E279: Avoid ADHD Burnout by Slowing Down to Speed Up: 7th Anniversary
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Patricia Sung, host of Motherhood in ADHD, returns after a seven-year hiatus to celebrate her podcast's anniversary and share her transformative journey of writing a book while managing adult ADHD. She reveals that the real challenge wasn’t writing—it was editing, which drained her mental energy and exposed a critical lesson: finishing a project isn’t the end, it’s just a milestone. Her ADHD brain thrives on big ideas and momentum, but struggles with the meticulous, detail-oriented work of polishing. After a grueling sprint to meet her deadline, she faced burnout, family disruptions, and a crisis of identity—questioning what she was doing with her life. In response, she made a radical shift: slowing down. She now prioritizes rest, simplicity, and self-compassion, recognizing that her worth isn’t tied to productivity. She’s relearning how to be present—scheduling walks, reconnecting with friends, and listening to her intuition. Even her new hearing aids, which she’s getting after years of missing her kids’ voices, symbolize this theme: tuning in to what’s truly important. Her message is clear: success isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing less, better, and with more grace.
Finish the first draft, then pause—editing is a separate, energy-intensive phase that requires its own time and boundaries.
ADHD burnout often comes not from doing too little, but from sprinting to finish and then being forced to keep going without rest.
The most powerful self-care isn’t productivity—it’s permission to slow down, rest, and let go of guilt for things left undone.
You don’t need the perfect plan to start—just the smallest, easiest version of what matters to you (e.g., a 30-minute walk around the block).
If you’re struggling to hear or understand people, especially women’s or children’s voices, get a hearing test—your intuition is likely right.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome Back: The 7th Anniversary of Motherhood in ADHD
“I miss hanging out and talking to you. I miss interviewing guests and learning from other people and researching. Granted, I was doing a lot of learning and researching during the book writing, but I just miss my first love.”
The Book Journey: Writing vs. Editing
“I powered through to get to the finish line and it wasn't the finish line. It was just a mile marker.”
The Cost of the Sprint: Burnout and Family Fallout
After turning in the book, Patricia faced a wave of exhaustion, family stress, and a crisis of identity. Her kids were frustrated she wasn’t done, and she realized how much she’d neglected her own life and relationships.
Reclaiming What Matters: Slow Living & Self-Compassion
“I’m not putting anything else on my plate than what’s already there. And I’m taking it easy over the summer.”
Hearing Loss & the Hidden Struggles of ADHD
“You don’t realize what you’re missing until you then can hear it. You’re like, oh my gosh, whoa, that was, I really was not hearing a lot of things.”
“I powered through to get to the finish line and it wasn't the finish line. It was just a mile marker.”
“You don’t realize what you’re missing until you then can hear it. You’re like, oh my gosh, whoa, that was, I really was not hearing a lot of things.”
“I’m not putting anything else on my plate than what’s already there. And I’m taking it easy over the summer.”
Host
Patricia Sung
person
Motherhood in ADHD
media
beta readers
other
hearing aids
product
Rachel
person
October 2026 retreat
other
Write Helpful Books
product
Jesse Anderson
person
Meredith Carter
person
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