Hi Reader,
Sometimes the hardest part of ADHD isn't starting. It's switching
- Switching from one task to another.
- Switching after an interruption.
- Switching when the plan changes.
- Switching when someone asks you a question in the middle of what you’re doing.
- Switching when you had one picture in your head and now the picture has changed.
From the outside, these moments often look small.
A coworker asks a quick question.
Your partner changes the order of errands.
A meeting gets moved.
Someone says, “Actually, can we leave earlier?”
A child needs something right when you were about to start another task.
Small moment. Small change.
But for an ADHD brain, it may not feel small at all.
Because often what gets disrupted isn’t just the activity.
It’s the mental setup around the activity.
You may have already:
- pictured the sequence
- held the next few steps in your mind
- mentally transitioned into the task
- prepared yourself for what was coming next
And now your brain has to do a bunch of extra work.
- It has to stop the old plan.
- Let go of the expectation.
- Build the new sequence.
- Shift attention.
- Emotionally adjust.
That takes executive function.
This shows up with interruptions too.
You’re in the middle of something.
Someone says, “Hey, quick question…”
You answer.
Then you turn back and realize you’ve lost the thread.
What were you doing?
What was the next step?
Where were you in the sequence?
Now you’re not just returning to the task.
You’re trying to rebuild your place in it.
That’s why a quick interruption can sometimes cost much more than 20 seconds it took to answer, but 20 minutes of hard brain energy work to get back to where you were.
It helps to understand what kind of “switch” you’re dealing with.
Is it:
- a working memory switch?
I lost the thread.
- a plan-change switch?
I had one plan in my head and now I need a new one.
- an attention switch?
I got pulled away and now I can’t get back in.
- an emotional switch?
The change frustrated me and now I’m stuck there.
Once you understand the kind of switch, the support gets clearer.
A few things that can help:
- jot down the next step before switching
- say “give me 30 seconds”
- use headphones or a closed-door signal when you need focus
- leave yourself a visual breadcrumb
- finish the micro-step before answering
- ask for the new plan clearly and in sequence
- give yourself a minute to mentally shift instead of forcing an instant pivot
- use a quick phrase like:
“Okay, the plan changed. What’s first now?”
That last one matters.
Because sometimes the most useful thing is not asking:
“Why is this so hard for me?”
It’s asking:
“What kind of switch is my brain trying to make right now?”
ADHD Awareness Month is a good reminder that ADHD is about much more than attention. Sometimes the real challenge is the transition.
When you understand this is as play, you can start building better support around them.
As always, love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts or questions, I personally answer anyone who replies.
Warmest Regards,
Heidi
