I’m mildly embarassed to say that my life for the past few years has had litle-to-no structure. I’ve been trying to change that for so long now, and before I got diagnosed with ADHD I didn’t really know why I was running into so many hurdles. This year, it all started to make more sense, why I had such trouble starting difficult tasks and stopping ones that I was really immersed in, and why I haven’t been able to do the same thing at the same time every day for my entire life. I have felt for a long time that other adults maybe don’t live this chaotically, and while I haven’t polled everyone, I do think that maybe there’s a more optimal way for me to live. Admittedly, right now, I am not having much success in sticking to a schedule, even with my meds. But I have learned a few tricks the past few months that I’ve started to employ, so this is going to be my attempt to create and follow a routine to the best of my ability.

The first few things I’ve learned that have helped me cope better with ADHD are: setting timers, getting exercise in every day, and meal-prepping so that when I am starving, I don’t just turn to the less healthy options in the fridge. I also have a little pup to keep in mind, and so incorporating some predictability in her day has become important, which means daily walks and time for her to get her zoomies out in the backyard. Based on those learnings and the new little creature I’m caring for in my daily life, here’s the schedule I’m going to try to stick to for at least a week, and make changes if it’s warranted. Thanks for following along on my realistic day-in-the-life of an ADHD adult struggling with routine.

Weekdays:

MWF: Work from home

4am - 6am: Wake up with pup, go outside first thing to pee and back inside for playtime. Breakfast at 5:30am with kitties.

6:30am: Husband wakes up to get ready for work. Help him gather his food & drinks for the day while keeping an eye on the pup

7:00am: Husband leaves for work, Ember is usually pretty sleepy, so this is when I start work— check emails & basecamp, and write a to-do list for the day.

8:00am: Make breakfast & take meds

9:00am - 9:15am: Ember usually wakes up from her nap, she and I go outside for a little potty break and some playtime in the backyard.

9:15am: Check back in on work, get dressed for the day.

9:30am - 10:00am: Get Ember’s harness on and go for her first walk of the day (she’s only 12 weeks so our walks are not long at this point).

10:00am - 12:00pm: Ember is sequestered in the living room playing while I continue some more work

12:00pm - 12:15pm: Ember gets playtime in the backyard, Ember eats lunch.

12:15pm - 1:00pm: Eat lunch

1:00pm - 1:30pm: Ember 2nd walk of the day.

1:30pm - 3:30pm: Ember naps & plays while I do work and get in some steps on the walking pad

3:30pm - 3:45pm: Ember gets playtime in the backyard

3:45pm - 5:00pm: Ember plays inside while I finish work for the day

Tuesdays: Work in the office, Ember is with friends

4am - 6am: Wake up with pup, go outside first thing to pee and back inside for playtime. Breakfast at 5:30am with kitties

6:30am: Husband wakes up to get ready for work. Help him gather his food & drinks for the day while keeping an eye on the pup

7:00am: Husband leaves for work, Ember is usually pretty sleepy, so this is when I start work— check emails & basecamp, and write a to-do list for the day.

8:00am: Make breakfast & take meds

9:00am - 9:15am: Ember usually wakes up from her nap, she and I go outside for a little potty break and soeme playtime in the backyard.

9:15am: Check back in on work, get dressed for the day & pack up Ember’s to-go bag

9:30am: Leave for Seattle to drop Ember in Madison Park with a friend for the afternoon

10am -10:30am: Commute from Madison Park to Capitol Hill, includes time for parking and walking to the office.

10:30am - 2:00pm: Work in Capitol Hill, Ember has lunch @ 12pm

2:00pm - 2:20pm: Pick up Ember in Madison Park

2:20pm - 3:00pm: Commute back to Bellevue

3:00pm - 5:00pm: Take Ember out back, continue to work for the rest of the day

Thursday: Work in the office, Ember is with family

4am - 6am: Wake up with pup, go outside first thing to pee and back inside for playtime

6:30am: Husband wakes up to get ready for work. Help him gather his food & drinks for the day while keeping an eye on the pup

7:00am: Husband leaves for work, Ember is usually pretty sleepy, so this is when I start work— check emails & basecamp, and write a to-do list for the day.

7:30am - 8:00am: Make breakfast & take meds. Take Ember out for a potty break

8:00am: Check back in on work, get dressed for the day & pack up Ember’s to-go bag

8:15am - 9:00am: Head to Seattle to drop Ember in Wedgwood with my mom for the day

9:00am -9:30am: Commute from Wedgwood to Capitol Hill, includes time for parking and walking to the office.

10:30am - 4:00pm: Work in Capitol Hill, Ember has lunch @ 12pm

4:00pm - 4:45pm: Commute to pick up Ember in Wedgwood

5:00pm - 6:00pm: Commute back to Bellevue

6:00pm - 7:00pm: Check emails, finish up last of work

Sundays

4am - 6am: Wake up with pup, go outside first thing to pee and back inside for playtime.

7:00am: Husband wakes up to get ready for work. Help him gather his food & drinks for the day while keeping an eye on the pup

7:30am - 8:00am: Have coffee, make breakfast & take meds. Take Ember out for a potty break

8:00am - 9:30am: Work on the blog, update blog socials, Ember playtime / nap time inside

9:30am - 10:00am: Make a meal prep list for the week and order groceries

10:00am - 10:30am: Ember goes out to play in the yard

10:30 - 12:00: Walking pad while watching a movie & waiting for groceries

12:00pm - 12:15pm: Put away groceries, feed Ember lunch @ 12pm

12:15pm - 1:00pm: Wash and cut produce for the week

1:00pm - 1:30pm: Ember walk

1:30pm - 3:30pm: Make grains, cook any vegetables or baked goods for the week

3:30pm - 4:00pm: Ember playtime in the yard

4:00pm - 5:00pm: Make dinner & put on a cozy show in the background

5:00 - 7:00pm: Hang with the hubs