By Sophia May Wealth

 

Whether it’s autism, ADHD, dyslexia or another neurological condition with overlapping symptoms, discover new options to ascend in the corporate world while managing distracting symptoms. From self-help books to mobile apps to non-profit organisations, explore tools that accommodate neurodivergent ways of thinking. Uncover tried and true picks certified by a fellow neurodivergent woman.

 

Self-Help Books

 

Delay any scepticism on the practicality of the self-help genre and consider this: self-help books offer insight into the minds of the majority. In other words, the neurotypical. ‘Best-selling’, ‘ancient’ or ‘classic’ are the key words to look out for when choosing a self-help title because it means that work resonates with people currently or endures throughout time, revealing a certainty about human nature. This is especially helpful for the corporate neurodivergent woman baffled by social encounters, who is struggling to discern colleagues and management in the workplace.

 

Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People is an excellent introduction to the self-help genre. It has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling books of all time. Notwithstanding the endless moral quandaries over the existence of billionaires, it’s useful to know that Warren Buffett, an American businessman and the seventh richest person in the world, credits Dale Carnegie’s methods with his business success. To this day, Buffett keeps the graduation certificate for Carnegie’s public speaking course hung on his office wall.

 

What neurodivergent women can hope to gain from this publication is an understanding of what is expected of an employee in a corporate workplace. So often, neurodivergent women take instructions at face value. This can lead to misconceptions about one’s role in the office. Mysteries concerning why a colleague is antagonistic or why management doesn’t offer a promotion that’s well overdue begin to crop up. Carnegie’s book is critical for understanding the intricacies of social relations in an office environment; his advice highlights the importance of keeping allies, avoiding being perceived as competition by colleagues and currying favour in the office. Sometimes, these mean the difference between a promotion and being laid off, despite any practical skills an individual may have.

 

Honourable mentions in the self-help genre include Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power. Also, the ancient Kama Sutra by Vātsyāyana – written almost 2000 years ago in early India and mistakenly perceived as solely a sex guide, the book provides useful advice for male and female courtesans alike on how to lead an enriched life.

 

Mobile Apps

 

There is a slew of mobile apps out there claiming to provide exceptional planning and organisational solutions to individuals’ lives. The apps that are truly extraordinary, however, are those that cater to the neurodivergent sense of being overwhelmed or a lack of motivation. The root causes of these feelings are entrenched in numerous differences in the structure of a neurodivergent brain compared to a neurotypical one. Expressions of these structural differences manifest in unconventional behaviours and thought patterns. Such behaviours and thought patterns are given terms that might be familiar: task paralysis, pathological demand avoidance (PDA) and autistic inertia. The end result is a chronic problem where tasks consistently don’t get done. The neurodivergent woman must remember that it is no failure on their part to not feel motivated for goals they truly aspire to achieve. They must keep their confidence since strength and durability are vital in the corporate world.

 

Habitica

 

Particularly for women with ADHD, who have an underactive reward system within their brains, Habitica is revolutionary. Available on desktop, Google Play and the iOS App Store, gamify your life with the immersive Habitica app. Supplement the dopamine (the ‘happy chemicals’) the ADHD brain lacks by going on quests, raising pet dragons and defeating monsters! The more a Habitica user achieves in their daily life, the more they succeed in their quests and the more weapons they can buy. Accomplishments in real life mean more spellcasting, more potions and extra treats for pet dragons and flying pigs! Gaming, even on a mobile phone, can be highly addictive. Why not connect with the hyper-focus symptom of ADHD and make it an advantage?

 

An honourable mention for planning mobile apps is Tiimo. Co-founded by two neurodivergent women involved in a research project concerning how technology can aid neurodivergent adolescents, Tiimo is tailored for neurodiversity. Packed with stunning visuals, colour coordination and a focus on the present, Tiimo is fantastic for outlining due tasks in a manner that doesn’t overwhelm you.

 

Non-Profit Organisations

 

In a corporate climate that is cut-throat and regressive, understanding of the diversity of the human brain is lost. Neurodivergent women need to know where they have allies. Every ambitious, neuroatypical woman is entitled to accommodations that level the playing field between her and her colleagues. Neurological conditions like dyscalculia and ADD fall under the disability criteria for the Equality Act (2010).

 

With that being said, here are some non-profit organisations within the UK that support neurodiverse individuals:

 

The Brain Charity

 

The Brain Charity is one of the few charities in the UK to offer support regarding more than 600 neurological conditions. They consider various conditions, from strokes to cluster headaches and dyslexia. They’re delightful with legal advice and supply workplace neurodivergent training workshops to companies.

 

The National Autistic Society

 

The National Autistic Society is dedicated to changing attitudes and perceptions surrounding autism, aiming to create a wider society that is suitable for all autistic individuals. They’ve been running since 1962 and have extensive outreach. There are 115 NAS branches across the UK. This charity has published numerous guides on the topic of employment, such as the Support at Work guide available on the NAS website.

 

The ADHD Foundation

 

For conferences, webinars and extravagant balls, turn to the ADHD Foundation. It’s a brilliant organisation for networking and meeting other neurodivergent women in business. They hosted an amazing ball last year, led by Aidy Smith and headlined by the dazzling Rebecca Ferguson.

 

These non-profit organisations can assist any shrewd, neurodivergent businesswoman with advocating for themselves if they suspect their employer will be particularly sly concerning providing accommodations. Ultimately, if neurodivergent women are to conquer the corporate world, they must be their own finest advocates.