Shownotes
ADHD Coach Katherine Sanders
As we snuggle into the dark heart of January, many adults with ADHD face extra challenges with their resolutions, entrepreneurial ventures, and the risk of burnout raises its head.
In this episode, we explore why this time of year can be particularly tough and offer practical strategies to manage burnout once you've recognised the warning signs. Whether you're struggling with the winter blues, thinking that your new year vision isn't worth the effort or managing the demands of entrepreneurship, this podcast provides practical strategies and some slightly random visual images just for your kind of brain.
Join me as we discuss how to create effective scaffolding for success, and maintain well-being when you're flirting with ADHD Burnout.
https://subscribepage.io/1bSuG6
This is more than just a conversation; it's a lifeline for thriving in business and life, especially for midlife ADHDers with a dream of doing things differently - and maybe even starting their own business to find success and freedom on their own terms but who maybe feel it's too late or their circumstances just don't work for them.
To download the ADHD Burnout signs & supports, click the link below:
Connect with Katherine here:
https://subscribepage.io/1bSuG6
Adhd and SAD
Amons PJ, Kooij JJ, Haffmans PM, Hoffman TO, Hoencamp E. Seasonality of mood disorders in adults with lifetime attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). J Affect Disord. 2006 Apr;91(2-3):251-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2005.11.017. Epub 2006 Feb 2. PMID: 16458365.
Robert D Levitan, Umesh R Jain, Martin A Katzman, Seasonal affective symptoms in adults with residual attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Comprehensive Psychiatry, Volume 40, Issue 4, 1999, Pages 261-267, ISSN 0010-440X, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-440X(99)90125-6. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X99901256)
Vildalen, V. U., Brevik, E. J., Haavik, J., & Lundervold, A. J. (2019). Females With ADHD Report More Severe Symptoms Than Males on the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23(9), 959-967. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054716659362
Vogel, S. W. N., ten Have, M. L., Bijlenga, D., de Graaf, R., Beekman, A. T. F., & Kooij, J. J. S. (2019). Seasonal Variations in the Severity of ADHD Symptoms in the Dutch General Population. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23(9), 924-930. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054716649663
Winthorst WH, Post WJ, Meesters Y, Penninx BW, Nolen WA. Seasonality in depressive and anxiety symptoms among primary care patients and in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders; results from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. BMC Psychiatry. 2011 Dec 19;11:198. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-11-198. PMID: 22182255; PMCID: PMC3280179.
ADHD Burnout
Porges, S. (2009). Reciprocal influences between body and brain in the perception and expression of affect: A polyvagal perspective. In D. Fosha, D.J. Siegel, & M.G. Solomon (eds.), The power of emotion: Affective neuroscience, development, clinical practice. New York: Norton
Oscarsson M, Nelson M, Rozental A, Ginsberg Y, Carlbring P, Jönsson F. Stress and work-related mental illness among working adults with ADHD: a qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Nov 30;22(1):751. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04409-w. PMID: 36451126; PMCID: PMC9714234.
InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Depression: What is burnout? [Updated 2020 Jun 18]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279286/
Ma, J., Lin, P. & Williams, J. Effectiveness of nature-based walking interventions in improving mental health in adults: a systematic review. Curr Psychol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05112-z
Neurodivergent therapists listing
https://neurodivergenttherapists.com/
https://neurodivergentpractitioners.org/
Transcripts
RODE NT-USB & Susan's iphone (work) Camera:
What's up my friend.
2
:It's ADHD, coach Katherine.
3
:And I'm bringing some powerful
possibilities to you today.
4
:If you're listening to this
just as it's released, it's
5
:the third week of January 2024.
6
:And it's about now that many people with
ADHD start to hit a metaphorical wall when
7
:it comes to their new goals, their dreams.
8
:their resolutions.
9
:And so I wanted to look at why these
things are more challenging for us.
10
:. But also I wanted to look a little
bit into the world of entrepreneurship
11
:and burnout, because these are two
things I'm hearing a lot about.
12
:From people in my DM's and my emails
and also it's that time of year.
13
:Right.
14
:We want to be trying new things.
15
:But we may be struggling and not sure why.
16
:And one of the things I want
people to avoid as much as
17
:possible is feeling burned out.
18
:So let's have a look at ADHD.
19
:Resolutions goals, visions.
20
:Entrepreneurship and burnout
and see what we come up with by
21
:the end of this episode for you.
22
:I don't know where you are in the world,
but here in Scotland, the winter is
23
:really tricky for many people with ADHD.
24
:We often don't get sunlight until eight
30 quarter to nine in the morning,
25
:and then it's gone again by 4:00 PM.
26
:And there is some research that shows
people with ADHD are more likely to
27
:experience the seasonal depression
that comes with darker months.
28
:We're also very likely to be quite
busy and it could be that somethings
29
:help you for me, for instance, going
out in the middle of the day for a
30
:walk ticks off lots of my ADHD boxes
and my seasonal depression boxes.
31
:But in January that can feel
like just one thing too much.
32
:So.
33
:If you are struggling, I want
to take a moment just to say.
34
:You're not alone.
35
:This will pass.
36
:It's not you.
37
:That is somehow broken.
38
:It's just that this moment right now.
39
:It's a real challenge,
but you can overcome it.
40
:You have before you will, again.
41
:And I'm going to invite you to just
take a little break for half an hour.
42
:Listen to the information here.
43
:Which will put all of your
experience into context.
44
:And then give you some.
45
:Some ways out of it.
46
:When I'm in a session with people, I
often say, can I share this with you?
47
:I just had this image of, and this,
because I, I think in very visual
48
:ways, And right now I'm thinking
of a person pulling themselves.
49
:out of a pit using a rope or maybe a sand.
50
:You know, when it is sinking sand things
that you used to see in adventure films.
51
:Eh, in my youth, people were
always falling into sinking sand.
52
:And somebody would just throw them a rope.
53
:This is your rope to pull you out of
the sinking sand that is ADHD plus
54
:January plus resolutions and goals.
55
:Plus.
56
:Entrepreneurship and burnout.
57
:And at this time of year,
it is entirely possible.
58
:You have said, I'm not making
any resolutions this year.
59
:I'm not going to do that to myself.
60
:I know it's really counterproductive.
61
:But somewhere in the back of your
mind, you have this goal for what
62
:you would like to achieve this year.
63
:And most research looking at resolutions
and setting goals shows that round
64
:about the middle of February.
65
:Neurotypical people in general
tend to be burning out.
66
:The gym start to get quiet or again?
67
:The dry January is finished.
68
:We're maybe not studying so hard
for the qualification or the topic
69
:that we've been interested in.
70
:we've taken our foot off the pedal
on the new business that we may be
71
:starting, or if you're a student, you
might find your resolution to study is.
72
:Not holding up against
the weather outside.
73
:And that's because our.
74
:, time horizon.
75
:Is generally.
76
:Around six to eight weeks.
77
:And for many people
with ADHD, it's shorter.
78
:If you go back a few episodes,
I talk a lot about the time
79
:horizon and how that impacts our.
80
:Goal setting our vision creating and
how we need to A) be aware of that.
81
:And remember that when we start
to lose focus, It's not because.
82
:It's not important anymore.
83
:It's just because it's really
hard for our brains to imagine
84
:something that far in the future.
85
:So give yourself a break.
86
:Except that it's the second week in
January, you may already have decided
87
:that this is just too much right now.
88
:And I want to share a metaphor with you.
89
:In gardening, which is one of
my favorite things in the world.
90
:At this time of year.
91
:The garden's look quite grim.
92
:Mine does anyway.
93
:I've left a lot of plants overgrown
and I haven't cut them back.
94
:Because I want them to feed the birds.
95
:And just this week, a Goldfinch was
eating the seed heads on one of my
96
:boat, one of my flowers from the summer.
97
:If you look at the garden right now,
you would have no idea what it's
98
:going to look like in the summer.
99
:But if you go a foot down underneath.
100
:The roots.
101
:The bulbs, the shoots.
102
:They're all going and getting ready to
start coming up in a few weeks time.
103
:I want you to think of yourself.
104
:as one of those little bulbs.
105
:You do not need to be out
there doing all the things.
106
:And pounding the pavements when it's.
107
:One or two degrees.
108
:You do not need to be schlepping to
the gym at 6:00 AM in the morning.
109
:You can take your time and
you can still get there.
110
:But if you push yourself too hard,
too soon, It's going to be more
111
:likely that you'll eventually start
to feel burned out and exhausted.
112
:And burnout is something I want
to talk about a little bit today.
113
:both from a personal and from
a professional perspective.
114
:So this week.
115
:Imagine you're a little
bulb snug under the ground.
116
:You are filling up your
dreams with summer sun.
117
:And green leaves and
beautiful colored petals.
118
:And, or, you know, Fruit.
119
:If you're.
120
:You prefer a fruit metaphor, vegetables.
121
:But right now.
122
:It's all about doing the deep work the.
123
:Foundation setting, which
may not look like very much.
124
:And may not feel like very much for
you, especially if you have ADHD.
125
:And you want to be very active and going
out and doing lots of different things.
126
:So let's give ourselves
just a few weeks to pause.
127
:To rest.
128
:To recharge in the Midwinter.
129
:And to gather a resources
internal and external.
130
:For the coming spring, which
is, you know, far enough off.
131
:That we may have some
trouble envisioning it.
132
:Very accurately.
133
:RODE NT-USB & Susan's iphone (work) Camera-1:
It might seem a bit strange for
134
:me to be talking about burnout
at the start of the year.
135
:But this is something I've noticed,
especially among people who like me
136
:are maybe in their fifties and who are
managing lots of different roles in life.
137
:Maybe you've decided
that this is the year.
138
:You do things differently, maybe
you want to start your own business.
139
:You're maybe currently unemployed
or a parent or carer you've been.
140
:out of a workplace for a while.
141
:You want to start something new.
142
:And.
143
:I'm hearing a lot of resistance.
144
:Just in the general chatter.
145
:I wouldn't say anything in particular.
146
:And it may be.
147
:That's just what the
algorithms are serving me.
148
:But I wanted to address it
directly because I think.
149
:One of the problems I see
most commonly is we think.
150
:If I can just add one more thing.
151
:This one thing will be the solution that
makes all the other things manageable.
152
:And I'll feel better.
153
:I will have success.
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:I will have financial freedom.
155
:I will not feel.
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:Like a failure.
157
:Because that is underlying all of
these things that our current state.
158
:Is not acceptable.
159
:And we want to change it.
160
:now.
161
:From an ADHD coaching perspective.
162
:That is a laudable and that
coaching is all about positive
163
:change and going forward.
164
:But I think it's much easier if we're
coming from a place where we have
165
:discomfort in our current situation.
166
:But we're not blaming ourselves.
167
:For that.
168
:And we're able to take a
helicopter view of the situation.
169
:Both our strengths or challenges.
170
:Our situation and our desires,
our visions for the future.
171
:So I'm going to ask you
to zoom out a little bit.
172
:And just observe yourself and think.
173
:Am I setting up a vision
or a goal for this year.
174
:From a place of blame and shame.
175
:For myself.
176
:And if I am, I'm ready
to like, go with that.
177
:Because I know it's not going to
serve me and it's not going to take
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:me closer to where I want to go.
179
:I hope you said yes.
180
:And you're.
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:Able to move forward with me because
while you are busy, focusing on your
182
:weaknesses, your flaws, your faults.
183
:It's going to be really
difficult for you to accept.
184
:That you have these strengths that
you need to lean into depending
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:on what you want to do this year.
186
:And.
187
:While we're busy berating ourselves,
whether it's for our emotional reactivity.
188
:Whether it's for our procrastination.
189
:our inability to prioritize.
190
:our.
191
:Timekeeping our financial impulsivity.
192
:Any of these things.
193
:While we're feeling guilty and
ashamed and bad about all of those.
194
:We're going to be stuck.
195
:I want to acknowledge that these
things are all present for many of us.
196
:But they are just part of the scenery.
197
:They're part of the landscape
and they can be minimized.
198
:They can be disguised.
199
:But ideally.
200
:You want to address the structural
element of what's going on there?
201
:So that you can have genuine.
202
:Freedom and genuine success.
203
:That's long lasting.
204
:By maintaining the changes.
205
:Somebody said to me this week,
what do you mean by scaffolding?
206
:Eh, that's the kind of
thing I'm talking about.
207
:So let's take an example
and we'll go from there.
208
:RODE NT-USB & Susan's iphone (work) Camera-2:
So the kind of scaffolding that
209
:is helpful for people with ADHD.
210
:Are.
211
:Things like making sure you
have a structured routine.
212
:Making sure that you have enough sleep
and that you have a sleep structure,
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:a sleep routine sets up; that you have
enough daily exercise that you have that
214
:built in to your daily plan, that your
weekly plan includes enough exercise.
215
:That just means things like
walking, weight training.
216
:If possible, maybe some
yoga or some stretches.
217
:It's about making sure that you have.
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:Admin structures, admin
scaffolding around you.
219
:Do you need to find a kind of bank
account that will put a limit on
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:how much you can spend in 24 hours.
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:Do you need an accountant?
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:Do you need a bookkeeper?
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:Do you need to have somebody else
who keeps hold of your bank card?
224
:If you're feeling like you
want to go and buy something?
225
:What are the other types of
scaffolding you might need?
226
:You might want to have a saved
shopping list on your supermarket.
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:Website that you can order
food from regularly so that
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:you're not impulse buying.
229
:Food that takes you further away
from your goals of health wellbeing,
230
:or outside of your budget.
231
:So there are lots of different
kinds of scaffolding and it depends
232
:very much on what your needs are.
233
:For your current situation, your
challenges, and what's available to you.
234
:Before we get to the idea of a vision
or a goal might look like for somebody
235
:with ADHD and how that can relate
to things like your own business.
236
:Let's take a moment to
think about burnout.
237
:ADHD burnout.
238
:Autistic burnout.
239
:We hear a lot about it.
240
:There's very little specific research.
241
:Into either one of these on their own.
242
:So ADHD, burnout, autistic burnout.
243
:The research tends to be a tied together
with the general experience of burnout.
244
:And what does that mean?
245
:It's a state of complete exhaustion.
246
:It would have been described as
nervous exhaustion 50 or 60 years ago.
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:And it's not a breakdown in the sense of.
248
:Being unable to function in
daily life, but it's very close.
249
:And none of these are medical terms.
250
:None of these are academic terms that you
would go and get a diagnosis with you.
251
:You can't get a prescription that
says this will treat burnout.
252
:What are the features of burnout
and what do you need to be looking
253
:out for if you're starting to
edge closer to it, as I've heard
254
:a few people mentioned this week,
255
:The first thing to say is that you
can experience burnout at any age.
256
:At any stage.
257
:And it's to do with a
constant chronic stress.
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:Fatigue, physical and nervous exhaustion.
259
:And it's all to do with
managing how we need to live.
260
:But in a world with
neuro-typical standards.
261
:Now, neurotypical people
also experience burnout.
262
:This isn't an us versus them.
263
:Situation.
264
:It's just that I like to think we are the.
265
:Whereas it Rangers out in front,
we can spot danger on the horizon.
266
:And the same goes for circumstances
in life that can cause burnout.
267
:What are the main five things
that you're likely to see if
268
:you're experiencing burnout?
269
:First is exhaustion.
270
:And I don't just mean feeling tired.
271
:Exhaustion that doesn't get any
better, even after asleep, even
272
:after a few days, a week of rest.
273
:So if you've gone on holiday you've
had two weeks of sun lying by the pool.
274
:You come back and you're
even more exhausted.
275
:That would be a red flag for me.
276
:And.
277
:We want you to see your GP to
get everything checked out.
278
:But it could be that your life is
leading you to a place of burnout where.
279
:There's just no gas left in the
tank and you cannot recover.
280
:With simply resting and going
back to business as usual.
281
:And this isn't just a physical exhaustion.
282
:Mentally emotionally, you may find that
you just have no room for anything.
283
:And your limits are much
smaller than they used to be.
284
:It's something that I noticed
in myself a few years ago when
285
:I was getting close to burnout.
286
:I didn't have the tolerance the patience.
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:That is a hallmark of how I
parent it just wasn't there.
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:You might also find that your
performance isn't what it usually is.
289
:This is at work and at home and in
your hobbies and things like that.
290
:And it, again, Resting doesn't
seem to help and it's consistent.
291
:And the more you try to get back to where
you were to improve your performance, to
292
:meet those deadlines, to get things done.
293
:It's just not responding to more effort.
294
:So you end up with this awful
situation where you're trying harder.
295
:But you're doing worse.
296
:And that again is one of the signs
that we're closing to burnout.
297
:You might also find that your
ADHD symptoms start to get worse.
298
:If you're getting into the burnout
zone and things like impulsivity, your.
299
:Distractability.
300
:Time management.
301
:Prioritization.
302
:And organizing things.
303
:And again, these are always going
to be part of our ADHD profile it's
304
:to do with our executive functions.
305
:Our prefrontal cortex and
dopamine regulation, et cetera.
306
:But when we're getting burnout.
307
:They get so much worse and you might
try to increase your medication.
308
:And it doesn't make any difference at all.
309
:If that's happening then.
310
:That's another tick in the I'm
heading into the burn out zone.
311
:You might find that socially you're
withdrawing from commitments.
312
:You are not connecting with people.
313
:You are avoiding having conversations.
314
:It's not because you don't
want to talk to people.
315
:Really.
316
:You just don't have the energy.
317
:You don't have the social battery anymore.
318
:You might be feeling that
it's just not worth it.
319
:And that also leads to our last one,
which is the emotional difficulties
320
:that we can experience more.
321
:with burnout.
322
:You might find that you feel more
inadequate, more of a failure.
323
:That you're just completely overwhelmed.
324
:You will never get a hang of things
325
:that can lead to mood swings,
becoming much wider and more
326
:frequent, more noticeable.
327
:And the general dysregulation that
goes with ADHD, can become much, much
328
:more noticeable for other people.
329
:So all of these together,
these five signs.
330
:are i ndications that you're
heading towards burnout.
331
:So what can you do?
332
:Because burnout isn't something that
is genuinely diagnosable as a separate.
333
:Condition or separate illness.
334
:The strategies that actually
help with it are ones that are
335
:based on people's experience.
336
:They are ones that you have heard me
talk about before, but they are extremely
337
:applicable for ADHD and burnout.
338
:The first is to look at your
breaks and your time management.
339
:Generally, we are trying to
put a gallon and a pint pot.
340
:So we have all these responsibilities that
we've maybe taken on all these interests
341
:or these goals and visions, which is why
we're talking about this in the new year.
342
:And we're trying to fit
it into 24 hours and okay.
343
:I know Beyonce has 24 hours, but her
24 hours look very different from mine.
344
:She's a wonderful person, but
I'm pretty sure she has staff.
345
:I'm pretty sure she has other
people to manage the day-to-day.
346
:Admin.
347
:Of life in a neurodivergent family,
in a neurodivergent business.
348
:And as a human being with my
own interests and passions.
349
:If you are struggling to put everything
into one day, The first thing to think
350
:about is what can I put aside for just no.
351
:What can I put a pin?
352
:In.
353
:And keep to one side.
354
:For when I've got a bit more time.
355
:Or when I've completed something.
356
:And.
357
:This is a challenge because we
like to add things because it
358
:keeps it up for me in flowing.
359
:It makes us feel more
interested in daily life.
360
:But if you are getting overwhelmed,
if you're getting close to
361
:burnout, What can you park?
362
:or put a pin in and put to one side
just for a few weeks, for a few months.
363
:And give yourself time to recover.
364
:Take things off your plate
as far as you possibly can.
365
:Make sure that you do keep time for fun,
for relaxation, for things that you enjoy.
366
:But think about structuring your time.
367
:Especially for entrepreneurs,
for business owners, with ADHD.
368
:set a cut off time when
you've put everything away.
369
:Because what will happen is you do not
have firm enough boundaries and things
370
:are going to start bleeding over into
your family time, into your rest time.
371
:That is not sustainable.
372
:It is not healthy for you
for people around you.
373
:It's not healthy for the people that
you're serving in your business.
374
:So how many days do you want to work?
375
:If you can't do everything
within those days.
376
:What can you get assistance with?
377
:And make sure that you've put some
bright line boundaries in place.
378
:That may mean.
379
:Asking someone to take your phone away.
380
:At 9:00 PM.
381
:Or 8:00 PM.
382
:It may mean that you set an out of office
reply on your email from Friday to Monday.
383
:Whatever it takes.
384
:Make sure that you are
taking enough time away.
385
:And that you have got a structure
in place from your day to
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:your week, to your months.
387
:So we're looking at structure time.
388
:We're looking at building in
more breaks were looking at.
389
:boundary setting And some of that,
if you are a person in business
390
:is setting expectations and that
may mean that you do not reply.
391
:To everybody within a day and that's okay.
392
:As long as you make it very clear from
the beginning of your conversation.
393
:That you will respond to them within
24 48 hours, but you do not need to
394
:be answering everybody straight away.
395
:Let's make some boundaries.
396
:Get some time structured in place.
397
:And look at how much you can put aside
or have somebody else assist you with.
398
:And these have to be
very strict boundaries.
399
:So that when you are not working, you
are resting rest doesn't need to be
400
:lying down, still not moving, but it
does need to be something sufficiently
401
:different from your business.
402
:Or from your job or from your studies?
403
:If you are a parent who is burning out.
404
:And you're thinking I can't get away from
my work because my work is my family.
405
:You're going to need to get some help.
406
:now, that might mean you employ.
407
:A local volunteer.
408
:Eh, you find a friend,
cousin, somebody who can.
409
:Either entertain the kids
for a couple of hours.
410
:So that you go and do something
and you're not interrupted.
411
:But it might mean that you need to.
412
:Think about what other people can take on.
413
:So that you're not being so overloaded.
414
:And again, structure time, boundaries and
you need to see if you can get at least.
415
:One solid stretch of time each week,
where you are just being yourself.
416
:And it's not easy.
417
:I acknowledge that it's really not
easy, but there are going to be groups,
418
:people around you that can help.
419
:So find me on social media.
420
:Drop me a comment or a message.
421
:And I will see if I can.
422
:Find groups around who can help you.
423
:And.
424
:Point you in the right direction.
425
:When we are heading into
burnout our stress and emotional
426
:dysregulation tends to get.
427
:Out of control.
428
:And so one of the most evidence-based
ways to manage that is a mindfulness
429
:based stress relief technique.
430
:And so you can find lots of these online.
431
:Look for free ones.
432
:There are some really good ones.
433
:Focusing on self-compassion by Dr.
434
:Neff who wrote fierce.
435
:Self-compassion.
436
:Which is one of my recommended reads.
437
:And aim for five to 10 minutes once a day.
438
:It would be fantastic if you
could do it every day, especially
439
:when you're feeling burnt out.
440
:But there is good evidence to show.
441
:It can help with stress
and emotional regulation.
442
:If we do it every day for two weeks.
443
:Think about your thoughts.
444
:And one of the patterns of thinking
that tends to crop up with burnout
445
:is that we are failures, that
we can't do it, that we get into
446
:these negative loops of a thought.
447
:It's challenging to break that yourself.
448
:So obviously it's one of my jobs
is to challenge people when I hear
449
:them saying negative things and.
450
:Being stuck.
451
:But it needs to be done in the right way.
452
:With enough compassion and curiosity.
453
:And.
454
:Space for people to reframe it.
455
:There are other ways to do that.
456
:You might have a friend, you might be
part of an online group or a community.
457
:Where, if you hear somebody's
constantly being down on
458
:themselves and being stuck in this.
459
:Very negative view of life of themselves.
460
:It's worth just highlighting that
to them and reflecting it back.
461
:You don't need to do anymore.
462
:You're not trying to fix things.
463
:But you can reflect it back and see.
464
:It sounds like you're always saying this.
465
:Is that true or, I thought
you did really well last week.
466
:And highlight the positive
things that they have mentioned.
467
:So we're just challenging that
narrative a little bit more.
468
:And then we need to look after
your body as well as your mind.
469
:So sleep hygiene is really important.
470
:If you can leave your phone
out of the bedroom, please do.
471
:The temptation to lie there and
scroll is too great for most people.
472
:You can get these.
473
:Speaker things that go under your pillow.
474
:So at least put it on the other side
of the room and play your audio book
475
:or a podcast through that while you
rest or your white, noise, whatever you
476
:use I like white noise, but I have it.
477
:As part of my alarm clock.
478
:So that you're not tempted to pick up
your phone and scroll things either.
479
:As soon as you wake up or
just before you go to sleep.
480
:Try to get up at the same time every day.
481
:Make that consistent seven days a week.
482
:Make sure you're taking your
meds early enough in the day.
483
:And if your brain is
really active overnight.
484
:Discuss with your prescriber,
whether it might be worth trying
485
:to have medication that works
overnight, because that does help.
486
:Some people.
487
:Who have a kind of rebound and
whose brains just never stop.
488
:If you're thoughts are waking you up
overnight, please discuss that with
489
:your psychiatrist or your doctor.
490
:Again, make sure you're physically active.
491
:And this is difficult
when we're exhausted.
492
:So it might be that you just go for a
gentle walk, try to make it somewhere
493
:outside, near nature, water trees.
494
:These have all been shown in many studies.
495
:To be helpful for our stress.
496
:But they give you energy.
497
:That doesn't mean you go
down and start CrossFit.
498
:Okay.
499
:It's something that I might aspire
to, but it's not on my radar just yet.
500
:We're talking about restorative
exercise and so walking in nature.
501
:Outside near watered or trees
is probably the easiest one.
502
:Make sure that your
medication is optimized.
503
:And this has been a huge problem
across the world for people.
504
:Eh, accessing the appropriate
medication for different reasons.
505
:But now that the supplier is starting to,
to re-emerge and things are improving.
506
:Just check.
507
:Is this the right medication for you?
508
:Is it the right dose?
509
:Are you using it as well
as behavioral techniques?
510
:Because we often talk
about pills and skills.
511
:In ADHD management, one on its own.
512
:Isn't going to be a long-term solution.
513
:And finally, if you are really struggling
and burnt out find a therapist.
514
:Coaches can be fantastic.
515
:And some therapists are also coaches.
516
:But I would say that if you are really
chronically, burnt out, We might
517
:suggest that you go and contact somebody
like a therapist, a counselor, or a
518
:psychologist in the first instance.
519
:To get you back to a place of being
well enough to engage with coaching.
520
:Because it does take energy.
521
:It does take some focus and
sometimes we're just not there.
522
:And if that's you, then there
are a neuro divergent therapists,
523
:more of them all the time.
524
:And I will include links to
some of them in the show notes.
525
:But I do mention them in other
places on my blog and my website.
526
:I would say that I feel that.
527
:This time of year when we might
be thinking about new ventures.
528
:New goals, new visions.
529
:It's sometimes when we start to
recognize that actually we are burned.
530
:And especially if you've managed
something for many years if you're an
531
:late diagnosed adult, And by that, I do
mean people over the age of 35 or 40.
532
:By the time we get a diagnosis,
quite often, you've been
533
:living in burn out for so long.
534
:All of the things I've just
described are how you live every day.
535
:And if that's you, then you need
to do that restorative work.
536
:Ideally before you jump into
something really demanding, whether
537
:that's starting a new business.
538
:Transitioning how you work, just now.
539
:Eh, or yeah, moving house.
540
:Any of these big challenging.
541
:Life altering circumstances.
542
:Yeah, I'm a big fan of tiktok,
which might sound a bit strange
543
:for some people because isn't
tiktok really bad for your brain.
544
:Possibly, but I enjoy.
545
:10 minutes scroll through there.
546
:I've got some people in there
that I now describe as friends.
547
:One of them.
548
:Eh, Helena is running a 30 day
549
:start a business.
550
:Challenge.
551
:And one of the things I was thinking about
as I was listening to her talk, and she's
552
:an incredible bright young woman, is that.
553
:The number of people I know who run
their own business and who have a
554
:diagnosis of ADHD is quite incredible.
555
:But then the number of people
with ADHD who run their own
556
:business and are in burnout.
557
:Which is why I wanted to start.
558
:Looking at burnout and talking about
some of the strategies that you can use.
559
:So if you are a person with ADHD and
you want to start your own business.
560
:I'm going to be talking, more about
that in the weeks to come, but I would
561
:love to know what has got you stuck.
562
:I think this is my third.
563
:Business and in each of them I've
come up against the same problems.
564
:Because I didn't really understand
how to work with ADHD until now.
565
:So third time lucky.
566
:And the things that I have managed
are things like impulsivity,
567
:things like burnout, things like.
568
:Overwhelm.
569
:Problems with focusing being consistent.
570
:The kind of multitasking
aspect of running a business.
571
:And of course.
572
:The sensitivity to stress and to criticism
to rejection and not just from people on
573
:social media, but from my peers as well.
574
:And all of those.
575
:Are things that are going to be part of
what I'm looking at in a few weeks time.
576
:I'm going to drop them into
the next few podcasts, but if
577
:you have a specific question.
578
:About running a business,
starting a business and ADHD.
579
:Let me know, because I have been
around the block a few times.
580
:But not only am.
581
:I know a successful.
582
:Coach and a business owner.
583
:I've also had extreme
circumstances of failure.
584
:Not to the extent where I have
lost millions of pounds because.
585
:I've never taken out a
loan to start a business.
586
:But I do know many people with ADHD
who have, because they have a sure bet.
587
:They know exactly what people need.
588
:They know exactly how they're
going to fix the problem.
589
:And they do a lot of investment
upfront and then it doesn't work
590
:because of the ADHD challenges.
591
:As well as poor market fit.
592
:So I would like to invite you
to send me your questions.
593
:About ADHD and business startups.
594
:Running a business.
595
:It's the exciting part is
getting things started.
596
:The hard part is making that sustainable
avoiding burnout and actually enjoying
597
:the thing that you set out to do.
598
:I'm incredibly privileged.
599
:I love coaching.
600
:But all the other stuff that
goes with it is a challenge.
601
:So I would never deny that it is.
602
:Something that I need
to monitor constantly.
603
:And it's one of the reasons.
604
:I still have my own coach.
605
:But I want to help here.
606
:And I want to make sure that if you
goal for this year, if your vision
607
:for this year is to transition into.
608
:To a business that works for you
rather than one that uses you up
609
:and spits you out and exhausts you.
610
:And doesn't leave you
time for your family.
611
:Doesn't reward you if whether
eh, In terms of your mission in
612
:life in terms of your finances.
613
:Let me know, and we will do
some brainstorming together.
614
:And if you've got symptoms of
burnout, if you feel like you're
615
:getting close to that age.
616
:Please download the PDF.
617
:I'm going to link in the show notes today.
618
:Yes.
619
:It sends you up from a mailing list.
620
:No, you are not going to get five emails.
621
:From now until the end of time, every
single day, I'm going to be in your inbox.
622
:I'm not like that.
623
:I'll send you is the list of things
that I suggest are useful for.
624
:ADHD burnout.
625
:And then you can choose what comes next.
626
:Get in touch with me.
627
:If you have questions about ADHD
and burnout or ADHD in business.
628
:And until next week.
629
:Take care of yourself, make sure you're
making time for rest for relaxation
630
:and put those boundaries in place.
631
:Now remember lean into that bulb energy.
632
:You're going to be glorious.
633
:In a few months time, you can have that.
634
:Main character center stage
big, incredible blossom
635
:with bright petals energy.
636
:You're going to get there.
637
:But right now.
638
:It's perfectly.
639
:Okay.
640
:To be a bulb cozy and
nestled up underground.
641
:storing up your energy and just,
waiting to emerge with springtime.
