Working for Yourself with ADHD: A Day in My Life

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Am I doing enough?” while juggling a million things at once, you’re not alone. Working for yourself when you have ADHD is a wild ride of energy dips, spontaneous sparks of motivation, and a constant dance of prioritisation.

Some days, I feel like I can conquer the world. Other days, I’m trying to convince myself that taking a break isn’t the same as failing. It’s a delicate balance, and as much as I’ve grown to love the autonomy of working for myself, it comes with its own unique challenges. Let me take you through a typical day with me—my wins, my doubts, and everything in between.

(if you prefer watching videos, and want to watch on 1.5x speed too, i got you! There is a video version of this blog post over on my YouTube channel)

Starting Strong...ish

The day often begins with a plan. I know what I want to achieve, but the question is, how? It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking I need to tackle everything at once. Like, should I dive into video editing straight away, or get those emails off my mind? My brain loves to complicate simple decisions—like whether I want jalapeños with my lunch—so you can imagine how that scales up when it comes to work tasks.

But here's what I've learned: you can achieve a lot, even in small pockets of time. A task that’s been hanging over my head all morning? Often, it’ll take just ten minutes to complete once I actually sit down and focus. It’s a humbling reminder that sometimes the hardest part is just starting.

Prioritizing When Your Brain Feels Mellow

Ah, the mellow phase. It's that weird space where I'm feeling chill but on the edge of, “Can’t really be bothered.”Sound familiar? This is when I know it’s time to prioritize. I ask myself, What’s going to give me that pang of anxiety if I don’t get it done today?

For me, it’s often the small things—emails I’ve been putting off, scheduling a community post, or tidying up loose ends on a project. Today, it was sending emails to old clients and finishing a few community posts for my membership (yes, I have a membership now, by the way—insert shameless plug here).

What I love about this method is that it keeps me from getting caught in the perfectionism trap. Sure, I wanted to finish editing that video, but if it doesn’t happen today, it’s okay. Last-week Rachel might have had high expectations, but current Rachel is adapting to the flow of the day.

Momentum is Everything

Here's something I’m constantly astounded by: when you push through that initial hesitation, momentum builds. Those emails I’d been dreading? Done in 20 minutes. And the sense of relief? Absolutely priceless. It’s like, once you’ve crossed that first finish line, anything feels possible. Suddenly, the rest of the tasks don’t seem so bad. It’s all about creating that initial burst of progress—momentum is your best friend when you work for yourself.

Adapting as You Go

One thing I’ve come to realize is that navigating a day with ADHD is all about adaptation. It’s easy to feel like changing your priorities halfway through the day is a failure. Like you’re procrastinating or being indecisive. But in reality, it’s about realigning with your energy levels and what makes sense right now. And that’s not something to beat yourself up over; it’s actually a superpower.

Having the freedom to shift gears when something’s not working is one of the biggest perks of working for yourself. Some days, I’ll feel super productive after lunch, other days... not so much. The key is to listen to where you’re at and let go of the idea that you have to power through everything on your to-do list.

The Balance of Rest and Productivity

There’s no point pretending I’m always go-go-go. I build rest into my day, and it’s non-negotiable. Weighted blanket? Yes, please. A couple of hours watching TV to recharge? Absolutely. I used to fight this—feeling like I had to justify taking breaks. But honestly, if you don’t rest, you end up hitting that wall sooner rather than later. And for me, rest doesn’t mean doing nothing—it’s just about switching gears.

One thing I’ve learned is that stepping away from work doesn’t kill productivity; it often fuels it. It’s during these breaks that I let my mind wander, jotting down ideas in a little notebook so they’re out of my head and onto paper. It’s all part of the process.

When the Spark Hits

Then, there’s the unexpected twist. Just when I thought I was done for the day, something magical happened. My meds kicked in, and a tiny spark of motivation returned. Suddenly, the video I thought I’d put off until tomorrow? Done. I spent two more hours editing—completely out of the blue. It’s moments like these where I’m reminded to just ride the waves of motivation when they come.

The Freedom of Flexibility

The beauty of working for yourself, especially with ADHD, is the flexibility to adapt. I’ve built my business in a way that allows me to flow with my energy levels, and that’s something I don’t take for granted. My advice? If you have the luxury of autonomy over your schedule, carve out at least two days a week where you have no meetings or external commitments. This gives you the space to be flexible and, ultimately, more productive in your own time.

At the end of the day, it’s about being okay with not following a rigid structure. Sometimes, you’ve got to let go of the idea of getting everything done exactly as planned and just trust the process. And that’s where the magic happens.

So, if you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re not doing enough—remember, it’s okay to adapt. It’s okay to rest. And most importantly, it’s okay to ride the waves.

Don’t feel like you can get yourself out of the stuckness, don’t feel like your enough, and not enjoying the waves? Coaching might benefit you! We can have a feel out on a quick lil consultation call to see if it would?

Love and play,
Rach xx

PS. If you read to this point I think we should be friends - find me on LinkedIn right here!