ADHD and the Return to Office: managing sensory overload at work
Did you know that up to 43% of adults with ADHD report sensory over-responsivity — meaning they’re more likely than neurotypicals to be overwhelmed by sounds, lights, textures, or smells?
That number stopped me in my tracks when I first encountered it. Because the “return to office” isn’t just about re-learning your commute or adjusting to a different schedule — for many people with ADHD, stepping back into a shared workspace means reactivating the sensory gauntlet every single day.
In Part 1, I shared why returning to the office is about much more than a commute — it’s about the invisible demands that pile up on ADHD brains. In Part 2 below, we’ll dig into one of those hidden demands that can feel like the “invisible punch” of shared spaces: sensory overload.
A story from the open office
The office was fully open-concept, with long hotelling tables that I had to reserve in advance. On my first day, I was shown my drawer at the other end of the floor, and I never found it again.
The office was noisy, chaotic, and full of distractions with fluorescent lights overhead.
I remember sitting at this long desk, trying to focus, when a group of colleagues nearby launched into a loud discussion about the previous night’s episode of a reality show I didn’t watch. I had to ask them to move elsewhere because I couldn’t focus on my work. The sound of their voices competed with the sound of my thoughts.
And the so-called “focus rooms” weren’t much better. They were marketed as a perk, but most felt like broom closets with a desk — cramped, windowless, and lit by harsh fluorescents. Instead of helping me concentrate, they gave me headaches.
Except for the part about the drawer and Survivor (or was it The Bachelor?), this repeated an experience I had at a previous contract job, the other one being outside the city near the airport, which required two forms of public transportation and had no nearby amenities, which was another kind of hell.
Only one person knows this: After that, I turned down a job offer at a company with an open-concept office where all the non-management employees were in the middle of the office space. I just couldn’t do it.
What I actually need to focus is simple: a clean, organized, quiet space with background noise that blends in rather than distracts. That combination is rare in most offices, and without it, every day feels like running a sensory gauntlet.
If returning to the office is a stressor, sensory overload is often one of the hidden amplifiers of that stress. So let’s break it down.
Why shared workplaces are sensory pressure cookers
In an office — especially open floorplans, coworking spaces, or hybrid environments — the potential triggers are everywhere. Many of them are out of your control. Some of the biggest culprits:
Noise: colleagues talking, phones ringing, footsteps in hallways, HVAC hum, printer/copier noises.
Lighting: harsh fluorescents, flicker, glare, inconsistent brightness.
Smells: perfume, cleaning products, strong food smells, and even the scent of carpet or upholstery itself. If I have a headache that day, the smell of coffee could exacerbate it.
Visual clutter: multiple screens, peripheral movements, posters and décor, and shifting objects in the field of view. Recently, some pull-up posters were stationed around my office. It took me several days for my mind to register that there wasn’t a person moving behind me.
Temperature, drafts, airflow changes.
Tactile irritants: scratchy chairs, desk textures, fabric blends.
Hushoffice, in their article on preventing sensory overload in open plan offices, suggests that acoustic pods and booths are one of the clearest ways to mitigate ambient “noise pollution” in shared spaces.
Add to that the fact that an ADHD brain may have difficulty filtering background stimuli (i.e. distinguishing what’s relevant vs. distracting) — and you see how these inputs pile on.
It’s like your system is being asked to run ten tabs in the browser when it’s already low on RAM.
Signs you might be hitting sensory overload
You don’t always realize you’re in overload until your body or mind starts flashing warning signs. Some common ones (and yes — these overlap with ADHD flare signals):
Sudden difficulty concentrating or staying on task
Feeling tense, on edge, “wired”
Irritability, mood swings, snapping at small things
Physical tension, headaches, muscle tightness
Fatigue that feels “brain-locked” rather than just tired
A craving to escape the space (needing “safe zone” breaks)
Overwhelm in conversations, avoidance of communal areas
Sometimes it’s subtle: a creeping sense of “too much,” an internal clamouring for quiet. But if ignored, overload can cascade into emotional meltdown, shutdown, or exhaustion.
Strategies: what you can do (even if the office isn’t fully supportive)
Now, the good news: many strategies are in your hands (or within reach). They won’t magically erase all triggers, but they’ll shift the load, give your system some protection (I’m imagining a shell here), and help you recover faster. Here are some (with caveats and tips for real-world use).
1. Know your triggers (and map your patterns)
Begin by journaling or logging when you feel “off,” “frazzled,” or fatigued. Note the environment, sensation, time of day, and what preceded it. Over weeks, patterns emerge.
Once you can predict or anticipate high-risk times or settings, you gain more agency.
2. Build your sensory “toolkit”
Keep a small bag or drawer of items you can deploy when overwhelm strikes. Some ideas:
Noise-cancelling or noise-reducing headphones, quality earplugs
A small fidget or textured object in hand
Sunglasses or tinted lenses (reduce glare)Screen dimmer filters or overlays
A soft scarf, cloth, or piece of comforting fabric (for touch regulation)
A “reset card” — quick reminders (e.g., 3-3-3 breathing, body scan)
Sources on neurodivergent coping often recommend “sensory toolboxes” as core tools when accommodations aren’t fully available.
3. Create micro-retreats & “pause zones”
You don’t always need a full calm room — but carving out spaces (even temporarily) helps. Possible ideas:
Use a meeting room’s extra corner or “quiet room” during off-hours
Step into a stairwell (if safe) for a few minutes
Go outside briefly — natural light, open air, fewer walls
Use acoustic pods or phone/video booths if your company has them (Hushoffice recommends pods for that reason)
A “eye-closed desk break” for 30-60 seconds of stillness
5 minutes of breathwork. I like the Pause Breathwork app. It’s one of the few apps I pay for. Still, you can find an app or YouTube video that suits your needs.
A stretch break. You can stretch on your own, find a short YouTube video, or explore the “At Work” category on the FitOn fitness app (available in both free and Premium versions).
When I mapped my own stress curve, I found that I needed 3 “mini-calm breaks” per day and at least two stretch breaks. Without them, I’d crash late afternoon.
4. Advocate for small but meaningful changes
You don’t necessarily need sweeping office redesigns — small shifts can help reduce the pressure.
Desk relocation (if possible) to a quieter corner
Use of dividers or privacy screens to reduce visual clutter
Request “soft lighting” or adjustable lamps
Ask for a scented product policy (fragrance-free zones)
Talk about scheduling noisy work (e.g. vacuuming, maintenance) during off-hours
Encourage your employer to invest in acoustic treatment (panels, carpets, booth pods)
Some workplaces resist large changes, but many will allow small, low-cost modifications if they are presented thoughtfully.
5. Practice grounding & regulation techniques
These are your “emergency brakes” when sensory load spikes. You want techniques you can tap quickly (without needing ideal space).
3-3-3 breathing (or 4-4-4): inhale, hold, exhale counts
Progressive muscle relaxation: scanning tension zones
Mindful noticing: pick one neutral sensory detail (a pen, a window, a leaf outside) and spend seconds noticing it
Short guided meditations
Breathwork: The Pause app’s 3-minute sessions include “Clear the Mind”, “The Espresso Shot”, “Energy Booster” and “Ground Yourself”. If you have 5 minutes, try “Focus Booster” or “The Quick Pause”. “The Midday Reset” is 10 minutes.
Tactile resets: feeling the texture of your chair, your shoe, an object in your hand
Cleveland Clinic’s article on sensory overload describes the sympathetic nervous system’s role and how breathing + grounding help “slow the train” when it’s running too fast.
6. Build buffer time & flexible scheduling
One of the biggest stressors is being on «all day» without recovery. You can:
Start work early (when the office is quiet)
Leave a “buffer” before/after meetings to ground again
Block sensory-light tasks (e.g. email, planning) after heavy stimulation tasks
Negotiate partial remote or hybrid days when overwhelm is high
Flexible scheduling doesn’t just help your productivity — it helps your nervous system.
7. Use support (people, professionals)
You don’t have to go it alone.
Talk with your manager or HR about your sensory challenges (if it feels safe). Frame it as optimizing performance, not complaining.
Peer “sensory allies” can help — someone you trust who’ll give you quiet cues or watch your back.
Occupational therapists or sensory specialists can help you devise routines, sensory modulation plans, and workplace modifications.
ADHD coaching (if you’re already doing it) can tie sensory strategies into your executive functioning routines.
In many of the top resources, combining self-strategies with professional support is the strongest pathway forward.
When the system pushes back: navigating constraints
Let’s be real: not all workplaces are easy, flexible, or understanding. You may hit walls. Here are some ways to cope when the “ideal” won’t come:
Prioritize your “non‐negotiables.” Decide which sensory triggers you must mitigate (e.g. noise, lighting) and which ones you can tolerate in small doses.
Use strategic masking: when support is unlikely, lean on your toolkit (noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses) to mitigate.
Choose your battles: request changes that are low burden to your employer (e.g. relocating your desk, using a desk lamp).
Document your needs: keeping a log of when sensory overload interferes with performance can help make a case later.
Have an “overload recovery plan” (step out, reset, re-enter) so that when things spiral, you have a protocol in place.
Protect your after-office buffer: don’t schedule intense social or sensory tasks immediately after work — give yourself time to decompress.
If all else fails, part of the return-to-office adjustment is recognizing when the environment is too costly to your wellbeing — and pushing back (or seeking alternatives) might become part of your self-care strategy.
Integrating this with Part 1: executive load, transitions, and sensory load
In Part 1, I described how every stage of returning to the office adds an invisible layer of effort — from commuting to navigating new routines. Sensory overload compounds that effort, multiplying the moments when your system feels maxed out.
In a day where you must plan your commute, reorient your schedule, meet with people, keep track of shifting contexts — if your senses are also scrambling, the “overcapacity moments” multiply.
What helps is layering support:
Start with good return routines (from Part 1) to reduce transition shock
Layer sensory buffers (micro breaks, toolkit, grounding) so your system isn’t forced into constant overload
Use “stabilizers” (quiet times, predictable structure) to anchor yourself
When combined, these layers form a resilience web against the unpredictability of shared spaces.
Sample day with sensory defences in practice
To make it more concrete, here’s a hypothetical “sensory-aware” office day you might test, adapted to your schedule:
Pre-shift buffer (7:30–8:00 a.m.): Arrive early; no one else is around. Do a grounding routine (breathing, quiet reading), and organize your desk.. Settle in.
Morning block (8:00–10:30 a.m.): focused work. Use noise cancelers, close peripheral tabs and dim your screen. If your company uses Microsoft products, type “focus settings” in the bottom search bar on your Windows laptop. If you use Outlook, you might have the Viva Insights Outlook add-in.
Mid-morning micro break (10:30 a.m.): 2–3 min pause in a quiet corner (or outside), eyes closed, deep breaths.
Meeting block (11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.): use mute, request quieter rooms, ask for lighting adjustment or avoid adjacent noisy colleagues.
Lunch buffer (1:00–1:30): find a low-stim space or take a sensory reset walk.Afternoon block (1:30–3:30): alternate high-sensory and lower-sensory tasks; take a micro-retreat if feeling saturated.
Late afternoon “cool-down” (3:30–4:00): wrap up, reduce screen clutter, write down tomorrow’s tasks, slow your pace.
Post-office decompression: avoid rushing to a noisy social engagement; instead, do something calming — such as a walk, a quiet hobby, or a sensory reset.
You’ll likely tweak the timing, length and location of breaks, but the structure remains.
Key Takeaways
Many with ADHD also experience sensory over-responsivity, which makes shared office spaces uniquely challenging.
Sensory overload is triggered by noise, light, scent, visual clutter, tactile factors, and temperature changes.
You can intervene: build a sensory toolkit, map your triggers, schedule micro breaks, and use grounding techniques.
Advocate for small environmental changes that reduce load (desk relocation, dividers, lighting, acoustic pods).
Pair sensory strategies with the transition and executive strategies from Part 1 to build a layered resilience.
When the environment resists change, rely on buffer strategies, documentation, and protective routines.
For many ADHD professionals, the office isn’t just a workplace — it’s a sensory minefield. By building strategies that support your nervous system, you give yourself the best chance to thrive in environments not designed with you in mind. This is Part 2 of my Return to Office series. If you’d like to start from the beginning, read Part 1.
Next, we’ll turn to women’s health — and why “well enough to work” doesn’t always mean “well enough to commute.”
Ready to take control of your ADHD career strategy?
Navigating workplace challenges with ADHD doesn't have to be a solo journey. Whether you're facing return-to-office pressures, seeking better accommodations, or wanting to optimize your work environment, I understand the unique challenges fast-brained professionals face — because I've lived them too.
As an ADHD educator/coach who works in both corporate and coaching environments, I help mid-career professionals develop strategies that work with their brains, not against them. Ready to create a career approach that actually fits your ADHD mind?
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