5 Ways to Reduce Mental Load for ADHD Parents
Let’s Be Real. The Mental Load is Brutal
Let’s be honest: parenting with ADHD is like trying to juggle flaming swords... while riding a unicycle... blindfolded. Between school notes, snack boxes, forgotten appointments and meltdowns (theirs and ours), it’s no wonder our brains feel like browser tabs that never close.
Here are 5 ADHD-friendly ways to reduce that mental load so you can breathe easier and maybe even finish a hot cuppa.
1. Externalise Everything with Visual Tools
Out of sight, out of mind? Yep — that’s real life with ADHD. Instead of relying on memory (hello, unreliable executive function!), get things out of your head and onto a surface you see every day.
💡 Try a magnetic fridge planner. Weekly, monthly, or meal-based — whatever suits your chaos level.
💡 Personalised wall planners in a high-traffic area help the whole fam stay on the same page.
Even better? Colour code it. Visual cues make life easier to process.
2. Streamline Meals with Less Thinking Involved
If the “What’s for dinner?” question sends you into a spiral, you’re not alone.
🧠 Use a magnetic meal planner to set-and-forget your dinners.
🧠 Batch prep school lunches with bento lunch boxes that reduce decision fatigue and work for picky or sensory eaters.
Bonus tip: Choose 5 go-to family meals and rotate them. Predictable = peaceful.
3. Set Up "Brain Dump Zones" for You & the Kids
Your brain is holding too much. Create physical or digital “dumping grounds” to unload it:
📝 A notebook on the kitchen bench
📝 A notes app on your phone
📝 A sticky note station next to the fridge
Do the same for your kids. A visual to-do or reward chart helps them (and you) track what’s next without constant reminders. One less thing to repeat 37 times.
4. Build in Recovery Time — Even if It’s Just 3 Minutes
You don’t need an hour-long bath (though wouldn’t that be lush?). You just need a moment of pause. ADHD brains get overstimulated fast, especially in loud households.
🌿 Pop on noise-cancelling headphones
🌿 Step outside barefoot
🌿 Scroll TikTok guilt-free for 5 minutes (yes, really)
Schedule recovery time like it’s a non-negotiable meeting because it is.
5. Reduce Decision Fatigue with Systems that Work
ADHD parents don’t lack motivation. We lack functional systems. The trick is automating the boring stuff:
✅ Keep essentials in the same place (keys, bags, the school hat that always goes missing)
✅ Set phone alarms for EVERYTHING. No shame it’s how we function.
✅ Use visual routines with your fridge or wall planner to build habits that stick.
Create routines based on how your brain works, not how Pinterest says it should.
Final Thoughts: You’re Doing Better Than You Think
If you’ve read this far, you care. And that’s huge. You’re not failing you’re parenting with a brain that’s wired differently, in a world not built for it.
One fridge planner, one five-minute reset, one simplified lunchbox at a time — you can reduce the chaos.
And hey, if you rewashed the same load of laundry three times this week? Same. You’ve got this 💛