I've been having trouble at work (like half the people here) and my boss has spoken to me on several occasions about my lateness. I've also been forgetting to do things frequently.

I'm preparing myself to talk with him to
a) tell him what the issue is (because he keeps saying he's not going to put up with this unless there's a good explanation); and
b) talk about changes we might make so that I do my job better.

99% of the changes will be free: Like, can we have a weekly meeting to go over a list of what I need to be doing. Or, can he send me e-mails, so I have something in writing to refer to and don't forget.

But I have a huge request to help me with my hyperfocus problem. Lots of you would love my situation: Private office at the end of a corridor where I sit facing into the corner and the computer. No distractions. But this is a recipe for disaster with my hyperfocus problems. I don't come up for air for hours, and in the meantime, I don't do all the things I should have. I need a location where tiny distractions will prevent me from going into hyperfocus.

So I want to move where I sit and how my space is arranged. But there is no where for me to move. I'm a receptionist/office manager, but there's no physical space in the main area, so they put me here. There is however, a small storage room (that we don't use), between my office and the entry area. I want to ask to have the walls taken down, so I can move to a more open area. Back up would be rearranging my office so I don't face the wall, but I don't think that would be nearly as helpful.

My boss is actually a sweet guy and I work for a big corporation so we could pay for it, and I don't think he'd have any major objections. But he/we would have to submit the proposal to HR & facilities. What is the best way to ask for something like this? Good arguments, etc.

Thanks.

I don't think you need to do to much preparation for this. Tell him that you've been doing some research ahd that you think this will help you to get your job done better. That's what he wants right? Well, here's something that might help.

Were I him I'd say "Well, let's try a few other ideas first before we go tearing the office up.", so expect that. If you really think it'll help though bring it up again in a few weeks.

Zuleika_

Office design and space management is "my thing". I've worked solving these types of problems and always finish up with ecstatic customers.

I understand your thinking regarding the hyperfocus, but I do truly believe that your boss will view you as a martian with 3 heads and purple polka dotted skin when you request tearing down a high wall office, both because of your position and because uncontrollable distractions are not a "cure" for hyperfocus. You hyperfocus for a reason, and its what makes you truly functional, so you don't want to destroy this, you just need to enhance your overall performance.

Anything that you request from your boss should not place additional work on him. If he hasn't sent you e-mails in the past for small requests, then asking him to start doing so now, would be expecting him to work harder. Its easier and more time efficient for him to stick his head in your office for a request like "pull the numbers on the Gibson job so I can go over them" especially if he needs the info by a certain time. Try keeping a colored steno pad (purple or lime green?) on your desk to keep a running list of requests on and check them off as you complete them. The brightly colored paper will help you locate the book for every single request to be recorded.

While lack of space might be the only issue, the fact that your company has placed you in an out of the way high wall office may very well be because they felt you were too distracted by being out in the middle of everything. It may also be that you handle paperwork which needs to remain secure (payroll?). Without more info I can't really say. Could you possibly be feeling isolated from everyone else and therefore getting depressed about your position which may also be causing you to be late and forget to do things, etc? I also have a history of being late, but even in the middle of an ***** chewing bosses have told me the quality and quantity of my work more than makes up for my day starting late and I avoid jobs that require extreme punctuality. However receptionists MUST be punctual. Sorry but that is just a fact of life. You are going to have to be on time to be a receptionist. The entire office depends on you. Customers or other businesses depend on you. Also, because punctuality is so essential for a receptionist, I wouldn't expect ADA to cover this as a disability that your employer should accomodate. Tardiness in this position places a hardship on the entire office. So buy a second and third alarm clock.

Actually buy a 4th and 5th alarm clock. This is a solution for hyperfocus. My job usually requires architectural drawing on the computer and my best work is when I'm "in the zone!!!" The second time a coworker stuck her head in my cubicle to say "didn't you say you had a 2 o'clock appointment" and it was 15 after 2, I bought an alarm clock. Most computers have them too. I use the computer clocks for long term reminders (monthly things) and travel alarms on my desk for outside meetings, inside meetings, returning phone calls, going to lunch on time, etc...anything that is time sensitive and I know is in danger of being overlooked 'cause I'm zoning. I even use them to allocate my time for various projects.

The one thing your employer should be able to help you with is rearranging your office. Having your back to the door is uncomfortable for most people and increases the startle factor for ADDers. It also causes additional feelings of alienation and while many people here at the forums aren't particularly social, some of us are social butterflies at work because we enjoy the distractions, and for me frankly its less of a hassle to maintain a work friendship than a personal time friendship.

As for requesting the tear-out, if you have been at the company for a number of years and have always had high reviews with excellent performance prior to the move,then I could probably help you with this argument. But if you are fairly new (1-2 years or less) and the problems are somewhat ongoing, I can't envision an argument for de-construction this drastic. The argument of "needing distractions" really doesn't make any sense. But if for instance, you've worked there for years and were performing great because you "professionally eavesdropped" on the entire office to keep up with who needed what and when, then I could help.

Could it really be that the isolation is causing you additional anxiety? Is there really something else going on? The fact is both positions, receptionist and office manager, require the person doing the job to be highly organized. I can very effectively and profitably manage a $500,000 construction project that takes 2 years to complete while keeping 20 other projects going at the same time, but frankly, at the end of 6 months in a receptionist/ office job pushing nothing but papers I'd be like the TV show___ Just Shoot Me......Please!!!

Is there a different position where you might do better? Even if you take a pay cut to be in customer service, you may be better suited to sales and can work your way up into an even better position later. Just a thought.

Thanks for all the feedback.

I've been at this job for nearly four years. I hate my job, but I can't find another one -- I took it as a temporary thing and my boss is aware that I've been job hunting since the day before I started. I like the people I work with, but it's a terrible job for me and I will never be good at this sort of thing. There is no where for me to move, either up, down or sideways, and the only better way is out. I can't find anyone who's willing to let me out either. In the meantime, it pays the rent.

That said, I don't think that rearranging the office is going to help me be on time. But I do think it will help me work better, be more aware of what is going on in the office, etc.

When we moved into this office two years ago, I got the space I'm in because it was what was left after everyone else (all "professional" staff) got what they wanted. Hyperfocus is not helping me get my work done or make me truly functional. It makes me get over-involved in online bulletin boards which should be a few minutes break or entertainment when I have down time. My job involves lots of mindless small tasks, and in order to do them I need to remain present in my job, not zoned out in something else.

I realize that the argument that I "need distractions" doesn't make sense to other people, but my brain doesn't make sense to me let alone other people.

Thanks for the notepad tip, I've already done that for years. Not just requests of things to do, but phone calls I make, bits of research, etc. It's not fancy, but it is a chronological record of my work, and I know that I can always go back and find something there.

Anyway, there are a number of on-going performance issues that could be addressed by making some changes, and I figure we might as well go after all of them at once. I also think that if my boss is aware of my efforts to make productive changes to be a better employee, he'll be more understanding of my efforts to be on time -- even if I'm not successful every day. And if he gets a picture of the huge scope of the problem, he'll stop thinking I'm just too lazy to get up.

I will never be good at this sort of thing. There is no where for me to move, either up, down or sideways, and the only better way is out.

One thing your going to learn about me is that I'm generally a positive person so forgive me any trespass. :D But, why do you cut yourself off at the knees before you really try? How long have you been dx'd? what kind of tx are you seeking? what kind of life changes have you looked into? With the right meds/therapy you can do anything but fly but then give us time we'll figure that one out too. :rolleyes:

That said, I don't think that rearranging the office is going to help me be on time. But I do think it will help me work better, be more aware of what is going on in the office, etc.

Do not hold ADD accountable for your lateness, hold yourself accountable. This worked wonders for me honestly I haven't been late in years. When I'm 5, 10, 30 minutes late for work I give that many minutes of my time to the company by working off the clock. O' how I hated doing it but my issue with arriving on time was cleared up within a few weeks.

When we moved into this office two years ago, I got the space I'm in because it was what was left after everyone else (all "professional" staff) got what they wanted. Hyperfocus is not helping me get my work done or make me truly functional. It makes me get over-involved in online bulletin boards which should be a few minutes break or entertainment when I have down time. My job involves lots of mindless small tasks, and in order to do them I need to remain present in my job, not zoned out in something else.

Have you tried setting a cooking timer at your desk for 10 minute or 15 whatever you may think you need? Doing this helped break my hyper focus skills and I was able to keep up with tasks again.

I realize that the argument that I "need distractions" doesn't make sense to other people, but my brain doesn't make sense to me let alone other people.

lol nobody's brain makes sense, even though not afflicted with disorders. We don't expect you to have all the answers to how your brain works or you wouldn't be here.

Anyway, there are a number of on-going performance issues that could be addressed by making some changes, and I figure we might as well go after all of them at once. I also think that if my boss is aware of my efforts to make productive changes to be a better employee, he'll be more understanding of my efforts to be on time -- even if I'm not successful every day. And if he gets a picture of the huge scope of the problem, he'll stop thinking I'm just too lazy to get up.

If you've been medically dx'd there are state and national bi-laws that protect your rights be sure and research your state laws before asking for anything so all your ducks are in a row.

Good luck and keep trying its all anyone can do ADD or Not
hUGS
Cherity :D

I too have struggled with lateness my whole life and am in a tight spot now at work. aI have been fired for being late before, and only because of the mercy of my last boss lasted 4 years. People generally don't understand us and books that deal with lateness are really generic. it is more that meking lists or setting an egg timer. this is a real problem that should bne protected by the ADA as long as it isn't abused. I am regularly late to within ten minutes on a regular basis, but really try to be to work on time and do not cause my job any hardship by being 5 or ten minutes late unless there is a meetiung.

I hope that you learn to deal with your problems of lateness. it is discouraging to think that you can change something overnight that may have plagued you since childhood. I wish people were more understanding.

God Bless,

Chris.

I'm having a problem with lateness as well. I have been spoken to several times about it, and today is my year-end review. It's not going to be good - I and everyone else in the office know this. I don't think I will be fired, but I'm going to have to come up with some type of solution to make sure I get out of bed on time.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can start being more punctual? I have tried several alarm clocks, I just shut them off and get back in bed without even realizing it.

When you say this is a problem that should be protected by the ADA - I agree - it is one thing if your drunk or stayed up too late or ****ed around too much - but its another thing if you are just doing what you think is the right thing and you aren't intentionally trying to work the system or anything like that - this is an issue I am dealing with right now.
I have never drank or smoked or done drugs or anything in my life and i cannot seem to cut it.

I too have struggled with lateness my whole life and am in a tight spot now at work. aI have been fired for being late before, and only because of the mercy of my last boss lasted 4 years. People generally don't understand us and books that deal with lateness are really generic. it is more that meking lists or setting an egg timer. this is a real problem that should bne protected by the ADA as long as it isn't abused. I am regularly late to within ten minutes on a regular basis, but really try to be to work on time and do not cause my job any hardship by being 5 or ten minutes late unless there is a meetiung.

I hope that you learn to deal with your problems of lateness. it is discouraging to think that you can change something overnight that may have plagued you since childhood. I wish people were more understanding.

God Bless,

Chris.