Not Another Aimless ADHD Summer - How to Make the Most of the Season
By Catherine Mutti-Driscoll, MA, PhD, CALC
Summer holds such promise, doesn’t it?! There is no other season that screams fun, freedom, and personal interests more than summer!
On the other hand, summer can pose challenges for some of us with ADHD as our routines erode and external structure vanishes. Disappointment can set in as very few of our initially exuberant summer ideas are realized….
So what is an ADHDer to do? As someone who has often struggled with summertime both before and after I had children, I am trying to recognize the fun seasonal opportunities while strategizing the challenges arising from lack of external structure. For many of us, this paradoxical experience can make us feel a bit off and directionless. How can we regain a feeling of groundedness, support, and accountability? How can we find the motivation to propel ourselves forward on our personal interests and goals when structures that we relied upon throughout other parts of the year fall away? How can we just plain have FUN and enjoy the flexibility of the season?
Here are a few ideas of my ideas for you to chew on:
First, you can take a class, join a group for accountability, or do summer coaching/therapy to manage summer’s lack of structure. For example, I am planning to work on writing and so I will be joining a class at the Hugo House in Seattle! Other options are joining a summer accountability group like this one or subscribing to services like Focusmate if you prefer the one-on-one dynamic. Finally, some people choose to continue ADHD coaching or therapy in the summer rather so that they can have someone to check in with about their goals and self care routines. On this note, Did you know that we have started a NEW coaching only service here at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center-Seattle?
Second, are there any summer changes in routine that you could leverage to structure a positive summer experience? For me, I am looking forward to a slower morning start and am hoping to use this extra time to experiment with a lengthier morning routine that includes morning pages, a well-known creativity generating tool (ala The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron). Other ideas could be to create a grounding checklist of coping skills (ala Dr. Faith Harper) or a Dopamenu (ala Jessica McCabe) to help manage your emotions and interests as your schedule changes.
Third, how can you enjoy the pleasures of the season, and create some summer fun? For me, summer means beach reading (if you love romance too, join me for a summer book club!), grilling and camping out in the backyard, and having more picnics! I like the excuse to buy a new swimsuit, lounge outside, and make my own popsicles! Goals can be fun, not just hard work! How can you bring some playful, fun or silly summer goals to life? :-)
I hope these tips are helpful for you, and that they give you a jumping off point for brainstorming a summer that will compliment your ADHD! If we can support you in having a wonderful summer, please do not hesitate to reach out to us about our ADHD classes, groups, and services :-)
Our summer ADHD groups are hosted online and available to people across the country. You do not need to be an existing client to take part.