It’s no secret, managing ADHD can be incredibly overwhelming. Navigating all the thoughts and ideas that course through my brain on a daily basis can be intense. The restlessness, difficulty focusing, impatience, forgetfulness and impulsiveness I battle were the reasons I started the Ambitious Assistant. 

I personally know how it feels to be overworked and over-extended all while feeling at times that I can’t seem to accomplish anything. This is what motivates me to help others who are navigating life with ADHD.

The Ambitious Assistant focuses on helping you stay organized and manage the daily aspects of your life. The role of a virtual assistant in the life of a person with ADHD can be a huge benefit. 

However, lately I noticed the needs of my clients tend to vary significantly. And while many of them can benefit from a virtual assistant, there are some who find the role of an ADHD coach in their life as a huge asset. 

What’s the difference?

So, what is the difference between the two? Individuals with ADHD may face unique challenges that can be addressed through the support of a virtual assistant (VA) or an ADHD coach. While there is some overlap in what they offer, their distinct roles add different benefits to your life. 

An ADHD coach is a professional trained to help individuals with ADHD identify and achieve their goals. They focus on personal development, providing support, guidance, and accountability. 

An ADHD virtual assistant is someone who provides administrative and organizational support. They can help manage tasks, schedules, and communications. 

Here are some benefits of each:

ADHD Coach:

• Goal Setting and Personal Development: Do you need help setting and achieving personal or professional goals? A coach can direct you in developing strategies to overcome the challenges related to ADHD when it comes to defining your objectives. 
• Accountability and Follow-Through: Do you find that you struggle with maintaining focus, staying organized or following through on tasks? An ADHD coach can help keep you accountable on your progress. 
• Time Management and Prioritization: If you are looking to improve your time management skills and prioritize tasks effectively, you might find great benefit in an ADHD coach. A great coach will help you create routines and schedules that work for you.
• Emotional Support and Coping Strategies: Living with ADHD might mean you would highly benefit from emotional support. A coach can help teach you coping strategies for managing stress, anxiety, RSD, and other challenges.

ADHD Virtual Assistant:

• Task Management and Organization: Need some help getting organized? A VA can help! They can organize and manage your daily tasks, appointments, and to-do lists. Additionally, they can assist you in maintaining an orderly and efficient work experience. 
• Communication and Coordination: If you require support in managing emails, scheduling meetings and co-ordinating with clients or team members, these needs can be met with the help of a VA. Let them handle administrative tasks. This will allow you freedom to focus on your core responsibilities. 
• Document Management: All those documents can be so overwhelming. A VA can help organize and manage your digital and your physical documents. You might greatly benefit from assistance in creating and maintaining systems for information retrieval. 
• Virtual Assistance Services: Hand over your administrative tasks to a virtual assistant. Let them do your routine tasks such as data entry, research, bookkeeping, social media, or making travel arrangements. 

In some cases, a combination of both an ADHD coach and an ADHD virtual assistant might be beneficial. An ADHD coach can help you develop strategies for personal growth and overcoming challenges, while a virtual assistant can handle specific administrative tasks, providing practical support to implement those strategies.

Wondering which one is best for you? There can definitely be overlap between the two but here are some tools to help you find out where to start. 

So, start by asking yourself some questions.

• Do you find it hard to set realistic goals and follow through on them? Do you have difficulty adapting to transitions, such as starting a new job or moving to a new location? 
• Do you struggle to maintain focus at work and navigate workplace dynamics?
• Do you experience difficulty in managing time effectively, leading to missed deadlines, procrastination, and a sense of being overwhelmed?
• Do you find it challenging to organize tasks, maintain a structured environment, or plan ahead?
• Do you have issues with managing emotions, leading to mood swings, frustration, and a potential impact on relationships?
• Do you feel your self-esteem suffering? Are you feeling less confident, often stemming from the daily struggles associated with ADHD symptoms? 

If you find that you answer yes to these, an ADHD coach might be the best fit for you.

Or, maybe you identify more with these?

• Do you struggle to remember important tasks, appointments, or deadlines?
• Do you find it challenging to allocate time effectively or often lose track of time?
• Do daily tasks become overwhelming?
• Do you find it difficult to manage your daily calendar? Do you need help scheduling events, meetings, appointments, etc? 
• Do you find repetitive, routine tasks to be cumbersome, easily forgotten, or deliberately ignored?
• Do you find it hard to manage finances, track expenses, or budget?
• Do you struggle with travel planning? Is organizing an itinerary or booking accommodations overwhelming?

If you answer yes to most of these questions, an ADHD virtual assistant can be a valuable tool in addressing specific challenges associated with attention, organization and productivity, providing personalized support to enhance daily functioning. 

Ultimately, the choice between a VA and a coach depends on your specific needs, preferences, and the areas in which you feel you could benefit from support. A virtual assistant is more technology-driven and can provide quick and automated support while an ADHD coach offers personalized, human guidance, focusing on skill development and emotional support. In some cases, a combination of both approaches may be beneficial for comprehensive support.

If you’re unsure, you may consider consulting with professionals in both roles to see how they can tailor their services to meet your unique requirements. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me here to set up a free call to determine if we would be the best fit for your needs. I would be happy to help you determine whether or not a VA is the best fit for you!