Some days you wake up tired. Some days you wake up tired of everything.
If you’re a stay-at-home mom with ADHD, low-energy days can hit hard. Maybe you didn’t sleep well, your to-do list is a mile long, and just the thought of making another decision makes you want to melt into the couch. The mental fog is thick, the dishes are loud, and your brain is doing that thing where it knows there’s a fire somewhere—but not where to aim the hose.
You’re not lazy, love. You’re overwhelmed. And it’s okay.
Today’s post is for the stuck days. The low-energy, zero-motivation, why-do-I-even-try kind of days. Here’s how I gently move through them without spiraling—and how you can too.
1. Name the Feeling Out Loud
Instead of pretending you’re okay, say it:
“I’m overwhelmed.”
“I’m tired and mentally foggy.”
“Today is a low-energy day.”
Speaking it out loud helps your brain process what’s happening instead of fighting against it. You don’t have to “power through” every time. Noticing your state is step one to shifting it.
2. Let Yourself Land Softly
Give yourself permission to not perform. When you’re stuck in the freeze of overwhelm, the worst thing you can do is judge yourself for it.
💬 Try saying: “This isn’t forever. I’m allowed to slow down today.”
Start by removing pressure. Take a moment to literally lay down, cry, breathe, journal, or stare at the ceiling. That pause is not procrastination—it’s a reset.
Pro Tip – Be intentional about keeping the screen off. Just like a glass of wine or a quick fix, it can numb you out and distract you from what’s really going on underneath. Give your brain space to feel, not just scroll.
3. Pick One “Lifeline Task”
Forget the 38 things on your master to-do list. Pick one thing—just one—that would make you feel a tiny bit more functional. I call these lifeline tasks.
Some of mine:
- Brushing my teeth and washing my face
- Making my bed so I’m less tempted to crawl back in
- Throwing away one piece of trash from the counter.
- Loading the dishwasher
- Drinking a full glass of water
- Changing your shirt
Ask yourself: What’s the smallest action that would help me feel a little better? Then do that, and celebrate it like you just ran a marathon. The goal isn’t productivity—it’s traction. Once your brain gets a mini win, it might be open to another.
4. Use the “Lighthouse Method”
When you feel stuck and lost at sea, you don’t need a map—you need a light.
Visualize one thing that usually gives you energy or comfort:
☕ Tea time alone
🎧 A 90s throwback playlist
🧺 Baking cookies or a box mix cake
🚶🏽♀️ A walk with your favorite podcast
Treat it like your lighthouse and let it guide you gently out of the fog. Not to be productive, but to reconnect to yourself.
5. Use the “3 Things” Rule
On low-energy days, I reduce everything to this:
- One thing to move my body.
- One thing to move my space.
- One thing to move my mindset.
That could look like:
- Doing 10 wall pushups (body).
- Starting a load of laundry (space).
- Saying “I’m doing the best I can today” out loud (mindset).
Keep it small. Keep it gentle. Let those shifts ripple.
6. Allow the Imperfection
This is the hardest and most important part:
Let today be what it is.
Let the house be messier. Let the kids watch an extra episode. Let yourself rest without guilt. You’re not ruining your life because you need to lay down or because the mental clutter feels louder than usual. These days don’t define you—they’re just a part of your rhythm.
7. Use a “Feel Better Later” List
Sometimes we don’t know what helps until we’re too deep in the fog to find it. That’s why I keep a “Feel Better Later” list in my Notes app. It’s filled with tiny things that have helped me on past low days:
- Wash my face
- Go outside barefoot
- Put on a podcast I love
- Light a candle
- Dance to a throwback playlist
- Text someone “Today is hard.”
Having a pre-written list of lifelines means I don’t have to think—I just choose.
8. End the Day with a Reset Ritual
If the day felt messy and heavy, don’t just collapse into it. Mark the end.
Light a candle. Say a prayer. Do one reset task—wipe a counter, take a shower, put your phone down and stretch.
Then say something kind to yourself:
“Today was hard, but I made it through.”
“I showed up in the best way I could.”
“Tomorrow can be different.”
Final Thoughts:
You’re not behind. You’re human.
ADHD doesn’t come with predictable rhythms, and motherhood doesn’t either. Some days we’re on fire and crushing it. Other days, we’re just trying to keep the fire in the toaster from spreading. Both kinds of days deserve compassion.
If today is a low-energy ADHD mom day, know this: you are still a good mom. You are still making progress, even if it doesn’t look like it. And you are allowed to rest.
Hold the vision, trust the process,
Lynne
