When “Always On” Meets “Too Much”: Navigating AuDHD in Sales
When “Always On” Meets “Too Much”: Navigating AuDHD in Sales
I’ve always felt different. Not broken, not lazy, just wired in a way that didn’t match the neat boxes people put under ASD or ADHD. Then I read about AuDHD and the lightbulb went on. It described the push-pull in my head perfectly: craving clarity and routine while chasing novelty and momentum. Precision and pattern meeting speed and spark. In sales, that conflict shows up every day.
At home, I’m a dad to two teenagers, one autistic and one with ADHD. Watching how they react so differently to the same situation has been a mirror for my own brain. It helped me see that I’m not difficult. I’m different. And different can be an edge when you work with it rather than against it.
This post is not medical advice. It’s a practical guide from lived experience for anyone in sales or business development who suspects they might be autistic, ADHD, or both, and feels like work was designed for someone else’s nervous system.
The hidden conflict that drains us in sales
Need for clarity vs constant ambiguity: Pipeline, forecasts, buyer politics. We want rules and get moving targets.
Deep focus vs scattered demands: We can hyperfocus for hours yet drown in small admin.
Sensitivity vs “thick skin” culture: Sensory overload in open offices, cold calls, and back-to-back meetings.
Values-driven honesty vs performative selling: We struggle to mask or do small talk, but we shine with real substance.
If that feels familiar, you are not alone. Here are the tools that help me and many clients turn the conflict into a system.
Play to your wiring, not against it
1) Build a rhythm, not a rigid schedule
Sales is variable. Your brain may be too. Use time anchors instead of full timetables.
AM anchor: 20 minutes Quiet Pipeline Review. One rule: touch 10 records or send 3 messages.
PM anchor: 15 minutes Deal Hygiene. Close dates, next steps, and one sentence per deal.
Energy blocks: Label calendar blocks by brain state: Focus, Social, Admin. Book tasks to the state, not the clock.
Template:
Focus block: 60–90 minutes prospect research or proposal drafting
Social block: 45 minutes calls, demos, follow-ups
Admin block: 20 minutes CRM tidy, expenses, email triage
2) Use a Sensory and Context Kit
Sales environments can be noisy, bright, and unpredictable. Reduce the load before it starts.
Noise control: loop earplugs or closed-back headphones
Visual calm: dark mode, lower brightness, tidy desktop
Texture and movement: fidget ring, resistance band under the desk
Meeting buffer: 5 minute “decompression slot” before and after calls
Micro-habit: Finish every meeting with camera off for 60 seconds, breathe, jot one sentence: “What moved and what’s next.”
3) Make prospecting friction-free
Cold outreach fails when the start line is too heavy.
Two-line prospect card:
Problem I can solve
Proof I can show
Three-message cadence in plain English:
Message 1: relevance + tiny ask
Message 2: proof + optional resource
Message 3: polite closeout
Copy you can steal:
Message 1: “Hi [Name], I help [role] fix [specific problem] without [common pain]. If it’s useful, I can send a 2 minute video showing how we did it for [peer].”
4) Script the hard parts, not the whole call
Masking is exhausting. Scripts help if they support authenticity.
Open: “What needs to be true for this to be a great use of your time?”
Clarify: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how urgent is this, and what makes it that number?”
Close the loop: “Here is what I heard. Problem, constraint, next step. Did I miss anything?”
Write these on a sticky note. It lowers cognitive load without turning you into a robot.
5) Turn hyperfocus into assets
If you deep dive, make it reusable.
Record a 3 minute explainer on a top objection. Store it in a Notion or Drive folder.
Convert your best email into a template with blanks.
After every win, capture a 1-page play: ICP, trigger, angle, proof, resources.
6) Rejection recovery that actually works
Standard advice says “toughen up.” Better advice says re-regulate.
Set a rejection quota. For example, 5 clean no’s a day. Track like a win.
Use a body reset: 90 seconds box breathing or a brisk 3 minute walk.
Switch task type. After a no, do a 5 minute Admin block to regain control.
7) Collaboration rules that protect your brain
Tell your team what helps you do your best work.
“I process better with context. A short brief before meetings helps me contribute.”
“If it’s urgent put ‘Today’ in the subject and send a DM. Otherwise email.”
“I do my best creative work in the morning. Can we book internal calls after 11?”
Share the rules once. Pin them in your team channel or email signature.
What my kids taught me about sales
One child needs more predictability, the other needs movement and novelty. Same family, different brains. Sales teams are the same. When you make room for varied working styles, performance rises.
For the person who needs predictability: give clear agendas, written follow-ups, and time to think.
For the person who needs novelty: short sprints, visible wins, and space to experiment.
For both: respect transitions, reduce last-minute changes where possible, and praise the process, not just the outcome.
Understanding my teenagers helped me understand my clients, my buyers, and myself. It made me kinder in negotiations, sharper in discovery, and more honest in forecasting.
A simple weekly rhythm for AuDHD in sales
Monday: Focus block for pipeline triage, Social block for warm outreach
Tuesday: Focus block for proposals, Social block for demos
Wednesday: Admin tidy, short experiments, learning time
Thursday: Deep research on 5 dream accounts
Friday: Deal hygiene, rejection quota complete, planning the first two tasks for Monday
Keep it light. Keep it repeatable. Adjust by energy, not guilt.
If you’re reading this and nodding
You don’t need to fit a label perfectly to deserve tools that fit you. Start with one anchor, one script, and one sensory tweak. Notice the difference for two weeks. Then add the next piece.
I’m building resources for neurodivergent people in sales and business development. If you want my templates for the two-line prospect card, the three-message cadence, and the 1-page play, send me a DM or book a short call. No pressure, just practical support.
