Episode #60: The Importance of Routines for ADHD + My Daily Routine

Recently, I did a little research on whether having a morning and evening routine is of any use for ADHD and AuDHD people.

I discovered that morning and night are the two times of day that do more to stabilize an ADHD brain than any productivity hack ever could.

So, let’s dive in…

In episode 60, I’m chatting with you about:

• The scientific benefits of having a morning and evening routine for ADHD adults
• My 3-part morning routine
• My simplified evening routine
• The struggle that ADHD adults have with routines
• Tips to help you create a routine that works for you

Listen below, stream it on your favorite podcasting app, or scroll to access the full blog post.

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Why Having a Routine is Essential for ADHD Adults

A routine regulates the scaffolding in our nervous system, and here are three key reasons that routines in the morning and in the evening can have an impact. 

1. Routines Stabilize Dopamine Levels 

Your brain’s motivation system runs on reward prediction, and having a routine helps create those little moments of “I did it!”

When routines are in place in the morning and evening, your brain stops roaming around looking for novelty to wake itself up or calm itself down. 

Instead of seeking out dopamine, routines help your dopamine levels remain more stable, so you’re not experiencing the highs and lows that can happen with ADHD.

As a result, you burn out less fast when you’re not going up and down and up and down.

This is especially powerful in the mornings, as whatever you do first thing is what your brain thinks is what’s good for you. So, you’ll end up craving more of that all day long. 

If you start your day scrolling on your phone, zoning out, procrastinating, and feeling that terrible nagging in your body, thinking, “I really should be doing something else”, that’s probably how you’re gonna feel all day. 

The better solution is to have a simple morning routine to start off the day right by stabilizing your dopamine.

2. Cortisol Reduction

Predictability is not boring to a nervous system the way it could be to a personality. It’s calming, even for our chaotic ADHD brains. 

Deep down, our brains want predictability, even though it seems like we thrive with chaos, ups, and downs. This gives our baseline stress chemistry a chance to dial it down.

Lowering cortisol helps your working memory free up, so you can hold more than one thought at a time.

So, if you feel hyper and all over the place in the mornings, and your nights are equally wired, a predictable routine can help smooth this out.

Related: 13 Tips to Lower Your Cortisol Levels (An ADHD Guide)

3. Routine Externalizes Your Executive Functions

Executive function is the brain’s task manager. It sequences, it prioritizes, it initiates. In ADHD brains, the task manager is underpowered, especially at the edges of the day. 

Routines relocate “what comes next?” out of your head and into the environment. That’s why the same order and the same cues help. 

What do you mean by externalizing? It’s the same as writing on a sticky note and putting it on your fridge. In this case, you’re externalizing your working memory, which is one of your executive functions.

Think of routines as helping the task manager by saying, ’ I made a list. You don’t have to think of what’s next.’ 

2 Executive Functions that Are Impacted in the Mornings:

1. Activation: the moment you go from idea to motion. Routine helps us to go from the idea of doing something to actually doing it. 

2. Sequencing: the order of steps

Time can be distorted in the morning. Five minutes can evaporate, or drag, and your internal clock doesn’t match the external one yet. 

A stable morning sequence (routine) gives you landmarks — “I do A, then B, then C”— which substitutes for the clock while your internal clock wakes up.

In the morning, our brains are not at full capacity, so doing the same batch of things every day can help support your brain so you can avoid scrambled thoughts and actions.

This helps us see our wins at the beginning of the day, as we tick the mental or physical checklist that we’ve been successful at completing something.

The first experiences that your brain has after waking teach it what to expect the rest of the day. This is known as reward priming.

My 3 Part Morning Routine

Here’s what I do to get my ass up in the morning. 

I love getting up early in the morning, and I also love lying in bed and not getting up in the morning. I love both equally, but if I’ve had eight hours of sleep, it’s much easier to get up and begin my day. 

My morning routine is split up into 3 chunks.

If I can get to all three of them, amazing. And if I can’t, fine. 

1st Routine:

• My alarm clock wakes me in the morning: I keep it in the living room to force myself to get up and turn off the annoying noise.
• Coffee after 10 minutes of being up: I put the coffee grounds and water in the night before, and I set the timer. I wake up to the smell of coffee as if someone is making it for me. 
• I take my medication, have some water and eat a little something, even if it’s just like a cracker with some cottage cheese.

This in itself is a routine, so if you hate the idea of routines, know that it doesn’t have to be some huge, elaborate plan.

2nd Routine:

This is focused more on self-care, self-development, a spiritual kind of moment and takes about 30 minutes.

I do things like:

• EFT tapping – I love Brad Yates on YouTube and usually choose a 5-minute video
• 5 minutes of journaling
• Somantic stretching

3rd Routine:

This includes:

• 750 words of free writing (basically life admin). 
• Checking my email and to-do list for the day (sometimes I do this on the treadmill, which feels amazing!)

If I can do all three routines, great. If I can only do one of the blocks, also great. 

I read recently that when your morning routine turns into hours of trying to self-soothe and have ‘me time’ before you have to do something, it can lead to burnout.  So go easy on yourself.

My Evening Routine

I find it way harder for me to stick to an evening routine. 

I always think, “What’s the point in having a routine if I don’t do it every night?” 

I have stepped away from this mindset, though, and now I just do my routine when I am able. No pressure – no all or nothing thinking.

My nighttime routine is all about winding down and includes things like:

• Taking vitamins
• Moisturizing
• Reading – physical books (not Kindle), to avoid the blue light
• Journaling
• and making sure I am not scrolling on my phone

Also, if I didn’t get to something I wanted to do as part of my morning routine, I might add it to the evening instead.

Tip: If you have a hard time falling asleep, try a weighted eye mask, which helps ease tension headaches & promote deeper sleep.

4 Simple Tips To Create A Routine That Works For You

1. Consistency Matters

Your biology doesn’t “do” mornings. So it’s consistency that’s important, not how early you get up. 

? A reliable wake window is key, getting the same amount of sleep every night, waking up at the same time every day, whether it’s 6 am or 11 am.

2. Wake Yourself up

Find something that helps wake you up.

I like to go to my freezer where I keep my cooling globes and I massage my face. It is the best wake up in the world to just do them around your eyes. It feels so good.

3. Keep it Simple if It Feels Too Much

Simply showering before you go to work is a routine.

It doesn’t have to be something special where you are journaling and doing five affirmations.

So, start small, and if you want to add more to your routine over time, great, but first master doing something small.

4. Use Start & Stop Cues

To prevent yourself from taking way longer than expected with your routine, use a start and stop cue. This can be a timer, alarm, or better ye,t a playlist.

For example, if you use a playlist, you’ll know that while the playlist is on, your sole focus is your routine.

This helps you keep focused on the routine and prevents time blindness.

The Power of Routines: Final Thoughts

There are so many great reasons to build a routine into your life as an ADHD adult.

• The predictability lowers stress hormones. Regular rhythms reduce cortisol and emotional volatility.
• Less chaos = more energy for creativity. This structure protects your mental bandwidth.
• Routines regulate dopamine naturally. Each completion gives a micro-reward, slowly stabilizing your motivation cycle.
• External structure replaces internal willpower. Systems become the scaffolding your brain can rest on.

Let me know: Do you have a morning or evening routine?

Leave a note in the comments below and share what yours looks like. Or if you plan to start a new routine, what do you want to add in most?