Hi, I’m Nova. I have ASD, ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyscalculia. This document outlines how I work and how to get the best out of me.

Last updated Fri 28 Aug 2024 - While this guide will be helpful in most situations, there may be times when I require additional support or different approaches not covered here.

Jump to a section / What In The Document

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This is what my brain looks like

The first time I saw this piece by Kandinsky I instantly thought “This is what my brain looks like”.

I often find sharing it with people helps give an idea of how much I’m processing and in how many different directions.

What does ASD, ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyscalculia look like for Nova?

Good things

Hyper-focus. When I get really into a task or a topic I will be fully immersed in it, good luck getting my attention in these moments.
Creativity. My mind is often going a million miles an hour. I approach tasks from a different angle than most and can often come up with outside the box solutions
Empathy. My conditions make me a more empathetic ideas person and co-worker. This will help me understand the challenges that people are facing and support them in a way that will help them and benefit other people.
Verbal communication. My verbal skills are dramatically better than my written ones. I can talk about topics much better than I can write about them. I love presenting and have spoken at conferences of 1000+ before.

Things I struggle with

Time-blindness. I have difficulty conceptualising time which includes estimating time taken for tasks and losing track of time.
Forgetful. If it’s not written down in a useful place or in my calendar I’m unlikely to remember. E.g verbal directions given during meetings, ad-hoc should be followed up in writing.
Inattentive. If a task hasn’t grabbed my attention I struggle to stick with it. I also struggle to jump from task to task
Written Communication. This doesn’t often affect my day-to-day, but if something is going to a client or externally, someone to check/proofread what I’ve written for tone and make sure it is concise and makes sense (And More)
Perception (Or being perceived). I find talking/presenting in smaller groups a lot harder than talking in larger groups. I do not like it when I can see the individual responses, reactions and due to RSD

Sensory Issues. With sensory issues, this will depend on the environment and other external factors this can be discussed on a case by case basis and they can change

Working with me

Communication

<aside> 💬 My communication style and how to contact me

</aside>

Think verbal first.

Please see Meetings for more help

Whether it’s IRL, voice notes, DMs or Google Meet. After a discussion please follow up any action points/summary with an email this would go a long way to help me understand and remember.

If a written message is more than 2 paragraphs of text consider a voice note or inviting me to a call. Alternatively, break up big messages into shorter paragraphs or bullet points.

My comprehension of social cues, tone and urgency is much better when shared verbally than in screeds and screeds of text.

This document is not a natural way for me to communicate.