10 Game-Changing Tips for Managing the Mental Load with ADHD

Thanks to Understood.org for sponsoring today’s video. If you haven’t heard of Understood.org, it’s an incredible resource that’s helped me and so many others better understand ADHD. It’s been one of my favorite resources for YEARS! It’s packed with tools, articles, and support. Seriously, if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should: http://www.understood.org Check out my interview on ADHD Aha! https://lnk.to/adhdahajc!youtube I recently sat down with Laura Key on the ADHD Aha! podcast to talk all about life as a new mom with ADHD. We dive into the unique challenges, how my ADHD has shifted, and the strategies I’m using to cope. It’s real, it’s honest, and I hope it helps! Hello, Brains! Today, we're diving into something a lot of us with ADHD struggle with—mental load. You know, that never-ending to-do list in your brain that makes you feel like you're juggling a million things at once? Yeah, that! I’m super excited to have Laura Key from the ADHD Aha! Podcast and Understood.org join me to talk about why mental load is so exhausting, especially for those of us with ADHD. So if you’ve ever felt like your brain is on overdrive, this one’s for you! #UnderstoodPartner #ADHD #MentalHealth If you’re interested in the Fair Play system that I mentioned we’re using in my household, you can check that out here: Book: https://amzn.to/46QHmBC Deck: https://amzn.to/46QHAbW Support us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/howtoadhd Buy my book!! https://howtoadhdbook.com Check out our website: https://howtoadhd.com Follow us on all the things: Twitter: http://twitter.com/howtoadhd TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@howtoadhd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtoadhd/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/howtoadhd Our Merch Shop: http://shop.howtoadhd.com Need translation? Learn how to turn on auto-translated captions here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15iLAHI7FPdum964u3n8_RsUb0QTEXc66p-RhTmvjpb8/edit?usp=sharing Jessica McCabe is not a licensed mental health provider, but information presented on How to ADHD is reviewed by researchers and approved by licensed clinical psychologist Patrick LaCount, PhD (https://practicalpsychservices.com). While information presented on How to ADHD has historically been built in consultation with researchers and licensed providers, videos posted prior to April 2023 were not subjected to the same formal approval process required by the YouTube Health program. For more information on the YouTube Health program and verification of health-related content, please visit: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9795167 This video description may contain affiliate links. If you click on one of them and make a purchase I'll receive a commission. Music credits: "Life of Riley", "The Show Must Be Go” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ What's in this video: 00:00 Introduction 01:41 Guest Introduction: Laura Key from ADHD Aha! 02:50 What We Mean When We Say Mental Load 04:20 Impact of Mental Load on ADHD 04:48 What is Working Memory? 07:21 What is Emotional Dysregulation? 17:27 Strategies To Lighten the Mental Load 17:47 Strategy #1: Offer Choices 19:28 Strategy #2: Externalize As Much As Possible 21:36 Strategy #3: Create Visual Cues 22:20 Strategy #4: Have Less Stuff To Manage (At Once) 24:16 Strategy #5: Set reminders 25:45 Strategy #6: Delegate Entire Areas of Responsibility 27:42 Strategies To Manage the Emotional Dysregulation 28:09 Strategy #7: Be Kind To Yourself 28:54 Strategy #8: Get Sleep! 29:28 Strategy #9: Get Some Perspective 30:03 Strategy #10: Adjust Your Standards/Expectations