Co-Working for ADHD

The Digital Era, ADHD, and Coworking- How Are They Related?

No illness that we, as humans, know or don’t know of can be beneficial to us in any way. Of course, physical illnesses can hamper our daily lives, since, apart from the root cause of them, even their symptoms can make it a challenge to carry out our day-to-day lives. For example, a laborer with a back injury may find it hard to lift heavy items. A surgeon who injured his arm during a game of squash will have to stop work until he recovers.

Even those who may face challenging mind-related illnesses, syndromes, or disorders may find it difficult to work. This may especially be relatable to those with jobs that require them to sit in front of a screen all day long.

The digital era has made life easy for all of us in many ways. We can now connect with people on a different continent via video call. Work life has become easier. We can assemble important tasks in a single product, like a laptop or a computer, unlike the earlier days when people relied on pen and paper. They had to keep things as organized as possible to avoid losing important documents. These are a few examples of the many ways life has changed.

But, as much as the digital era has made life easy for us, it has also made many of us lethargic and unfocused. Since we now have a lot of spare time on hand since we don’t have to make much of an effort to carry out a task given the fact that more or less everything is a click away, it has made humankind more laid-back in general. Also, apart from this very real and true point, most of us get quite distracted. This is thanks to our phones and the number of interesting apps, websites, and more that we can find on them.

Even though life can be more interesting due to this, isn’t it true that it reduces our focus on work? Even research says that the attention span of every generation has been reducing. For example, while the millennials have an attention span of approximately 12 seconds when they come across an advertisement, the people of Gen Z have an attention span of 8 seconds.

It’s all fun and games, though, until it comes to having to be serious at work to achieve or even complete a certain task.

Is Coworking Recommended for People with ADHD?

After the first part of this article, it is safe to say that many of us may be suffering from some level of ADHD. It could be an extreme case or not.

But how does coworking fit into all this? Does it help increase our attention span?

The answer to this question could be rather ambiguous, given the fact that every mind is different. Yet, if one is determined to improve his or her attention span, especially when it comes to work, and also be more efficient, productive, and creative, coworking could be the answer and a good solution.

How, you ask?

It is a well-known fact that we as humans are social beings, and meeting new people increases the level of dopamine in our bodies. If we isolate ourselves, we tend to get bored and frequently pick up our phones in search of something meaningful to distract ourselves. But what could be more meaningful than having an interesting and fun conversation with a friend, colleague, or acquaintance? Coworking offers one benefit that no other form of work does.

Once our dopamine levels increase, it is rather easy for us to get back to work with a more motivated and efficient mind. We can then be more productive and creative and be up and ready to work again.

But, someone with an extreme level of ADHD may find it challenging to work in an environment that has too much to offer. Too many activities, cafeterias to order food at, and a lot of people around can be a challenge for those who get distracted.

But, it could also benefit those with ADHD when they see the people around them being more focused irrespective of whether those individuals are freelancers, independent professionals or are working with a firm, since it may help them remember that they should do so too. Also, a helpful acquaintance may play a vital role in reminding a distracted person to concentrate on work.

Nonetheless, even though it may take a while, Coworking could be a good way of practicing how not to get distracted by many things, activities and people around you, and if your aim is to overcome your attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, this could be a good way for you to start. Coworking has proven to be beneficial to a lot of people in many different ways, and helping us focus on work could be one of them, as long as we make a conscious effort not to misuse the concept.