Last week, we discussed the habit of mistakes. Today, we’ll explore why they happen. A key reason? Lack of “attention to detail.”

Attention is perception and a finite resource we must budget and manage.

For many neurodivergents, if something isn’t interesting, it’s hard to focus. This often applies to:

• Small talk

• Life admin

• Work tasks

In our roles, we often face “less sexy” tasks. It’s hard to get motivated for these tasks, and without motivation, we may not give them proper care, leading to mistakes.

Correcting these mistakes while juggling daily activities is anxiety-inducing and time-consuming. More pressure. That’s the attention tax, and it’s the worst.

The Cause?

Many neurodivergents I know admit they “hate their jobs.”

Despite decent pay, they chose “stable” careers for practical reasons, like:

• Financial security or

• Family expectations

Without passion, focus potentially suffers, and mistakes creep in.

Tactics to Improve Attention

1) Set Deadlines

Deadlines combat procrastination, per science. An internal deadline before the “official” one allows time to review and perfect work, reducing errors.

Knowing that there will be consequences if a piece of work is not just completed on time, but also to a good quality, can help light up the spark.

2) Time Scheduling

Block your calendar with tasks at the end of the day to prime your brain.

This minimizes:

• Attentional blinks

• Momentary lapses in focus and

• Reduces friction in deciding what to do.

Me being the psycho competitor that I am. If it’s not an enjoyable task, I sometimes put on a countdown timer.

The aim is to finish on time; however, beating the clock feels great!

3) Physiological Factors

i) Diet:

Avoid processed foods (sugars, certain carbs, fizzy drinks) that cause energy crashes.

I opt for:

• High fibre

• Complex carbs, and

• Supplements like omega-3, vitamins B & D for steady energy.

(Check in with your doctor)

ii) Sleep:

This is what I need to get better at. A good night's sleep sharpens my focus and cuts mistakes.

I struggle with FOMO at times, but embracing JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) helps me prioritize rest.

Research shows that high-quality sleep enhances cognitive functions like

• Attention

• Decision-making, and

• Error detection, leading to reduced errors.

4) Add Novelty

If your job feels dull, add creativity to spark focus. For neurodivergent individuals, interest-based tasks boost engagement.

Adding value through creativity, from my out-of-the-box thinking, unique perception excites me, until the work is done, then it’s on to the next!

But that’s another discussion for another day. 

Call To Action

Try one tactic this week, maybe an internal deadline or a creative twist on a boring task.

Reply and let me know how it goes, or share your own focus hack! Let’s beat the attention tax together.

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Lastly,

Stay Different,

The AuDHD Exec

Disclaimer: I am not your psychiatrist, coach, doctor. Neurodiverse Diary does not provide medical services or professional counselling and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Everything I publish represents my opinions, experience, not advice.