Why Was It Easier Yesterday?

In recognition of ADHD Awareness Month, let's take a closer look at something many adults with ADHD experience but often struggle to explain: why doing something successfully one day doesn't always mean it will be just as easy the next.

Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to click?

You focused, finished your work, made decisions easily, and finally crossed a few things off your list. You ended the day thinking, "Wow, why can't every day be like this?"

Then the next day, the same kind of work feels almost impossible.

You struggle to concentrate. You get distracted. Something that took an hour yesterday suddenly takes most of the afternoon.

And you start wondering, "What's wrong with me? I know I can do this!"

This is something I hear about frequently from adults with ADHD. They know they're capable of doing the work because they've done it before. So why is it sometimes so difficult to do it again?

The answer may have less to do with ability and more to do with the conditions surrounding the task.

Think about what might have been different on that productive day. Perhaps you slept better, had fewer interruptions, or knew exactly what needed to be done. Maybe the deadline was closer, or the task was more interesting.

Now compare that with a day when you're tired, juggling several competing priorities, and constantly being pulled in different directions.

Same person. Same skills. Different conditions.

We often overlook these differences and assume that if someone can do something well once, they should be able to do it just as well every time. When that doesn't happen, we may blame ourselves for not trying hard enough.

But what if we asked a different question?

Instead of asking, "Why can't I do this like I did last time?" ask, "What was different last time?"

I've learned through years of working with clients that successful experiences provide valuable information. If something worked, I want to know why.

Maybe your best thinking happens in the morning. If you can, protect that time for demanding work rather than filling it with meetings.

Maybe you finish projects more consistently when someone expects a progress update. Build in a check-in before the final deadline.

Or perhaps you struggle when instructions are vague. Clarifying what the finished result should look like before you begin might make the task much easier to manage.

These adjustments don't have to be complicated. The goal isn't to excuse inconsistency or lower expectations. It's to understand what helps you perform well and use that information to your advantage.

Here's something to try this week: Think of one task you sometimes handle well but struggle with at other times. Look at what changes from one situation to another. Consider your sleep, stress, environment, time of day, interruptions, and competing priorities.

Choose one thing you can adjust and see whether it helps.

You may not be able to control every condition, and you won't perform exactly the same way every day. But once you begin recognizing patterns, you have something useful to work with.

Don't just study what went wrong. Study what went right.

In this week's episode of The Efficiency Advantage, I explore why ADHD performance can be so inconsistent, what may be happening beneath the surface, and how we can create conditions that make success more repeatable.

Listen to Episode #44: "But You Did It Yesterday!" - Why ADHD Performance Can Be So Inconsistent.

Here's to greater understanding and strategies that actually work!

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