There’s no shame in “I’ll get back to you”

Maybe. Let me think about it and get back to you later.

It’s a phrase that every person with ADHD should memorize, but it’s one that we struggle with. Perhaps we struggle because we tend to be impulsive, people pleasers. It also doesn’t help that we wrestle with the concept of time and how long it takes to do one thing vs another.

The ADHD mind moves fast, and it expects life to keep up. We try to physically match the pace with no success. It’s like windsurfing behind a Ferrari. Which sounds really, really cool, but could hurt really, really bad.
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It’s even worse when someone asks us a favor. We tend to overpromise and overextend ourselves, but the only thing we deliver is disappointment. Reputations get tarnished, and relationships get frustrated.

Before responding to requests and invites, remember to take time before you respond. There’s nothing wrong with giving a “Lemme think about it and get back to you.” It’s the best thing for all involved. Weigh out the situation realistically instead of the usual enthusiastic, high-energy, ADHD-style YES!, which makes people think that it will get done quickly, but that’s not the case at all.

Jim Rohn, the world’s most renowned business philosopher, brilliantly puts it this way:

Whenever you say yes to something, you say no to something else.

So don’t be ashamed to say ‘maybe’. Your friends will understand and they’ll wait for you. Especially if they wanna be your steady.