The 10 Daily Habits Sabotaging Your ADHD Brain (And What to Do Instead)

You're Not Broken. Your Habits Are.

You know what to do. Eat better. Sleep more. Stop scrolling. But here you are at 2 AM, three coffees deep, staring at a screen that's frying your dopamine receptors while you wonder why you can't focus.

I'm Tom Collins. I built a £5 million drinks company from my garage, lost everything in a divorce, and got diagnosed with ADHD at 45. For four years, I blamed myself for the exhaustion, the anxiety, the inability to finish anything. I thought I was lazy. Undisciplined. Broken.

I wasn't. And neither are you.

What I discovered is this: ADHD brains are exquisitely sensitive to environmental inputs. The tiny daily choices you dismiss as harmless—"just a little treat," "just five more minutes," "just one more coffee"—are systematically destroying your dopamine regulation, dysregulating your nervous system, and keeping you trapped in the same exhausting loop.

This isn't a character flaw. It's neurobiology. And once you understand what's happening, you can fix it.

Here are the ten daily habits sabotaging your ADHD brain—and what to do instead.

1. Sugar: The "Little Treat" That's Actually a Blood Sugar Rollercoaster

You're tired. You grab a biscuit. Twenty minutes later, you're wired. Forty minutes later, you're crashing. Two hours later, you're reaching for another one.

This isn't willpower. It's blood sugar dysregulation.

The fix: Pair carbohydrates with protein and fat to slow glucose absorption. Instead of a plain biscuit, have it with cheese or nut butter. Better yet, swap the biscuit for a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit with almond butter, or Greek yogurt with berries. Your blood sugar stays stable. Your brain stays online.

2. Checking Your Phone Before Sunlight

You wake up. Your hand reaches for your phone before your feet hit the floor. You scroll emails, news, messages. Strangers on the internet set your nervous system before you've even brushed your teeth.

The fix: Get outside within 30 minutes of waking. Even five minutes. Even if it's cloudy. Natural light—even through clouds—is 10,000 times brighter than indoor lighting and resets your circadian clock. Leave your phone in another room overnight. If you need an alarm, buy a cheap alarm clock. Your nervous system will thank you.

3. Coffee on an Empty Stomach

You're not productive. You're vibrating. That's anxiety with a cute mug.

The fix: Eat protein before coffee. Even a small amount—eggs, Greek yogurt, a protein shake. Protein provides amino acids (like tyrosine) that your brain needs to produce dopamine. Coffee amplifies whatever neurochemical state you're in. If you start with stable blood sugar and adequate protein, coffee enhances focus. If you start empty, it amplifies anxiety.

4. Skipping Protein in the Morning

Then wondering why you can't focus.

Your brain can't make dopamine out of vibes and iced coffee.

The fix: Eat 20-30 grams of protein within an hour of waking. Eggs, Greek yogurt, smoked salmon, protein shake, leftover chicken. This gives your brain the building blocks it needs to produce dopamine. Pair it with healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil) to keep you satiated and stabilize blood sugar.

5. Trying to "Mindset" Your Way Out of Dysregulation

You don't need another affirmation. You need sleep, minerals, and a nervous system that isn't fried.

The fix: Address the physical first. Sleep 7-9 hours. Supplement magnesium glycinate (300-400mg before bed—most people with ADHD are deficient). Eat regular meals. Get sunlight. Move your body. Once your nervous system is regulated, mindset work becomes effective. But you can't think your way out of a biological problem.

6. Doomscrolling Before Bed

"It relaxes me."

No. It overstimulates you until your brain forgets how to power down.

The fix: No screens 60-90 minutes before bed. Read a physical book. Listen to a podcast (not a stimulating one). Take a warm shower. Do gentle stretching. If you must use your phone, enable night mode and use blue light blocking glasses. Better yet, leave your phone in another room and charge it overnight away from your bed.

7. Using Cannabis to "Help"

Yeah, for 20 minutes. Then you're numb, snacky, and emotionally offline.

The fix: If you're using cannabis daily to manage ADHD symptoms, you need better tools. Work with a coach or therapist to address the root causes—nervous system dysregulation, dopamine depletion, unprocessed stress. Use evidence-based strategies like exercise, sleep hygiene, and structured routines. If you choose to use cannabis, use it occasionally and intentionally—not as a daily coping mechanism.

8. Keeping Friends Who Drain You

You are not a 24/7 emotional support hotline. Close the office. Respectfully.

The fix: Audit your relationships. Who leaves you feeling energized? Who leaves you feeling drained? Set boundaries with the drainers. Limit time, redirect conversations, or end relationships that are one-sided. Protect your energy like the finite resource it is. You can't pour from an empty cup, and ADHD brains empty faster than neurotypical ones.

9. "I Work Best in Chaos"

ADHD loves freedom. It also needs rhythm or it self-destructs.

The fix: Create flexible structure. Not rigid schedules—ADHD brains rebel against those—but rhythms. Wake up at roughly the same time. Eat meals at predictable intervals. Have a consistent wind-down routine. Structure creates predictability, which frees up cognitive resources for creativity and problem-solving. You don't need chaos. You need a stable foundation that allows you to play.

10. "This Is Just How My Brain Works"

No. That's inflammation, fake dopamine highs, and burnout. That is not your personality. That's your nervous system screaming.

The fix: Separate your ADHD from your identity. ADHD is a neurological difference, not a character flaw. When you address the biological factors—sleep, nutrition, movement, stress—your symptoms improve dramatically. You're not broken. Your environment and habits are mismatched to your neurobiology. Change the inputs, and you change the outputs.

The ADHD Reset: What to Do Starting Today

You don't need to overhaul your entire life overnight. Start with one habit. Master it. Then add another.

Small changes compound. Your ADHD brain doesn't need perfection. It needs consistency.