3 tips to reduce your workload and increase your bank balance for ADHD entrepreneurs

I used to feel completely drained by work. I was pretty sure I was great at the coaching and workshops services I was offering, had a Masters In Business Psychology, a professional coaching qualification, was doing all the courses and accelerators, trying every marketing trick, going to networking events, working really hard, and doing a good job. But nothing was working. Most months, I was earning between £1,200 and £1,500, and I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. What did other people know that I didn’t?

Then I found out I had ADHD. I went deep into understanding how my brain actually works and started looking at my business through the lens of ADHD, Business Psychology and coaching. I made a few changes and everything shifted. These days, I earn between £4,000 and £10,000 a month.

I always feel a bit icky talking about earnings because, honestly, that’s not what it’s really about for me. But it is one way I measure how well I’m doing and how productive I’m being in a way that works with my brain, not against it. And the truth is, making more money has made life a lot easier, especially with two neurodivergent children in the mix.

But the best part? I finally trust myself. I feel in control of my life and business. I make decisions based on what’s right for me, my clients, and the work I care about, not based on what I think I should be doing or what might make me more likeable.

Now here’s what you need to do to start working with that brilliant brain of yours…

1.    Reduce the load on your executive function

One of the biggest blocks to growing your income as an ADHD entrepreneur is the constant strain on your executive function – the mental energy it takes to plan, prioritise, start, finish, and follow through. If you keep putting off things like replying to emails, updating spreadsheets, or booking appointments, it’s not because you’re lazy. These kinds of tasks demand brain processes that are already working overtime just to get you through the day.

Instead of pushing through or beating yourself up, look at what you can take off your plate completely. Personally, I’ve outsourced my inbox and CRM to my VA, automate certain deliveries through amazon, get my food shopping delivered and have even hired someone to put away clothes and food shopping at home. I used to waste hours agonising over tiny decisions or trying to keep track of things I never actually actioned, now I protect my focus for the stuff that actually moves the needle in my business.

If outsourcing or automating is not an option, can you batch tasks together, do them in a different way or just get rid of them completely? For tasks that are really mentally draining, ask yourself "what would happen if I stopped doing this?"

You don’t have to do it all to be successful. In fact, doing less of the wrong stuff might be the smartest business and wellbeing move you make.

2. Double down on your strengths (and stop trying to be good at everything)

Once you’ve lightened the load on your executive function, you’ll likely notice you have more energy and brain power, that’s the moment to start leaning into what you’re naturally brilliant at.

ADHDers often have what's called a spiky profile-we’re exceptional in some areas and really struggle in others. While neurotypical people might have a fairly even spread of strengths and weaknesses, ours can be wildly uneven. I, for example, find planning a week of meals or replying to emails painfully hard… but I can spot patterns in people’s thinking in seconds and help them break through massive mental blocks like it’s nothing. That’s my magic.

Instead of battling to “get better” at the things I find draining, I’ve built my business around the things I’m naturally good at—like coaching, writing, and speaking. I get support with the rest. I don’t need to be amazing at organisation or admin to be a brilliant entrepreneur—and neither do you.

This isn’t about self-improvement in the traditional sense. It’s about strategic self-trust. Knowing where you shine, and setting up your business so that you spend more time there.

3. Don’t let fear and rejection sensitivity run your business

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is one of the most brutal hidden challenges of ADHD. It’s not just about feeling a bit hurt when someone criticises you, it’s an intense emotional reaction that can feel completely overwhelming, even when the “rejection” is tiny or imagined. A no from a potential client. A message left on read. A bit of constructive feedback. It can send your nervous system into overdrive and leave you questioning everything.

For a long time, I didn’t realise how much RSD was shaping my decisions. I’d avoid following up with people because I was scared of being annoying. I’d undercharge, overdeliver, say no to great opportunities where I ran the risk of “being exposed as a fraud”, just to avoid the possibility of someone thinking badly of me. It was exhausting, and it massively held me back financially.

What’s helped me is recognising that the feeling isn’t always the truth. I’ve learned to slow down and separate the emotional intensity from what’s actually happening. When you are spiralling, ask yourself “what else could be happening here that is nothing to do with me?”

I’ve also surrounded myself with people who remind me of my value when I temporarily forget it and who I can talk to when I am spiralling. Setting up my networking event, ADHD Impact Connect, where I was surrounded by people who completely understood the intensity and power of RSD was genuinely life changing. Where can you find one or two business besties who get it?

Overcoming RSD isn’t about becoming immune to rejection or overcoming all your fears, it’s about not letting the fear of it dictate how you show up. The more you trust yourself, the easier it becomes to hold your boundaries, charge what you’re worth, and go after opportunities without spiralling.

Ready to turn ADHD into your business advantage?

If you’re serious about growing a profitable business but feel like traditional advice wasn’t made for your brain — it’s because it wasn’t.

ADHD Founders Connect is the only business growth membership in the UK designed specifically for ambitious ADHD entrepreneurs. It’s not just a community (although that part is amazing). It’s a place to:

✅ Get real traction in your business with expert-led strategy workshops

✅ Finally follow through on your ideas with structure, accountability, and support

✅ Stop wasting time trying to fit into neurotypical systems that don’t work

✅ Build a business that feels sustainable, scalable, and true to you

This isn’t fluff. It’s focused, practical, results-driven support created by someone who’s tried to do it the neurotypical way, then tried something new… and built a thriving business because of her ADHD brain, not in spite of it.

Join ADHD Founders Connect and start building the business you know you're capable of.