Have you ever felt like your mind is a pinball machine, ricocheting from one thought to the next? For those of us living with ADHD, this experience is all too familiar. From the moment the alarm rings until we finally collapse into bed at night, each day can feel like a chaotic sprint through a maze of distractions, impulsive decisions, and fleeting moments of focus. But here’s the thing—ADHD isn’t just about struggling to stay on task; it’s also about embracing the creativity, spontaneity, and energy that come with it.
In this blog post, I’ll take you through a REAL day in my life with ADHD. Spoiler alert: it’s a whirlwind of impulsive decisions, hyper-focus moments, and the occasional “wait, where did I put my phone?” moment. But it’s also a journey of learning to live with, and sometimes even love, the quirks that come with this neurological condition.
The Morning Rush: Chaos in Full Swing
My day typically starts one of two ways: either I hit the snooze button a dozen times, sabotaging my morning and my productivity before I even get out of bed, or I wake up with a burst of energy, my brain firing on all cylinders at 3 AM. It’s in these early hours that I might come up with some crazy idea I’m convinced I’ll forget unless I jot it down… which usually results in me making impulsive purchases on Amazon in the dead of night. Oops.
Once I’ve made it out of bed (eventually), I feel like I’ve been shot out of a cannon. I head straight to the gym, even though my pre-workout obsession has been known to intimidate the other gym-goers. But it’s not just about getting fit—it’s about burning off some of that excess energy to set the tone for the day ahead.
The Struggle to Choose: Fashion Fiasco
After a workout and a shower, it’s time to face the closet. For someone with ADHD, deciding what to wear can feel like deciphering the Da Vinci Code. Stripes or solids? Jeans or pants? I’m pretty sure I’ve bought every impulsive purchase I’ve ever seen advertised online, and many of them still have the tags on. Picking something out is more like a game of “how many outfits can I try on before I change my mind?”
Eventually, I settle on something and get ready to leave. Keys? Check. Wallet? Check. Wait—did I leave my phone at home? Of course I did.
The Drive to Work: Distracted by the World Around Me
When I finally leave the house, my mind races, taking in everything around me. I’m a detective on a secret mission, observing every leaf and squirrel that crosses my path, but also wondering if I locked the door. It’s a bit of a mess. Once I get into the car, I put on my favorite song from last week (don’t ask why—it’s stuck in my head), and I drive to work, only to realize I might have been texting a bit too much while driving. Uh-oh.
The Office: Navigating Tasks Like a Pinball Machine
I arrive at the office, feeling like I’ve already accomplished a lot (even though my desk looks like a disaster zone). My notes are scattered, and my coffee is nearly cold, but I’m ready to tackle the day—or at least that’s the plan. The struggle to stay on task is real. My mind bounces between ideas like a pinball machine, and focusing feels like catching smoke with a net.
I try to activate my “hyper-focus” by throwing on my noise-canceling headphones, but sometimes that doesn’t work as planned. I close tabs in my browser compulsively (because if I’m not actively working on it, it must be closed), which often results in me forgetting what I was working on in the first place. Memory isn’t my strongest suit, but I still try to convince myself I can remember everything.
Midday Slump: Fights and Fidgeting
By noon, the afternoon slump hits me like a freight train. I find myself fighting the temptation to reach for an energy drink that I probably don’t need but convince myself is essential. By this point in the day, I’m pacing around the office, tapping my foot, doodling on a notepad, all while my brain travels to galaxies far, far away. It’s exhausting, but somehow I make it through.
The Evening: Confronting Consequences of My Disorganization
When I get home, I’m confronted with the reality of my lack of meal prep. I didn’t buy much at the grocery store because the sheer volume of choices at the store overwhelmed me. So now I’m left scrounging around for something to eat.
Once I’ve eaten (or not), I collapse on the couch. I flick through channels like a ninja in a tree, unable to settle on anything for too long. Maybe I’ll watch a documentary on deep-sea creatures (octopuses are fascinating, right?), or maybe I’ll learn to knit an octopus. But in the end, I just let my mind wander.
Reflection: Embracing the Chaos
As the day winds down, I reflect on the chaos I’ve experienced—tasks left unfinished, moments when I was physically present but mentally elsewhere, and all the quirky decisions I made throughout the day. My girlfriend calls it a “masterpiece of chaos,” but I’ve come to appreciate it. ADHD may mean I live in a whirlwind, but that whirlwind is also full of creativity, energy, and spontaneity.
Living with ADHD isn’t easy, but it’s also an integral part of who I am. I’ve learned to embrace the challenges, to laugh at the absurdity, and to cherish the bursts of creativity that come with it. Life might be tangled and disorganized, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth navigating. After all, it’s all part of the adventure.