My Journey with Dyscalculia: Challenges and Hacks for Gig Work

 

If you’re not familiar with dyscalculia, it’s similar to dyslexia but with numbers. While dyslexia affects how people process letters and words, dyscalculia impacts how we understand and work with numbers. It can show up in different ways for everyone, and for me, it’s been an interesting journey—especially since numbers are such a big part of gig work.

Math Was My Jam—Until It Wasn’t

Here’s the weird part: math was one of my strongest subjects growing up. I even competed in math competitions in sixth grade and did pretty well. Back then, I didn’t notice any issues, but as I’ve gotten older, things have changed. Now, I often find myself struggling with numbers in ways I never expected.

How Dyscalculia Affects Me

For me, dyscalculia doesn’t mean I see numbers reversed like some people experience with dyslexia. Instead, numbers sometimes “rearrange” themselves in my mind. For example, if I see a number like 6897, my brain might process it as 6987 before I type it out or use it. Sometimes I catch the mistake, but other times it can lead to errors.

This becomes especially tricky with things like two-factor authentication codes, phone numbers, or addresses. If someone rattles off a number like “50-19,” my brain might mix it up as 509 or something completely different. It’s a process that takes extra effort to untangle.

Finding Workarounds

In the gig world, where numbers are everywhere (think house numbers, phone numbers, order totals), I’ve had to create my own hacks to manage dyscalculia:

1. Breaking Numbers into Chunks
   Instead of trying to process an entire five-digit house number at once, I break it into smaller parts. For instance, if the address is 20642, I’ll focus on the first two digits (20) and then the last three (642) separately. This makes it easier for me to remember and confirm the address.

2. Repetition is Key
   I double- and triple-check every number I see—whether it’s a customer’s address or a delivery code. By looking at it multiple times, I can catch mistakes before they become a problem.

3. Speaking Numbers Aloud
   When I’m especially tired or having a tough day, I’ll break down numbers into individual digits in my head (e.g., “One-three-six” instead of “136”). This helps me avoid mixing them up.

4. Simplifying When Possible
   For long numbers, I focus on smaller chunks. For example, with multi-digit addresses, I might eliminate the first digit mentally and focus on the rest.

Learning and Adapting

Gig apps like Spark can complicate things, especially when GPS leads you to the wrong house. Thankfully, I haven’t had too many major mishaps, but staying mindful of my tendency to mix up numbers has been crucial. By knowing my limitations, I’ve been able to adapt and keep moving forward.

Encouragement for Others

If you’re navigating life with different abilities, know this: you can still succeed in the gig world (or any field) with the right strategies. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, create hacks that work for you, and don’t be afraid to adjust your methods as needed. Everyone’s journey is different, but we all have the ability to make it work.

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Do you have a similar experience or unique challenges you’ve had to adapt to? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear how you’ve navigated your own journey. Let’s keep learning and growing together! 🚗✨