{"id":1703,"date":"2026-01-03T11:11:33","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T11:11:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/?p=1703"},"modified":"2026-01-03T11:11:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T11:11:33","slug":"we-all-have-the-same-24-hours-in-a-day-so-why-does-my-24-seem-to-go-so-much-faster-than-every-elses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/?p=1703","title":{"rendered":"“We all have the same 24 hours in a day” so why does MY 24 seem to go so much faster than every elses?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People say it like it\u2019s comforting. \u201cWe all have the same 24 hours in a day.\u201d<\/em> But if you have ADHD, that statement can often feel less like reassurance and more like an accusation or suggestion of failer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am a proud AuDHDer meaning that my Autistic brain loves order, routine and predictability but my ADHD ( I am predominantly the hyperactive type although I have a spiky profile) means that I crave the dopamine rush of impulsivity and when I decide to “decorate the lounge” I need to do it.. now! It drives my husband to distraction however, generally this combo means that I am quite productive most of the time, often to the point of near burn out…not ideal! However, on some occasions and for many ADHDers, particually if they lean more to the “innattentive” side ( hate that term btw) there are real challenges to get what others may perceive as a small task, even started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this neurotype somehow your day disappears. Time slips through your fingers. You sit down to do one small thing<\/em> and suddenly it\u2019s dark outside, your brain feels fried, and you\u2019re left wondering how you managed to be busy all day and still get pretty much nothing done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So\u2026 why does it feel like that 24 hours move at double speed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ADHD time isn\u2019t the same as everyone else\u2019s<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest misunderstandings about ADHD is that it\u2019s ALL about attention. In reality, it\u2019s often about executive function \u2014 things like prioritising, starting tasks, switching between them, and sensing time. Neurodivergent related perfectionism is also a brilliant task stopper because if you can’t get the job done to your ideal, you cant start it! SO FRUSTRATING!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ADHD paralysis is also a perfect example of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want to do the thing, you know<\/em> you need to do the thing, you may even be thinking about the thing constantly because its making you unhappy ( housework or responding to emails are fab examples of this)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet\u2026 your body won\u2019t move OR it moves regularly by constantly filling that time with literally ANYTHING other than the thing that needs to be done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not laziness. That\u2019s not a lack of motivation. That\u2019s your nervous system being overwhelmed by too many tasks, too much pressure, or fear of doing it \u201cwrong\u201d. Again, for a perfectionist , not being able to complete a task makes it feel “wrong!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alex Partridge talks about this brilliantly in his book Now It All Makes Sense<\/em> \u2014 how ADHD brains can short-circuit when a task feels emotionally or cognitively heavy, even if it looks simple from the outside. So time passes, the clock keeps ticking and you\u2019re stuck in freeze mode, watching the hours disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please do check out Alex’s books and listen to his podcast ADHD chatter, it’s helped me so much!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Saying \u201cyes\u201d to everyone costs you time you don\u2019t have, so why cant you say no?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The podcast “ADHD chatter” has really helped me to understand this a whole lot better. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is the intense emotional response to perceived rejection that so many people with ADHD experience. RSD doesn\u2019t just hurt your feelings. It hijacks your decisions. You say yes to things you don\u2019t want to do. You over-explain. You agree to help, attend, fix, support \u2014 even when you\u2019re already exhausted and really want to say NO!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You say yes again and again, not because you want to but because no<\/em> feels dangerous. You are terrified of conflict and truly believe that saying no to that night out with the girls will mean that your friends will hate you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For someone with RSD, saying no can feel like you\u2019re letting everyone down, you\u2019re being difficult or you\u2019ll be disliked or abandoned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you keep being a yes person while forgetting that the only person you are letting down is yourself, because YOU matter and giving everything to everyone else (through fear of rejection) means you are neglecting yourself!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly your already-limited energy and time are being spent on everyone else, while the things you actually need \u2014 rest, creativity, basic life admin \u2014 get pushed to the bottom of the list. Is it any wonder your day feels shorter than everyone else\u2019s?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of ADHD time loss doesn\u2019t come from doing nothing \u2014 it comes from mentally recovering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recovering from masking, from overwhelm, from shame.
Recovering from repeatedly beating yourself up for not being able to do things like those around you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ADHD Chatter<\/em> podcast does a brilliant job of naming this \u2014 how much unseen effort goes into just existing with ADHD. When you remember our emotional processing, sensory overload, and constant self-doubting, it’s obvious that your day is packed in ways others never see. You\u2019re not behind, you\u2019re just carrying more than maybe you even realised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what are some gentle ways to support yourself (without fixing yourself, because you are not broken!)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to become more disciplined., if anything you need more self compassion and to think about better systems to support yourself. I am an avid list maker…it keeps me on task and I love seeing the small achievements ticked off that then turn into a big job completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you could<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Shrink the task until it feels almost silly<\/strong>, Alex talks about crushing the big block of ice into little chips for example…<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Instead of \u201cwrite the email\u201d, try: Open laptop, find email, write one sentence and strangely, momentum often follows action \u2014 but that action has to feel safe and doable first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Give yourself permission to say no badly<\/strong>
You don\u2019t owe perfect explanations.
\u201cNo, I can\u2019t this time\u201d is enough.
Discomfort doesn\u2019t mean danger \u2014 even when RSD tells you it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Externalise time<\/strong>
Timers, alarms, visual clocks, body doubling \u2014 ADHD brains struggle to feel<\/em> time. Make it visible and shared where possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Build in recovery time like it\u2019s essential (because it is)<\/strong>
Rest isn\u2019t a reward for productivity. It\u2019s a requirement for functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Learn from ADHD voices, not productivity gurus<\/strong>
Resources like ADHD Chatter<\/em> and Alex Partridge\u2019s books don\u2019t try to turn you into someone else \u2014 they help you understand yourself. And understanding reduces shame, which frees up more energy than any planner ever could. The SENDcast is fab for this too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And remember, your 24 hours aren\u2019t broken…they are uniquely yours.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your days feel shorter, it\u2019s not because you\u2019re failing at time, it\u2019s because your brain experiences the world differently. You\u2019re navigating paralysis, emotional intensity, people-pleasing, and an invisible workload most people never have to think about. So the next time someone says, \u201cWe all have the same 24 hours,\u201d<\/em> remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re doing more than they can see,
You\u2019re not lazy \u2014 you\u2019re overloaded.
And you\u2019re allowed to build a life that actually fits the way your brain works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUT… Accepting your brain type \u2014 diagnosis or not \u2014 is the first and most important step. Not fixing it, not fighting it, not trying to force yourself into systems that were never designed for you. Acceptance doesn\u2019t mean giving up; it means finally stopping the war with yourself. When you understand that your brain simply works differently, you can start to let go of the shame, the constant self-criticism, and the exhausting cycle of trying to be like others. From that place, self-love becomes possible, and self-support starts to make sense. You stop asking, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with me?\u201d<\/em> and start asking, \u201cWhat do I need?\u201d<\/em> And that shift \u2014 from resistance to acceptance \u2014 is where real movement, compassion, and healing begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have an awesome week xxx<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebecca- founder of Awesome Archie non profit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

People say it like it\u2019s comforting. \u201cWe all have the same 24 hours in a day.\u201d But if you have ADHD, that statement can often feel less like reassurance and more like an accusation or suggestion of failer. I am a proud AuDHDer meaning that my Autistic brain loves order, routine and predictability but my … <\/p>\n

Continue reading ““We all have the same 24 hours in a day” so why does MY 24 seem to go so much faster than every elses?”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1703"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1703"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1707,"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1703\/revisions\/1707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.awesomearchie.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}