meetings – Quietly Neurodivergent

Small Fidgets and Comfort Objects for Neurodivergent Brains in Meetings

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

If you fidget constantly in meetings and worry it looks unprofessional, you’re not alone. For many autistic and ADHD people, small, quiet fidgets and discreet earplugs are genuine focus tools, not bad habits. This article looks at why they help, how to choose subtle options that work in your environment, and what to say if someone asks, “Are you paying attention?”

Phones, Video Calls and Real-Time Panic: A Neurodivergent Guide

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:15:00 +0000

Many autistic and ADHD people don’t just “dislike” phone and video calls – they find them genuinely exhausting. Real-time processing, unspoken social cues and the pressure to respond quickly can leave you anxious before the call and wiped out afterwards. This article explores why calls are so hard, why preferring text, IM or email is a valid access need, and offers gentle scripts and small strategies for coping when calls are unavoidable and for asking for alternatives when that’s possible.

Surviving Meetings When Your Brain Is Already Full

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 19:12:07 +0000

Meetings can look like “where the real work happens” from the outside and like sensory and cognitive overload from the inside. This article explores why meetings are so tiring for autistic and ADHD people, shares how I cope with agendas, notes, quiet fidgets and reset time, and offers small, realistic tweaks that can make your next meeting a little less overwhelming.

When Your Default Is “Go Quiet and Deliver”

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 21:09:13 +0000

Many autistic and ADHD people naturally “go quiet and deliver”: we disappear into the work and only update when there’s something concrete to show. This article explores why that happens, how it can worry managers who can’t see what’s going on, and offers tiny, realistic ways to agree check-ins and send short updates without turning into someone who lives in email.

Passing as “Fine” at Work (When You’re Quietly Falling Apart)

Andrew at Quietly Neurodivergent — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:59:45 +0000

Many neurodivergent people look calm and capable at work while quietly falling apart afterwards. This article names that pattern of “passing as fine”, explores why autistic and ADHD adults so often do it, and offers small, realistic ways to make work 5–10% kinder to your brain.