ADHD Summer Survival Guide

Happy summer solstice, y'all! (A day late, in true ADHD fashion :-P)

Summer sounds relaxing.... in theory. More sunshine, more freedom, longer days.

But, then you realize... the kids are out of school. The routines keeping your house afloat (even when they're annoying) are gone. It's obnoxiously sweaty outside. Suddenly, the structure that was holding everything together vanishes.

You don't need some "perfect" summer plan. But a few ADHD-friendly strategies that work with your brain might help.

Here's a few of mine to help you survive the summer... hopefully with a little less exhaustion:

Create a "Summer Menu", not a "Summer Bucket List"

A "bucket list" may just make you feel guilty. Make a menu of things you might wanna do over the summer.

Try making categories that you can easily glance at: maybe something like free activities; solo recharge activities; outdoor activities; rainy-day activities.

When you have options instead of requirements, you can more easily find the fun in the situation and it won't feel quite as overwhelming.

Go. TF. Outside. (If at all possible. Even just a little bit.)

Is it going to "fix your ADHD"? No, absolutely not, don't be silly.

Is it going to make you feel better? Maybe. (Unless you get bitten by mosquitoes.)

Green spaces are good for ADHD brains.

Make it easier to get outside. You don't HAVE to go on a 5-mile hike. Go sit on the porch or in the park for 10 minutes. Go walk around the block. Eat lunch outside. Water a plant (this message also doubles as an attempt to help keep your plants alive ).

Create a "Heat Plan"

I don't know about you, but I'm a HUGE grump when I'm overheated. For me, figuring out what to do before I get to that point is helpful.

Ask yourself things like:

Where can I cool down?

How can I stay hydrated? (Haha.ha.ha.)

What can I do at cooler times of the day (morning or evening)?

Build "anchor points" into your day.

If summer destroyed your routine, maybe don't stress yourself by trying to schedule every hour again.

Look at your usual day, and try picking a few anchors (for example: morning coffee, lunch, evening walk, bedtime reading). Let everything else move around those anchors.

It's better to have a flexible routine than a rigid one that doesn't allow for changes.

Expect more transitions. Plan for them (if possible).

Summer can mean all sorts of new transitions that our brains don't always do well with: camps, vacations, visitors, different schedules, last-minute invitations.

Build extra time between activities. Expect that switching gears may take longer than you think.

Schedule rest before you need it. Because you do need it.

Don't schedule so much fun into your day that everyone is having a meltdown before it's over. It doesn't need to be a nonstop marathon of fun.

Try blocking off time for things like no-plan evenings, quiet mornings, recovery days after trips, time alone after social events.

You don't "earn" rest. Sit your butt down and chill out.

Stay hydrated. Whatever that looks like for you.

This is a reminder for myself as much as it is for you. :-P