Barely Making It

𝐀𝐃𝐇𝐃, 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 “𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐭” ⏰

It’s a weird, weird world I live in. On one side, time stands still or doesn’t even exist at all. Other times, I’m suddenly full of anxiety, can’t breathe—desperate to beat a deadline that’s just hours away.

I either have all the time in the world… or none at all. ⏳

If I don’t have a deadline, you can bet a project is not getting done—unless it’s the one I’m hyperfixated on this week, which usually isn’t the important thing. I need to finish pressure washing my deck. I bought chemicals, a pump sprayer, even a power washer… and I did about a quarter of it, got sidetracked, and now—well, now I’m writing about ADHD instead of cleaning my deck. 🧼🚫

Or there’s this: I might have an important meeting in 10 minutes. So, instead of leaving and getting there early (like a “normal” person), because I have 10 extra minutes, I’ll detour to Hello Chonky for a coffee or Lotus drink. Then I’ll fix something broken, chat with employees, help a customer… and—bam!—I’m 10 minutes late to my meeting. ☕️💥

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 “𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬”?

If that sounds confusing, here’s the science behind it: time blindness is the inability to sense how much time has passed or estimate how long tasks will take. It’s not intentional or disrespectful—it’s a difference in the brain’s executive function, specifically in the prefrontal cortex (the “conductor” of the brain). Research shows people with ADHD struggle across the board with time discrimination, estimation, production, and reproduction—meaning that time literally feels different to us. 🧠⏱️

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐱

But put a deadline on it—like my taxes, which I’ve known about for a year—and nothing happens until about three days before it’s due, when my CPA is frantically texting me that she won’t file if I don’t send her the files. Suddenly, I’m pulling an all-nighter and—miracle!—it all gets done. 📊🌙

Why? Because pressure triggers a dopamine surge—an adrenaline-fueled chemical response that the ADHD brain desperately needs to finally focus. In low-stimulation environments, my brain doesn’t produce enough dopamine to maintain attention. But when the clock is ticking and panic sets in, suddenly dopamine levels spike, and I can laser-focus. 🔥🎯

It’s frustrating. It’s exhausting. I know I do this. I don’t want to do this. But I still do it, again and again. 😩

Here’s what I’ve learned: 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬. Not months—give me a few days, maybe a week tops, and I’ll deliver. Stretch it out too far, and I’ll just procrastinate or get distracted.

The weirdest part? When the pressure is at its peak, in the final hours, I can churn out a presentation, speech, or project that looks like I spent days or weeks on it. My brain goes into overdrive and magic happens. ✨ But let me be real: I always wonder if I could’ve made it even better—less rushed, more polished—if only I’d started sooner.

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞—𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈’𝐦 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞

Here’s what I want to make crystal clear: 𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬. I don’t want to be excused from accountability—I want to be accountable and held accountable. I want systems, structures, and strategies that help me show up on time, be consistent, and operate at my best without burning out. 💪🔧

The hardest part of all this is, my mind won’t let me “fix” it the way others might. People just expect me to be late or barely on time… yet somehow, things always work out. Airports, meetings, travel—I show up right before the doors close. Honestly, my son says I should write a book called “I Barely Made It.” 📖✈️

Sometimes, though, I get overwhelmed and have to skip things altogether. I worry that if that happens too often, I’ll let people down for real—and the anxiety about that is always burning in the background. 🔥😰

A former assistant even titled herself 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫—her whole job sometimes seemed to be keeping up with me, calling ahead to apologize for my lateness, or helping me recover when I got caught at the last minute by someone or something unexpected. 🐿️📞

𝐀𝐃𝐇𝐃 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫—𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭 🎁

The label “ADHD” suggests a disorder, a deficit, something broken. But I don’t see it that way. Yes, time blindness is real. Yes, the struggle is real. But so are the strengths.

Research shows that people with ADHD often display cognitive dynamism, creativity, courage, energy, resilience, hyperfocus, and divergent thinking—the ability to generate original ideas and see solutions others miss. We’re risk-takers, dreamers, and visionaries. We thrive under pressure. We see potential where others see obstacles. 🚀🎨💡

I don’t need to be “fixed.” I need to learn how to channel this gift—this unique wiring—into something powerful and purposeful. I want to leverage my creativity, my vision, my energy to build things that matter, to serve God’s kingdom, and to leave this world better than I found it. 🙏🌍

𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭—𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲

I could keep going… but honestly, I’m getting bored. (Welcome to ADHD.) 😅

If you’re living this rollercoaster yourself, you’re not alone. I’m still figuring it out too. But if your world feels off-kilter and pressured by deadlines, just know—some of the most “together” people out there are flying by the seat of their pants every day. And somehow—miraculously, frustratingly—things still get done. ✅

This isn’t about making excuses. It’s about understanding how we’re wired, building better systems, and using what we’ve been given—not as a crutch, but as a superpower. 💥