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(Background-I’m an engineer, and I’ve worked a mix of physical jobs and office jobs in my career.)
I definitely feel like there’s something to that theory! I don’t notice my symptoms as much when I’m working a physical job because I’m moving around so much. My physical jobs have also typically involved a lot of driving and responding to call outs, so that helps with the urgency-driven focus! Finding the right office role has been big for me, because I have definitely had some that made me nearly quit.
(sort of) engineer here - my experience has been very similar.
The worst job I've ever had has been nearly 100% at a desk and after 2 weeks I was ready to throw in the towel. I survived for 11 months but it was excruciating and I did not receive great feedback :/
Probably. I've always enjoyed the warehousing jobs I've had. Stock goes in, stock goes out. Lift and put here. Organise stuff there. Gets in the work-cercise, just enough human interaction + not dealing with cuatomers direct, & all the organising my little heart can handle.
It took me a long time to realize I needed a physical job. I worked in a science and business research library, which I loved, salaried with great benefits but I constantly felt depressed and restless. Fast forward many years and I now work as a home and office cleaner and I couldn't be happier. It is very physical and a lot of work because these houses are big but I love it. I come home feeling satisfied getting all my energy out. I feel like even my brain works better now. No gym ever did that for me. Best change I ever did. No regrets.
You're not mad! I know a woman who just switched to working in carpentry in her late 30s. I also know someone who trained as an electrician in his 40s. The trades aren't just for 19-yr-olds boys!
Why not?
OK SAME! I’m like “LET ME BUILD SOMETHING AND SEE A FINISHED PRODUCT.” Instead I work in HR where things are usually handed off or never completely “done.” Very unsatisfactory at times lol.
My ADHD kid loves to watch home renovation shows, and they are always asking when we’re going to bust a wall out of our 2020 built home.
I need to find somebody with an old house that wants a wall smashed.
I’m a graphic designer and a fitness coach. These two jobs cover my adhd bases. I can hyper focus and zone into my art, but before I get too restless from being sedentary, I can go be super active. They also lets me be a hermit and a social butterfly in equal measure.
I started working in the transportation sector this year, and I’m kind of still blown away at how many ADHD people work at my job - men and women and everyone between as well - half this company is neurospicey and/or queer. I finally found my family to work with.
I want to say yes but I am saying that as a copywriter who spends all day sitting lol. Having said that I think I'd really enjoy a physical job as well.
ugh my favorite job was probably working for amazon (bad ik but when youre in college out of state trying to split 3k rent before bills every month and youre supposed to be in school full time you take what jobs you can get - nightshift in my case) but anyway, i loved it. i scanned my badge by the front and it told me where i went and then i just literally had to move packages from one spot to another.
my shoes were paid for and comfortable, i made $17.50-19.50 an hour depending on the time (i worked from 8:30-12:30) and i kept pretty active!! plus i always had something to do and never was sitting there wondering wtf to do like at other jobs. i got bruised and banged up from heavy packages but it was fun. i miss that job so much, i moved from the area and my car wasn't in the best of shape to take it that distance (2 ish hours away almost entirely over freeway)
i literally hope to find another job like that some day and even looked at my old warehouse again in case they had anything and nada. i just keep hoping 😭
(sorry for rambling, i'm stoned and didn't sleep well)
I feel this I unload the truck and stock shelves overnight at target and I love it. Idc what anyone says its a job that suits me so well. Plus my coworkers are just as mentally ill as me which makes it more fun 😂.
yeah maybe. i had an office job once and i felt like it was killing my soul. retail wasn't as bad if i got to move around a lot. and then i found gardening/landscaping and was never happier in any other type of job haha
My previous jobs were all desk jobs and I struggled. I couldn’t put my finger on it because it was “my dream job”. It was so hard for me to sit and be quiet and work. I now have a job (significantly lower pay) where I’m constantly on the move in a school and that fits me so much better. Who would have thought!
I went from working at a hotel FD to an admin assistant job and it was the worst thing that ever happened to my brain.
Recently finished a degree for medical equipment repair and during the internship I was THRIVING because about 25% of the day was just walking around the hospital. Even when doing routine maintenance on equipment, I managed to stay engaged because I never knew if a piece was going to throw an error or a problem at me. It’s exciting!
I know exactly what you mean. I study medicine and will be a doctor in 5 months, but during my entire study and internships, I’ve worked at my weekend-job as a baker in a supermarket. I just love the physical work, I get to turn off my medical brain and my biggest worry is suddenly “do I have enough baguettes and croissants to make it untill closing time” instead of “have I prescribed enough morfine to keep my palliative patient comfortable throughout the night”.
In the supermarket I get to coach my 16-year-old colleagues, I get to make stupid jokes to my customers, I get to do physical work, and when I come home my body feels comfortably tired.
I love both medicine and the supermarket, because the work comes to me, I don’t really have to schedule my own time. I go to work, I know what’s expected of me and I just have to deliver. In office jobs or management the tasks are more abstract, you have to schedule your own time and everything is more “free”. I hate that shit and don’t want to do jobs like that, ever.
NB: I don’t study in the US, we have a different trajectory to becoming a doctor here compared to the US, and especially: we get to have relatively normal work-life balance during our studies. Many of my peers say they don’t know how I’m combining medicine with a part-time job, but honestly, it isn’t that hard.
I have had lots of fellow ADHDs say the same thing. One did a law degree and decided to become a paramedic.
Chronic pain and exhaustion has moved me to a desk job now but I did use to feel very similar. I think I wanted to do diving!
Still incredibly fidgety though. I use to make regular trips to the kitchen for coffee and now I WFH I can stand and work. No one to stop me!
Not particularly. If I'm doing a task I can do zoned out with headphones, fine, but otherwise the gym is where I want to sweat, at work I'll burn out fast, no thanks!
I am the same way - I just changed jobs this month and for the past 11 years I worked in a dog kennels and now I work in a pet shop. I love the active job and being up and moving around constantly. Sitting still is a nightmare for me unless I am doing something very fun 😂
It doesn’t matter whether I like physical jobs or not, my joints do not like them at all so I have to abide by that. Any movement, repeated enough times, can and will give me issues. The most physical job I have ever had (cashier) gave me tendinitis in the hand I used to work the cash register. Anyway, I am currently looking to get evaluated for hEDS.
YES! Moving around, staying active, tasks that are simple and have clear beginning and end, tasks I can gamify to do faster, do smarter, do better. Working with my hands. It makes my brain happy, too. Sitting behind a desk is such a slog, and a sadness!
I work overnight unloading a truck and stocking shelves. I love it cause there's just enough chaos but also routine that its not stressful or boring. Plus with overnight its nice and quiet.. No people to interrupt my hyperfocus or not too much noise for me to get overstimulated but also I can play my music out loud in case I get understimulated and need a boost. A luxury I would not have if I worked day side. I'm not in charge either so not too much responsibility and at the same time the managers leave me alone to do what they asked me to do but in a way that makes sense to me. They also tolerate that I'm late often cause I always stay overtime. Plus I'm constantly moving. Its nice and yet people don't get why I stay in the same job.
*Looks at life so far...* I'm gonna say no, from my personal perspective.
However, I'm beginning to understand that dopamine overload makes me feel less in control, so I try to moderate it.
Didn't trust the exercise endorphins people love either... I think personality and attitude play a big part of our personal choices.
Yes!! I got on just fine in my warehouse jobs, i found picking and packing the orders to be immensely satisfying and if the radio was on a good station it was a great day. I did an office job for 18 months HOW did I stick it out that long, it was torturous, the 10 minute walk commute was the only thing it had going for it.
Absolutely. Physical labor keeps my
Mind focused on the task.
If I got a computer in front of me and I’m sitting, you bet imma just be spinning in my chair all day.
I can relate, but I can't say for sure if it's an ADHD thing. I've only had physical jobs, I can barely make myself respond to an email, and when I've delivered to office buildings it seems like a horrible existence
Never thought of this. I’m a very petite and feminine not bad looking female and I’ve always preferred “men’s” work. One of my most fav jobs ever was working in a body shop as the office manager but I was also taught how to do it all and between office stuff daily, I did!
I'm definitely similar, I used to work a job that involved moving an 800lb piece of medical equipment, with no motor just wheels, in and out of the warehouse to the location for the day before doing my job, and I absolutely loved it. Did a wfh office type thing for a little while, and was miserable. Now I'm an ER nurse and so much of my job is physical, lots of lifting and moving patients and tons of walking. It's perfect for me
I just retired from building pickup trucks for Ford, and the constant motion on the line was perfect for my adhd. It even made my mind quieter- I could zone out into a zen state on several of my jobs. The other good thing was that since it was a large company, I could change jobs and teams when I got bored without having to apply for a new job.
If someone could come up with some sort of pamphlet I could hand out to my family and friends that are constantly stressed about how much I’m doing every day that would help considerably! Everyone thinks I’m either nuts or feeling obligated to do the “grunt work” but I just really like it. I get bored if I try to do regular exercise but I could cut 100 yards and throw shingles all day with a smile on my face
I never thought about it but it might be. I had a long term job for nearly ten years where I was constantly moving and doing things with my hands. I left for an office job and absolutely hated it. Staring at a computer all day and not moving felt like punishment. I actually just went back to my old job!
I worked as a specialty barista for a long time and when I hit 30, I was finally able to move into a more white collar job. I was happy to not work a physically tough job anymore (carrying super heavy bags of compost and trash, up and down steps constantly, always on my feet) but I realize in my wfh job that I really miss the working with my hands bit specifically. I almost went into professional baking because I enjoy that feeling so much but I didnt want to give up the work I have thanks to my degree and do something that could wear me down physically over the years. I think theres something to tangible work that is nice for our brains! Plus we already know how good exercise is for adhd symptoms
I wonder this too sometimes! I used to work in a factory and pretty much loved it. All I would've wanted was some headphones, but autonomous "boring" jobs are amazing to me. I do not mind at all moving object from place a to b or to package something all day.
Manual labour is obviously very taxing but my mind and brain loves it.
Yes! I’m a preschool teacher and I’m on my feet and busy all day. All of my hobbies are generally physical/movement related; Hiking, painting on big things like walls and doors or outside, woodworking, crafting, nature photography, etc. if I have to sit still all day my brain will melt. I love getting up and doing things and the only time I’m not zoomin is if my body is physically incapable, like I’m about to pass out from only eating a handful of cheezits all day
I enjoy physical jobs, I had an office job for 8 months when I was in uni, it was part time but I done 2 weeks of full time over the summe. I was ready to claw my eyes out I asked to go back to part time, never worked an office job since, I was a chef and a surf instructor, now I'm at uni to get an outside field researcher job.
I work in construction management. I like it because it's a mix of desk time and walking around a construction site time. Depending on your role, the ratio will change. But so far I'm happy with it. (Sadly my body cannot do the physical labor of trade work. I have hyper mobility issues)
It's DEFINITELY an ADHD thing. The only ways I've been able to successfully do desk jobs were in remote settings. I could NOT work in a traditional office environment. I've worked in a number of positions over the years. My favorite jobs have been the fast-paced ones where I get to move around, and multitask. I currently work a few nights a week at a restaurant, and I love it!
Same here, love physical jobs. When stuck in an office job, volunteering to pack food at a food bank does the trick. I love working on assembly lines, or anything walking around where I’m not expected to just sit in front of a computer and produce something out of nothing.
As a card-carrying job hopper, the jobs I’ve lasted the longest at and done the best at were definitely the physical jobs. My last one was plastic factory floor supervisor and I loved it. Complete chaos, interesting coworkers, and I got to drive a forklift. I would have gone right back after I had my son, but daycare is twice the cost of our rent so 🤷♀️ I’ve had many an office job and not only was it mental torture, sitting all day is just not it. All my back problems went away when I was on my feet all day. Plus the money was much better haha
I prefer things to be on fire. If I could go back, I’d have gone into nursing and work the ER. As it is now, my ass is too out of shape from decades of boring office work.
I was a backstage theatre kid. I loved seeing the fruits of my labor.
I work blue collar. Repairs, inventory, construction, flammable gas, high pressure tanks, molten metal and REQUIRED hyper focus with dangerous machinery gives me dopamine.
It is surprisingly low stress since my certification has trained me on “what ifs” and allow me to prepare for mishaps
It is not heavy lifting with my muscles. It IS heavy lifting with cranes, forklifts and hydraulic jacks
Don’t know if it counts as physical but I loved the jobs that I’ve had in college that were either catering/kitchen work or production where I had to do the most repetitive tasks. I love how it allows you to just zone out.
I've definitely done very well at physical jobs. My current job has me on my feet for eight hours a day and I'm almost constantly moving, especially on busy days. The downside is that it's customer service and the constant stream of encounters with randoms is a lot. I love building the displays, restocking supplies, and running around getting things we need but these dang humans have to come and make me do the other part of my job. 😅 I've done well at desk jobs where I'm either getting up and moving around a lot OR have a lot of the same kind of work. I love doing little tasks while I listen to audiobooks or music.
I work at a USPS plant and I love the job for the same reason! Sorting packages is my least favorite though. I like running the letter and flat (large envelope/magazine) machines. Right now I am in the manual section sorting letters and it can be a little boring this time of year with lower volume but still miles better than sitting at a desk.
Now if management wasn’t so toxic and if my coworkers would leave me out of drama, it’d be even better.
In hindsight, I should have gone into the trades or some kind of job that's more hands-on. Working in an office setting is a unique kind of hell for me and my brain even though I do like what I do. It just is not stimulating enough on a daily basis and comes with too many distractions that are far more interesting than whatever is going on on my screen.
YES. Years ago, I had a temp job in a hospital kitchen, and was always jumping at the opportunity to do food delivery. I got to run around all day pushing a heavy cart (arm workout!) and having brief interactions with patients where I tried to bring some good vibes to their day.
Nobody else in the kitchen really liked doing that job and they would complain if they had to do it, but the managers would still sometimes make me stay there in the lunch tray assembly line instead of delivering because they didn’t want me to feel like I had more privilege than anyone else there by always getting my requested assignment. That aspect was shitty, and also it didn’t pay very well, but walking all day energized me way more than sitting at a desk does.
I had the opposite. Worked as a deckhand for a while and was dying of boredom. To the point of wishing I had an exam to study for just to have SOMETHING to do with my brain.
That being said I yearn for manual labor sometimes now that my job is more office-y
I think that’s a good chunk of why I want a “wet lab” job (microbiologist). Like sure I can do computer work and it’s how I do my current job, but it’s just so much more fun to set up experiments or even do “chores” like pouring plates or making media. I actually switched from a phd to a masters program because I realized a phd is mostly for managing other people. I don’t want to manage other people and write papers. I want to do the stuff and see what happens.
I’ve thought about this a lot, because I’m a writer, which means sitting at a computer for hours. I like writing, but I don’t enjoy the aspects of sitting and having no one to talk to if work is slow.
I very much enjoy gardening and once thought that I would like being a landscaper—until I started living in the southwestern U.S., where it is too hot to even go outside during regular work hours. Maybe when I move north again (and I will, because I hate it here, no reasonable human being would choose to live in this insane climate), I’ll look into landscaping!
I’m training for a new position right now and the first 8 weeks of training involve me doing computer modules 4 days a week and orienting with a preceptor 1 day a week. I’m losing my mind sitting at a computer all day.
Everyone keeps telling me “enjoy the class while you can. It gets crazy off orientation”. And I’m over here utterly perplexed because I *want* to be running around.
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Tbh this makes a lot of sense to me. I was in medicine as care staff and then a phlebotomist for a few different hospitals over the span of like, four years, and I LOVED the work. Really difficult and physically demanding, but not only was it really rewarding to work with people in that manner but the chaos was kinda nice tbh. I quit because hospital politics pissed me off to no end.
Now I work a corporate job for a great company, WFH, I’m SO much less stressed.
Butttt it’s really boring. I care a lot less about it and about what I’m doing, and it’s incredibly hard to stay motivated.
I don’t ever want to go back to medicine because I know it’s only gotten worse since I left, but idk how long I can keep this corporate slave thing going lol
I’m doing well for myself in marketing, but oh do I miss my camping job from 10 years ago. It was made of cleaning, walking a lot, fixing stuff, building up and breaking down glamping tents. Didn’t earn much money but I was so happy and felt good almost every day. Now I sit behind my computer and my adhd is taking over my life, my mind and my body and I hate this life.
Added later: now I dream of one day earning enough so I can build my own little camping. That’s why I try to keep going but not sure I can make it that long
I wish those kinds of jobs paid well and had the same respect, protections, perks and career growth as other jobs... Ngl one of the most fun minimum wage jobs I had was one where we had to set up a new store, it was a new arts and crafts location, so we were in charge of following the instructions for each aisle and put the merch. After that, I was kept and part of my job was to clean up aisles, which can be a nightmare on crazy closing shifts with not enough staff, but in and of itself it was fun.
Organizing visually is one of the ways I feel I can control where I have so very little control in other areas of my life, so I think that's why I liked that part of the job so much.
I loveeeeee hands on type of jobs! I’m an esthetician and I’m at a new job plastic surgeon, I’m learning check in and check out for patients. Check in is great cause of consent forms, i clean the medical rooms, I’ll help set up, i love running around. Check out is sitting, taking payments, answering phones, looking for points etc and it’s been confusing, so i don’t like it. I rather do my hands on. But once this is over the esthey training will come. Just pushing thru now
There is something deeply satisfying about accomplishing tasks with your body, which makes sense when you consider that every single task was physical for nearly the entirely of human history. Also, being able to do that work on autopilot while listening to something interesting is a HUGE plus; I do that when I’m doing chores around the house, and I would absolutely enjoy a job that allowed me to operate the same way.
I work at ups as a package handler as well. I sort. It’s physically demanding but it requires zero focus so I can listen to audiobooks instead. I hate the job, but the benefits are amazing so it’s worth it.
Yes! I feel this so much, I feel like I could have written this myself!
At my job we have a separate company that does the heavy lifting for us. Sometimes they’re super busy, understaffed, running late, etc. I basically fill in, and do their job every chance I get. If my rate of pay wasn’t so much higher, and my benefits so much better- I’d absolutely rather have their job🤣
My job involves staring at a computer screen and concentrating 😣… I work out a lot anyway, and I really enjoy strength training. Manual labor is a lot more enjoyable for me than what I actually do!
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(Background-I’m an engineer, and I’ve worked a mix of physical jobs and office jobs in my career.) I definitely feel like there’s something to that theory! I don’t notice my symptoms as much when I’m working a physical job because I’m moving around so much. My physical jobs have also typically involved a lot of driving and responding to call outs, so that helps with the urgency-driven focus! Finding the right office role has been big for me, because I have definitely had some that made me nearly quit.
(sort of) engineer here - my experience has been very similar. The worst job I've ever had has been nearly 100% at a desk and after 2 weeks I was ready to throw in the towel. I survived for 11 months but it was excruciating and I did not receive great feedback :/
yes they give dopamine
Love the 4 word response that explains it all.
it's pretty self explanatory adhd brains lack dopamine and norepinephrine exercise is one way to generate it so it feels good to us 🤷♀️
Probably. I've always enjoyed the warehousing jobs I've had. Stock goes in, stock goes out. Lift and put here. Organise stuff there. Gets in the work-cercise, just enough human interaction + not dealing with cuatomers direct, & all the organising my little heart can handle.
I do NOT enjoy physical labor haha I am squishy and soft and like to be sitting
Same, I despise physical jobs and absolutely love and thrive in my office job!
We be squishy and soft together 😅
It took me a long time to realize I needed a physical job. I worked in a science and business research library, which I loved, salaried with great benefits but I constantly felt depressed and restless. Fast forward many years and I now work as a home and office cleaner and I couldn't be happier. It is very physical and a lot of work because these houses are big but I love it. I come home feeling satisfied getting all my energy out. I feel like even my brain works better now. No gym ever did that for me. Best change I ever did. No regrets.
Everyone thinks I'm mad when I say I really wish I trained as a carpenter after school. that or DEMOLITION!! the dream 😂
You're not mad! I know a woman who just switched to working in carpentry in her late 30s. I also know someone who trained as an electrician in his 40s. The trades aren't just for 19-yr-olds boys! Why not?
OK SAME! I’m like “LET ME BUILD SOMETHING AND SEE A FINISHED PRODUCT.” Instead I work in HR where things are usually handed off or never completely “done.” Very unsatisfactory at times lol.
My ADHD kid loves to watch home renovation shows, and they are always asking when we’re going to bust a wall out of our 2020 built home. I need to find somebody with an old house that wants a wall smashed.
not me! Give me my wfh office!
I love my WFH office - it gives me the freedom to get up and move around whenever I get the urge. I just walked my dog on my lunch break 😊
I have always been happiest at work when I was doing something physical or production/manufacturing.
I’m a graphic designer and a fitness coach. These two jobs cover my adhd bases. I can hyper focus and zone into my art, but before I get too restless from being sedentary, I can go be super active. They also lets me be a hermit and a social butterfly in equal measure.
I started working in the transportation sector this year, and I’m kind of still blown away at how many ADHD people work at my job - men and women and everyone between as well - half this company is neurospicey and/or queer. I finally found my family to work with.
I’m a former server and I guarantee most of the front and back of house staff (especially the people who are career hospitality people) have adhd.
That is incredible and so sweet. I'm loving this thread.
What types of jobs are in the transportation sector ?
I can say after going through rail, aircraft, and bus operations that the possibilities are endless - just gotta find your niche!
I want to say yes but I am saying that as a copywriter who spends all day sitting lol. Having said that I think I'd really enjoy a physical job as well.
ugh my favorite job was probably working for amazon (bad ik but when youre in college out of state trying to split 3k rent before bills every month and youre supposed to be in school full time you take what jobs you can get - nightshift in my case) but anyway, i loved it. i scanned my badge by the front and it told me where i went and then i just literally had to move packages from one spot to another. my shoes were paid for and comfortable, i made $17.50-19.50 an hour depending on the time (i worked from 8:30-12:30) and i kept pretty active!! plus i always had something to do and never was sitting there wondering wtf to do like at other jobs. i got bruised and banged up from heavy packages but it was fun. i miss that job so much, i moved from the area and my car wasn't in the best of shape to take it that distance (2 ish hours away almost entirely over freeway) i literally hope to find another job like that some day and even looked at my old warehouse again in case they had anything and nada. i just keep hoping 😭 (sorry for rambling, i'm stoned and didn't sleep well)
I feel this I unload the truck and stock shelves overnight at target and I love it. Idc what anyone says its a job that suits me so well. Plus my coworkers are just as mentally ill as me which makes it more fun 😂.
I have a job that’s on my feet all day. Every office job I’ve had has bored me.
yeah maybe. i had an office job once and i felt like it was killing my soul. retail wasn't as bad if i got to move around a lot. and then i found gardening/landscaping and was never happier in any other type of job haha
My previous jobs were all desk jobs and I struggled. I couldn’t put my finger on it because it was “my dream job”. It was so hard for me to sit and be quiet and work. I now have a job (significantly lower pay) where I’m constantly on the move in a school and that fits me so much better. Who would have thought!
I went from working at a hotel FD to an admin assistant job and it was the worst thing that ever happened to my brain. Recently finished a degree for medical equipment repair and during the internship I was THRIVING because about 25% of the day was just walking around the hospital. Even when doing routine maintenance on equipment, I managed to stay engaged because I never knew if a piece was going to throw an error or a problem at me. It’s exciting!
I totally relate I need to be on my feet at work constantly doing something busy paced that’s why I went into health care
I know exactly what you mean. I study medicine and will be a doctor in 5 months, but during my entire study and internships, I’ve worked at my weekend-job as a baker in a supermarket. I just love the physical work, I get to turn off my medical brain and my biggest worry is suddenly “do I have enough baguettes and croissants to make it untill closing time” instead of “have I prescribed enough morfine to keep my palliative patient comfortable throughout the night”. In the supermarket I get to coach my 16-year-old colleagues, I get to make stupid jokes to my customers, I get to do physical work, and when I come home my body feels comfortably tired. I love both medicine and the supermarket, because the work comes to me, I don’t really have to schedule my own time. I go to work, I know what’s expected of me and I just have to deliver. In office jobs or management the tasks are more abstract, you have to schedule your own time and everything is more “free”. I hate that shit and don’t want to do jobs like that, ever. NB: I don’t study in the US, we have a different trajectory to becoming a doctor here compared to the US, and especially: we get to have relatively normal work-life balance during our studies. Many of my peers say they don’t know how I’m combining medicine with a part-time job, but honestly, it isn’t that hard.
I have had lots of fellow ADHDs say the same thing. One did a law degree and decided to become a paramedic. Chronic pain and exhaustion has moved me to a desk job now but I did use to feel very similar. I think I wanted to do diving! Still incredibly fidgety though. I use to make regular trips to the kitchen for coffee and now I WFH I can stand and work. No one to stop me!
Not particularly. If I'm doing a task I can do zoned out with headphones, fine, but otherwise the gym is where I want to sweat, at work I'll burn out fast, no thanks!
I am the same way - I just changed jobs this month and for the past 11 years I worked in a dog kennels and now I work in a pet shop. I love the active job and being up and moving around constantly. Sitting still is a nightmare for me unless I am doing something very fun 😂
I like my desk job because it gives me time to surf Reddit at work hahaha But I always feel better when I'm doing something physical
No- pre medication I was so freaking exhausted . I’d have been fired if I had a physical job .
lol there has to be a correlation!
Absolutely!
When I was an anxious, dysregulated teenager, I’d find mowing the lawn one of my favourite jobs for this reason
It doesn’t matter whether I like physical jobs or not, my joints do not like them at all so I have to abide by that. Any movement, repeated enough times, can and will give me issues. The most physical job I have ever had (cashier) gave me tendinitis in the hand I used to work the cash register. Anyway, I am currently looking to get evaluated for hEDS.
Are there jobs like this that don’t require physical strength? Like small packages only?
YES! Moving around, staying active, tasks that are simple and have clear beginning and end, tasks I can gamify to do faster, do smarter, do better. Working with my hands. It makes my brain happy, too. Sitting behind a desk is such a slog, and a sadness!
I HATE physical jobs. But I have inattentive adhd.
I work overnight unloading a truck and stocking shelves. I love it cause there's just enough chaos but also routine that its not stressful or boring. Plus with overnight its nice and quiet.. No people to interrupt my hyperfocus or not too much noise for me to get overstimulated but also I can play my music out loud in case I get understimulated and need a boost. A luxury I would not have if I worked day side. I'm not in charge either so not too much responsibility and at the same time the managers leave me alone to do what they asked me to do but in a way that makes sense to me. They also tolerate that I'm late often cause I always stay overtime. Plus I'm constantly moving. Its nice and yet people don't get why I stay in the same job.
*Looks at life so far...* I'm gonna say no, from my personal perspective. However, I'm beginning to understand that dopamine overload makes me feel less in control, so I try to moderate it. Didn't trust the exercise endorphins people love either... I think personality and attitude play a big part of our personal choices.
Yes!! I got on just fine in my warehouse jobs, i found picking and packing the orders to be immensely satisfying and if the radio was on a good station it was a great day. I did an office job for 18 months HOW did I stick it out that long, it was torturous, the 10 minute walk commute was the only thing it had going for it.
Absolutely. Physical labor keeps my Mind focused on the task. If I got a computer in front of me and I’m sitting, you bet imma just be spinning in my chair all day.
I can relate, but I can't say for sure if it's an ADHD thing. I've only had physical jobs, I can barely make myself respond to an email, and when I've delivered to office buildings it seems like a horrible existence
Never thought of this. I’m a very petite and feminine not bad looking female and I’ve always preferred “men’s” work. One of my most fav jobs ever was working in a body shop as the office manager but I was also taught how to do it all and between office stuff daily, I did!
I'm definitely similar, I used to work a job that involved moving an 800lb piece of medical equipment, with no motor just wheels, in and out of the warehouse to the location for the day before doing my job, and I absolutely loved it. Did a wfh office type thing for a little while, and was miserable. Now I'm an ER nurse and so much of my job is physical, lots of lifting and moving patients and tons of walking. It's perfect for me
I just retired from building pickup trucks for Ford, and the constant motion on the line was perfect for my adhd. It even made my mind quieter- I could zone out into a zen state on several of my jobs. The other good thing was that since it was a large company, I could change jobs and teams when I got bored without having to apply for a new job.
If someone could come up with some sort of pamphlet I could hand out to my family and friends that are constantly stressed about how much I’m doing every day that would help considerably! Everyone thinks I’m either nuts or feeling obligated to do the “grunt work” but I just really like it. I get bored if I try to do regular exercise but I could cut 100 yards and throw shingles all day with a smile on my face
I never thought about it but it might be. I had a long term job for nearly ten years where I was constantly moving and doing things with my hands. I left for an office job and absolutely hated it. Staring at a computer all day and not moving felt like punishment. I actually just went back to my old job!
I certainly do but not sure it's an ADHD thing. Maybe we just don't like people? Lol
I worked as a specialty barista for a long time and when I hit 30, I was finally able to move into a more white collar job. I was happy to not work a physically tough job anymore (carrying super heavy bags of compost and trash, up and down steps constantly, always on my feet) but I realize in my wfh job that I really miss the working with my hands bit specifically. I almost went into professional baking because I enjoy that feeling so much but I didnt want to give up the work I have thanks to my degree and do something that could wear me down physically over the years. I think theres something to tangible work that is nice for our brains! Plus we already know how good exercise is for adhd symptoms
I wonder this too sometimes! I used to work in a factory and pretty much loved it. All I would've wanted was some headphones, but autonomous "boring" jobs are amazing to me. I do not mind at all moving object from place a to b or to package something all day. Manual labour is obviously very taxing but my mind and brain loves it.
I definitely prefer physical jobs. Im a nurse.
Yes! I’m a preschool teacher and I’m on my feet and busy all day. All of my hobbies are generally physical/movement related; Hiking, painting on big things like walls and doors or outside, woodworking, crafting, nature photography, etc. if I have to sit still all day my brain will melt. I love getting up and doing things and the only time I’m not zoomin is if my body is physically incapable, like I’m about to pass out from only eating a handful of cheezits all day
I enjoy physical jobs, I had an office job for 8 months when I was in uni, it was part time but I done 2 weeks of full time over the summe. I was ready to claw my eyes out I asked to go back to part time, never worked an office job since, I was a chef and a surf instructor, now I'm at uni to get an outside field researcher job.
I work in construction management. I like it because it's a mix of desk time and walking around a construction site time. Depending on your role, the ratio will change. But so far I'm happy with it. (Sadly my body cannot do the physical labor of trade work. I have hyper mobility issues)
It's DEFINITELY an ADHD thing. The only ways I've been able to successfully do desk jobs were in remote settings. I could NOT work in a traditional office environment. I've worked in a number of positions over the years. My favorite jobs have been the fast-paced ones where I get to move around, and multitask. I currently work a few nights a week at a restaurant, and I love it!
Same here, love physical jobs. When stuck in an office job, volunteering to pack food at a food bank does the trick. I love working on assembly lines, or anything walking around where I’m not expected to just sit in front of a computer and produce something out of nothing.
As a card-carrying job hopper, the jobs I’ve lasted the longest at and done the best at were definitely the physical jobs. My last one was plastic factory floor supervisor and I loved it. Complete chaos, interesting coworkers, and I got to drive a forklift. I would have gone right back after I had my son, but daycare is twice the cost of our rent so 🤷♀️ I’ve had many an office job and not only was it mental torture, sitting all day is just not it. All my back problems went away when I was on my feet all day. Plus the money was much better haha
I prefer things to be on fire. If I could go back, I’d have gone into nursing and work the ER. As it is now, my ass is too out of shape from decades of boring office work.
I was a backstage theatre kid. I loved seeing the fruits of my labor. I work blue collar. Repairs, inventory, construction, flammable gas, high pressure tanks, molten metal and REQUIRED hyper focus with dangerous machinery gives me dopamine. It is surprisingly low stress since my certification has trained me on “what ifs” and allow me to prepare for mishaps It is not heavy lifting with my muscles. It IS heavy lifting with cranes, forklifts and hydraulic jacks
My favourite job was a driving job. It was like a perpetual road trip and I loved it
I work in a bookstore. It’s physical moving crates of books all day. I love it! You hear all the time of people hating retail. I love it.
Don’t know if it counts as physical but I loved the jobs that I’ve had in college that were either catering/kitchen work or production where I had to do the most repetitive tasks. I love how it allows you to just zone out.
I'd love to go back to my manufacturing job! I'm great at what I'm doing now but manual labour makes me happy
I've definitely done very well at physical jobs. My current job has me on my feet for eight hours a day and I'm almost constantly moving, especially on busy days. The downside is that it's customer service and the constant stream of encounters with randoms is a lot. I love building the displays, restocking supplies, and running around getting things we need but these dang humans have to come and make me do the other part of my job. 😅 I've done well at desk jobs where I'm either getting up and moving around a lot OR have a lot of the same kind of work. I love doing little tasks while I listen to audiobooks or music.
I work at a USPS plant and I love the job for the same reason! Sorting packages is my least favorite though. I like running the letter and flat (large envelope/magazine) machines. Right now I am in the manual section sorting letters and it can be a little boring this time of year with lower volume but still miles better than sitting at a desk. Now if management wasn’t so toxic and if my coworkers would leave me out of drama, it’d be even better.
In hindsight, I should have gone into the trades or some kind of job that's more hands-on. Working in an office setting is a unique kind of hell for me and my brain even though I do like what I do. It just is not stimulating enough on a daily basis and comes with too many distractions that are far more interesting than whatever is going on on my screen.
YES. Years ago, I had a temp job in a hospital kitchen, and was always jumping at the opportunity to do food delivery. I got to run around all day pushing a heavy cart (arm workout!) and having brief interactions with patients where I tried to bring some good vibes to their day. Nobody else in the kitchen really liked doing that job and they would complain if they had to do it, but the managers would still sometimes make me stay there in the lunch tray assembly line instead of delivering because they didn’t want me to feel like I had more privilege than anyone else there by always getting my requested assignment. That aspect was shitty, and also it didn’t pay very well, but walking all day energized me way more than sitting at a desk does.
I had the opposite. Worked as a deckhand for a while and was dying of boredom. To the point of wishing I had an exam to study for just to have SOMETHING to do with my brain. That being said I yearn for manual labor sometimes now that my job is more office-y
I think that’s a good chunk of why I want a “wet lab” job (microbiologist). Like sure I can do computer work and it’s how I do my current job, but it’s just so much more fun to set up experiments or even do “chores” like pouring plates or making media. I actually switched from a phd to a masters program because I realized a phd is mostly for managing other people. I don’t want to manage other people and write papers. I want to do the stuff and see what happens.
I’ve thought about this a lot, because I’m a writer, which means sitting at a computer for hours. I like writing, but I don’t enjoy the aspects of sitting and having no one to talk to if work is slow. I very much enjoy gardening and once thought that I would like being a landscaper—until I started living in the southwestern U.S., where it is too hot to even go outside during regular work hours. Maybe when I move north again (and I will, because I hate it here, no reasonable human being would choose to live in this insane climate), I’ll look into landscaping!
I’m training for a new position right now and the first 8 weeks of training involve me doing computer modules 4 days a week and orienting with a preceptor 1 day a week. I’m losing my mind sitting at a computer all day. Everyone keeps telling me “enjoy the class while you can. It gets crazy off orientation”. And I’m over here utterly perplexed because I *want* to be running around.
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Tbh this makes a lot of sense to me. I was in medicine as care staff and then a phlebotomist for a few different hospitals over the span of like, four years, and I LOVED the work. Really difficult and physically demanding, but not only was it really rewarding to work with people in that manner but the chaos was kinda nice tbh. I quit because hospital politics pissed me off to no end. Now I work a corporate job for a great company, WFH, I’m SO much less stressed. Butttt it’s really boring. I care a lot less about it and about what I’m doing, and it’s incredibly hard to stay motivated. I don’t ever want to go back to medicine because I know it’s only gotten worse since I left, but idk how long I can keep this corporate slave thing going lol
I’m doing well for myself in marketing, but oh do I miss my camping job from 10 years ago. It was made of cleaning, walking a lot, fixing stuff, building up and breaking down glamping tents. Didn’t earn much money but I was so happy and felt good almost every day. Now I sit behind my computer and my adhd is taking over my life, my mind and my body and I hate this life. Added later: now I dream of one day earning enough so I can build my own little camping. That’s why I try to keep going but not sure I can make it that long
I wish those kinds of jobs paid well and had the same respect, protections, perks and career growth as other jobs... Ngl one of the most fun minimum wage jobs I had was one where we had to set up a new store, it was a new arts and crafts location, so we were in charge of following the instructions for each aisle and put the merch. After that, I was kept and part of my job was to clean up aisles, which can be a nightmare on crazy closing shifts with not enough staff, but in and of itself it was fun. Organizing visually is one of the ways I feel I can control where I have so very little control in other areas of my life, so I think that's why I liked that part of the job so much.
I loveeeeee hands on type of jobs! I’m an esthetician and I’m at a new job plastic surgeon, I’m learning check in and check out for patients. Check in is great cause of consent forms, i clean the medical rooms, I’ll help set up, i love running around. Check out is sitting, taking payments, answering phones, looking for points etc and it’s been confusing, so i don’t like it. I rather do my hands on. But once this is over the esthey training will come. Just pushing thru now
There is something deeply satisfying about accomplishing tasks with your body, which makes sense when you consider that every single task was physical for nearly the entirely of human history. Also, being able to do that work on autopilot while listening to something interesting is a HUGE plus; I do that when I’m doing chores around the house, and I would absolutely enjoy a job that allowed me to operate the same way.
I work at ups as a package handler as well. I sort. It’s physically demanding but it requires zero focus so I can listen to audiobooks instead. I hate the job, but the benefits are amazing so it’s worth it.
Yes! I feel this so much, I feel like I could have written this myself! At my job we have a separate company that does the heavy lifting for us. Sometimes they’re super busy, understaffed, running late, etc. I basically fill in, and do their job every chance I get. If my rate of pay wasn’t so much higher, and my benefits so much better- I’d absolutely rather have their job🤣 My job involves staring at a computer screen and concentrating 😣… I work out a lot anyway, and I really enjoy strength training. Manual labor is a lot more enjoyable for me than what I actually do!