I’m a CEO with ADHD: How I’m Thriving
There are so many moving parts to running a business. Being your own boss means you are the CEO of course, but you also will have to be the social media manager, the payroll accountant, the HR team and everything else it takes to make a business run smoothly!
You may be saying, “But Nadia, you’re only one person.” I know, the struggle is real. Plus if you have ADHD like me, it can be even harder to manage your business effectively. But it is possible!
Here’s how I stay focused and crush my goals:
Get With the Winning Team
In the words of the great poet Joseline Hernandez, get with the winning team!
The #1 reason I’m able to get it all done is because I’ve hired the right people to handle my business. Hiring help is definitely an investment, but it’s so worth it.
Everyone is the best at what they do, so I can focus on being the best leader for our team. We have weekly team meetings to make sure we’re all on the same page and making progress on our projects. I prepare an agenda for each team meeting to keep us on track.
(Pro tip: keep your agenda in sight during the meeting. If you get off topic, you’ll be able to refer back to it.)
Instead of derailing the team meetings with the questions that pop into my head, I follow up in 1-on-1’s with my team leads. This has increased our productivity and cut down on meeting length tremendously!
There’s an App for that
Before I could hire, I used productivity apps to help me manage everything and I still do! All the structures and processes that used to take up space in my head now live on these apps. Here are a few I love:
Dubsado: If you provide any kind of online service, Dubsado is for you. It’s perfect for keeping your clients abreast on projects and keeping you up on those outstanding invoices.
Slack: the OG online collaboration tool. Slack really came in handy once my team grew from local to remote. Slack gives us a place to stay connected without clogging up everyone’s inbox or text messages.
ClickUp: Now this is the GOAT right here. ClickUp puts every task and it’s status at a glance. I love this because it helps me prioritize what needs to get done NOW and what I can delegate.
Give Yourself Grace
If not managed properly, ADHD can lead to anxiety and depression. But if you reframe the diagnosis and focus on its positive traits: high energy, unafraid of risk, creativity and a penchant for multitasking— it sounds a lot like a great boss, doesn’t it? This is how I CEO with ADHD: I harness my energy with a little help from my team and a few apps to keep my thoughts straight. Having ADHD is not without its challenges, but it’s ultimately made me a stronger leader for my company.
