The Secret to Working From Home as a Neurodivergent Professional
- Eric Kaufmann
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Hi Friend,
I had a bit of an executive function breakdown last week.
I got up at 7:12 a.m.
No commute. Awesome.
No one watching. Love it.
No clue how to structure my day. Paralysis.
By 9:47 a.m., my wheels were still spinning.
Should I work on the newsletter?
Finalize my plan for Neurodiversion?
Handle email?
If you’ve ever woken up on a work-from-home day feeling this way, I’m with you.
Working from home sounds like a dream. But more often than not, my adult executive function coaching clients tell me it turns into a productivity disaster.
The lack of structure triggers decision paralysis.
Should I work out first?
Reply to Slack messages?
Jump into that big project?
Everything feels urgent. We never get into a groove. Instead, we freeze. And then we scroll...or distract ourselves with some form of productive procrastination.
Later, we feel like we didn’t work enough or have a chance relax. The flexibility of working from home with no commute becomes a wasted gift.
If this happens once, it's no big deal. But if it continues, we miss out on promotions, continuously feel like we are failing, and potentially get fired.
However, when we learn how to improve our executive functions, working from home can become a space where we thrive.
I've seen it happen with my clients, and today, I want to share the formula that makes working from home a success.
Let's dive in.
The Secret to Working From Home
The secret to working from home effectively with a neurodivergent brain comes down to a simple formula.
Although I forget it some days, I've consistently returned to this approach for the past three years:
Environment + a plan = a productive work-from-home day.
I’m not talking about becoming a productivity robot. This is about creating a purpose-driven day that leaves you feeling fulfilled.
If you want to take a deeper dive into the formula and other work-from-home strategies, check out my article here.
You’ll find strategies to plan and prioritize, manage time, structure your day, and craft an environment that supports your executive functions.
One last thing: Before you delete this email, pause for a moment and ask yourself two questions:
How do I want to spend the first 30 minutes of my next work-from-home day?
What type of environment will allow me to feel focused?
Jot it down.
Set a reminder.
Let this be your first, simple step.
In service,
Eric
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About the Author
Eric Kaufmann is an Educational Therapist, Certified Executive Function Coach, and speaker. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an executive function coaching company that helps adults and workplace teams overcome disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks.
Want to learn more about 1:1 coaching? Click here.
Interested in hosting a workshop for your team or company on how to improve executive function skills in the workplace? Click here.
Looking for guidance on how to become an adult executive function coach? Click here.
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