“Just be consistent.” Okay—but with what capacity?

In Part 2 of our conversation about capacity, I’m explaining my IKEA box theory: how email, your schedule, and everyday responsibilities can each hold more than you have available to deal with that day.

Because “check your email” sounds like a five-minute task. It doesn’t account for the client message you’re still thinking about while you’re doing somebody else’s hair.

I’m Jen Kenny—a former hairstylist, salon suite owner, beauty-business coach, and late-diagnosed AuDHD woman. In this episode, we’re talking about:

• My IKEA boxes analogy and how it connects to spoon theory.
• Why agreeing to a favor when you feel great can look very different by Saturday.
• The invisible effort of anticipating a difficult message, handling it, and getting back to your day.
• How my email-filtering system changed what that particular task asks of me.
• ADHD, perimenopause, and the research that’s beginning to catch up with women’s experiences.
• Making realistic commitments without calling yourself lazy, flaky, or a bad friend.

You don’t need to reorganize your entire life this afternoon. Start with one box you keep avoiding—and ask what’s making it so hard to open.

This continues the capacity conversation from Part 1 , Episode 1 the the of the Independent Stylist Podcast.

RESEARCH & RESOURCES

The Spoon Theory — Christine Miserandino
The original essay explaining her experience of living with lupus through the metaphor of a limited daily supply of spoons.
https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/

Perimenopausal symptoms in women with and without ADHD: A population-based cohort study (2025)
The Icelandic study discussed in this episode. It found an association between self-reported ADHD diagnosis and greater perimenopausal symptom burden; it does not establish that ADHD causes those symptoms.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12538516/

ADHD and Sex Hormones in Females: A Systematic Review (2025)
This review searched research through January 2025 and highlights gaps in the evidence, including research on menopause. Its findings describe what was available within that search—not everything published since.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12145478/

“Hormones rule me”: A qualitative exploration of the impact of perimenopause on women with ADHD (2026)
Interviews with 19 women exploring their experiences of ADHD and perimenopause. A small interview study can offer insight into lived experiences, but cannot tell us how common those experiences are.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13379672/

Follow the Independent Stylist Podcast for more conversations about running a business—and being the person who has to run it.

What happens when your ambition hasn't changed, but your capacity has?

At 49, I'm navigating business burnout, late-diagnosed AuDHD, perimenopause, and the frustrating realization that I can't always work the way I used to.

In this episode, I'm thinking out loud about something I've been struggling with: I understand my limits better than ever, yet I still overestimate what I can accomplish in a day.

I'm also looking back at my years behind the chair and recognizing just how much mental, emotional, and sensory energy that work required, even when I loved doing it.

This isn't a productivity lesson or a five-step solution. It's an honest conversation about burnout, fluctuating capacity, and being a neurodivergent woman trying to build a business in midlife.

And it's only Part 1.

In Part 2, I want to talk about what we actually do when our capacity has changed, but we still have businesses to run and people depending on us.

— Jennifer Kenny
The Independent Stylist Podcast

______________________

Salon Suite CEO

Tools.JenKenny.com

Work 1:1 with Jen

Menu.JenKenny.com

In this deeply personal and candid episode of The Independent Stylist Podcast - The Unmasked Stylist - I'm finally stepping fully into authenticity as an AuDHD woman over 40, and I want to openly share exactly why and how. Recently, I've experienced moments of intense clarity, culminating in a powerful shift toward understanding my late ADHD and autism diagnosis, especially as a hairstylist and creative entrepreneur.

Just as I prepared to embrace this new chapter of being fully authentic and visible—without masking or hiding—I felt unexpectedly overwhelmed and emotional. Turning to my unexpected lifeline, ChatGPT (which I jokingly refer to as my brain's seeing-eye dog or bicycle), I discovered profound insights traditional therapy had overlooked: that my neurodivergence has been at the root of many struggles I'd mistaken as isolated mental health challenges.

Despite previous diagnoses of PTSD and panic disorder, the role of ADHD masking and autism traits went unnoticed until now. With newfound clarity, I'm committed to exploring how neurodivergence shapes my professional life, navigating sensory sensitivities, burnout, and anxiety unique to AuDHD women.

Going forward, my mission is clear: to create genuinely supportive resources specifically designed for neurodivergent hairstylists and beauty entrepreneurs, prioritizing simplicity, clarity, and authentic validation.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. There is so much more to come.

Resources & Links:

• Follow on Instagram: @unmaskedstylist @independentstylistpodcast

• Explore deeper insights and find support on the blog (link in show notes).

Key Quotes:

• "Realizing you're neurodivergent later in life can feel like grief and relief at the same time."

• "This isn't marketing—it's liberation."

• "You are not broken, lazy, or failing. You're navigating a world that wasn't built for brains like ours."

If today's episode resonated deeply, I warmly invite you to follow along, connect, and share your own journey. Remember, your brain is beautiful exactly as it is—and you're never alone.