Have you ever found yourself sprinting toward burnout, feeling more like a hamster on a wheel than a productive powerhouse?
I was rereading Ed Hallowell’s excellent book “Driven to Distraction” when I came across this quote: Worry is what attention becomes when it’s not focused on some task.
I believe this tendency to keep busy to avoid worry is one of the primary reasons so many ADHD founders and executives oscillate between periods of maniacal productivity followed by total burnout—the all-out-to-burnout train, I call it.
This cycle means you constantly lose momentum and give up ground. Others trust you less and less with every iteration. And your self-esteem suffers as a result. It’s a vicious cycle!
How exactly does it work?
Like most ADHDers, you probably discovered through experience that the more projects you juggle, the more stimulated and, therefore, focused you are—productivity goes through the roof. And the less your mind wanders, the less mental space there is for worry!
But you’re not drawing from a bottomless well. Eventually, everybody has to pause to recuperate.
Unfortunately, for many ADHDers, pausing also often means losing interest and abandoning the project. So you push and push until your body simply can push no more, and you collapse exhausted.
And because it’s not an intentional rest, you end up simply vegging on a couch or worse—not the best way to recuperate. Then, you feel even worse about yourself, further lowering your self-esteem. It’s a hole that’s difficult to climb out of.
So what can you do about it?
The solution is to be proactive and intentional about your rest! To listen to your body, to pay attention to your mental and emotional state, to keep an eye on the quality of your relationships, and so on. And to bake activities that invigorate your body and soul into your schedule. And for crying out loud, don’t skip them because you’re busy!
If you feel trapped in this cycle and are ready to explore strategies for breaking it, I’m here to help. Whether you’re an ADHD founder, executive, or simply someone looking to step off this all-out-to-burnout train, reach out. Together, we can create a plan to help you not just survive with ADHD but thrive!
