Please let us revolutionise work
Interesting observations on my work style gleaned from the past week:
I’m doing some (non-shift) freelance work and using Clockify to track the time spent. I’ve noticed some really fascinating things about the way I work as a neuroatypical person (ADHD.)
I’ve never, ever been able to fit with a normal, 9–5 job. It’s why I’ve worked all those weird jobs for so long. I honestly thought there was something wrong with me, that I was a shitty worker, but at the same time, I KNEW I wasn’t. I KNOW I am a hard worker.
Looking at my Clockify data, there’s this pattern. I work for 20–40 minutes at a time, after which I need to get up and do something active or engage my brain in a different way. Then, anywhere from 20–60 minutes later I go back and do another 20–40.
There is a single instance where I worked steadily for 2.5hrs, but it was after I’d done some strenuous garden work, thus most likely burning off my excess energy.
I repeat this routine throughout the day, from when I wake up (between 6–8am usually) until I go to bed (11pm, mostly?)
It’s early days yet, but WFH could really be the answer for someone with my particular neuro-atypical-ness. Letting me break up the work naturally, in a way that feels right for me, means that I’m SO MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE than if I’m trying to focus strictly between 9–5.
Imagine if we could always have this freedom? How much more shit could people who do not fit the average workaday mould get done? We need to revolutionise work practices for the future because there are a lot of neurodiverse folk out there.
It will look different for everyone, but this is mine, and it WORKS. It’s amazing.
Let’s revolutionise work. Please. It could mean an entire group of people could find their groove, their mode, their preferred method of getting shit done.
And it might make a neurodiverse person feel a little less like they are a failure. Because we are not. We’re just not cut out for work methods from ‘before’. Let’s use this change (caused by horrific circumstances) to rethink the way things ‘should’ be done.