Working in Archaeology with ADHD: A Personal Perspective
- DATE WRITTEN:
- READING TIME: 4 minutes
- AUTHORS: Caz Adams (Community Engagement Officer)
Hi, my name’s Caz and I’m one of Cotswold Archaeology’s Community Engagement Officers. My job involves working with schools, giving webinars, organising open days and much more! I also have ADHD.
ADHD is a developmental disorder, with traits usually recognised in children and teenagers first, then often continuing into adulthood. Amongst others, traits can include hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating and having a short attention span.
I became more aware of ADHD when researching and organising an assessment for my son. My son has hyperactivity, has ‘special interests’ (or obsessions), has difficulty focusing and talks A LOT! He also displays some autistic traits too. I recognised a lot of my son in me (I know, it probably doesn’t sound like a surprise to those who know me!) and it soon became clear why I’ve always struggled with my attention to detail, getting easily distracted, being unable to retain information when reading or watching TV and my need to be ‘on the go’ all the time, sometimes much to other peoples’ frustration – just ask my husband!
The above traits have been with me since I was young – I struggled at school unless doing creative projects and found GCSE and A level revision particularly difficult as it involved sitting still and concentrating – two of the many things I find challenging to do! Of course, over 30 years ago, these kinds of challenges weren’t identified and understood and I was just labelled as being dyslexic and attending special tutoring at school, even though I have never been dyslexic.
So, how does ADHD affect me as an adult? I’m still forgetful, still get easily distracted, take longer to process things and find it difficult to ‘think on my feet’. I struggle with prolonged periods in front of my laptop and very rarely remember things from reading or watching, finding it easier to learn by practically doing tasks while moving around. This can show itself during meetings too, when my attention starts to wane and I usually get very tired, making me anxious about meetings where I need to sit still for any more than one hour and where I don’t have active participation. When working at my laptop, I need to break up tasks by having a walk or making a cup of coffee, which enables me to come back to my task afresh and not staring at the screen like a zombie!
My memory has always concerned me since I was young – why can I only remember very little? I’ve identified that I remember things better when something’s been particuIarly funny, lively or has been recalled several times. I have ways of managing my memory in my work environment and am a great believer in making lists and notes for everything and I get very excited when I can cross something off a list!
I’ve always been a highly energetic and creative person. I thrive on contact with people and the interactivity of my varied role at Cotswold Archaeology when delivering community engagement to a varied audience plays to those strengths. I’ve been involved in community or school engagement for over 25 years and have a great sense of achievement by knowing that I’ve made a difference and by sparking another person’s interest and curiosity.
I don’t have an actual diagnosis for ADHD yet, but Cotswold Archaeology operates on a ‘Reasonable Belief’ basis, which means that a formal diagnosis is not needed. I feel I can be open and honest about how feel to my manager and colleagues, including any support and understanding I need from them and how best to work together as a team. I’ve also recently joined the company’s Neurodiversity Employee Resource Group. Held throughout the year, our meetings are a place to collectively share experiences, give feedback and make recommendations for raising further support for all neurodivergent staff at Cotswold Archaeology.
What advice would I give to others who may think they have ADHD or another neurodivergent condition? If you’re happy and comfortable to do so, try to be open and honest with how you feel and what support you might need from those around you and your GP – there’s plenty of guidance out there to help you on your path to ADHD self-discovery!
