David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
How to Recharge Your Tired Brain After Work
by Devon Frye, ADDitude
January 25, 2018
An ADDitude reader recently wrote, ?I pretty much stay motivated at work ? hey, I can?t lose my job; I have a family to support and a mortgage to pay ? but my attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) gets in the way of my accomplishing things at home. When I get home, my brain is stuck in pause. I don?t know why that is. Maybe I am exhausted from having to perform at work. Anyway, so many things have been put on hold at home that my wife is angry, and I?m disgusted with myself. Please help me break out of this holding pattern.?
When Your Brain Is Stuck
Being stuck in pause when you get home from work is common for folks with ADHD. But, as you ask, ?Why is that?? First, I?d like to offer a different way of looking at the situation. You say you ?pretty much stay motivated at work,? which implies that you are unmotivated at home (where your brain is ?stuck?). The fact is that everything from organizing information, to managing time, to staying focused on a task requires more brain energy when we have ADHD. So people with ADHD burn a lot of mental energy to get through the workday, and often are running on fumes by the time they get home. It feels like we have hit a wall ? or, as you say, are stuck in pause. The problem isn?t a lack of motivation. It is a case of needing to properly refuel.
Here are steps you can take to get your brain unstuck, be more productive at home, and feel good about yourself as a partner and adult:
Notice and Acknowledge the Needs of Your Brain
When your brain is ?stuck,? it?s telling you something. Just as hunger pangs remind us that our body is running on empty, brain fatigue reminds us that we need to fill our brain?s fuel tank. Instead of ignoring our brain fatigue and trying to push through (which often leads nowhere), acknowledge your brain?s needs.
Ask, ?How can I restore my brain energy after work?? Write down several things that you know will boost your energy: a snack, a glass of water, a brisk walk, a shower, a power nap, listening to music, finding some quiet time, meditating, or connecting with someone else. These are all great ways to refuel your brain.
How-To Tips
Avoid Decision-Making by Planning in Advance
Making choices seems like a simple task, but it burns up lots of cognitive fuel. If you are tired when you get home, it will be tough for you to decide which task or chore you want to do. You may make the choice not to do any at all. Planning in advance what you will do each night will help to lighten some of your brain?s load, so you can focus on getting started.
Choose a specific day of the week for regular chores, like cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming. In my family, we start the laundry on Saturday mornings, so it can be put away by Sunday evening. We never have to decide, ?When should I do the laundry this week??
Break bigger projects (like reorganizing the garage) into smaller steps, and do one step each night. A client struggles with piles (big piles) of unopened mail. He decided he would go through one stack of mail each night until the piles were gone.
How-To Tips
Create Ways for You to Do Less
Now that you have a to-do list of chores and projects, you can lighten your load by asking, ?Is there any way to do less?? See if something from your list can be crossed off because it isn?t that important. Or perhaps cut back on the scope of a project: Could you get by with a fresh coat of paint instead of remodeling the entire bathroom? Create two lists ? ?Do Now? and ?Do Later? ? and focus on the ?Do Now? tasks.
My favorite ?do less? tactic is to delegate. One client told me that using a grocery delivery service was ?the best thing I?ve ever done for my ADHD.? By delegating grocery delivery, his family created a meal plan each week, and had everything they needed to eat well without having to make dinner decisions when everyone is tired at the end of the day. Now, he has more energy either to enjoy a relaxing evening or get something else done.
How-To Tips
Block Activities That Keep Your Brain in Idle
Sometimes when we get home from work and are tired, our brains switch to autopilot. When he is stressed out or tired, one of my clients spends evenings playing his favorite video game. His brain goes on autopilot. Unfortunately, his wife gets angry, or he gets angry at himself, because pressing things don?t get done. People diagnosed with ADHD are more susceptible to this type of idle-brain distraction.
If you find yourself wasting your evenings, block those activities that are keeping your brain stuck. Ask, ?What am I routinely doing instead of the activities I want to be doing?? Most of these activities are screen-related, like searching online, watching TV, or playing games on a smartphone. Once you know which activities are keeping your brain idle, avoid doing them for one or two nights a week.
How-To Tips
When your brain is stuck in pause, have a list of tactics, not just one, to get unstuck. Pick and choose from the suggestions above, and make a written list of suggestions that you think will work for you. This can be your go-to guide for getting your brain out of pause and into gear.
by Devon Frye, ADDitude
January 25, 2018
An ADDitude reader recently wrote, ?I pretty much stay motivated at work ? hey, I can?t lose my job; I have a family to support and a mortgage to pay ? but my attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) gets in the way of my accomplishing things at home. When I get home, my brain is stuck in pause. I don?t know why that is. Maybe I am exhausted from having to perform at work. Anyway, so many things have been put on hold at home that my wife is angry, and I?m disgusted with myself. Please help me break out of this holding pattern.?
When Your Brain Is Stuck
Being stuck in pause when you get home from work is common for folks with ADHD. But, as you ask, ?Why is that?? First, I?d like to offer a different way of looking at the situation. You say you ?pretty much stay motivated at work,? which implies that you are unmotivated at home (where your brain is ?stuck?). The fact is that everything from organizing information, to managing time, to staying focused on a task requires more brain energy when we have ADHD. So people with ADHD burn a lot of mental energy to get through the workday, and often are running on fumes by the time they get home. It feels like we have hit a wall ? or, as you say, are stuck in pause. The problem isn?t a lack of motivation. It is a case of needing to properly refuel.
Here are steps you can take to get your brain unstuck, be more productive at home, and feel good about yourself as a partner and adult:
Notice and Acknowledge the Needs of Your Brain
When your brain is ?stuck,? it?s telling you something. Just as hunger pangs remind us that our body is running on empty, brain fatigue reminds us that we need to fill our brain?s fuel tank. Instead of ignoring our brain fatigue and trying to push through (which often leads nowhere), acknowledge your brain?s needs.
Ask, ?How can I restore my brain energy after work?? Write down several things that you know will boost your energy: a snack, a glass of water, a brisk walk, a shower, a power nap, listening to music, finding some quiet time, meditating, or connecting with someone else. These are all great ways to refuel your brain.
How-To Tips
- When you get home from work, ask yourself, ?On a scale of 1-10, how much energy do I have to tackle a task right now??
- Make your list of energy givers.
- Take an energy-boosting break, or do an energy-boosting activity each day when you get home from work.
- Let your family know that you are taking these steps to help get unstuck.
Avoid Decision-Making by Planning in Advance
Making choices seems like a simple task, but it burns up lots of cognitive fuel. If you are tired when you get home, it will be tough for you to decide which task or chore you want to do. You may make the choice not to do any at all. Planning in advance what you will do each night will help to lighten some of your brain?s load, so you can focus on getting started.
Choose a specific day of the week for regular chores, like cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming. In my family, we start the laundry on Saturday mornings, so it can be put away by Sunday evening. We never have to decide, ?When should I do the laundry this week??
Break bigger projects (like reorganizing the garage) into smaller steps, and do one step each night. A client struggles with piles (big piles) of unopened mail. He decided he would go through one stack of mail each night until the piles were gone.
How-To Tips
- Make a to-do list of chores and projects.
- Break big projects into small, doable steps.
- Make sure to limit your plan to one small task a night. Keep it easy!
- Write your plan down on paper and put it in your digital calendar, so that you don?t forget.
Create Ways for You to Do Less
Now that you have a to-do list of chores and projects, you can lighten your load by asking, ?Is there any way to do less?? See if something from your list can be crossed off because it isn?t that important. Or perhaps cut back on the scope of a project: Could you get by with a fresh coat of paint instead of remodeling the entire bathroom? Create two lists ? ?Do Now? and ?Do Later? ? and focus on the ?Do Now? tasks.
My favorite ?do less? tactic is to delegate. One client told me that using a grocery delivery service was ?the best thing I?ve ever done for my ADHD.? By delegating grocery delivery, his family created a meal plan each week, and had everything they needed to eat well without having to make dinner decisions when everyone is tired at the end of the day. Now, he has more energy either to enjoy a relaxing evening or get something else done.
How-To Tips
- Imagine giving your to-do list to someone else. Does it seem like you are asking too much? If so, think about modifying it.
- Look at your to-do list for items that can be deleted, done later, made smaller, or delegated.
Block Activities That Keep Your Brain in Idle
Sometimes when we get home from work and are tired, our brains switch to autopilot. When he is stressed out or tired, one of my clients spends evenings playing his favorite video game. His brain goes on autopilot. Unfortunately, his wife gets angry, or he gets angry at himself, because pressing things don?t get done. People diagnosed with ADHD are more susceptible to this type of idle-brain distraction.
If you find yourself wasting your evenings, block those activities that are keeping your brain stuck. Ask, ?What am I routinely doing instead of the activities I want to be doing?? Most of these activities are screen-related, like searching online, watching TV, or playing games on a smartphone. Once you know which activities are keeping your brain idle, avoid doing them for one or two nights a week.
How-To Tips
- Make a list of activities that keep your brain idle and figure out how to block them.
- Use a shut-off timer on the plug of your TV, or drape a sheet over the TV to remind you that you?d prefer to do something else.
- Use an Internet/app blocker, and put your smartphone away.
When your brain is stuck in pause, have a list of tactics, not just one, to get unstuck. Pick and choose from the suggestions above, and make a written list of suggestions that you think will work for you. This can be your go-to guide for getting your brain out of pause and into gear.
