Celebrating Dyslexia: Unlocking my ‘Dyslexic Thinking’ at Work

Celebrating Dyslexia

I want to share how I learned to celebrate my dyslexia and unlock the potential of Dyslexic Thinking at work. As it wasn’t until I started hearing others celebrating their neurodiversity that I stopped to question whether the tools, software, and processes I used were truly aligned with my way of thinking. I had always accepted these as the ‘standard’ way of working, never questioning whether they were the best fit for me.

These systems weren’t designed for how I naturally think. Instead of working with them, I spent all my cognitive energy creating workarounds. As a result, I could only work to my best effort within the external limitations. I was trying to fit my thinking into a system that didn’t support my ‘dyslexic thinking’, preventing me from fully accessing all my skills and abilities. 

This made me wonder: We all think differently, so why do we try to work the same way?

Valuing neurodiversity

By recognising and celebrating the natural variation in how people think, process, and solve problems, we can create workplaces that empower everyone to work in ways that align with their strengths. Neurodivergent individuals bring unique perspectives, and by designing the way we work to allow everyone to play to their strengths, we can create truly inclusive workplaces—where people don’t just fit in but also unlock their full potential.

Decoding Text

As a dyslexic thinker, the way we decode text is different, due to the unique neurological pathways of how we process information. Visualisation plays a key role in making the text more accessible. Most workplace communication relies on functional, non-visual instructional language, which contrasts with the vivid, descriptive language we can easily picture in our minds. Without these visual cues, it can be harder to decode, connect, and retain information from text alone. To bridge this gap, I have learned to lean into my natural visual and non-linear way of processing information.

Unlocking Dyslexic Thinking

1. I use screen-readers and speech-to-text tools to reduce the cognitive effort required to process text. This frees up mental energy to focus on visualising concepts and ideas rather than just focusing on the words.
2. I use mind mapping and colour coding to categorise information into groups, making connections between ideas clearer. This creates a non-linear roadmap that help see the bigger picture before diving into details.
3. I use icons and imagery as visual anchors to structure information, making it easier to scan and locate key points. This leverages visual strengths to add context and create mental shortcuts for better recall and understanding.

Text-Only Definition

Dyslexic thinking" refers to an approach to problem-solving, assessing information, and learning, often used by people with dyslexia, that involves strengths in pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, lateral thinking, and interpersonal communication.

Visual Definition

Dyslexic thinking is:

An approach to:

Problem solving

Assessing Information

 Learning

Involves:

Pattern Recognition

Spatial Reasoning

    Lateral Thinking

Communication

Final Thoughts

Through these strategies, I have been able to redesign how I work and fully unlock my dyslexic strengths. I no longer try to work the same way as everyone else. Instead, I now embrace my natural way of thinking to unlock the full capabilities of my dyslexic thinking. 

Just because we work differently, doesn’t mean one way is better than the other. -  It’s simply a different approach.