Managing Motherhood and a Full-Time Job with ADHD

Motherhood is a full-time job, but if you also work outside the home (or in your home office), you already know the extra challenges of getting through the day. Add ADHD to that mix, and you may be all too familiar with feeling overwhelmed. 

Fortunately, there are ways to successfully manage motherhood and your other full-time job if you have ADHD. Integrating some self-care habits into your day and sticking to a schedule are just a couple of things you can do to make life easier. 

Symptoms of ADHD in Adulthood

ADHD affects more than four percent of U.S. adults.¹ Though no two people experience ADHD alike, here are the most common symptoms in adults:

• Impulsivity
• Disorganization 
• Poor time management skills
• Difficulty focusing 
• Trouble multitasking
• Restlessness
• Poor planning
• Low frustration tolerance
• Frequent mood swings
• Problems completing tasks
• Irritability
• Trouble coping with stress

As a parent, ADHD may show up in your life as constant overwhelm. You may have trouble keeping up with your kids or feel like you’re not meeting your parenting responsibilities. When it comes to discipline, you’re either inconsistent with discipline or over-reactive. Time blindness may lead you to become so absorbed in an activity that your child ends up going to bed too late or you find yourself rushing to make appointments on time. Transitioning from one task to another can also present more of a challenge to a parent with ADHD. 

Managing ADHD at Home

You shouldn’t have to feel like you live in a war-zone. With some structure and consistency, you can make your home a more peaceful place to live. Some must-haves at home include:

• A family calendar in clear view to stay on top of appointments and special events
• A fair division of labor among family members
• Apps to help keep track of your grocery list, plan meals, and more
• The assistance of professionals to help organize your home, clean, babysit and more if your budget allows
• A kitchen stocked with healthy food, as nutrition plays a crucial role in reducing ADHD symptoms  
• A bedroom conducive to sleep with dark curtains and no screens
• Boundaries around screen use, such as designated screen-free zones to discourage excess screen time, which can also exacerbate ADHD symptoms 

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Managing ADHD at Work  

With some adjustments to the work day and key items at your disposal, ADHD symptoms should not keep you from thriving at work. Try these solutions for managing ADHD at work: 

• Limit distractions by wearing noise-canceling headphones or letting your co-workers know that certain hours are blocked off for quiet work without disturbances
• Day planners, calendars, and to-do lists are your friends! Instead of trying to keep track of everything in your head, write it down
• Use incentives to stay engaged, like allowing yourself for a short walk or snack after completing a task
• Just as you might outsource cleaning your home, figure out if there are ways to delegate some of your tasks to others
• Make time for breaks, because nobody should be expected to power through the day without a moment to themselves 

Other Tips to Handle Adult ADHD for Working Moms 

Whether you only work at home or commute to an office regularly, these are some general ways to help your day run smoothly:

Prioritize Self-Care  

Self-care isn’t just a buzzword made up by day spas and yoga studios. After all, studies show that people who practice self-care have less stress and higher quality of life.² There are several ways to make self-care a part of your daily routine, which can help you stay mindful, calm, and healthy. This includes tending to your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Some ideas for making self-care a daily practice include:

• Exercising daily, even if you make it as simple as taking a walk around the block
• Following a healthy diet
• Making time for socializing
• Journaling
• Practicing meditation
• Spending time in nature, which might just mean visiting the local park
• Reading
• Continuing to learn new skills
• Making art
• Having a relaxing wind-down routine before bed 

Establish a Daily Schedule (for You & Your Children!) 

Between meeting work deadlines and tending to your children, you may feel like your days are one messy jumble. One foolproof way to keep your sanity is establishing a daily schedule. Then you have to stick to it. Here’s how to do it:

• Keep a sleep schedule for you and the kids: Wake up at the same time every day and go to sleep at the same time, even on weekends to keep your circadian rhythms in tact (your body’s internal clock).
• Keep a meal schedule: Eat meals at the same time every day, which also influences your circadian rhythms and the severity of your symptoms.
• Have designated homework time for the kids and quiet time for yourself: It’s easier for kids to stay on top of their schoolwork if they’re used to completing it at the same time every day. You’ll also get better at prioritizing self-care, like quiet time, if you schedule it in.
• Make time for play: Don’t forget to make time for fun. Maybe this means playing a family game after dinner or enjoying scheduled screen time (but be sure not to go overboard!). 
• Make mindfulness a family affair: Less strict than seated meditation, mindfulness is a way to hone in on the present moment, feel at home in your body, and make a habit of centering yourself. It can also be highly effective in reducing stress and enhancing focus. Mindfulness can be enjoyed solo or made into a family affair, such as taking a simple walk together, expressing gratitude to one another, or using a mindfulness app together.

Try Homeopathic Medication 

Whether you are already taking prescription medication for ADHD or not, Brillia® can be a helpful addition to your routine by reducing symptoms like anxiety, inattention, restlessness, impulsivity, irritability, and hyperactivity without harmful side effects or interactions with other medications. Free from harsh, synthetic chemicals, Brillia stops symptoms associated with ADHD from occuring in the body through targeted antibodies to the S100B protein, a crucial regulator of many different intracellular and extracellular brain processes. 

The success of Brillia is supported by behavioral adjustments outlined in the Five-Pillar methodology. This unique approach promotes proper nutrition, adequate sleep, controlled screen time, and mindfulness techniques in tandem with homeopathic medication for a gentle and impactful approach to feeling more balanced in mind and body. Available without a prescription or official diagnosis, Brillia offers two formulations: Brillia for Adults and Brillia for Children. 

If it Gets Too Overwhelming, Seek Help 

You don’t have to struggle alone. If you still need support, a therapist can help you come up with strategies to make your home life and work life more manageable. It’s also important to find a community of people, in person or digitally, who will understand your unique needs and help you feel less alone.  

Visit the Brillia(nce) Resource Center for resources on how to live with an attention disorder, with a variety of tips on leading a healthy lifestyle.

References: ¹https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd, ²https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6080382/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Erica Garza

Erica Garza is an author and essayist from Los Angeles. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and a certificate in Narrative Therapy. Her writing has appeared in TIME, Health, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and VICE.