Be an Entrepreneur: Work From Home with ADHD!


By Sarah Jane Keyser


You have a great idea: making jewelry, children's games, or the best widgets ever, and you want to do it from home.

I worked at home for years. I dropped the kids at nursery school, drove to the office, ran my programs on the computer, grabbed my listings, collected the kids and studied my results at home for the next day. My work as a computer programmer was ideal for telecommuting.

Today with the internet, creating your own business right from home is a real possibility. It means less time wasted in commuting hassles (saves gas too), and precious time used more efficiently, but it's a lot of work.

What does it take to start your own business? First of course you need an idea, but it takes more than an idea to create a business.

Successful entrepreneurs have strong internal motivation. They are able to set goals, schedule time, meet deadlines and communicate regularly with partners about problems and progress.

But what happens if you have ADHD? Organizing, planning, deciding, managing time are bombs in a mine field for people with ADHD.

Just a minute, ADHD is where you get all those ideas, enthusiasm and energy, the very ingredients you need for success. Yes you still need good strategies for organization and time management just like everybody else.

Here are some tips to keep ADHD from turning your dreams into nightmares:

1. Set boundaries.

People with ADHD often have difficulty keeping areas of their lives separate. That means the whole family must respect your work time. If children have difficulty accepting that Mom is home but not there, get a baby sitter. It means keeping a clear division between home and work papers including bills and financial documents and material such as telephone and computer usage. Your accountant will love you.

2. Get started.

It is typical of ADHD to waste a lot of time messing about. That nasty commute you want to avoid is actually a useful transition from home to work. I plan fidget time as much as half an hour; it helps me to get started in the morning or to switch from one task to another.

3. Curb perfectionism.

Know when to stop. With ADHD you may have difficulty knowing when enough is enough. When in doubt, ask a partner or a colleague to do a reality check on what more you really need to do.

4. Stay on task.

Do you wander from one task to another and find at the end of the day that you haven't done half of what you planned? So ADHD! Set a timer to go off every hour. When it rings, check that you are doing the task planned and review the agenda for what's next, or try a vibrating watch to refocus your attention. With practice you will learn to control your attention without the fireworks.

5. Delegate.

One big problem for many entrepreneurs is trying to do it all. Everything is in your head and it's difficult to trust others to do it the way you want it done. With ADHD, it's important to recognize your weaknesses and find a partner who is good at doing what you can not like accounting.

6. Regulate your energy level.

Accept that you aren't always in racing form. We all have good moments and less good moments. I have to take time to recharge my batteries with a cup of tea or by walking the dog. These are the moments when I get my best ideas. Schedule time to eat, exercise, sleep and relax. You'll still have time to succeed.

Now you are all set. On your mark, Go.

In a nut shell:

1. Set boundaries: keep work and home separate
2. Getting started: allow time to warm up
3. Curb perfectionism: know when to stop
4. Stay on task: do what works to stay focused
5. Delegate: let others do things you are not good at
6. Regulate energy: respect your natural rhythm

Sarah Jane Keyser worked with computers as programmer and trainer, but inattentive ADD kept getting in the way. She added ADD Coach training for a new career as an ADD Coach. Visit my web site Coaching Key to ADD to learn more about coaching for entrepreneurs and sign up for Zebra Stripes, a free E-zine for ADHD.


More Resources

Solo Mojo for Solo Entrepreneurs --- Where's Your Juice?
I recently read a magazine article about Andrew, a 42-year old businessman. He gave up a demanding law practice in the Northeast, moved South to launch a new furniture and interior-design store, and wrote his first fiction novel in the midst of that transition.
Interview with Best-selling Entrepreneurial Authors Barbara Winters and Nick Williams
Ray Bradbury's quote, "You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down" may sound extreme but, as anyone building a business knows, it has a lot of truth in it.As a newly self-employed journalist / writer and life coach, I found Barbara Winter's book, "Making a Living Without a Job" invaluable so when I got a chance to interview her and Nick Williams in London, I was delighted.
Dream It, Create It, Become It! Design a Dream Board
Have you ever heard of "Dream Boards" or "Treasure Maps"? A Dream Board is a visual picture of the dreams you have for your life. Some of my clients also use this concept to visualize their businesses! It's their first business plan.
What Makes An Entrepreneur Tick?
It is only natural that when you start a business, you are doing something different than most people. They not only will look at you because you stick out like a sore thumb _ but human nature will cause people to naturally ridicule what you are doing.
Documenting Partnerships in Your Business Plan
Forging partnerships to improve market penetration has become commonplace, particularly for "new economy" businesses. And, most companies proudly mention their many partnerships in their business plans.
Hurricane Katrina, Death, and a Different Type of Entrepreneurship
I've seen terrible images today on the television and internet-bodies of the elderly and infants floating in attics, buildings collapsing, seals washing up in the middle of highways. All I can say is that our thoughts go out to those in New Orleans, Gulfport and surrounding areas in this sad time.
Self-Esteem and the Entrepreneur
Isn't it funny how people think that being self-employed is so cool? They think that you get to take lots of vacation time and spend all of the profits. What they don't realize is that you put in outrageous amounts of blood, sweat, and tears to get there.
10 Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs
Running a one-person business is a creative, flexible and challenging way to become your own boss and chart your own future. It is about creating a life, as it is about making a living.
Questions For The Entrepreneur To Be
Entrepreneurial e-gnorancePart 1: Questions for the entrepreneur to beIf you are an entrepreneur starting out, or have been around the block for some time but are yet to hit on the jackpot, you might be missing out some of the cornerstones of doing busingg through the new age media, the internet. Ask yourself the following questions and in seeking out answers to the, you may find the magic touch that could propel you to the success that drives you everyday.
Ten Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs
Successful entrepreneurs have many traits in common. Here are ten of those traits that I consider to be very important.
The Danger Of Hate
As you have shown an interest in starting a business of your own it would be safe to assume that you want to changeyour life. You want more money - more control over yourlife - more respect.
Are You Sure You Want To Start Your Own Business? Part Two of a Series
Why, exactly, do you want to go into business for yourself? Is it because you cannot stand the thought of working for an uptight, demanding, and perfectly dreadful boss?Is it because you cannot bear the thought of going through another downsizing or restructuring, knowing that your job could be on the line?Is it because you want to be your own boss, call your own shots, or see more up side in your earning potential, with the possibility of financial self-sufficiency? These are all good reasons for wanting to go into business. In fact, studies have shown that many entrepreneurs get their start due to some life-altering experience such as losing a job or finally walking away from a dead-end job or a demoralizing work environment.
Starting Your Business: It All Boils Down To Making Money and Saving Money
Bootstrapping in the context of business start-ups refers to the use of creative financing approaches such as leveraging personal savings, credit-card debt, loans from friends and family, bartering, and other means to launch a business. Some business founders use bootstrapping because they have no other choice.
My Nemisis
Living in the twilight zone has its advantages. In the early days of starting my business, I found the limitations of living in a rural area to be restrictive.
How to Be an Entrepreneur and Keep Your Sanity
Define for yourself what an Entrepreneur is:What makes you think you can start and grow a business?Do you make something that people just have to have?Are you talented in a way that make you stand out from the crowd?What makes you different from Joe Schmoe?Conduct a quick skills assessment and ask yourself what makes you stand out from the rest?What are your ultimate goals? Why are you striking out on your own?
Independent Auto Detail Shop VS Biz Op or Franchise
Owning a detail shop can be an exciting and rewarding business indeed. Many times an owner of an independent Detailing Shop will wish to add those items he/she believes their customers want.
Secrets of My Favorite Government Auction
I love bargains. And there's no better place to find bargains than an auction.
Innovation incubator: Build it and keep it running
If your company is like the one I work for, your people are talking about the need for innovation. Mine has just announced a new program "that will bring a standardized approach to gathering and evaluating your ideas for generating new revenue and improving our business.
Why Every Student Should Start a Business
With the economic downturn, students in all the major business schools have been dropping out of their entrepreneurship classes and transferring back to classes where they think they have a secure future. Students and professionals who were once planning to start businesses now have decided to go back to their cushy jobs.
Should You Write Your Own Business Plan?
If you are just starting a company and looking for funding, or looking for additional funding for growth, you will need to develop a traditional business plan. Creating a business plan is a business hurdle that entrepreneurs seem to dread.

More Entrepreneurialism Information:

Related Articles

How to Be an Entrepreneur and Keep Your Sanity
Define for yourself what an Entrepreneur is:What makes you think you can start and grow a business?Do you make something that people just have to have?Are you talented in a way that make you stand out from the crowd?What makes you different from Joe Schmoe?Conduct a quick skills assessment and ask yourself what makes you stand out from the rest?What are your ultimate goals? Why are you striking out on your own?
Definition of Entrepreneur
EntrepreneurAn entrepreneur is a man who organizes and manages the business. The following are the responsibilities of an entrepreneur that what he has to do?1.
Be an Entrepreneur
The Department of Labor predicts that the #1 employer in 2010 will be "self." A recent Internet poll of 25-44 year olds revealed that 90% of them hoped to own their own business.
Could a Book About Your Company be Worth $1.7 Billion? Building Value Through Publishing
"Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) to purchase Clayton Homes for $12.
Seven Key Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs
A recent poll conducted by Forbes magazine shows that majority of its readers would prefer to become a billionaire rather than a Nobel peace prize winner, a great scientist or a famous athlete. There is no secret that most of the average people dream about getting rich albeit very few makes any real effort to become one.
Franchises - Emotional Fulfillment - The Challenge
Does A Franchise Meet Your Needs?Do you look forward to Friday afternoon or Monday morning? Perhaps that's the true litmus test of happiness. If you're thinking about the fact that there's only one day to go before the weekend, when you just got back from lunch on Wednesday, it may be time for a change.
Which Niche To Conquer?
I'm sure that you've heard about how many start up companies fail when they first begin, and the reason that most (if not all) of their failures is because they don't create a good fountain to build on.If we start right, it is easy to go right all the time.
Applying The Daffodil Theory into Business Practice
At times all of us need a bit of inspiration to add to our day. When I first read this article, I had started my own home based business and was in a bit of a slump.
Something From Nothing, With Something To Share
Betrayal, it can hit you like a load of bricks falling from the sky, leaving you with a pit in your stomach that no pill can cure.Starting your own business is hard enough, however when your inside people are working against you as well, it can make the toughest of souls weak at the knees.
The Six "F" Words Every Entrepreneur Should Know
Start your own business, and soon enough, you find yourself in a situation where there are many things you want to say, all of them unprintable.It happens to every entrepreneur - a moment of extreme challenge that causes you to wonder why you started the (expletive) business in the first place.
Isnt it Time You Started to Fly?
I am going to begin this article by sharing a shocking fact..
Health Insurance for Solo Entrepreneurs
One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is health insurance coverage. It is also the single most costly expense for self-employed entrepreneurs.
Double Your Income Automatically
It is a common known fact that it is far cheaper to keep an existing customer then it is to acquire a new customer. With this fact in mind you need to do everything possible to keep your existing customers happy and find complimentary products to offer your existing customers.
How Entrepreneurs Make Money Selling Global Brands On and Off-line
Did you know that thousands of companies from all over the world are looking for enthusiastic individuals to represent their products overseas? That person can be you. From Chinese toys to Brazilian bikinis people are making money reselling all kinds of products for a profit.
Franchises-Exit Strategy
At an International Franchising Symposium in London, Peter Holt made the bold statement to his audience of Franchisors that they needed to understand that their business would fail, and in fact all businesses are bound for failure. Needless to say, there were a few shocked faces in the crowd.
Youth Entrepreneurship, A Disappointing Truth
The psychology of entrepreneurship can be very rewarding to one who dreams of starting their own business. The freedom of being your own boss has billions of people seeking financial independence and other entrepreneurial expectations.
5 Habits Of Successful Entrepreneurs
Habits get a bum rap. When you think about your habits, I bet you think of the "bad" ones - the ones that you aren't particularly proud of, like eating too much sugar, or smoking, or dwelling on your negative thoughts.
From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money Selling Info Products
The term "Infopreneur" is a relatively new industry buzz word that is making waves because it opens doors for entrepreneurs to generate new streams of income. Simply put, an infopreneur sells information.
Build Your Own Board Of Experts
The most successful entrepreneurs rely on their advisory boards to help spot new opportunities and potential pitfalls.Now you can have your own advisory board: a shadow board of directors.
Dream It, Create It, Become It! Design a Dream Board
Have you ever heard of "Dream Boards" or "Treasure Maps"? A Dream Board is a visual picture of the dreams you have for your life. Some of my clients also use this concept to visualize their businesses! It's their first business plan.