“Wait, What Was I Doing Again?” — Let’s Talk ADHD

Ever walked into a room and immediately forgotten why? Opened 14 browser tabs to do one thing? Or sat down to send one email and somehow ended up scrolling videos of unlikely animal friendships?

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and yep, it might be ADHD. Or maybe not… or maybe just a little.

What Actually Is ADHD?

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) isn’t about being lazy, flaky, or just “hopeless with time.” It’s a neurodevelopmental condition, which means your brain is wired a bit differently—and it’s been that way since the beginning. It's not something you “developed” from too much screen time or not enough kale.

People with ADHD often struggle with:

• 🎯 Attention regulation (not just a short attention span—sometimes it’s too much focus on the wrong thing)

• ⚡ Impulsivity (blurting things out or suddenly deciding to rearrange your entire room at 11pm)

• 🏃‍♂️ Hyperactivity (this could be physical restlessness or a mind that just won’t. stop. talking)

  
  

And no, it’s not just for “naughty little boys.” ADHD affects people of all genders and all ages—many adults are only just realising it was there all along.

Why It’s More Than Just “Being Distracted”

Imagine your brain’s like the telly remote—but the buttons are sticky and you keep accidentally switching to a new channel just as the last one was getting good.

It’s not that you’re not trying. In fact, most people with ADHD are trying really hard. But the mental load can be like trying to juggle while riding a unicycle… in a wind tunnel… during magpie season.

Executive function (things like planning, memory, and organisation) often doesn’t run on autopilot. That can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming, and school/work/life way harder than it looks from the outside. And because it’s often invisible, people can go undiagnosed (especially girls and women) for years, which often impacts self esteem.

The Upsides? Yep, There Are Plenty! 🌈

Here’s the plot twist: ADHD brains come with some pretty epic perks.

Just the other day, my daughter was watching her sister (who happens to be an ADHDer) and said, “Sometimes I wish I had ADHD.” Naturally, I asked why. She replied, “She’s really creative, has a crazy imagination for games, and just keeps going!” Cute, right? (Shortly after that, they were screaming at each other—but we had a moment!)

ADHD isn’t all challenges. It often comes with:

💡 Big creativity and out-of-the-box thinking

🧠 Fast, intuitive problem-solving

❤️ A strong sense of fairness and empathy

🔥 The ability to hyperfocus like a machine when interest kicks in

😂 Often bloody funny (chaotic good energy, if you will)

When ADHD’ers aren’t boxed in or forced to work against their neurology, they flourish. Their strengths shine—in work, school, life… even in Woolies when you’ve forgotten what you came in for. Again. Ok...maybe not that one. But we can't expect our strengths to shine everywhere.

Practical Strategies That Actually Work

Here are some real-life strategies that can help manage day to day challenges:

🧠 Write Stuff Down (Your Brain’s Not a Filing Cabinet). Use a whiteboard, your phone, sticky notes stuck to your fridge, or whatever works. Visual cues help externalise the chaos and free up brain space. But try sticking to one system at time, or you might risk adding to the chaos!

😁🥳🫣 Put emotions first to prime the reward. “Clean the bathroom to feel

refreshed” becomes… “Feel refreshed by cleaning the bathroom”

⏱ Timers and Alarms Are Your Friend. Set one to start the thing, not just finish it. A 10-minute “just begin” timer can make a mountain feel more like a molehill.

🪜 Shrink the Task to the First Step. “Clean the bathroom” becomes:

1. Get cleaning stuff

2. Wipe one bench

3. Take a break because that was enough for now

   
   

🌱 Look After the Basics. ADHD management isn’t just mental—it’s physical too:

• Exercise (you need to move and it'll boost mood)

• Sleep (every brain needs to recharge overnight)

• Food (fuel you need from actual meals, not just two muesli bars and a coffee)

• Connection (friends, family, the barista who remembers your order—humans are medicine. Shameless plug: check out our other blog on the Four Walls of Self-Care).

  
  

🙃 Laugh When You Can Yes, you will lose your phone while you're talking on it. Again. It’s not a failure—it’s just part of the dance.

Final Thoughts (If You Got This Far, Gold Star)

ADHD isn’t a lack of willpower or a flaw. It’s a different operating system—and with the right understanding, it works just fine.

If you suspect you or someone you care about might have ADHD, you're not alone. Diagnosis can be a game-changer. And support? That’s where we come in.

At BetterSpace Wellbeing Clinic, we help people understand their brains and build lives that work with them—not against them.

📍 Based in Armidale. Helping humans Australia-wide via telehealth.

📖 More useful things to read (and probably chuckle at): www.betterspacewellbeing.com/blog