it was useless stress. I started entertaining myself with them. I hit the forward button on the email (never-ever hit the reply button if you do this) I forward the message to a few trusted friends with my sarcastic or over the top commentary. Complete with occasional funny pictures that I dig up off the internet someplace. I have fun with those emails that used to make me mad. Now I actually look forward to them. "Oh, a stupid email, must be time for another commentary from Reisa's desk."
Third, I make sure that I have some plan for advancement that I am always working on in the background. A couple times, I just went into the manager's office and said, "What do I need to be doing in the next 6 months in order to get the maximum merit raise?" Or I spend time really planning my words before I speak with someone who can help me accomplish my goals. In general, like most ADHDers I stink at interpersonal skills. However, I have found that most managers don't care how you say it, they will bend over backwards for someone who is truly trying to improve their professional skills.
Third, I keep plants all over my office and have a reputation for my green thumb - if I start drifting off, I take 5 minutes in my office and garden. To me it is incredibly relaxing.
Wow that rambled, outta meds, sorry!
[QUOTE=Reisa]
Being aware of your past patterns is important, especially if they are getting in the way of accomplishing what you want.
That way you know what questions you are looking for the answers to.
[/QUOTE]
I know the question I am looking to answer.
"How can I remain sane AND employed"
I need to sledgehammer my personal reality into something more "sane" and less shining for a daily work shift.
[QUOTE=Reisa]
That being said, I would like to point out that you haven't even started the job yet but already you and all of us have you pegged as the "falling star."
[/QUOTE]
I am already starting to fade at my position. Probably lucky to move on before I get to the boring part.I have more responsibilities and work more hours than anyone else in my job. The responsibilities come from "horizontal movement" discussed here.
[QUOTE=Reisa]
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Reisa]
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Reisa]
You could overlook a lot of great opportunity with that expectation in mind. How about:
This could be the job that is, at long last, the right job for you. or;
You could have some eye opening revelation tomorrow that changes your previous patterns. or;
You could be so impressive at this job that you get promoted before you get to the boring part. or;
Some head hunter calls you tomorrow to offer you a job for twice the pay in a dream location. or;
You could get the reputation as a "fix it" guy, and your boss decides to move you to wherever employees need fixing. or;
By the time the job gets boring, perhaps you discover your hidden talents as a pastry chef.
Ok you get the idea. *grin*
[/QUOTE]Being aware of your past patterns is important, especially if they are getting in the way of accomplishing what you want. That way you know what questions you are looking for the answers to. That being said, I would like to point out that you haven't even started the job yet but already you and all of us have you pegged as the "falling star."
You could overlook a lot of great opportunity with that expectation in mind. How about:
This could be the job that is, at long last, the right job for you. or;
You could have some eye opening revelation tomorrow that changes your previous patterns. or;
You could be so impressive at this job that you get promoted before you get to the boring part. or;
Some head hunter calls you tomorrow to offer you a job for twice the pay in a dream location. or;
You could get the reputation as a "fix it" guy, and your boss decides to move you to wherever employees need fixing. or;
By the time the job gets boring, perhaps you discover your hidden talents as a pastry chef.
Ok you get the idea. *grin*
Congratulations! It's really great news, isn't it. Now, you can be the one to decide whether to fire or work with add employees ...
If you really believe your pattern is not breakable, and that you will get bored, perhaps you could try for a lateral or upward position before you stop performing / get fired.
Understand first, please, that I am a Union member and a staunch Union supporter.BUT!
Most of the rank and file folks I work with, including me, are disgusted and even enraged (NOT exaggerations) by the goof-offs that are protected by OUR Union. They are disruptive and cause loads of controversy.
I understand generally goofing off. I understand being late, even being late a lot. I don't understand being late 80% of the time nor do I like them goofing off 100% of the time to allow their fellow Union members take up their slack.
We have a set task daily, and when it is finished we go home. Utter slackers cause more work for the rest of us. I will be thanked for the people I fire in general, and most will get the Union on their side and be rehired but I won't have to deal with them anymore.
So I should have said more clearly I won't be firing them but inviting them to take a week's vacation and move somewhere else :-)
I've been fired before, it sucks. I'd never do it lightly. Even like this.
[QUOTE=Auntie]Congrads!!! Even though you are afraid you may become bored I can see you are going in with a great attitude! Now I'm laughing because I say you have a good attitude but you did predict you will fire people and somehow that doesn't seem right. Like I'm cheering you on to fire those lazy no good workers!
Ah, heck: GO HAND OUT SOME PINK SLIPS!!! [/QUOTE]I think this is excellent advice which I plan to follow.
I am not superemployee at first but I learn very quickly, get the big picture and go. Combine that with hyperactive energy, new job related nervous energy and hyperfocus and that's just what comes out.
[QUOTE=bepatient]
Why don't you try not to go overboard in the beginning, spreading out your stunning excellence over time? It can be too hard to maintain that level over a long period. Going all out in the beginning burns you out too quickly and that's when it becomes boring.... It's okay when it's just a short project.
Congradulations and good luck!
[/QUOTE]
Hey, maybe you could be excellent at your job in a horizontal way - what I mean is, you could find ways to be creative at it by spreading out.
does that make sense?
Ok, here is what I mean. You go super fast at first and use up all your energy and get bored.
So when the bored part comes you take it in stride and look horizontally - how can I make this boring day more exciting? How can I make this part of my job creative and fun?
I teach kids and this is what we try to do when a child is bored because he learn so quickly. We spread out horizontally. We don't do on to a new subject until the rest of the class has caught up, but we let that child move horizontally and broaden out in that particular subject. So in this way the advanced child is challenged and not bored and the others have time to catch up to him or her.
I hope that makes sense.
So, you just need to greet the boredom with creative horizontal movement. Maybe that will help you keep the job.
You know, Resistance. If you try everything you can to challenge yourself or move horizontally, like Anni said and still become bored you could always go to your bosses and tell them you need more of a challenge. Maybe they will find a new position that will keep your interest for a while. Even if it isn't a promotion or a step up the latter doesn't matter. Just something different. I did lateral moves in my company occasionally just because I got bored.
Hey! knowing yourself and your pattern is the first step to change. Maybe you will really love this job long term? shoelaces LOL!I know the feeling.
I had a dangerous situation at work this past week but no one would fix it, even though if someone would get hurt they would get fired, quickly.
The ones I complained to only had to notify someone else to fix it but that phone call was just too difficult for them. In 60 days or so I'll be in a position to do something about this sort of thing. The thing is, they KNOW I'm being promoted.
What am I supposed to think!?
'Good job being lazy and putting others in danger, I'm recommending you for a raise for this heroism!' ????????
[QUOTE=The Resistance!]<smile>
I have seen dudes adjusting the lasers in the plant. They work alone, get cool little carts to tool about in. Climb around on conveyors.
I think that's me.
[/QUOTE] GREAT!! You're taking my job
. O.K., I was getting tired of it anyways!!I need to switch to personnel so I can fire some people who WON"T tye their shoelaces! I'ts not that they don't know how, but if they can get someone else to do the job for them...
I know the feelin',,, boss says he'd make me instant leadman if there was a slot open, but for now, slaves still have to be sold
.