Working experiences : The good and bad after two moths
Working toward finding a job
I graduated from university in February 2025 ready to start working! Let me tell you this. I was not ready for the job search. Honestly, who is? It can all be summed up as: rejection overload, cv building and lots of creative writing. #DoYouReadMyLetters?
It took me 4 long months of uncertainty, but I did manage to find a job and I even got past the probation period. Which lead me to write this blog post. Because it is not easy to work fulltime! At least, not with AuDHD.
Traveling to work
My personal daily struggle is the commute to work and back. Okay, not entirely true. I do not mind waking up early to travel. I actually enjoy the early mornings. It gives me time for podcasts and music. But, the entire daily commute takes about 2.5 hours. Which is horrible on the way back. Getting home feels like a challenge and making dinner after a long day feels pretty overwhelming. Truth be told, simple air fryer meals and meal prepping are my saving grace.
Commute is a necessary evil. Besides moving or in my case, saving up for a car – will not change the fact that it takes long and has to be done. I do highly recommend noise cancelling headphones. The less people you can hear the better. Chatter takes away focus and energy and will not help you during the actual workday.
You will never catch me without my: sony wh-1000xm4 probably upgrading to the sony wh-1000xm5 soon!
My experience working at an office
Like anything in life, it comes with both good and bad experiences. Let’s start with the positive. I work with a small team, which for me, feels pretty good. We can quickly ask questions, help each other in a pinch and have a group lunch. Personally I do not talk much, unless it’s about a topic I enjoy. I also tend to walk by myself after lunch to recharge. It helps me to meet both my ASD and ADHD needs. It will also change per day which I prefer.
Some of the downsides of working with AuDHD
Hey! Do you remember all the endless energy and enthusiasm you had back when you were in school? Honestly, I don’t really either anymore, but I can definitely say it’s completely gone now. One of the biggest downsides of working in a small team within an organization is that when you say you’re busy, you really mean it—there’s no such thing as a slow day.
Without naming the company (which is something I would never do anyway), I currently handle about 100 orders every single week. This number is steadily increasing, and believe it or not, this stage is what people refer to as the chill period.
Overall advice when starting in a new work environment
Be very open about your needs. I personally told my managers that I have ADHD. Why? Because one of them shared it with me. Why not the ASD? Well my personal experience thought me that people instantly underestimated me. On the other hand, I’m not ashamed of it. I strategically asked for the things I need and incorporate both ADHD and ASD needs with them. The thing I struggle with the most? You guessed it! UNMASKING BABY! I can’t really tell you yet how to deal with that. Trying to figure that out myself. I will post about this specifically in a later blog.
Find your system during working at an office
No, I’m not talking about a computer system, although perhaps you might have one yourself. What I personally concentrate on during the very first month is establishing both a consistent routine and a clear structure that help me conserve and manage my energy throughout the day and across the entire week. A great example of something that works well for me is using a portable screen that I bring from home to help limit the number of tabs I open and close on my computer.
The fewer times you have to switch between tasks, the more energy you are able to save and keep for important activities. Additionally, I make a point of wearing noise-cancelling headphones while I work. Not all the time, of course—remembering to stay social and engage with your colleagues is important—but I do use them during moments when I need to focus deeply or during phone calls to minimize distractions and maintain concentration.
Now this tip is essential: WRITE THINGS DOWN! Yes, I did just shout at you. Trust me, I never did this in the past. It also took me a long time to do this well. I can personally guarantee you, it will always help you out in the end. Again, figure out what works for you. Personally I use Notion, easy to edit and always available. I can not and will not work with notebooks. I do not hate them, I just lose or forget them all the time.
My personal thoughts after two months of working
It is hard. Like so hard I would love to throw in the towel and leave. Okay maybe not. The money is good and things are about to become easier at work. Yay for new systems. But still, I do feel inclined to tell you the truth. A full time job with ADHD, ASD or both is hard. People will not always understand you, nor will they be able to help you. More often than not, it will be you who will need to set boundaries and make hard decisions.
But also listen to your heart, sometimes a job or organisation is just not right for you. Yes, money is important and you need to pay bills. But ending up with a burnout will cost you more in the long run.
I will keep working at my job for now and keep track of my experiences and learnings during my time with them. We shall see what the future brings. Hopefully this short rambling gave you some insights. Or maybe it raised some questions! Feel free to ask them here or on Instagram. I’m proud of you and we got this!
