Ep #81 - Transitions, Waiting Mode, and Appointment Days

Ep #81 - Transitions, Waiting Mode, and Appointment Days

From "You Are A Lot" (an ADHD/AuDHD podcast) by Jen Kirkman

April 28, 2026 · 48 min · Episode 81

About this episode

In this episode, Jen discusses strategies for managing the time between appointments and the emotional challenges that come with it.

In this episode, I respond to a listener letter from my We Are A Lot community about something so many of us struggle with: what to do with yourself when you have two appointments in one day and the hours in between feel like a black hole. We talk about waiting mode, anticipatory overwhelm, the trap of comparing yourself to neurotypical people who seem to effortlessly bounce from thing to thing, and why emotional regulation has to come before any scheduling strategy. I share what's been working for me since the beginning of the year: treating appointment days as life admin days, keeping a pre-made list of low cognitive load activities for those in-between hours, and letting go of the pressure to be "productive" when your brain is already maxed out. We also do a quick 90-second body reset together, because sometimes you need to unclench before you can think straight. Weekly bonus episodes, video episodes, ad-free episodes, full archive on Patreon $7.99 monthly or pay annually for a big discount. Join the "We Are A Lot" ADHD/AuDHD Online Community. Choose the level that works for you: We Are A Lot Community + Podcast (Patreon) — $24.99/month: Full community access on Circle plus…

People in this episode

Host: Jen Kirkman

Topics covered

  • transitions
  • waiting mode
  • appointment days
  • emotional regulation
  • low cognitive load activities
  • productivity
  • community support

Keywords

  • ADHD
  • AuDHD
  • waiting mode
  • emotional regulation
  • life admin days
  • cognitive load
  • productivity pressure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: We Are A Lot

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