Five Ways to Overcome ADHD Paralysis
Do you find it hard to keep your focus, manage your time, and keep your life organized? Maybe you're struggling to handle lots of projects at once, meet deadlines, and ignore distractions at your busy school or workplace. You're not the only one who feels this way.
Around 400 million people worldwide have ADHD, and 15 million of them are right here in the United States. Most of them probably face the same challenges you do. If you’re an ADHDer, there’s one big thing that often gets in your way - ADHD paralysis.
That's when you feel so overwhelmed that you can't get started on anything. In this blog, we'll talk about what ADHD paralysis is and share some tips to get past it.
What's ADHD, Anyway?
Before we dive into ADHD paralysis, let's understand a bit more about ADHD. Simply put, ADHD is when the part of your brain that helps you “stop and go” (executive functions) is a little glitchy.
Think of your brain like a car, and the part that stops and goes is the driver. The driver’s name is the “prefrontal cortex,” but we will just call it “the driver.” When you have ADHD, it's like the driver is sleepy and doesn't hit the brakes or gas pedal at the right times, ultimately leading to mistakes that range from minor bumps to being stuck on the side of the road.
Everyone has times when their brain feels a bit sleepy and glitchy—like when we're tired, sick, stressed, or have had too much to drink. But for people with ADHD, glitchy executive functions are a constant struggle, and it causes big problems in their lives.
(If you want to learn more about ADHD and executive functions, you can watch this VERY LONG lecture by Dr. Russell Barkley - arguably one of the world’s best ADHD scientists).
What Does ADHD Paralysis Look Like?
Many people want to know what ADHD paralysis symptoms look like. ADHD paralysis happens to pretty much everyone with ADHD. It shows up as avoiding things, getting distracted, numbing out (on videogames or substances), giving up, putting things off, overthinking, and not being able to make decisions. It's a cycle where the more you avoid tasks, the more stressed you get. That stress makes it even harder to start and finish tasks, which leads to more stress and worse executive function, and it goes on and on. This cycle can last for hours and lead to not taking care of yourself and feeling even more tired, more stressed, and even worse brain function.
How to Overcome ADHD Paralysis
How does one deal with ADHD paralysis? Think of your brain's executive functions as a kind of energy. It's like fuel in a car. The more fuel you have, the better you can get stuff done. But, if you’re an ADHDer, you have smaller fuel tanks, and you use up fuel faster. That’s not your fault. You were born this way. Still, you need to refill often and work on making your tank bigger. Here are five ways to refill your energy and one extra tip to grow your tank.
#1 Take Short Breaks
If you feel stuck or distracted, a 10-minute break can help. But don't wait until you're stuck—plan your breaks. Maybe plan to take a 10-minute break every hour. You can make it even better by doing something fun or happy during your break. You can use the strategies below as break activities if you don’t know what to do.
#2 Have Fun to Get More Energy
Fun rewards are really motivating. That's why people like playing games that give prizes or using cards that give cash back. You can use this idea for yourself by rewarding yourself with fun activities, like chatting with a friend, watching a cool video, listening to music, or enjoying a snack or a bit of online shopping (just don't go overboard).
We have positive feelings to push us to do things. So, doing something that makes you happy can give you energy. Like jamming to upbeat music, listening to motivational YouTube videos, looking at funny memes, or watching funny clips of people you care about.
#3 Chill and Be Mindful
Instead of bringing your energy up during a break, you can try to relax or be mindful for a few minutes. You could stretch, do some deep breathing, or listen to a mindfulness app. There are millions of guided mindfulness and relaxation videos on YouTube.
Even when you're working, taking a quick moment to close your eyes, plant your feet, straighten up, breathe deep, and let go can refill your energy.
#4 Empower and Encourage Yourself
If you tell yourself things like "this is too hard" or "I'm going to fail," you'll just feel worse. But encouraging yourself can be like a little reward and boost your mood.
Try saying, "I've done tough stuff before," or "I can get through this." And that isn’t a lie. If you’re reading this, you’ve literally survived 100% of past challenges. You can handle this moment.
#5 Dream About Your Rewards While You Work
Imagine your dream reward for all your hard work is a trip to Hawaii. Of course, you can't just zip over to Hawaii for a quick 10-minute break. But, thinking and talking about your future rewards are like a turbo on a car - it gives you a boost when getting up to speed.
You can close your eyes and picture yourself there. Imagine the warm sand and cool ocean. You can even chat about your dream trip with a friend while you're working. This can make you feel good and give you more energy to think and plan.
Extra Tip! #6 Move Your Body to Make Grow Your Fuel Tank
Getting active can expand your fuel tank. The American Heart Association says you should try for 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. That's about 20 to 30 minutes a day.
I get it, you might be thinking, "Ugh, exercise!" But even if you can't do 20 to 30 minutes a day, just do what you can. I've got a simple exercise that's really good for your body and mind. It's free and easy.
All you need is shoes and about half an hour. Here's what you do: put on your shoes, walk out the door, and walk one way until you’re bored of walking (ideally about 15 minutes). Then, turn around and walk back.
How to Help Your Kid Overcome ADHD Paralysis
Helping your kid with ADHD can be done using some of the same ideas we talked about for adults. You can try these at home and at school. If your child needs these strategies in school, they might need something called a 504 plan or an IEP. These are special plans that schools make to help kids learn better. Here are some quick tips to use with your child:
Break Big Tasks into Small Pieces: If there's a big job to do, cut it into smaller parts. It's like turning a mountain into little hills that are easier to climb.
Take Lots of Breaks for Action or Chill Time: Let your child take short breaks often. They can stretch, run around, or do something fun. This helps them reset and get ready to focus again.
Use Exciting Rewards: Find out what your child loves and use it to motivate them. It could be a sticker, extra playtime, or a favorite snack.
Decorate with Happy Stuff: Put up pictures or little reminders of things that make your child smile in their study area. This can help them feel good and stay focused.
Cheer Them On: Tell your child how awesome they're doing while they work or practice staying calm. Say things like "You've got this!" or "Great job sticking with it!"
Get Moving Every Day: Make sure your kid gets to run and play for 60 minutes every day. This helps their brain and body stay healthy.
Look After Their Health: If your child isn't feeling well, is stressed, or isn't eating or sleeping right, it can make ADHD harder to handle. Keep an eye on things at home, too. If there's stress in the family, like arguments or money worries, it can affect your child. Try to make things as calm and happy as you can.
Learning Is Easy, Mastering Takes Effort
These tips might be simple to get, and you might already know about them or even be doing them. But the real trick is to keep doing them on purpose over time - being disciplined. Discipline is a tough path to walk for everyone, and nobody should have to do it alone.
That's where an ADHD coach like me can help. I use science-backed ways to help you beat ADHD paralysis, get organized, and follow through on your goals. If you want to take charge of your ADHD, let's talk. Reach out to me for a free 15-minute chat about the change you deserve.
