Pravina Rudra

I am Comment Editor and a columnist at the New Statesman and write for other newspapers like the Times and Telegraph too. I actually started out as a management consultant but realised I had far more fun writing. I spend my spare time with friends, dancing, and making the most of London's post-pandemic.

I think my industry is a pretty good place to work for people with ADHD. Journalists tend to have some ADHD traits; thinking outside of the box, good under pressure - and desks overflowing with piles of notebooks and Post-Its. I think the industry has some way to go in terms of class, gender and race - although generally, if you are nice, people go out of their way to help you, no matter how junior you are. And female journalists, in particular, are great at lifting each other up and encouraging each other to lean in. 

Any words of wisdom or anecdotes that you’d like to offer to another woman with ADHD who’d like to have a similar career to yours?

Do whatever helps you manage your neurodiversity, even if it's really weird, or other people don't get it. I use a site called focusmate.com - where you get your tasks done alongside someone else doing theirs over a video call, and check in afterwards to see if you stayed on track.  I used to resist using it for the most basic of things - everything from my bedtime routine to getting boring work tasks done - but now I don't care what people think anymore - if it works, it works.