How to Beat “Waiting Mode”

Want to learn how to beat the ADHD Waiting Mode? Here are some tricks that can help you stay productive on those days!

Have you ever heard of “Waiting Mode”?

It’s something I wasn’t aware of until I did more research on ADHD. And man, my life makes more sense now.

Let’s say you have an appointment at 2:00 PM that day, and it’s currently 9:00 AM. For whatever reason, you feel like you have to sit there and do nothing until your appointment.

Maybe you’re afraid your time blindness will make you miss the appointment. Or maybe this appointment is all you can think about, and it’s giving you enough anxiety to not focus on anything else.

That is Waiting Mode, and it’s absolutely a real thing. This is a common struggle for those of us with ADHD, and it’s frustrating when we want to be productive but just can’t.

I’ve found some ways to help combat it; and although they’re not 100% effective, they can sometimes make a difference in my day. Check these out and see if they apply to you!

Set multiple timers

If one of your problems is time blindness, perhaps setting lots of timers throughout the day can help.

Some people get sucked into their tasks and lose track of time, only realizing too late that they’ve missed an appointment.

Setting alarms for the following might help. Use this, or find a system that works for you:

• 4 hours beforehand
• 3 hours beforehand
• 1 hour beforehand- time to get ready!
• 30 minutes beforehand- time to leave!

The exact times will look different depending on how long it takes to get there. But these alarms can help your brain switch over into “getting ready” mode.

Also: If you constantly run late, try pretending that your appointment is actually 30 minutes earlier than it really is. That way if you somehow still get behind, you’ll have that buffer to help you out.

Schedule your appointments early

For me, the biggest culprit of “waiting mode” is scheduling appointments for later in the day.

If my appointment is at 1:00 PM, I might be productive until about 10:00 AM. And then the Waiting Mode hits.

That’s why I try to make all of my appointments for early in the morning- as early as possible. Then I can hopefully still find the energy to be productive later on.

This is where my conundrum is, though. My most productive hours are in the morning. So do I schedule an appointment for that time and risk getting nothing done? Or schedule for the afternoon and be only somewhat productive?

Thankfully, I’ve come to realize this about myself and try not to plan important tasks on those appointment days!

Keep a list of low-energy tasks

So what happens when you’re in Waiting Mode and still want to do SOMETHING?

Make a list of small tasks you can do that don’t take a lot of thought and energy. Things that make you feel productive but don’t suck away your brainpower and time.

Here are some things I do:

• Sweep the kitchen floor
• Wash a couple dishes
• Pick up any visible trash or recycling
• Wipe down a surface with a disinfectant wipe
• Clear off a table or surface

Do a brain dump

Do you get stuck in Waiting Mode because you’re anxious about anything and everything?

A lot of times, writing in a journal or notepad can really help. Just start listing off all the things in your brain. What you’re worried about, what you need to do that day, etc.

I know that after I do this, I feel much better. It doesn’t always cure my Waiting Mode, but at least all of my concerns are on paper to look at later.

Be kind to yourself

I think the biggest thing is to not beat yourself up. You are not a failure because you can’t be productive. It’s okay if housework doesn’t get done that day; there’s always tomorrow.

Honestly- if I know I have an appointment later in the day, I will purposely limit my to-do list for that day. I know my productivity will be at its lowest; so if I don’t fill my brain with tasks, I’m more likely to relax.

Final thoughts

I can’t stand Waiting Mode and all the trouble it causes. But now that I understand it, I’m better able to prepare for the inevitable unproductive days.

How about you? Do you experience Waiting Mode a lot? If so, what are some ways you handle it? We’re looking for more ideas!