8 Back-to-Work ADHD Strategies for a More Productive Fall (Without Burning Out by October)
Hey friends.
If summer break feels like a fever dream and fall has come hurtling toward you like a rogue shopping cart in a Costco parking lot… you’re not alone.
While the extended flexibility of summer has us getting a little squirrely right around now, the transition back to work—or back to more structured routines—can feel jarring for ADHD adults.
It’s all pumpkin spice and cozy flannel until we cross that invisible threshold leading directly to performance anxiety and emails that read like horror movie scripts.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur trying to reset, a therapist reopening your caseload, a teacher bracing for the school year, or a parent juggling ten thousand school forms, this season can throw your executive functioning into a tailspin.
But here’s the good news:
With the right strategies, structure, and support, fall doesn’t have to mean falling apart.
Let’s talk about how to work with your ADHD brain—not against it—so you can build a fall routine that’s sustainable, nourishing, and maybe even a little fun.
The ADHD Fall Freakout: Why September Feels So Overwhelming
The ADHD brain doesn’t just struggle with organization—it struggles with transitions.
⏳ We have something called temporal discounting, where the future feels super far away until it’s suddenly RIGHT NOW (Barkley, 2023).
💥 We also rely heavily on environmental cues and momentum. So when summer routines fade and we lose those cues—like daylight patterns or childcare coverage—we flail.
🧠 Our working memory gets hit hard when too many new demands pile on at once (Diamond, 2013). And guess what? Fall is basically the Met Gala of New Demands.
So if you’re feeling like your brain is simultaneously buffering and glitching, your emotions are bigger, and your energy is fried by noon—you’re not broken. You’re experiencing a seasonal executive function crash.
Here’s how to reboot.
STRATEGY 1: Do a “Fall Reset” Instead of a “Fall Makeover”
Forget trying to overhaul your entire life in one week. Massive change of routines is not - and never will be - sustainable for ADHDers.
Instead of the all-or-nothing trap, try a compassionate reset. That means:
Reflecting on what worked this summer
Letting go of what didn’t
Making micro-adjustments that support your current needs and energy levels
You might try looking at your calendar and all the photos that are sitting in your phone as a reference for how your spent your time over the summer. Do a light SWOT analysis by the month. Find the consistencies of what worked, note where your challenges were, think about how you capitalized on opportunities, and take note of the obstacles that made the summer tough.
💡 Community Tip from Reddit /r/ADHD: One user shared a “Life Admin Day” they do at the start of each season to clean out emails, refresh calendars, and plan meals. Keep it short and low-stakes—think 60 minutes with your favorite playlist, not a 12-hour grind.
STRATEGY 2: Rebuild Your Weekly Framework Using “Time Anchors”
Rather than rigid schedules (which often implode by Wednesday), use time anchors—recurring routines that create scaffolding for your week.
🧩 Examples:
Monday morning CEO Hour (planning + priorities)
Wednesday midweek review
Friday shutdown ritual (brain dump + wins)
According to ADHD coach and researcher Jodi Sleeper-Triplett (2010), predictable routines with flexible structure help ADHD brains feel safe, focused, and motivated.
📆 Pro Tip: Stack these anchors on existing habits. Already drink coffee at 9 a.m.? Pair it with your Monday planning. Already scroll TikTok in the afternoon? Make it a body double session with a friend instead.
STRATEGY 3: Embrace “Slow Dopamine” Activities
You’ve probably heard about dopamine crashes. In ADHD brains, we chase fast dopamine—scrolling, snacking, urgent tasks. But what we need for long-term motivation is slow dopamine: the kind that builds satisfaction, mastery, and regulation over time.
🎨 Think:
Hobbies that challenge you just the right amount (e.g., woodworking, climbing, puzzles)
Volunteering or helping others
Creative projects that make you lose track of time
🌱 As Dr. Ned Hallowell puts it, ADHD thrives when we cultivate interest, novelty, challenge, and urgency (Hallowell & Ratey, 2021). Slow dopamine gives us interest and challenge without the burnout.
STRATEGY 4: Use the 4C Fall Planning Framework
Want to plan your fall without spiraling into a shame hole? Use my ADHD-friendly 4C framework:
🧠 CLARITY
Pick 1-3 clear goals that actually matter to you—not what you “should” want. Ask:
What season of life am I in?
What does success look like for me right now? (Hint: success doesn’t have to be financial.)
📦 CONTAINMENT
ADHDers are idea machines, but we need containers. Create constraints to protect your energy:
Use theme days (e.g., Admin Tuesdays, Writing Thursdays)
Limit meetings to certain hours
Block focused work time
🔁 CONSISTENCY
Pick low-effort systems you can repeat, not perfect.
Weekly reset
Email triage time
15-minute planning sessions
💬 CONNECTION
Build in external support:
Body doubling
Coworking groups
Coaching or therapy
✨ TikTok creator @the_mini_adhd_coach reminds followers that “connection is regulation.” Don’t isolate yourself this season; instead, find like-minded folks with similar needs / goals.
STRATEGY 5: Design Your Workspace for Dopamine & Focus
Environmental design matters more than you think. ADHD brains are highly sensitive to their surroundings (Brown, 2005), which means clutter, lighting, and noise directly impact your productivity.
📋 Try:
Swapping overhead lights for warm, dimmable lamps
Using visual task boards or post-it walls
Keeping a “Go Zone” and a “No Zone” (e.g., desk = work only, couch = no laptop)
🧠 Fun trick from YouTube’s How to ADHD: Use “prop cues.” Leave out an item that cues your next task (e.g., water bottle = start morning admin).
STRATEGY 6: Regulate Before You Schedule
If you try to plan your week while in a stress spiral, you’re just writing anxiety into your calendar.
Before you do your fall planning, take 5–10 minutes to regulate:
Walk barefoot in your yard (For real: go touch grass.)
4-7-8 or Box (4x4x4x4) breathing
Shake your arms out
Put on your “I’m a competent adult” playlist and have a personal dance party
🧘♀️ Research from Porges (2011) shows that co-regulation and somatic grounding are essential precursors to executive functioning. Get your nervous system online before you try to organize your life.
STRATEGY 7: Implement the “Two-Track Task” System
Some days you have high energy and can conquer your to-do list. Other days, it’s “maybe I’ll brush my teeth and cry in bed.”
Instead of fighting it, build a two-track task system:
Track A: High-executive-function tasks (e.g., proposals, deep work)
Track B: Low-executive-function tasks (e.g., copying receipts, unsubscribing from junk mail)
OR
Create two tracks based on your energy level:
Track A: High energy - focus on the tasks that often get cast aside when your energy starts to wane. This might be email, correspondence, organizational tasks, or even cleaning
Track B: Low energy - the work that you like to do, which might actually be research, planning…things that often get categorized as “deep work.”
Each morning, check in: “Which track am I on today?” or “What’s my energy level today?” Then choose accordingly.
📌 ADHD-friendly productivity coach René Brooks (Black Girl Lost Keys) recommends this kind of flexible productivity model as “anti-perfectionism in action.”
STRATEGY 8: Turn Transitions Into Rituals
Transitions are hard for ADHDers—between tasks, roles, or environments. That’s because our brains don’t shift gears easily (Barkley, 2023).
🔄 Create micro-rituals:
Light a candle to start your workday
Use a hype song to transition between client sessions
Walk around the block when switching from parent mode to work mode
These cues help your brain reorient, reduce inertia, and regulate nervous system response.
SPECIAL SECTION: ADHD FALL STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS
If you’re a parent, this season hits extra hard.
You're managing not only your own transition, but also your kids’ schedules, emotions, and probably a mountain of forms, fees, and forgotten library books.
Here’s how to make back-to-school less chaotic and more connected:
🧭 Anchor Your Family Routine
Instead of trying to run a perfectly-timed schedule, build a family rhythm with:
Morning launch pads and afternoon landing pads (backpack, water bottle, shoes) IN ONE SPOT. Everything gets dropped off in that same spot at the end of the day
After-school decompress time with a snack
Evening wind-down rituals (same order, every night)
Visual schedules or checklists can reduce your cognitive load and help kids become more independent.
✨ Instagram therapist @theotbutmakeitcute uses “storyboard” routines with her ADHD kids—stick figures + speech bubbles to illustrate the sequence of daily events. It’s genius.
⏰ Use “The 15-Minute Rule”
Give yourself 15 minutes before each major transition to:
Prep emotionally
Pack snacks, meds, or whatever else is needed - remember your emergency med kit!
Shift gears
This buffer helps you respond, not react. It also gives your kids time to adjust too—especially if they’re also neurodivergent.
💬 Narrate Your Own Regulation
When you model emotional regulation and task shifting out loud, your kids learn from it.
Try:
“Okay, my brain is feeling a little scrambled. I’m going to do 5 deep breaths and write down my next step before I keep going.”
Kids learn most by watching what we do—and hearing how we get there.
💖 Practice Graceful Imperfection
You are not failing if:
You forget a permission slip
You rely on frozen meals or convenience foods
Your kid wears mismatched socks
Your laundry is in organized piles rather than folded and put away
Fall is overwhelming, and ADHD brains are doing a lot behind the scenes.
When things fall apart, try this reframe:
“Is this a crisis—or just a Wednesday?”
Most of the time, it’s the latter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Fall can feel like a reset—or a trap.
The difference lies in how we approach it.
Instead of chasing a fantasy version of productivity, try building a fall routine that:
Aligns with your real energy and goals
Builds in regulation and reward
Protects your peace
Includes joy, creativity, and connection
Because let’s be clear: we’re done pathologizing ADHD as broken.
It means different.
And different can be powerful when you have the right systems, support, and self-trust.
—
If you’re ready to build a personalized ADHD routine this fall—without the shame spiral—I’d love to support you.
💌 Reach out for 1:1 coaching or check out our ADHD Visionary Leaders program at here.
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
We’ve got tools.
We’ve got community.
We’ve got pumpkin-scented candles and body doubling Zooms.
Let’s make this fall work for your brain.
REFERENCES & SOURCES
Barkley, R. A. (2023). Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. Guilford Press.
Brown, T. E. (2005). Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults. Yale University Press
Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168.
Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (2021). ADHD 2.0. Ballantine Books.
Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory. Norton.
Sleeper-Triplett, J. (2010). Empowering Youth with ADHD: Your Guide to Coaching Adolescents and Young Adults for Coaches, Parents, and Professionals. Specialty Press.
Reddit: r/ADHD threads on seasonal resets and life admin days
TikTok creators: @the_mini_adhd_coach, @howtoadhd, @theotbutmakeitcute
Brooks, R. (Black Girl Lost Keys), blog & podcast on ADHD + productivity
