How to Recover from ADHD Burnout and Get Motivated Again

Written by Adult ADHD Coach Taryn Dickey

What is ADHD Burnout and Why Does it Happen? 

ADHD Burnout as an entrepreneur sucks. If you’ve been feeling stuck, at a loss for what to say or do, resisting work, resenting clients and/or responsibilities, and find yourself couch-locked more days than you care to admit, know you’re not alone. Burnout is a recognized syndrome caused by chronic stress, typically due to work, and in the case of ADHD, it’s almost always a result of us trying to fit into the neurotypical box, and when we can’t keep up the facade, we can crash and burn. But, if we know what to look for, stop trying to not be ourselves, and use ADHD-friendly approaches to business, we can prevent the cycle from happening again.

How many times have you experienced the ADHD burnout cycle?

• Feeling super excited and energized 
• Tripping up a bit trying to manage symptoms 
• Experiencing overwhelm and stress
• Dealing with it all by using coping mechanisms that are unhealthy or unhelpful 
• Feeling stuck, “shoulding” all over yourself, and feeling like shit because of the guilt and shame 
• (Annnnnd repeat) 
  
  

10 Signs You’re Experiencing ADHD Burnout as an Entrepreneur

To better understand what ADHD burnout looks like, you must first be aware that burnout symptoms can mimic depression and anxiety. The difference here is that these symptoms you are experiencing are a change from your baseline when you first began your entrepreneur journey. You likely started off strong, were doing all the things, and you just can’t seem to figure out how you lost that loving feeling.

Low Motivation

You were once a thriving online business owner, but now you’re spending hours scrolling through social media instead of creating content or managing clients, unable to muster up the energy to give a shit.

Constant Exhaustion

Despite sleeping 8+ hours, you are still tired AF every morning, needing multiple cups of coffee just to get through the day (that you probably have to reheat often, amiright?).

Greater Irritability

Small things, like a client asking a follow-up question or your kiddo interrupting during work hours, trigger disproportionate anger or frustration.

Easily Overwhelmed

Your to-do list feels like a mountain, and you freeze at the thought of where to begin, opting to do nothing instead.

High Emotional Sensitivity

A critical comment on a social post sends you into a tailspin. You start to question your value and ability as a business owner.

Feelings of Joylessness

You’re starting to wonder, “Are the best years behind me?” and you’re likely struggling to find joy in activities you used to love.

Low Self-Esteem and Confidence

You second-guess every decision, convinced you’re not as capable as you once were, and feel like a fraud.

Feelings of Anger, Bitterness, or Resentment

You’re beginning to resent your clients for their demands, your family for needing your attention, and yourself for "letting it all fall apart".

Increased Procrastination

This is more than you’re run of the mill putting off tasks - it’s procrastination on steroids. Deadlines pile up, you tell yourself you’ll “do it later” knowing full well you won’t (like a screenshot you’re planning on coming back to … it ain’t happening, sweetheart!)

Substance Misuse

This is tricky since ADHD humans are prone to substance use and abuse. Maybe you’re drinking a little more than usual to take the edge off, or using cannabis more to escape instead of creating, or even just relying more heavily on caffeine (even though we know it works differently with ADHDers, anyway). 

Why Motivation Feels Impossible When You’re Burned Out

Let’s talk about how stress impacts the brain real quick. When experiencing stress, the prefrontal cortex - the part of the brain responsible for higher cognitive function - is significantly impacted. It can lead to impaired cognitive function due to weakened neural connections in the prefrontal cortex, essentially impacting its ability to function optimally.

Why this is even more harmful for ADHDers is because we already struggle with this area of the brain, as it’s responsible for executive functioning skills (the skills needed to execute a task), like working memory, decision-making, planning and prioritizing, and impulsivity. So if we know that ADHD humans already struggle with this area of the brain, and we know this area of the brain is significantly impacted by stress, It’s no wonder that you can’t get motivated and are burned the eff out!

The ADHD-Friendly Approach to Recover from Burnout (and Get Motivated Again)

How often do you feel guilty about rest, even though you know you need it? We are defining rest here as intentional and scheduled time away from working, to reset and recharge our brains for the next energy burst or sprint. This is a proactive way to recalibrate, so that we don’t stay stuck in the Burnout Cycle.

It’s important to note that many ADHDers burn through energy at a faster rate than non-ADHDers, so we need breaks to replenish our energy. Pair that with challenges with executive function leading to overexertion, breaks become necessary. When you rest as an ADHD human, you’ll have improved focus, reduce overwhelm, and boost creativity (and even productivity). Seems like a win-win, if you ask me.

We also need to remember that many of us have internalized the idea that we have to earn rest only after working hard, and not as a biological necessity as humans, especially where our brains are concerned. If we’ve attached our worth to productivity, we need to do the work to unshame that … but if that’s too hard at the moment, perhaps knowing that resting IS being productive can allow you to make space for it.

A Permission Slip and Personalized Rest Plan

Sometimes, we just need permission to rest, and that permission has to come from you. To help you with this, feel free to use this personalized rest plan template:

1. Read to yourself and say out loud: I give myself permission to rest.
2. Next, write out a response to the following: The reason rest is important to me
3. Begin an intentional rest brainstorm
1. Physical ways I can rest: (ex: nap, stretching)
2. Mental ways I can rest: (ex: meditation, watching clouds)
3. Sensory ways I can rest: (ex: dimming lights, listening to calming sounds)

Now you’re ready to create your Personal Rest Menu.

From the brainstorm of ideas above, create a Rest Menu for high energy days, low energy days, and overwhelm days. (ex: High energy: 10-minute stretch after 2 hours of work. Overwhelm: A 20-minute nap or silent break.)

1. On high energy days, I can choose from the following Rest Menu options (fill in with options from the intentional rest brainstorm)
2. On low energy days, I can choose from the following Rest Menu options (fill in with options from the intentional rest brainstorm)
3. On days I am overwhelmed, I can choose from the following Rest Menu options (fill in with options from the intentional rest brainstorm)
   
   

Reignite Your Motivation and Prevent Future Burnout Cycles

Getting motivated again can feel like an uphill battle. Sometimes, things that seem simple can make us think that they won’t work, but oftentimes it’s the very thing that shifts it all. There’s a reason that Keep It Simple Stupid (though I like saying Silly instead) exists.

Here are some energizing activities that take 15 minutes or less to help you reignite some motivation:

• Do a quick 5-minute stretch focusing on your neck, shoulders, and back.
• Write a quick poem or a stream-of-consciousness journal entry.
• Close your eyes and listen to your favorite calming sounds or music.
• Schedule a brief catch-up call with someone who energizes you.
• Repeat a grounding affirmation, like “I am safe.”

If you’d like a downloadable, actionable resource bundle to help you feel even more relief from burnout right now, you can grab my Burnout Rescue Kit. What you'll get with the kit:

• A guided “Burnout SOS” audio exercise to calm overwhelm.
• A checklist of quick, energizing activities to recharge in under 15 minutes.
• A “mini-scripts” template for setting boundaries with clients, colleagues, and family.

I want the Burnout Rescue Kit!

Recovery from ADHD burnout is a process and a journey. Once you understand what it is, how it can look in entrepreneurship, why it happens, and ways to move through it, you’ll be armed with tools and strategies to prevent the ADHD burnout cycle from happening again in the future. Try out some of the ideas above and see what resonates and helps you along your journey. You’ve got this!