The Simple Tasks That Aren’t So Simple: Living With an ADHD Brain

For me, even getting out of bed can feel overwhelming. Some mornings I wake up and immediately think, “I just can’t do it today.” But I don’t have a choice—I have to force myself.

Breakfast is another challenge. It isn’t just eating; it’s decision-making, planning, and effort. What am I going to eat? What do I have to prepare? Do I even have the energy? Because of this, breakfast often ends up being something simple like an apple and coffee—mainly because the coffee machine does the work for me.

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Showering is also not just “showering.” It’s step after step: taking off clothes piece by piece, remembering a shower cap, choosing the right shampoo, making sure I wash every part of my body, and finally drying off. Each little step is mentally draining.

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Work and School: Structured but Exhausting

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In some ways, the work or school day can be easier because it’s structured for me. The schedule is laid out—I just have to follow it. But this comes with its own price: masking.

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All day I have to sit still, listen carefully, focus intensely, and try to remember everything. By the end of the day, my brain feels like it’s run a marathon. This is why children (and adults) with ADHD often come home exhausted, unable to do much more than lie down or scroll on a tablet - it’s low demand, and our brains desperately need that.

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Planning Ahead: The Only Way to Cope

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To make things easier, I prepare as much as I can on Sundays. Saturdays are my rest and recovery days, so by Sunday I have a little more energy to batch cook meals for the week.

Having meals ready to just heat up in the microwave saves me from facing those overwhelming decisions and tasks after work when I’m completely drained.

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The Biggest Challenge: Sleep

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Of all the struggles, sleep is the hardest. For me, it’s not as simple as just lying down and drifting off.

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Sometimes the sheets feel wrong—they irritate me, even if I’m not itchy. I become overstimulated, tossing and turning until I find a solution, like layering a soft blanket on top to soothe my body.

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But my brain is the bigger problem. The moment I try to rest, it begins racing: replaying things I said, worrying about tomorrow, stressing over next year, or even obsessing about something from years ago.

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The only strategy I’ve found that helps is distraction. Music sometimes quiets my thoughts, or I’ll use a sensory tool—like a “calm curry” that vibrates in my hands, or textured objects that provide pressure points. These physical sensations give my brain something else to focus on, which helps me drift off.

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Even then, staying asleep isn’t guaranteed. I often wake throughout the night, dream intensely, or feel restless. By morning, I’m still tired, which makes the following day even harder—my nervous system on edge, overstimulated, and easily overwhelmed.

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Why “Simple” Isn’t Simple

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For those without ADHD, it’s difficult to understand why something as ordinary as showering, eating, or sleeping can feel monumental. But for the ADHD brain, each task comes with extra layers of thought, decision-making, and effort.

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This is why burnout happens so quickly and why we sometimes need to withdraw, shut down, or just stay still for hours. It’s not laziness—it’s recovery.

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Living with ADHD means recognising that what looks simple to others often feels like climbing a mountain to us. And while that reality is exhausting, understanding it is the first step to creating strategies that make life a little more manageable.