Little time-related shifts
to help you feel better at work.
The gist of this article is that timing-related shifts are useful because they can:
help us shape our workdays to suit our strengths and preferences
give us time and space to regulate or regain a bit of equilibrium after intense or draining experiences
help us visualise the passage of time so we have one less thing to remember.
Why little shifts related to timing are important
We know that flexible work practices can benefit anybody, but they are especially helpful for neurodivergent workers. In a recent survey of employers and employees about creating neuroinclusive workplaces, flexible working was the intervention that showed the most positive impact on outcomes for neurodivergent workers (Thompson and Miller, 2024). There are loads of reasons why this is the case, and the perfect balance will look different depending on the individual - workers might find it easier to manage their environment, can save time and energy on their daily commute, or can achieve the balance of social interaction and alone time that helps them to do their best work (Brooks et al., 2024).
Flexible time
It’s useful to separate out the different aspects of flexible working here, because different types of flexibility might be more accessible in different contexts. For workers who can’t work from home, it might be more achievable to adjust work timing.
Flexible start and finish times can help workers avoid long commutes and busy rush-hour traffic, reducing sensory overload and freeing up time and energy. For others, it might make sense to complete work hours outside of typical office hours.
For some other practical examples, see the article “Flexible working in front line roles: What is possible?”.
Time to take a breath
As mentioned in last week’s article “Little shifts at work - meeting your sensory needs”, incorporating a physical space for rest and recovery is one of the principles of neurodiversity-friendly work environments. We can make use of the same principle with timing.
Incorporating breaks to decompress after meetings, presentations, or periods of focus can be beneficial for maintaining focus and productivity across the workday, and these don’t have to be huge - even a 30 second pause to take a breath can give us a bit of time to refocus.
Visual prompts for timing
Differences in the ways our brains are wired can mean that the passage of time can feel different for neurodivergent folks. For example, ADHDers can have difficulties estimating how much time things will take and feel like time is passing them by without being able to complete tasks accurately and well - although training and medication help with this (Ptacek et al., 2019). This is often summarised by saying that ADHDers suffer from “time blindness” or think in terms of “now/not now”.
This topic really deserves its own post, but we’re thinking about little shifts here! Most advice about time management boils down to finding a system that works for you (like this article in ADDitude magazine).
A simple way to help notice the passage of time is to use visual reminders - like analogue clocks or countdown timers. Something that I have personally found helpful is to get really detailed about my calendar - for example, if I’ve got an in-person meeting, I always schedule in travel time so there’s less of a chance I’ll double book myself.
What little shifts have you found helpful at work? Let me know!
Sources and further reading
Short articles:
McCartney, C. Flexible working in front line roles: What is possible?
Tuckman, A. (2024). How ADHD Warps Time Perception: Strategies to Stop Wasting and Start Managing Time
Reports/journal articles:
Brooks, S. K., Hall, C. E., Rogers, M. B., & Greenberg, N. (2024). Homeworking experiences of neuro-divergent workers: systematic review. Occupational Medicine, kqae095.
Ptacek, R., Weissenberger, S., Braaten, E., Klicperova-Baker, M., Goetz, M., Raboch, J., ... & Stefano, G. B. (2019). Clinical implications of the perception of time in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A review. Medical science monitor: international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 25, 3918.
Thompson, E. and Miller, J. (2024) Neuroinclusion at work. Survey report. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Book:
We’re all Neurodiverse by Sonny Jane Wise