Intentionally Recharging ADHD Brains Without the Guilt
We talk a lot about motivation, focus, and productivity in ADHD spaces. But what’s often overlooked is just how tiring it can be to live in an ADHD brain, especially one that’s constantly chasing dopamine. Julie and Jel shone a spotlight on something equally essential: intentional recharging.
Recharging, they say, isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about doing what restores you, in whatever form that takes. Whether it’s sitting under a tree, zoning out on social media, gardening without pressure, or people-watching with a coffee. It’s the outcome, not the method, that matters.
“Our brains are always on. It’s okay, necessary even, to take time out and not feel guilty about it.”
— Julie & Jel Legg, ADHDifference
This strategy isn’t about waiting until you burn out. It’s about recognising your energy as a finite resource and making space to refuel before the tank runs dry.
Why This Strategy Works
ADHD brains operate in cycles of high stimulation and deep fatigue. The constant seeking of dopamine, whether through creativity, connection, or challenge, takes a toll. That’s why intentional downtime isn’t a luxury. It’s survival.
Think of recharging like charging a battery: if you don’t plug in, you shut down. And often, that shutdown comes when it’s least convenient.
Making time to recharge helps regulate not just energy, but mood, emotional control, and attention. It can reduce impulsivity, increase patience, and prevent burnout before it starts.
When to Use This Strategy
This approach is especially helpful:
- When you wake up and feel unmotivated or emotionally flat
- When your calendar is full, but your tank is empty
- When even enjoyable tasks feel like pressure
- When you’re overstimulated and need to “buffer” between roles or activities
- When you’re snapping, shutting down, or spiraling into guilt or shame
Julie shares how she would mentally recharge in the car before stepping into parenting mode. Jel talks about “blobbing” in front of Facebook, watching inane videos not to escape, but to switch off the drive. Together, they remind us: you don’t have to earn rest.
How to Practice It Daily
Recharging doesn’t have to be rigid or planned. In fact, flexibility is key. Here are a few ways to start:
- Create micro-buffer zones between roles (e.g., school pickup and dinner time)
- Anchor low-pressure rest into your week (Sunday “no pressure” days, for example)
- Build recharge rituals: gardening, dog walks, meditation, even mowing the lawn mindfully
- Set boundaries around overcommitment and let go of guilt for taking space
- Identify early signs of burnout: physical heaviness, mental fog, emotional irritability, these are invitations to pause
Julie notes that even watching a movie with her kids helped because they were still, and she didn’t have to “perform” parenting. Recharging isn’t always about solitude. Sometimes, it’s just doing less while still being present.
The Science Behind It
ADHD brains operate with lower baseline dopamine, and as such, are more susceptible to burnout and fatigue. Rest and recovery help balance the nervous system by reducing over-stimulation and restoring cognitive capacity.
Neuroscience shows that deliberate rest improves emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and resilience to stress. Mental downtime also activates the brain’s default mode network, supporting introspection and long-term planning.1
💬 Final Thought
Recharging is not optional. It’s a core ADHD support tool, one that sustains your focus, your creativity, and your relationships. As Julie and Jel remind us, it’s okay to say no. To rest. To disappear into something simple, silly, or slow. You’ll come back clearer, calmer, and more capable.
Let your downtime be deliberate. Let it look however you need it to. Most of all, let it happen before the battery hits zero.
🎧 Listen to the full episode S1E27 here 🎧
REFERENCES:
- Raichle, M. E. (2015). The Brain’s Default Mode Network