From Overwhelming to Overcoming: Managing ADHD and Burnout in the Workplace
Burnout doesn’t always show up with bright lights and flashing red sirens.
Sometimes, it creeps in quietly—like the heaviness in your chest when you open your laptop, or the way you start counting down the hours before the day even starts.
Maybe you’re pushing hard to move up the corporate ladder.
Maybe you’re just trying to get through the week without everything falling apart.
But somewhere along the way, your energy started fading.
You find yourself zoning out during meetings, dreading emails, feeling like no matter how much effort you put in, it’s never quite enough. You used to care. You used to have ambition, plans, a sense of purpose. Now? Most days, it just feels like you're on survival mode.
And if you have ADHD (diagnosed or not), this type of burnout hits different.
When ADHD and Burnout Collide
Burnout doesn’t always look dramatic from the outside.
Sometimes, it’s just you—staring at your inbox, feeling your chest tighten. It’s opening the same tab five times and forgetting why you did. It’s missing a deadline you swore you wouldn’t miss this time.
“It’s easy to miss the connection between ADHD & burnout when you’re just trying to keep your head above water. ”
You might catch yourself thinking, Why’s this so hard for me? Why can’t I just do the thing? Respond to the email?
Meanwhile, everyone else seems to be going about their workday.
But ADHD has a way of showing up in small, relentless ways that can start to wear you down.
Like how you sit down to tackle your to-do list... but can’t figure out where to start.
Or how a five-minute task turns into a sprawled-out mess, that hangs over your head for days.
Or the way your brain flips between laser focus and total shutdown—with often no (or very little) warning.
You spend so much time trying—to remember, to stay on task, to act like you’re not overwhelmed—
that just making it through the day feels like a full-time job. And eventually, all that internal pressure, all that invisible effort, starts to take a toll. You stop feeling capable. You start doubting yourself.
But if this sounds familiar—know that you’re not the only one. And none of this means you're failing (even if you feel like you are).
What ADHD burnout actually looks like
It’s not just being tired. It’s a type of deep exhaustion that makes everything feel heavier.
And it’s hard to explain to people who don’t share the experience. Let’s break it down:
Mentally + EmotionallyKnowing what needs to get done but feeling completely paralyzed by the idea of starting
A ten-minute task that you “should be able to do”—and the shame that builds around it
Constant tiredness, even when you’ve slept
Feeling wired and heavy at the same time
Inner dialogue like, I’m just bad at this. I can’t keep up. Maybe I’m not cut out for this job—or any job. Maybe I need to change careers.
At WorkZoning out in meetings so deeply that you miss half of what’s being said
Getting snappy with coworkers, and immediately beating yourself up about it
Spending way too long on one small task, and panicking to finish everything else you didn’t do
Saying “I’m fine” when you really aren’t
In Your BodyTight chest, buzzing thoughts, tension you can’t shake
Headaches, stomach issues, or just a worn-out, can’t-get-off-the-couch kind of feeling
Your body quietly telling you: I’m not okay, even if your mind is still trying to push through
In RelationshipsPulling away from coworkers, friends, and even people you love
Leaving messages unread, not because you don’t care—but because you just can’t deal right now
Stopping the routines or small things that used to help
Wanting connection but also needing everyone to leave you alone
This isn’t because you’re “bad at life.” This is being burnt-out. And when ADHD gets thrown into the mix, we need to keep that in mind when we’re figuring out how to move forward, sustainably.
How to start coping when burnout runs deep
If you’ve been living with patterns like perfectionism, masking, or people-pleasing for a long time, you’ve probably already heard the usual advice: get more rest, lower your standards, take your breaks.
You know all those things in theory. But in practice? They feel hard to actually implement. Because it’s not just about being tired. It’s about not knowing how to stop burning yourself out without everything else unraveling.
So if you’re burnt out and not sure how to come back from it, here are a few gentle ways to start.
Schedule breaks—don’t wait to feel ready.
If your body doesn’t naturally tell you when it’s time to pause, build it into your day.
Ten-minute timers. Block it off like a meeting in your calendar. Something visual or external that gives you permission to step away before you crash.
Use tools to automate & reduce mental load.
When your executive functioning is running on fumes, even simple tasks feel unmanageable.
Let AI or other apps do the heavy lifting. Use a sticky note, an alarm—whatever takes the pressure off remembering and organizing everything in your head, even if it’s temporary.
Work with someone who can help you understand your patterns.
The deeper stuff – like perfectionism, urgency, pushing through limits - usually comes from somewhere.
A therapist can help you gently explore what’s driving those patterns and find ways to work with them.
Make one thing easier.
Don’t start with what’s ideal. Start with what’s doable.
Maybe it’s getting pre-chopped veggies. Or eating the same lunch every day for a week.
Maybe it’s choosing one consistent task to anchor your day.
It doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective.
This kind of change takes time.
You’re not going to undo years of coping in a week—and you don’t need to.
But you can start interrupting the burnout cycle.
With the right support, and a little structure that actually fits how your brain works.
When to reach out for support
You don’t need to wait for things to fall apart before reaching out.
And you don’t need to have the perfect words to explain what’s going on.
If you’re feeling stuck, or like you’re carrying more than you can manage—support can help.
Not to fix you. Not to make you work harder.
But to help you feel less alone in all of this. To get curious about the patterns you’re caught in. And to build something that works for your brain and your life.
Whenever you’re ready, we’re here.
At WillowBee Psychotherapy, our therapists have a combination of lived & professional experience with ADHD to start helping you create more space to breathe and strike balance in your life.
This blog post was originally written by Bianca Cutro, and updated by Toni Caverly (MA, RP) in April, 2025.
