Set Up Your Home Office In These Ways To Avoid Distractions

When many people think of someone who is affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, they picture children. There's no doubt that ADHD can impact the lives of children, but many adults struggle with this condition to varying degrees, too. If you're someone who has recently started to work from home, it's important for you to set up a home office that doesn't present you with many distractions. Your livelihood depends on your ability to stay focused in this environment, and choosing the right office setup can go a long way toward feeling calm and focused in this space. While you should always seek help from a medical professional to deal with your ADHD, here are some office setup methods to consider.

Keep The "Fun Factor" Low

One challenge that you might face is the temptation to make your home office a fun place to hang out, even when you aren't working. This can mean that you might want to mount a TV on the wall or hang a dartboard, but these fixtures can be highly distracting for someone who has ADHD. You need to work on staying focused while you work in this environment, and glancing up and seeing the dartboard can quickly derail your productivity. While it might seem a little dull to keep fun fixtures out of your office, this simple decision can help you.

Decorate Sparsely

You may also want to take a sparse approach to decorating your home office. Even if your decorations aren't necessarily "fun," they can still pose distractions. For example, if you were to hang your degree or a series of certificates on a wall, you could find yourself frequently reminiscing about the days of being in school — and then perhaps even going on Facebook to see what some of your old classmates are doing. While you don't have to sit in a room with empty walls, perhaps putting up some minimally distracting material — ideally, that is relevant to your profession — may help you.

Position Yourself Properly

Even the manner in which you sit can have an impact on whether you get easily distracted or whether you're able to stay focused. For example, if there's a large window in the office, you might want to sit with your back to it. Looking out the window could be highly distracting. Similarly, you may want to sit so that you aren't looking straight out the door of the office, as you could get distracted each time a family member walks past the room. Remember, you can make helpful environmental changes, but you should also consider medication to help your ADHD symptoms.

For more information, contact a professional like Michele Campione, M.D. today. 


Share