"Stop Managing Your Time. Start Managing Your Energy."
One of the things I often hear from people with ADHD is that they have tried every time management system they can find.
They've bought planners.
They've downloaded productivity apps.
They've created colour-coded calendars.
For a while, things improve.
Then life gets busy, the system falls apart and they find themselves wondering what went wrong.
Over the years, I've come to think that many people with ADHD are trying to solve the wrong problem.
The issue is not always how they manage their time.
Often, it's how they manage their energy.
Not Every Hour Is the Same
Traditional productivity advice tends to assume that every hour of the day is equally useful.
Most people know this isn't true.
Some of us think more clearly in the morning.
Others become more productive in the evening.
People with ADHD often notice these differences even more.
There are days when concentrating feels almost effortless and others when even replying to a simple email feels impossible.
Instead of expecting yourself to perform at the same level all day, it can be helpful to notice when your brain naturally works best.
Protect Your Best Hours
I sometimes ask patients a simple question.
"When do you usually feel at your best?"
Many have never really thought about it.
Once they do, patterns often emerge.
Perhaps you concentrate best before lunch.
Perhaps your creativity comes alive later in the evening.
Perhaps your energy drops after long meetings.
If you know when your brain is working well, try to protect those periods for your most important work.
Save routine jobs for times when your energy is lower.
Energy Is Spent in Different Ways
When people think about energy, they often think about physical tiredness.
Mental energy is just as important.
Making lots of decisions.
Switching between tasks.
Attending long meetings.
Managing difficult conversations.
Trying to ignore distractions.
All of these require mental effort.
By the end of the day, it's not unusual to feel exhausted even if you've barely left your desk.
Recognising this can help explain why some days feel so much harder than others.
Give Your Brain Time to Recover
Many people with ADHD move straight from one task to the next.
There is little opportunity for the brain to pause.
Short breaks are often seen as wasting time.
I see them differently.
A brief walk.
A cup of tea.
Five minutes away from a screen.
Stepping outside for some fresh air.
These moments allow your attention to reset.
They are often an investment rather than a distraction.
Plan Around Real Life
One mistake I see quite often is planning every day as though nothing unexpected will happen.
Unfortunately, life rarely works like that.
Appointments run late.
Children become unwell.
Phone calls interrupt us.
Unexpected problems arise.
Leaving some space in your day is not poor planning.
It's realistic planning.
People often feel less overwhelmed when they stop expecting every minute to be productive.
Notice What Drains You
Another helpful exercise is to pay attention to the activities that consistently leave you feeling mentally exhausted.
It may be long meetings.
Administrative work.
Busy environments.
Constant interruptions.
Once you recognise these patterns, you can begin to think about how to reduce their impact or balance them with activities that restore your energy.
A Final Thought
One of the biggest changes I see after an ADHD diagnosis is when people stop judging themselves by how many hours they worked and start thinking about how they used the energy they had.
Some days you'll have plenty of it.
Other days you won't.
That doesn't mean you've failed.
It means you're human.
Rather than asking yourself,
"How can I squeeze more into today?"
try asking,
"How can I use the energy I have in the most helpful way?"
In my experience, that small shift in thinking often leads to less frustration, more realistic expectations and a healthier relationship with work and everyday life.
Dr James Glass
MBChB MRCPsych
Medical Director, WMI Psychiatry
