BOOK REVIEWS

I Know What I Want, But It’s Not This – Julie Jansen

Book review

Finding happiness in work is always an ADHD challenge

A “step by step guide to finding gratifying work” by Julie Jansen, a career coach takes you through a series of exercises that are less about finding a new job, figuring out what you find frustrating, fascinating and where your strengths, passions and values lie.

If getting out of bed each weekday is getting harder and wonder how you ever found your so called “successful career” worthwhile, this book offers hope. If you have ADHD then not appreciating your strengths; your struggles with punctuality, planning or organisation; authority problems and rapid onset of boredom – may have lead you to a career crossroads.

In this insightful, well organized, relevant and practical book, tests are used to categorise your situation into six types:

  • “Where’s the Meaning”
  • “Been there, Done that”
  • “Need the Money”
  • “Bored and Plateaued”
  • “Bruised and Gun-shy”
  • “Toe in the Retirement Pool”

You can then work on specific exercises to set goals, to consider work related activities and rate your skill level and desire to do them.  Jansen offers guidelines for anyone thinking about starting their own business but also suggests that working for someone else is fine as long as you make sure your needs are met.

Many people with ADHD find great satisfaction in their own business but ADHD traits of procrastination and poor planning can make this difficult and many find it helpful to have a structure at work to motivate them and structure their day. Jensen discusses what it takes to be successful in work and in the job search process. The struggle for engagement and enjoyment in work is a serious issue for many with ADHD, achieving meaningful work can transform our wellbeing, this book offers some real help in this process.

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ADHD Coach, Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis

Andrew Lewis is an ADHD Coach, writer and founder of SimplyWellbeing. He has over ten thousand hours and fifteen years of experience in coaching ADHD executives, business professionals and creatives. His expertise with ADHD is personal, with decades of his own experience, bringing up an ADHD child, running a large support group and in coaching clients often for years He has published his writing via this website and has ADHD online courses in development. His business expertise comes from a twenty years career in software, from programming, through marketing, sales and running a few start-ups.

Further reading

ADHD at work
A helpful guide for a parent helping their teen ADHD daughter
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Helpful strategies for anyone with ADHD
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Fun and informative guide to finding happiness in the future
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Sympathetic and helpful advice for adults with ADHD, from manager of ADHD clinic, with ADHD himself
ADHD at work
Interesting perspective of how environment influences societal outcomes
ADHD at work
Hartmann’s theories are both empowering and healing to the self-image of people with ADHD
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