"Some days my brain feels like a scattered constellation of ideas, each star bright but disconnected. Other days, it's a lighthouse beam cutting through fog with laser precision. Both are me. Both are part of how I code. And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way."
I've been putting off writing this post for months. Not because it's not important—quite opposite. It's because talking about ADHD and programming feels like trying to explain ocean to someone who's only seen puddles. There's so much depth, so much complexity, and so many misconceptions floating around like driftwood on shore.
But sitting here at my coastal workspace, watching waves crash in their chaotic-yet-predictable pattern, I realize that's exactly metaphor I needed. ADHD in programming isn't a bug to be fixed—it's a feature that comes with both incredible capabilities and unique challenges.
Hyperfocus Zone: When Time Disappears
Let me paint you a picture: It's 9 AM, and I sit down to fix a "quick" CSS bug. I blink, and suddenly it's 7 PM. My coffee has gone cold three times, I've missed lunch, and Toni is gently reminding me that humans need food to survive. But here's thing—that CSS bug? Not only is it fixed, but I've also refactored entire component system, optimized build process, and somehow solved two other unrelated issues that had been nagging at me for weeks.
SUPERPOWER Hyperfocus Advantage
- 🦀 Deep Diving: When I'm in zone, I can hold incredibly complex system architectures in my head simultaneously
- 🦀 Problem Persistence: That annoying bug that everyone else gave up on? I'll chase it down rabbit holes until I find it
- 🦀 Flow State Mastery: When hyperfocus kicks in, coding becomes almost meditative—pure problem-solving bliss
return problem
.analyze()
.deconstruct()
.rebuild('elegantly')
.test('obsessively')
.document('thoroughly');
};
Pro tip: I've learned to set gentle alarms every 2 hours during coding sessions. Not to break flow, but to remind myself that my body exists and probably needs something.
Foggy Days: When Focus Feels Like Catching Mist
But then there are other days. days when my brain feels like it's running on dial-up internet while everyone else is on fiber optic. When I open my IDE and stare at screen like I've never seen code before. When every notification, every sound, every thought that drifts through my mind pulls me away from task at hand like context switching gone rogue.
CHALLENGE Scattered Brain Struggle
Task Switching Chaos
Starting to fix a bug, getting distracted by a refactoring opportunity, which leads to researching a new library, which reminds me of that other bug I meant to fix last week...
Notification Overload
Every Slack message, email notification, or even sound of Toni typing can completely derail my train of thought, and it takes forever to get back on track.
Time Blindness
"I'll just spend 30 minutes on this" turns into 3 hours, or conversely, what feels like hours of work turns out to be 15 minutes of actual progress.
Decision Paralysis
Should I use forEach or map? Which library is better? What if there's an even better approach I haven't considered? Sometimes simplest decisions become overwhelming.
On these days, I used to feel broken. Like I wasn't cut out for programming. Like maybe I should find a career that doesn't require sustained focus. But here's what I've learned: these aren't character flaws—they're brain differences that come with their own gifts.
Seeing Patterns Others Miss: ADHD Advantage
Here's something neurotypical developers might not realize: that same brain that gets distracted by every notification is also constantly scanning for patterns, connections, and inconsistencies. While I might struggle to focus on one thing, I'm simultaneously processing dozens of inputs and finding relationships that others miss.
Real-World Pattern Recognition Wins:
noticeWeirdTimestamp: "Wait, why is this 3 hours off?",
followRandomHunch: "Let me check database config...",
discoveryMoment: "OH! It's not a frontend bug at all!",
teamReaction: "How did you even think to check that?"
};
Navigation Tools: Strategies That Actually Work
Over years, I've developed a toolkit of strategies that work with my ADHD brain rather than against it. These aren't one-size-fits-all solutions—they're approaches I've discovered through trial, error, and a lot of self-compassion.
Riding Hyperfocus Waves
- 🦀 Keep water and snacks at my desk
- 🦀 Set gentle 2-hour check-in alarms
- 🦀 Have a "hyperfocus kit" ready (phone on silent, comfortable clothes, good lighting)
- 🦀 Document my thought process while in flow
Managing Scattered Days
- 🦀 Break tasks into tiny, specific chunks
- 🦀 Use noise-canceling headphones or ocean sounds
- 🦀 Keep a "parking lot" for distracting thoughts
- 🦀 Embrace Pomodoro Technique (but 15-minute intervals)
Code Organization Hacks
- 🦀 Obsessive commenting (for future scattered-brain me)
- 🦀 TODO comments with context, not just "fix this"
- 🦀 Git commits with detailed messages
- 🦀 Keep a daily "what I learned" log
Team Communication
- 🦀 Be upfront about my working style
- 🦀 Ask for written summaries after meetings
- 🦀 Schedule focused work blocks in my calendar
- 🦀 Use async communication when possible
Golden Rule I've Learned
Work with your brain, not against it. On hyperfocus days, I tackle complex architecture problems. On scattered days, I do code reviews, update documentation, or handle smaller maintenance tasks. Both types of days are productive—just differently productive.
Finding My Tribe: ADHD in Team Settings
One of biggest fears I had about disclosing my ADHD to teammates was that they'd see it as an excuse or a limitation. But working with Toni and Oregon Coast AI team has taught me something beautiful: neurodiversity isn't just accepted here—it's valued.
How My ADHD Helps Our Team:
During code reviews, I often catch edge cases and potential issues that others miss. My brain's constant pattern-matching helps identify inconsistencies early.
My tendency to go down "rabbit holes" has led to some of our best architectural improvements and performance optimizations.
When team gets stuck on a problem, my ADHD brain often approaches it from a completely different angle, breaking through analysis paralysis.
key has been open communication. I've learned to say things like "I'm having a scattered brain day, so I might need written follow-ups from this meeting" or "I'm in hyperfocus mode, so I might not respond to Slack for a few hours." Instead of seeing this as problematic, my team sees it as useful information that helps us all work better together.
"Ken's brain works differently, and that's exactly why we need him on our team. When we're all thinking inside same box, Ken's not even aware there is a box."
— Toni, after I solved a particularly stubborn AI training issue
Embracing Paradox: ADHD as Feature, Not Bug
I used to think of my ADHD as something to overcome, manage, or work around. But sitting here on Oregon Coast, watching waves that are simultaneously chaotic and predictable, I realize that trying to "fix" my ADHD brain would be like trying to make ocean perfectly calm. You'd lose everything that makes it powerful and beautiful.
ADHD Programmer's Paradox
Challenges
- FOCUS Inconsistent attention span
- TIME Time blindness and estimation issues
- SWITCH Difficulty with context switching
- DETAILS Sometimes miss obvious details
Superpowers
- HYPERFOCUS Intense problem-solving sessions
- PATTERNS Exceptional pattern recognition
- CREATIVITY Non-linear thinking and innovation
- PERSISTENCE Won't give up on interesting problems
programming world needs all kinds of brains. We need methodical, step-by-step thinkers who catch every edge case. We need big-picture architects who see system-wide implications. And yes, we need scattered, hyperfocused, pattern-obsessed ADHD brains who notice weird timestamp that leads to discovering real bug.
adhd: true,
challenges: ['focus', 'time-blindness', 'context-switching'],
superpowers: ['hyperfocus', 'pattern-recognition', 'creative-problem-solving'],
isValid: true,
contributesToTeam: true,
makesGoodCode: true
};
Anchoring Thoughts: For Fellow Neurodivergent Coders
If you're reading this and thinking "that sounds like me," first: you're not alone. There are more of us out here than you might think, quietly navigating programming world with brains that work a little differently. Second: your differences aren't defects to be hidden—they're features to be celebrated and leveraged.
Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Earlier:
- 🦀 Your hyperfocus is a superpower — When you find something fascinating, dive deep. Some of best innovations come from obsessive deep-dives.
- 🦀 Scattered days are still productive days — Just differently productive. Small tasks, maintenance, and exploration all matter.
- 🦀 Find your tribe — Seek out teams and environments that value neurodiversity. They exist, and they need you.
- 🦀 Develop your toolkit — Strategies that work for neurotypical brains might not work for you. That's okay. Find what does.
- 🦀 Your perspective matters — problems you notice, connections you make, solutions you find — they're valuable because of how your brain works, not despite it.
Programming is fundamentally about problem-solving, pattern recognition, and creative thinking. These are things that ADHD brains often excel at, just in ways that don't always fit traditional expectations. industry is slowly learning to value different kinds of intelligence and working styles. We're part of that change.
Your ADHD Brain Belongs in Tech
Because diversity of thought drives innovation, and innovation is what this field is all about.