Happy Monday? ADHD, holidays and transitions 🏖️

If you’ve come back from holiday and you've forgotten who you are, what you do along with your password, you are not alone. I had a 2 day work week last week and a 4 day work week last week I’m not really sure what day of the week it is, let alone what I should be doing. 

Transitions from holiday for anyone can be a culture shock and they also require a huge amount of executive function - so can be particularly jarring with ADHD.

5 reasons transitions can be challenging with ADHD - the sciencey bit 🤓

1. People with ADHD can have up to a 30% delay in executive function which includes memory, planning & organisation and self-awareness - all important skills for coming back from a holiday. When we come back from holidays - we need to remember what our job is and how to do it, we need to plan and organise ourselves and get back into work mode. 
2. Our brains are wired differently, which means it might be harder mentally for us to to switch tasks. Differences in pre -frontal cortex - people with ADHD may have reduced activation in the PFC a part of our brain responsible for planning and “set shifting” - switching modes. 
3. The ability to switch mental “sets” (called set-shifting) depends on networks connecting the basal ganglia and PFC - and also needs dopamine and norepinephrine - neurotransmitters which are often affected by ADHD. 
4. Now vs not now thinking: ADHD brains have different perceptions of time, which means we tend to either think very presently or forget about the future. That means planning for coming back from holiday may get deprioritised with thinking about surviving the last week of work, or thinking about holiday plans. 
5. RSD: Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria means we can be more likely to take things at work personally, so coming back to lots of emails including feedback can be really overwhelming. Make sure that you take care of yourself in the first few days back, and if needed talk through feedback for reassurance. 

Take breaks if you need for a snack, a small cry, or comfort. 

5 tips to help with transitions and coming back from holiday 🏖️

1. Give yourself grace - transitions are hard, and there’s nothing more of a shock to the system than the hard reset of coming back from a full week off. You probably won’t be doing your best work when you get back from holiday and that’s OK 
2. Deschedule - ideally block out AT least half a day without meetings when you come back from holiday so you can read your emails, and readjust physically and emotionally to no longer being on a sun lounger.
3. Handover before you go - write yourself detailed  instructions on any longer term tasks you need to pick up before you and forget about them. Bonus points if you include any links or screenshots. 
4. Get support - if you’re handing over your tasks to a colleague put some time in for a catch up, maybe the day after you get back before you go
5. Plan something fun to look forward to for when you get back to help fight off the holiday blues.

What are your tips for easing the transition back? 

If you need support with ADHD work with me - I have a few slots for ADHD coaching left in September https://www.adhdclub.co.uk/adhd-coaching Access to Work funding welcome.