Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder that affects the parts of the brain that plan, focus, and follow through on tasks.
Holidays can overwhelm even the most organized person, so it’s no wonder that adults with ADHD report more stress around this time of year.
The holidays hit several major ADHD executive function stress points including: remembering dates, end-of-year work and school deadlines, showing up to events on time, and pre-planning for gifting and celebrations.
To that end, we’ve compiled a list of helpful tips that everyone, and especially those with ADHD, can use while navigating the holidays.
1. Pick and choose holiday events
The holiday season can really pack your calendar with a lot of fun (and exhausting) activities. Although staying busy this time of year can bring a lot of joy, it can also leave you tired and overwhelmed by the time you reach the main event. Be mindful of how you spend your time and don’t be afraid to be picky about which holiday events are most important to you. It helps to make a list and prioritize the events by ranking the most important to the least important and moving from the top of the list down. Saying no to holiday activities or traditions that are not important to you does not make you a grinch.
2. Get enough sleep and exercise
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again – two of the main ways to keep yourself resilient during times of stress is to get enough sleep and exercise! Unfortunately, many people report that these are two of the first things to go when their holiday to-do list gets long. We recommend adding adequate sleep and exercise back into your December calendar so that you are better equipped to handle unexpected stress and in the best state of mind to enjoy everything the season has to offer.
3. Keep a calendar and make lists
People with ADHD have a harder time keeping dates, times, and obligations straight. Using organizational tools such as calendars, to-do lists, and reminder apps can help a lot. We recommend a paper calendar that is specifically designed for the weeks leading up to the holidays. This allows you to visualize the passage and allocation of time and will help you prioritize the events and activities that are most important to you.
4. Plan for extra time
If you have ADHD, you are likely familiar with the concept of “time blindness.” Coined by ADHD expert, Dr. Russell Barkley, time blindness in ADHD refers to difficulty estimating and sensing the passage of time. This is one of the reasons that people with ADHD have difficulty with time management and deadlines. They often underestimate how much time a task will take and also tend to get “stuck” in the middle of tasks. For this reason, we recommend the “double it” rule. If you estimate it will take you 1 hour to wrap presents, plan for 2 hours. If you think choosing and cutting down a tree will be a half day affair, plan for the entire day. This way, the worst that can happen is you end up overestimating and you are left with more time and less stress.