Of course, if you’d rather watch, the video is here. Or, listen to the episode below.
Hello! It is I, your friendly ADHD coach who, herself, has ADHD.
I’ve got a question for you, and I want you to answer honestly: When you’re planning out your to-do list, what things do you take into account?
Think on it for a second. Do you think about how long something will take? Due dates? How much you do or don’t want to do it? Whether or not it can get you put in jail?
All good criteria, but my friend, if “how much energy this will cost me” is not on your list, you’re headed for burnout and disappointment.
Here’s the thing: ADHD brains are always going. Even if you’re lying on the couch watching TV, inside that beautiful mind of yours, there’s always somewhere to be. While this isn’t a problem inherently, it means that we get tired way more easily than others might.
“But Arianna,” you may be saying, “I have a ton of physical energy. I’m like a capuchin monkey with a diet solely consisting of Mountain Dew, Red Bull, and cocaine.”
That’s nice and all, but you’re still going to hit a wall eventually. And most likely, that wall you hit will be at a time that you can’t afford to be tired. So the best way to avoid that is to get ahead of it.
How, you ask? By:
- Keeping track of your energy somehow. Do it through apps, or journals, or a simply handwritten chart. But keep track of how you feel day to day. And do it granularly. Meaning, don’t just say “I was tired on Friday.” Think of how your body felt, how your thoughts formed, cravings you had…anything that may point to a pattern after a month or so.
- When you’re planning your to-dos, make note of what each task will cost you in terms of energy. Make sure you match this up to how much energy you have. If you only have so much energy, then prioritize the things that HAVE to be done, and move everything else (even dishes, baking a cake, yoga, whatever) to the next day or the day after that.
- Once you know your signs, pay attention to when you feel them, and LISTEN to them. Back off when your mind and body are telling you to. This kind of stuff isn’t happening for funsies; they’re signs. READ EM.
Oh, and remember: being tired isn’t a weakness. Everything spends its energy eventually, even batteries and that’s, like, their one job. And if you don’t get it right the first time, it’s okay. It takes time to get. Just keep in mind that the effort will be worth the way you feel later. That I can promise.
And hey…if you feel like you could use my help keeping you on track, get on my schedule to work together.
