🎙️ Episode Title: ADHD & Energy Management: The Spoon Theory, Explained

💥 Summary:In this episode of Authentically ADHD, we're digging deep into something that hits WAY too close to home for many of us: energy management. You know that frustrating gap between what you want to do and what your brain/body will actually let you do? Yeah, that.

Enter: The Spoon Theory—a simple yet powerful metaphor that helps explain why ADHDers often feel completely wiped after doing things that seem “easy” to neurotypicals (like answering emails or… existing).

We'll break down:

* 🥄 What “spoons” actually are (and no, this isn’t about your silverware drawer)

* ⚡ Why people with ADHD have an inconsistent energy battery and how that affects motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation

* 🧠 The neuroscience behind burnout, decision fatigue, and overstimulation in ADHD brains

* 🧃 How to create your own daily “spoon budget” to avoid crashing before noon

* 🧰 Coping strategies to recharge your spoons, preserve your energy, and set boundaries without guilt

Expect metaphors, real-life examples, sarcasm (obviously), and some truth bombs you didn’t know you needed. This is your permission slip to stop feeling lazy—and start honoring your unique brain-body energy loop.

✨ Because you don’t lack willpower—you’re just out of spoons, babe.

In this episode of Authentically ADHD, host Carmen dives into the powerful productivity hack of body doubling – a strategy that can help ADHDers stay focused, overcome procrastination, and actually get stuff done. Body doubling isn’t just about sitting next to a friend while you work (though that definitely helps!); it’s about harnessing the presence of another person, tool, or environment to provide external structure and motivation for your ADHD brain.

Carmen explores the science behind why body doubling works, focusing on the role dopamine plays in task initiation and focus. From in-person body doubling to virtual co-working sessions, group productivity, passive presence, and even using apps and timers, this episode covers multiple ways to implement body doubling in your life.

Through personal anecdotes, actionable tips, and a deep dive into the neuroscience behind it all, Carmen offers listeners practical, creative ideas for incorporating body doubling into their daily routines. Whether you're struggling with that looming to-do list or just need a productivity boost, this episode will give you the tools you need to find your focus and crush those tasks with a little help from your "focus buddies."

If you’ve ever found it hard to start or stick with a task, this episode is for you. Tune in and discover how body doubling can become your secret weapon in the battle against procrastination!

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who could use a productivity boost too!

Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/carmen_irace

Join Focused: https://ihaveadhdllc.ontralink.com/t?orid=29951&opid=1

Sources & Further Reading

* Healthline – Body Doubling for ADHD: What Is It and How Does It Work?

* PsychCentral – ADHD Body Doubling: What It Is and How It Works

* Focusmate Blog – How a Body Double Can Help You Stay Productive and Accountable

* Medical News Today – Body Doubling for ADHD

Focusmate – Using Forest App for ADHD

BONUS EPISODE

Back-to-School Brain: Why This Season Feels Like a Mental Marathon and 7 Strategies to Survive It

The back-to-school season is here, and if you have ADHD (or love someone who does), you might already feel that familiar cocktail of excitement, dread, and complete mental overload. This isn’t just about buying supplies or setting the alarm earlier — for ADHD brains, this transition is a full-on neurobiological workout.

In this bonus episode of Authentically ADHD, I’m breaking down exactly why the shift from summer to school hits us so hard and how you can navigate it without completely burning out.

Why Back-to-School is Hard for ADHD Brains

Research shows that ADHD impacts the brain’s executive function systems — the skills that help us plan, prioritize, and transition between tasks. Back-to-school season cranks up the demand on those systems and throws in:

* New schedules that disrupt routines and sleep cycles

* Sensory overload from noisy classrooms, bright lights, and bustling hallways

* Social energy drain from navigating new people and group settings

* Working memory strain from keeping track of deadlines, materials, and daily logistics

Add in performance pressure and the emotional load of change, and no wonder we end up mentally fried before the first bell rings.

The 7 Strategies to Survive (and Even Thrive)

In this episode, I share seven ADHD-friendly, research-backed strategies that help ease the transition:

* Front-Load Familiarity – Give your brain a preview to reduce uncertainty.

* Build Transition Buffers – Allow downtime between tasks to recharge.

* Externalize Everything – Use tools and visuals so your working memory doesn’t have to hold it all.

* Prioritize Regulation Before Learning – Calm the nervous system first for better focus.

* Pre-Pack and Stage – Reduce morning decision fatigue.

* Use Environmental Cues – Let your surroundings help prompt action.

* Compassion as a Strategy – Give yourself grace; the adjustment takes time.

Key Takeaway

Back-to-school isn’t just a change in location — it’s a neurological event for ADHD brains. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s creating systems and supports that work with your brain’s wiring, not against it.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the shift, this episode is your permiss

ion slip to slow down, simplify, and celebrate the small wins.

🎧 Listen now: Authentically ADHD PodcastFollow on Instagram: @authenticallyadhd_podcast