This can only be exasperated if you spend half your day in pajamas. One thing ADHD people struggle with is transitions. Protein gives your body sustained energy, so try eggs, protein pancakes, plain Greek yogurt or a protein smoothie (but hold the fruit juices and bananas).Įven if you’re not going anywhere. That will give you a sugar rush, which inevitably follows with a sugar crash. If you prefer fasting in the morning, that’s fine, but try to make that first meal of the day something that will avoid spiking insulin. Also, considered getting a pill organizer so you will never have to remember if you took your meds or not (<-been there, done that). This goes without saying, right? If you tend to forget (as I do), put them somewhere you will remember, like beside your tooth brush.

It will give your hands something to do, but will also calm the nervous system. If you find meditation to be difficult to focus on, try Emotional Freedom Technique, aka tapping. Even just 10 minutes a day can make the world of difference. Meditate or Tap (Emotional Freedom Technique)īoth methods are great for calming the nervous system and leave you feeling centered and grounded. This will take your brain out of it’s Default Mode Network and back into Task Positive Mode Network where you can get back into your body and the present moment. If you find yourself in negative rumination, get up and move! Go for a walk, do jumping jacks or put on a great song and dance your face off. Moving is also a great way to help with emotional regulation. Starting your day this way gives you an amazing start! If you need recommendations on workouts, I have plenty. Movement sends oxygen to our brains, giving us a dopamine boost and a good 2 to 3 hours of focused attention immediately following our workout. If you’re not sleeping enough now, make this your top priority Move your body for at least 30 minutes every dayĭo this preferably in the morning. What little energy you have is used up by the body just to get through the day, so your brain function gets depleted. When we are under-slept, our energy is low and we’re generally at our worst. Our brains need sleep to repair, process and help our nervous systems stay in parasympathetic mode. They are the foundation of good health for ALL brains, but they’re extra critical to our sparkly ADHD brains.ĪDHD Self Care Checklist for Women Sleep 7 - 8 hours a night The stuff at the top is what I call, “big rocks”. I have also included a shorter printable version, along with a blank template checklist so you can take what you want from my list, and make your own. The self care list below explains why each practice is important for ADHD brains specifically.

I try to avoid falling into bad habits because they debilitate me. For me, that’s missed workouts, eating crappy food, over-drinking and getting overwhelmed and stressed. The less I do on this list, the crappier I feel and the less I want to do it even more.

The better I feel, the more I want to keep it up. Why do aspire to do them all? Because the more I do, the better I feel. Personally, I try to do as many things on this list as possible, but I'm rarely perfect at it. Instead, ease into them! Start with one practice, make it a habit, then move on to the next. Please don't assume that you should be doing these all at once. However, we can also look at checklists and immediately swirl into panic because it looks so daunting. It’s easy to follow, you can print it out and stick it to your mirror and it serves as a constant reminder. THat’s why I have formulated this into a checklist.

We ADHD adults aren’t always the best at remembering to do things or following through even if the thought crosses our minds. ADHD Self Care - Before the Checklist, Know This

My adhd self checklist