Right now, I am burnt out. Writing this blog, I am burnt out. I have had a long week, and I am burnt out. But that doesn’t mean the result should suffer.
Mental fatigue is different for those who have ADHD. We use brain power to do even the simplest of tasks. Brushing our teeth, making breakfast, and getting dressed dip into our power bank. Others step out the house in the morning at full charge. We don’t. So how do we keep going? It’s simple: we push beyond failure and build a mental stamina that withstand the day ahead. While I don’t think there is a direct way to make it easier, there are various things you can do to organise better. Having a list of everything that needs to be done saves the energy you’d use trying to remember what is next. Having your clothes folded and ready the night before saves the energy you’d spend trying to figure out what to wear. Meal prepping makes the task of dinner smaller, and more manageable.
Motivation is a great tool that pushes you forwards, but the real magic happens once you learn to move without it. That is where winners are made. Burnout will make you think you’re lazy. You’re not. But it doesn’t mean you can’t do better.
Recovery from burnout isn’t passive. It is only achieved by active movement. Lying in bed and doom scrolling won’t make it go away. True change only happens when you decide to stand up despite the duvet weighing down on you.
In the gym, your muscles only grow when you implement progressive overload. Your brain is the same.
