Chaos and Creativity: Why the Events Industry is the Perfect Playground for the ADHD Brain
- Richard Chalmers
- Oct 8
- 8 min read
Imagine the scenario. An event manager is in the center of what seems like disorder but is actually a well-coordinated operation. A phone rings because a supplier is delayed. A customer wants a change to the seating arrangement at the last moment. The main speaker is unable to locate their presentation. Throughout everything, the manager must remain calm and composed like the eye of a storm.
This world of high pressure, multi-tasking and managing crises is the everyday life for a professional in events. It also gives quite a good picture of what it feels like inside an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) brain.
ADHD is not a character defect or an absence of determination. It is a complicated neurodevelopmental situation that alters the way brain grows and works. This condition impacts set of mental abilities known as executive functions, these are exactly what assist us to organize, concentrate, remember guidelines and manage several tasks at once. They estimate that 3-4% of grown-ups in the UK might have ADHD. This could mean as many as 2.5 million people just in England and most of them don't even know they have it.
This makes an interesting contradiction in the events sector. On one side, this work needs abilities that appear to be completely opposite of ADHD difficulties. Perfect organization, time handling and concentration are very important but these are exactly what a brain with ADHD might find challenging.
However, could it be that the dynamic, high-stress and inventive environment of events is an ideal place for the unique strengths of an ADHD brain? Abilities such as intense concentration, remarkable tranquility during a crisis and talent for immediate creative solutions are not only beneficial in this field; they frequently become essential to achieve something extraordinary.
So, for event specialists who have ADHD, is their job a continuous struggle or the ideal place to show their secret strengths?
Decoding the Adult ADHD Brain: More Than Just Fidgeting
To truly understand, we must go beyond the typical image of an overly active young boy. In grown-ups, ADHD is a more hidden and less noticeable condition that can influence job performance, relationships with others and personal value. It appears in three major forms:
Predominantly Inattentive: This is about struggling to hold attention, follow detailed instructions, and organise tasks. In an event pro, this might look like making small mistakes on a budget despite checking it three times, or constantly misplacing their keys, phone, or security pass.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive: This involves a feeling of restlessness and a habit of acting without thinking. In adults, the hyperactivity is often internal. It’s not about climbing the walls but feeling like you’re “driven by a motor” or having a “busy brain” that won’t switch off. This could mean blurting out an idea in a client meeting or impulsively booking a supplier without doing all the checks.
Combined Presentation: Most people with ADHD have a mix of both inattentive and hyperactive symptoms.
In the center of these is a group of main difficulties. Executive dysfunction makes it difficult to organise and carry out large projects. "Time blindness" is a distorted perception of time that makes it nearly impossible to estimate how long a task will take, which poses significant issues in an industry governed by deadlines.
There is also a problem with controlling emotions. Many individuals who have ADHD experience feelings more strongly and can be very sensitive to negative feedback or being rejected. This sensitivity can make the high-pressure, customer-focused environment of events an intense emotional journey.
For an adult who has not been diagnosed, particularly a woman, these difficulties are not viewed as signs. They are considered personal failures: "I am lazy," "I am incompetent," "I simply am not enough", "I'm too sensitive". This ongoing negative self-talk is a straight route to the anxiety and depression that commonly accompany ADHD.
The Lost Women: Why Is ADHD So Often Missed in Girls?
For many years, the typical image of someone with ADHD was a boy who couldn't stay still. This has caused a significant gap between genders in terms of diagnosis. Because of this, many women have been left without understanding their struggles for much of their lives, frequently until they reach 30 or 40 years old.
In the past, it was more common for boys to be diagnosed than girls, with ratios going up to 3:1. However, this is now changing. A significant study from University College London revealed a substantial relative rise in diagnoses and prescriptions among adult women between the years 2000 and 2018. Latest NHS information reveals a 208% rise in ADHD-related medicines for teenage females over merely eight years, a speed that is swiftly exceeding males.
This is not a recent trend; it's an old adjustment that was needed. Why have women been overlooked for such a long time?
Different Symptoms: Women are more likely to have the inattentive type of ADHD. Their symptoms are internal, like being easily distracted, disorganised, or prone to daydreaming. These are far less disruptive in a classroom than the classic hyperactive behaviours seen in boys, so they go unnoticed. A talkative, energetic girl is often just seen as "bubbly," not as potentially having ADHD.
The Art of "Masking": Girls are often socialised to be more compliant and organised. To fit in, many develop complex coping strategies to hide their symptoms. This "masking" might involve becoming a perfectionist or working twice as hard as everyone else just to keep up. It’s exhausting and often leads to severe anxiety and burnout.
Misdiagnosis: Because their struggles are internal, women with ADHD are frequently misdiagnosed. The emotional intensity is mistaken for a mood disorder, the constant worry is labelled as anxiety, and the low self-esteem is diagnosed as depression. Hormonal changes during puberty, the menstrual cycle, and menopause can also make symptoms worse, further confusing the picture.
Biased Research: The original research that defined ADHD was based almost entirely on hyperactive young boys. This created a male-centric model of the disorder, meaning teachers and doctors were trained to look for the wrong signs in girls.
For many women, the diagnosis finally comes after a "lightbulb moment," often when their own child is being assessed, or when a major life event causes their coping mechanisms to crumble. For them, a diagnosis isn't a bad label. It’s a moment of incredible relief that reframes a lifetime of struggle.
When Worlds Collide: The ADHD Brain in the Events Arena
The events industry is like a pressure cooker with lots of deadlines, details and demands. To be successful you need to be very organised, good at managing your time well, able to do many tasks at once and solve problems effectively. At first glance this might look really difficult for someone who has ADHD.
This makes a genuine push-and-pull situation. The job is both an excellent mix of extreme details and a perfect place where the stress can cause strong concentration, enabling best performance.
The most effective method to comprehend this is by observing how the job requirements align with both the difficulties and capabilities of an ADHD brain.
Core Event Management Demand | Associated ADHD Challenge | Potential ADHD "Superpower" |
Meticulous Long-Term Planning | Difficulty with executive function, procrastination, and getting overwhelmed by details. | Hyperfocus: The ability to get into a state of deep concentration on interesting tasks, like creative concept design or venue research. |
Strict Adherence to Deadlines | "Time blindness," making it hard to judge how long tasks will take, often leading to last-minute scrambles. | Pressure-Driven Performance: The adrenaline of a looming deadline can sharpen focus and drive incredible productivity. |
Juggling Multiple Tasks | High distractibility and a tendency to get pulled off-task by competing priorities. | Creative Multitasking & High Energy: A brain that loves novelty and variety, thriving in the fast-paced, ever-changing event environment. |
Calm Crisis Management | Emotional dysregulation and impulsivity can lead to intense reactions or rash decisions when things go wrong. | Crisis-Mode Activation: A unique ability to stay calm and think clearly in chaos when others panic, excelling at rapid, creative problem-solving. |
Constant Communication & Networking | Social anxiety, interrupting others, or "zoning out" during conversations can make networking exhausting. | High Empathy & Charisma: An intuitive, energetic, and often humorous personality that can build instant rapport with clients and motivate teams. |
This is the central paradox: the very traits that create the biggest hurdles are often the flip side of the greatest assets. Success isn’t about getting rid of the ADHD traits, but learning how to manage the challenges to unlock the strengths.
The ADHD Advantage: Strategies for Thriving
For an event professional with ADHD, success is about building smart systems to support their challenges, which in turn unleashes their strengths.
Lean into Hyperfocus: Identify the parts of the job you love and that trigger that state of intense focus. Then, protect that time. Use time-blocking in your calendar, switch on "do not disturb" on all your devices, and invest in good noise-cancelling headphones to create your own "hyperfocus bubble".
Work with Time Blindness: Accept that your internal clock isn't reliable and externalise everything. Use visual timers, set multiple alarms for every deadline, and plan projects by working backwards from the event date. Crucially, add generous time buffers at every stage. Digital calendars and project management apps like Todoist or Notion are not just helpful; they are essential.
Manage Energy and Distraction: A huge project like "Plan Annual Conference" is overwhelming. Break it down into the smallest possible first steps (e.g., "Email Venue A for a quote"). This makes it easier to start. The Pomodoro Technique (working in 25-minute bursts with 5-minute breaks) can also be a game-changer for maintaining focus.
Build Your Scaffolding: The most successful event pros with ADHD have become masters of building an external support structure. They use rigid, reliable systems of calendars, lists, and routines to offload the mental work of remembering everything. This external "scaffolding" frees up their brain to do what it does best: creative, high-level, spontaneous problem-solving.
Building a Neuro-Inclusive Industry
Creating a workplace where neurodivergent event professionals can thrive is not just good practice; in the UK, it’s a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010. ADHD can be legally classified as a disability, which means employers have a duty to make "reasonable adjustments."
These are often simple, low-cost changes that make a huge difference:
Environment: Provide access to a quiet workspace or noise-cancelling headphones to combat the distraction of an open-plan office.
Process: Follow up verbal instructions with a written email. Use shared project management software to make tasks and deadlines clear for everyone.
Flexibility: Offer flexible start and finish times where possible to reduce the stress around punctuality.
Support: Provide access to specialist ADHD coaching, which can often be funded through the government's Access to Work scheme.
When the industry supports its neurodivergent professionals, it leads to better events for everyone. Event planners with lived experience are perfectly placed to design more thoughtful and accessible events for neurodivergent attendees. This means providing clear information in advance, creating designated quiet rooms at venues, and offering different ways for people to ask questions during sessions, like through an event app.
Redefining the Blueprint for Success
The relationship between ADHD and the events industry is a true paradox. It is a profession that is both one of the toughest and one of the most perfectly suited for this neurotype. The distractibility is linked to the energy, the time blindness is linked to the performance under pressure, and the emotional sensitivity is linked to the charismatic empathy. They are two sides of the same coin.
As we mark ADHD Awareness Month, the message for the industry is clear. It’s time to move beyond awareness and towards active inclusion. This means fostering a culture where it’s safe to talk about neurodiversity, providing the right support, and recognising the incredible value that these creative, resilient, and energetic professionals bring to the table. An industry that embraces neurodiversity will not only be fairer; it will be more innovative, more creative, and ultimately, more successful.
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