There is something about April that feels genuinely energising. The light changes, the mornings feel easier, and suddenly you have ideas again. For adults with ADHD, this shift can feel significant, especially if January and February were particularly flat.
That energy is real. But it needs handling with some care.
When you pace the lift, you get the whole season instead of three good weeks followed by a wall.
The spring overcommitment pattern
In 26+ years of coaching, the April-overcommit / May-crash is one of the most predictable seasonal cycles I see in ADHD professionals.
The lift in energy feels like capacity. It gets interpreted as: now is the time to start the project, join the group, sign up for the course, take on the extra work, reorganise the house. All of it feels not just possible but urgent.
Then May arrives. The energy dips slightly, the commitments remain, and the overwhelm sets in.
This is a recognisable pattern. It is not a character flaw. It is what happens when a brain that craves stimulation suddenly has access to more of it.
Three questions worth sitting with
Before you say yes to the next thing, try asking yourself three questions.
What am I saying yes to, and why? Is it because it genuinely fits with what you are trying to do this year, or because it feels good in this moment?
Does it match my actual capacity? Not your best possible capacity on a good day in spring, but your average capacity across the whole year. Because May will come.
If I had to drop one thing to take this on, what would it be? If you cannot answer that, or if the answer fills you with dread, that is useful information.
You do not have to say no to everything. The point is to make the yes a considered one.
Enjoying the lift without burning through it
Spring energy is a genuine asset. It is worth protecting.
You get to enjoy it. You get to use it for things that matter to you. The goal is not to suppress the enthusiasm, but to pace it so it lasts beyond the end of the month.
What to do next
If you would like to map your seasonal energy cycle with someone who has done this for 26+ years:
Book Your Free Discovery Session
Related reading
- Spoon Theory and ADHD/AuDHD: Why Managing Energy Matters More Than Managing Time
- Outdoor Focus: Using Spring Light to Reset Your Attention
- Why March Is a Better Fresh Start Than January
About Linda Fox
Linda Fox is an ICF-ACC credentialled Adult ADHD Life & Business Coach (CALC) with 26+ years of experience. She has lived experience of ADHD herself. Linda works with entrepreneurs, solicitors, medical professionals, and other professionals navigating demanding careers, helping them build practical strategies that fit how their brain actually works. UK-based, coaching worldwide via Zoom.
