There’s nothing quite like the sting of falling out of a solid routine. One day, you’re crushing it—early workouts, hydration goals, tiny wins galore. The next? You’re down for the count, attacked by allergy dragons, time-blindness ogres, and the dopamine-demanding ADHD Hydra. I’ve been there (actually, I am there), and spoiler alert: I’m still crawling out of the pit. But here’s the good news—there’s a way back, and it doesn’t involve perfection.
Routines create safety. They tell our brain, “Hey, you’re okay. You’ve got this.” But chaos, even the fun kind like vacations or long weekends, can wreck your rhythm. Especially if you live with ADHD, where novelty and disorder often come with a tempting siren song.
In May, I battled travel, family illness, mental fog, and the kind of holiday weekend that makes Tuesday feel like next year. My energy was scattered, and my systems felt stale. But instead of spiraling, I leaned into my comeback toolkit.
First up, I reminded myself of James Clear’s truth bomb: “We don’t rise to our goals, we fall to our systems.” So I reviewed mine. What was still working? My early wake-up trigger. My gym clothes laid out like armor. My shaker bottle of “potion of swiftness.” Even when my brain wanted to scroll or stall, I could still suit up.
Then I gamified my re-entry. Literally. I named the comeback “Momentum Mode” and treated every tiny win like experience points. That squatting session I almost bailed on? +10 XP and a mental high five.
If you feel stuck right now, I’ve got 3 comeback options for you:
- Starter Routine: Pick 3 friction-free actions you can nail for 10 days straight. Success = doing them. That’s it.
- 24-Hour Reset: Aim for 60% done. Not perfect. Not heroic. Just “enough.”
- Reframe Day: Swap “have to” with “get to.” Gratitude rewires the brain, and ADHD brains love new language.
Lastly, give your reboot a name. Make it fun. “Quest for Consistency.” “Operation Dopamine Spark.” If your brain craves novelty, let’s serve it purposefully.
This isn’t about flawless execution. It’s about reclaiming momentum—one system, one laugh, one tiny win at a time. So, what will your comeback be called?