Hayley North is a chartered financial planner and founder of advice firm Rose & North. She was diagnosed this year with ADHD and Autism and is passionate about helping others understand what the world is like to someone who is neurodivergent.
North, who now works for herself says: “When I was employed, I always struggled to get to work on time but delivered great results while I was there.
"I struggled with open-plan office environments, often having to take work home or work longer hours to get the work done.
"Obviously at the time I wasn't in a position to ask for support or a quiet room to work in, as this was simply seen as being high maintenance and awkward, when in fact it would have made it easier for me to do my job.”
However, little seems to have changed in the past decade or so.
She continues: “I don't think most workplaces these days are ideal for those with ADHD. Frequent interruptions are unhelpful as I will have periods of almost laser focus on my work and once interrupted, I can struggle to get this back.
"I have worked for myself for more than 15 years now and would never go back to working in an office or for others, as I need to be able to control my work environment and how I manage my workflow. It is extremely stressful not being able to work in the way that works best for me.”
However, she is more positive describing her strengths as a person who is neurodivergent with ADHD: “I am extremely creative - brimming with ideas, most of which I would never have the time or resources to execute but others could happily use.
"I am able to focus intensely for periods of time and give all my attention to that one task, great when dealing with clients one on one.
"I am very curious and always open to exploring solutions or alternative approaches and often bring a lot of energy into the room (which I then need time to recover in my own time). I also have a very broad range of skills an am always happy to pick up new ones."
Like many people with ADHD, North says she “can also very quickly get bored of something new, and from the many ideas only one or two will be things I actually run with.”
North believes this highlights the importance of diverse teams of people in working environments with different skill sets and ways of thinking that help each other make the most of strengths.
