I have tried this a few times as a primary school teacher as it just makes sense because switching tabs is annoying

I agree totally. I have two monitors at work and have found working across both screens to be a little easier to deal with.

I struggle with fewer than 3 screens - 2 monitors and my laptop. Hadn't connected this with ADHD before.

I totally agree here but I prefer one large monitor and smaller tablet as really don't like the idea of two big looming screens.

done this for years , even at home . Extremely valuable in helping remain productive

I cannot agree more, there is nothing more frustrating then knowing if you just had the information side by side you would be able to get the task done in half the time (and not a 1 screen split so you cant read it properly). Double screens have been a complete game changer for me personally.

I hadn't thought about this in the ADHD context, but I get a dual monitor when I'm in the office and I really like it. It is so helpful to keep things in view when I'm working between programmes. I usually work on a laptop but I've just got a new iMac at home with a massive screen which also feels very lovely. I will think about it a bit more over the next few weeks.

I could not work without my 2 monitors

I asked for, and was awarded, a single giant curved monitor as part of my Access to Work grant. It is a life saver; I use it along with my laptop screen. I am unable to hold information in my head in the time needed to switch from window A, which has eg a list of places I want to locate on a map, and window B containing the map. I can go back and forth between the two, getting more and more frustrated with my lack of short term (seconds long) working memory for written info. For me this is the key — I believe for many neurodivergent people (of all varieties or flavours) words are not our first language — so many of us think and operate in a visual world of images and objects. My short term memory can hold images really well. Show me a map and I’ll remember it and get from A to B. But tell me how to get there in words, and I’ll have forgotten step one by the time you’ve got to step two. Anyone else here similar?

Totally agree. I struggled with a laptop and screen as the different in size frustrated me and I couldnt focus and was not as productive.

With two screens I was able to multitask far better and seem to take more in. This is a must for me now I think moving forward,

Laptop has my to do list on it, phone on a stand shows my daily calendar, working on main 22" screen.

Makes a huge difference

Definitely helps me, I find it difficult to work with just one screen. I use one for report writing and the second for communications - emails, team messages and online meetings.

This has made such a difference for me, particularly when working from home.

Game changer. I use 3 screens, sometimes 4 if I link iPad to become an extension of main monitor. Others can't understand how this helps me at all, but for me it's the only way to get anything done. I'm completely inconsistent in my approach and make up a new rule on what goes where every time, but it's something like this per screen (1) browsers / email; (2 biggest screen) main apps that apply to task in hand (Word / PPT / Photoshop; (3) other apps, eg note taking, research tools, to do lists (essential because one task leads to multiple ideas for others and I need them out of my head); (4) iPad Notetaking / scribble drawing apps.

When I got two monitors, I was so pleased that I almost instantly wanted three. Now that I have three I want more. Which has led me to the painful conclusion that I am really just using multiple monitors as a cope. the root cause of my productivity issues--my inadequate ability to prioritize means that I actually get more done the fewer screens i can access.

I found this really helpful as I can make more 'stuff' visible at a glance. If I've got work sessions that need a couple of admin forms on different sites I can have them all to hand without having to squint and scroll through the (20 million +/- a trillion) open tabs on my tiny laptop screen :-) Easier to work, and 'be' in a meeting too. :-) Second screen accessed through workplace adjustment.

I have this set up in work and use two laptops when working from home. It helps to have have to flip from tab to tab.

Great way to help with multitasking or referencing. Why? Because it reduces the transition effect (and therefore distraction) of moving between 2 things. HOWEVER, I find that if I need to have focus time on just one thing for a while without distractions or referencing, then switching off the other screens helps.

Initially, I didn't believe my workplace assessor when she said two monitors would help me as I already had one large monitor (27") and couldn't see what difference it would make. How wrong I was! It is so much easier to have two screens with different programs/web pages open. I can just drag things from one to the other. I can't really explain why but it really is a game changer. In case it helps someone, I bought two ACER KB242YEbi Full HD 23.8" IPS LCD Monitors (from Currys Business Dept for £85 each). They are fabulous! To the person saying they can't afford a second monitor at the moment, if there is a way of putting us in touch and they are anywhere near Cambridge, I would be happy to give you my old one. I'm currently advertising it on Facebook Market place for £50 but would donate it to a fellow ADHDer in need.

This is a great idea! I often find using my iPad and iPhone simultaneously helpful for everyday tasks and sometimes use my partner’s phone as well if I’m doing something like choosing holiday accommodation when I’m narrowing down my choices and want to see them all together. I’m also old school so there’s always a notepad and pen somewhere nearby! 😃

It would be interesting in this section to include why it might help, :)

Having done your test and realising after my daughter's diagnosis that I am highly likely to have ADHD, I realise that when I was trying to write my degree work up, everything changed for me when I bought a large Monitor. I was able to cross reference much more easily and think clearly.

Such a good idea, this really helps me at work. I often want to cross reference things (because I know I make mistakes!) So having different windows open on different screens really helps

I noticed a while back that using two screens helped me a lot because for something as simple as changing tabs seemed to throw my concentration off. I did not associate it with adhd at the time though so it is interesting to see this.

Hadn't thought about this until I saw it on here as a strategy - I use two monitors so that I can have reference material up on one and work on the other. Stops me going off track when I toggle between windows and something unrelated catches my eye.

I work from home and was issued a laptop and 2 additional monitors that I never use but maybe now I’ll give it a try!

Couldn't work without a secondary monitor, for Work or personal. But I would say, 2 large monitors with high resolution work best for me. When working from the office, I only have 1 additional monitor to my laptop and the laptop screen is not big enough. For me they should ideally be the same or around the same size.

Never considered this might be adhd related, I Always need two even three monitors

essential as I have real difficulty keeping track when opening and minimising multiple pages/documents. Two screens minimises the need for this.

I agree with this, but I'm curious whether one massive monitor (34" or so, equivalent to two screens) would work as well.

2 monitors is absolutely vital - as is the 'pending' task documentation all over my desk

I find it much better when I need to look at 2 things to get a task done on 2 screens rather than flitting between tabs or programs

Really helpful for me, I either need two laptops open or two + an additional monitor. My problem is deskspace/monitor support because I work from home and move around a lot.

Agreed I cannot afford 2 screen monitors so I switch between multiple tabs and my phone or by using the split screen feature on Microsoft edge

Agreed I cannot afford 2 screen monitors so I switch between multiple tabs and my phone or by using the split screen feature on Microsoft edge

Really helpful for me, I either need two laptops open or two + an additional monitor. My problem is deskspace/monitor support because I work from home and move around a lot.

I find it much better when I need to look at 2 things to get a task done on 2 screens rather than flitting between tabs or programs

2 monitors is absolutely vital - as is the 'pending' task documentation all over my desk

I agree with this, but I'm curious whether one massive monitor (34" or so, equivalent to two screens) would work as well.

essential as I have real difficulty keeping track when opening and minimising multiple pages/documents. Two screens minimises the need for this.

Never considered this might be adhd related, I Always need two even three monitors

Couldn't work without a secondary monitor, for Work or personal. But I would say, 2 large monitors with high resolution work best for me. When working from the office, I only have 1 additional monitor to my laptop and the laptop screen is not big enough. For me they should ideally be the same or around the same size.

I work from home and was issued a laptop and 2 additional monitors that I never use but maybe now I’ll give it a try!

I have definitely found this to be true. I now have 3x monitors on my desk! It really makes a difference to my work as a software developer.

I can't work without 2 monitors when i need to look at 2 different windows because of my memory, but I keep changing my mind about how to most effectively use them. I still manage to lose things in a sea of tabs and windows and have to periodically make sure I close everything I don't need to stop the overwhelm.

Useful for object permanence and working memory issues. Previously I would often start something and then the window would get hidden by other windows and I would forget I was working on it. With 2 monitors there's a much higher chance the window is still visible and I won't forget about it.

Big difference on helping me avoid working memory issues. Instead of needing to flip between tabs and recall I can just have both up at the same time.

Test of 5 stars

Test