You’re not lazy, you’re depleted: ADHD and burnout
Our ADHD brains are excellent at adapting and pushing through, so much so that it can be hard to notice that burnout is building. Until you hit a wall. The crash is often accompanied by deep shame, self-blame and task paralysis.
ADHD burnout is mental and physical exhaustion from the ongoing effort of managing ADHD traits. It is too much pressure for too long, with too few resources. This is not a personal failing. It is a painful result of having a unique brain in a world that wasn't built for it.
Too often, the solution to burnout is to force ourselves to hustle harder just to keep up. But the path to recovery is often the opposite, find a way to do less and prioritise self-care.
We’re here to help.
Reading your environment
To help you spot burnout early, we need to look for your early warning signs. The small things that fall away when your ecosystem is out of balance.
Good habits drop away: You might stop doing the things that keep you afloat. Like going to the gym, preparing your medication for the next day, or going for a walk.
Bad habits sneak in: Other, less healthy coping mechanisms might sneak in to replace them. Maybe your screen time explodes, or you start to avoid the lil things whether they are difficult things or things you enjoy.
Environment reflects internal state: You might stop noticing the state of your surroundings. It becomes hard to even care about things like doing the dishes, answering texts, or cleaning your room.
Space you want to be in
When you're running on fumes, burnout turns the world into a hostile environment. Simple noise or crowds can overload your system and tank your concentration.
This is true for your home as well. The state of your personal space impacts your focus. Creating a clear environment, even if it’s a small space like the kitchen table, reduces visual clutter, which acts like a soothing balm for your brain. This allows your brain to stop managing external chaos and focus on recovery.
Building resilience and recovery
That inner critic loves to tell you if you can't do it perfectly, don't bother starting. We need to turn down that all-or-nothing thinking with self-compassion and practical shortcuts.
Embrace the quick version: Doing the quick version of something is better than not doing it at all. Brushing your teeth for 30 seconds is better than no brushing. Get the quick win, move on, and feel the dopamine hit of completion.
Rest is resistance: Recovery from burnout requires actively giving yourself the time and space to rest. It can be easy to prioritise everyone else's needs but recovery requires you to put yourself first. Rest is not laziness. It is resistance against the system that drained you. Be gentle with yourself.
Recovery from ADHD burnout can sometimes feel like two steps forward and one step back. As coming back from burnout is a non-linear journey. It requires managing not just your immediate stress but also the deeper emotional wounds.
You don't have to map out recovery alone. We're here to help you develop the systems and resilience you need.
Coaching
The secret to building resilience is knowing your triggers. Our coaches help you identify those specific red flags. Is it a rigid schedule, a demanding coworker, or external stress?
Once we know the why, we build the boundaries. This can mean learning to say no to your own people-pleasing tendencies, even if it’s on one practiced occasion, with one person at a time. We help you define those boundaries and how to hold the line even when you’re exhausted.
