Are you an ADHDer that often struggles with feeling stuck or frustrated when faced with decision making?
"Should I study or do homework first?"
"What should I make for dinner?"
"Which brand should I buy?"
"What should I wear?"
Our brains begin to spiral when faced with what we feel should be an easy decision.
Anyone can get decision fatigue after making many stressful and complex decisions. But ADHD brains can be stuck in this overwhelm daily.
We may struggle to prioritize all of our thoughts. It leaves us feeling stuck, shameful, or like we're wasting time!
We may have made impulsive choices in the past that left us with anxiety around making decisions.
Anxiety develops into avoidance then we can miss out on opportunities and lose connections!
Hot decisions have a lot of emotion and tend to be urgent
Cold decisions involve more cognition and planning than emotion
ADHD brains are great at handling emergency situations. NOT picking a restaurant for dinner.
When we make thousands of decisions a day that are difficult for us, burnout is inevitable!
TIPS TO REDUCE COLD CHOICES
Set date nights, make a list of options, & alternate who plans it
Create a list of go-to meals everyone in the house enjoys
Create a chore priority list for your frequents
Utilize apps to manage meal planning, to-dos, appointments, etc
VERBAL & VISUAL PROCESSING Talk it out with someone or alone. ADHDers tend to be verbal processers. It can also help to map it out on paper. Pros/Cons, mind map, flow chart, etc
QUESTIONS TO HELP UNDERSTAND YOUR 'WHY'S FOR A CHOICE
What's the fear behind the decision?
What info do I know to be true?
What info do I need to make a decision?
Why is this decision important to me?
Does it align with my goals, passions, and values?
How will it feel when I reach the end goal?
Take control of the ADHD chaos with expert-developed "plug-and-play" tools for LIFE in 3C Activation: created for ADHDers, BY ADHDers. A 12 week online group coaching program designed for adults looking to better manage their personal and professional life with ADHD. Learn more
I trust your decision,
Coach Brooke
