TLDR:
- Shop smarter: Buy gifts as you see them and keep them in one visible spot.
- Budget: Even a ballpark number reduces financial surprises.
- Say no (or leave early): Not every invitation deserves your full evening.
- Simplify hosting: Prep ahead, enlist help, or do a potluck.
- Do less: Drop traditions that drain you—your energy matters more than perfection.
And remember: ADHD brains burn out faster when sensory overload hits—noise, crowds, back-to-back events, or long days can take a bigger toll than you expect. Protect your limits, build in recovery time, and treat rest as part of the plan.
We Can Help! Below each of these tips is a suggestion about how we can help make this time of year easier for you.
- SHOPPING STRESS Spread your gift shopping throughout the year to avoid the last-minute dash to the store. Buy gifts when you see them – even if it is July. AND THEN, my ADHD friends, put them in a designated spot that is out of the way but visible so that you aren’t tearing the house apart on Dec. 24 looking for the gifts that you put in that “special place”.
ADHD COACH – Use your coach to brainstorm “getting started” strategies that work for you.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT (VA) – Use your VA to make shopping lists. - FINANCIAL STRESS Make a budget for gifts and other seasonal events. If you just rolled your eyes, at least ballpark what you think it will cost. If you can’t do that, use this year as your “baseline” and track what you spend so that next year you have a better idea. There are apps to track expenses that just require you to take a photo of the receipt. Presto!
ADHD COACH – Use your coach to plan times for budgeting, to anticipate what might get in the way and to brainstorm possible solutions.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT (VA) – Use your VA to body double while you set up your budget.
Use your VA to explore and set up expense tracking apps with you. Use your VA to check-in on your progress. - SOCIAL STRESS Some gatherings are fun, and some we’d rather not attend, but we feel obligated. For the latter, the first step is to decide if you really need to go. What are the consequences of not attending? Will they be damaging in some way? What if you “made an appearance”, said a few hellos, and then left early – with a plausible reason? The fun gatherings come with their own complications. These gatherings could be personal or work-related. If you drink, don’t overdo it. You know what your limits are. Have a friend/partner help you monitor if you get carried away. There is nothing worse than not being able to undo something that you wish you hadn’t said or done. Oh, by the way, if you do something like that, self-compassion is the next step (and possibly an apology or two).
ADHD COACH – Use your coach to work through which social functions to attend and/or how you might reduce the energy costs for yourself.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT (VA) – Use your VA to make a list of the upcoming events, look at your calendar, and work through what makes sense for your schedule. Use your VA to do a weekly calendar check-in. - HOSTING AND PREPARATION STRESS Hosting gatherings and celebrations bring on a special kind of stress. It can often end up being about us instead of the guests or the reason for celebrating. Is the house clean enough? What do you need to buy? More shopping stress – groceries, decorations, and whatever else you need. Who do you know that loves this kind of preparation? Can they help? Or maybe that is you, but it is still a big job? Plan. Start early. If it is too late for that, enlist the help of others. Or change it up in some way – a potluck? Make it fun – a theme party? If you are preparing a meal, do as many things the day before that you can. House clean or decorate the day before as well – if that is part of the plan. You can even set the table in the morning for an evening event. Think outside the box – we ADHDers are good at that!
ADHD COACH – Use your coach to discuss what your vision is and if necessary, what is “good enough”. Make a plan together.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT (VA) – Use your VA to help you make a plan to declutter, organize, and/or clean well in advance of events – if you decide this is necessary. Use your VA to go through your plan and schedule events and start a “to-do” list. Have your VA help you use your calendar to set a manageable pace. Use your VA to do weekly check-ins and even daily check-ins as events get closer. - TRYING TO DO IT ALL Think back to last year. Were you exhausted and burned out mid-way through December? Maybe you don’t need to do it all? What could you skip or cut back on this year? Rethink your activities with your energy level in mind. Wouldn’t it be great to bring in the new year feeling rested? What do you need to change or to do for that to happen? Enlist your partner or friends to think it through with you if you don’t see how to do it.”
ADHD COACH – Use your coach to reflect on last year and evaluate what worked and what didn’t – and why. Discuss your energy levels and the effect on your physical and emotional regulation. Share your vision of a restful and rejuvenating season and set some limits together.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT (VA) – Use your VA to look again at your calendar events (Are they all on there?) to see if there are any conflicts, and check with you as you look at the time/energy commitments.
* SENSORY & ENERGY LIMITS * (A Hidden Stressor for ADHDers)
December can be a sensory marathon—crowded stores, loud gatherings, bright lights, new smells, endless conversations, and constant transitions. ADHD brains tend to process all of this more intensely, which means overwhelm (and shutdown) can sneak up quickly.
Pay attention to your early warning signs: irritability, brain fog, feeling suddenly “done,” or wanting to escape a situation. Build in buffer time before and after events, leave early if you need to, and prioritize the environments that feel good for your nervous system. Rest isn’t optional; it’s part of how you prevent holiday burnout.
