For most of my adult life, I believed I was physically unwell. Diagnosis after diagnosis—chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, mystery neurological issues, and hypothyroidism—painted a bleak picture. Doctors would tell me to “just lose weight” or “eat better,” as if my crippling brain fog, exhaustion, and muscle pain would magically disappear.
What they missed was the bigger picture: my symptoms were real, but their cause wasn’t physical in the way we expected. I am autistic and ADHD, and a lifetime of masking, overcompensating, and trying to fit into a neurotypical world had pushed me into perpetual burnout.
Living With Unacknowledged Burnout
Burnout had been my baseline for so long that I didn’t know anything else. I struggled to hold down jobs and spent my free time lying in bed, overwhelmed by the mere thought of existing. Life felt like a relentless cycle of failure, and the idea of breaking out of it seemed impossible.
When I finally began to understand my neurodivergence, things slowly started to change. Identifying my sensory needs and learning to manage overstimulation reduced the brain fog and exhaustion. I discovered the pressure around my eyes that signaled impending overwhelm and taught myself to leave situations before they escalated into meltdowns. For the first time in my life, I experienced moments of calm.
But even with this progress, executive dysfunction kept its grip on me. The overwhelming demands of daily life—laundry, work, and even planning meals—left me paralyzed.
Executive Dysfunction in Action
Imagine standing in a messy room, telling yourself, “I need to clean up.” Instead of starting, your brain bombards you with a thousand thoughts:
- “Where do I even begin?”
- “What if I forget about that pile of dishes after I start the laundry?”
- “I also need to call the doctor… oh, and don’t forget to reply to those emails!”
Each thought piles on, freezing you in place. When I did manage to start, I’d often get distracted mid-task, cleaning the toilet when I meant to load the dishwasher, leaving me with a house full of half-done chores and a head full of guilt.
At work, it wasn’t much better. My browser was a jungle of 38 open tabs as I bounced between tasks, accomplishing nothing but mounting frustration. I felt like I was constantly letting myself and my team down, if only I could try harder then everything would be ok.
The Breakthrough
My five-year-old son, who is also autistic, has always refused crafting activities. As we were gifted a painting kit, one day I suggested painting ornaments together and he predictably shut me down immediately. Then, I spotted his timer. I asked if he’d paint for just 10 minutes. To my surprise, he agreed and dove into the activity as soon as the timer started.
This tiny moment sparked an epiphany. Inspired by his response, I grabbed the timer myself and set it for 10 minutes to tackle the dishwasher. Something clicked. In those 10 minutes, I focused like never before. The task felt manageable, even enjoyable. I finished the dishwasher, reset the timer and moved on to the kitchen counters, and then started laundry. By the end of an hour, I’d accomplished more than I usually did in a day.
Why Timed Bursts Work
The timer helped me sidestep the overwhelm of executive dysfunction by reframing tasks into bite-sized pieces. Instead of worrying about the whole kitchen, I focused on 10 minutes. When time was up, I could either stop or continue—but the pressure to “finish everything” had vanished. I could walk away knowing that I had acheived more than doing nothing, so anything and everything was a win.
This approach aligns perfectly with how my ADHD brain operates: short bursts of intense focus, followed by a break to recharge.
Redefining Productivity
I always thought that schedules and routines were the key to managing life, but they never worked for me. My brain craves yet resists rigid structures. What I’ve learned is that my natural rhythm—flitting between tasks as they catch my attention—works best when paired with short, timed sprints.
This newfound method also applies to work. Breaking big projects into smaller chunks and focusing on them for 10 to 15 minutes has revolutionized my productivity. My email inbox is pristine and sparkling and my task board is bare.
After about an hour of sprint activity, I take a break to recharge. Whether that means sitting in silence, laying on the sofa or scrolling on Insta, these pauses are crucial for avoiding overstimulation. I can finally take breaks without any guilt, they are essential to being able to get up again and crack on.
Burnout No More
Living in a constant state of burnout skews your perspective on what “normal” feels like. For years, I thought everyone felt as drained and overwhelmed as I did, but they just managed it better. Learning to recognize my limits and work within them has shown me how wrong I was.
Now, I’m kinder to myself. I acknowledge my limits without guilt and celebrate small victories. Tackling tasks on my terms has given me a sense of control I never thought possible.
The Takeaway
If you’re struggling with executive dysfunction or burnout, know this:
- You’re not broken. Your brain works differently, and that’s okay.
- Experiment until you find what works. For me, it was a timer. For you, it might be something else.
- Progress is personal. Even tiny steps forward are worth celebrating.
Burnout and executive dysfunction once ruled my life, but learning how to listen to my brain—and work with it, not against it—has made all the difference. To anyone fighting the same battles: you’ve got this. One step at a time, and I hope you find your way out, too.
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