ADHD Energy Type: Are You a Thoroughbred or Workhorse?

Ever feel like productivity advice just doesn’t work for your ADHD brain? Perhaps you’ve tried all the systems—planners, routines, color-coded calendars—only to find yourself frustrated, burned out, and completely overwhelmed. 

Here’s the truth: You’re not wrong. Traditional productivity strategies simply were not built for an ADHD brain.

Contrary to what we’ve been told, it’s not about working harder. Instead, when it comes to sustainable productivity with an ADHD brain, it’s critical to focus on working with your natural energy levels, not against them.

In episode 287 of the I’m Busy Being Awesome podcast, we explore a powerful framework that’s been highly impactful for my clients: understanding whether you have a workhorse or thoroughbred energy style. 

You’ll learn what these two rhythms look like, how to recognize your own patterns, and—most importantly—how this awareness can help you create flow and ease in your days. 

Spoiler: It’s not about squeezing more into your already-packed schedule. It’s about designing a system that actually fits you.

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with clarity on your energy type and the first steps to start working with time in a way that feels sustainable and supportive for you.

Let’s get started

You can listen to the episode above or stream it on your favorite podcasting app here.

Prefer to read? No problem! Keep scrolling for a summary of the key takeaways.

In Episode 287: You Will Discover:

• The key productivity differences between thoroughbred and workhorse energy styles.
• How to identify your personal energy type and leverage it for greater effectiveness.
• Practical strategies to create sustainable work habits that align with your unique brain.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.

Episode 287: ADHD Energy Type: Are You a Thoroughbred or Workhorse? (Transcript)

How often does it seem like you’re stuck in a constant tug-of-war with time? No matter how hard you try, your schedule never quite seems to work for you? You’re always pulling for more.

Maybe you’ve even followed all the advice, set timers, and made the color-coded plans, but it still seems like time’s slipping through your fingers. Honestly, this describes the general experience of most ADHD brains I talk with when it comes to time, so if this sounds relatable—hello! You’re in good company.

Just because it’s a familiar experience doesn’t make it fun, though. So, I’d like to offer a new perspective to shift how we think about time generally, and how we actually our use of time more specifically. 

We’re going to shake up and redefine how we think about scheduling our time and what it means to make the most of our time. And spoiler alert: It’s not about controlling every minute or cramming more into your already packed schedule.

Instead, we’ll explore how to tune into your natural energy rhythms—what makes you tick—and use that understanding to create greater flow across your days and weeks. 

Before we get started… make sure ot check out my group coaching program…

Why Time Feels Hard for ADHD Brains

If you’ve been struggling with your schedule, showing up and making the most of your time, managing yourself within time, it’s not because you’re lazy or incapable. And it’s definitely not because you’re ‘just not trying hard enough’ or that ‘you just don’t care enough.’ 

Even though this is what most of us have been told and adopted through societal programming, it’s not true.

The truth is, most of the traditional time management advice out there wasn’t made for ADHD brains. Of course, I’ve talked about this many times in many different ways on this podcast.

For those of you with brains like mine that need clear evidence that traditional methods weren’t designed for neurodivergent brains to EVER entertain the idea that my laziness and work ethic isn’t to blame…here are just a few reminders.

1. Rigid Schedules without Flexibility Don’t Work Long Term

(ADHD brains or not) The challenge is that – as ADHD brains – we also navigate really rigid thinking. So while we might follow that rigid schedule for a day—or even a week—eventually, things shift and we don’t follow it for one reason or another.

And rather than making that mean “Oh, it seems I need an adjustment to my schedule,” we instead make it mean, “I’m terrible with time, I never follow through, I’m unreliable, and I just need to work harder.

2. Time Blindness Can Catch Up

We have no idea how much time things take – especially when they’re new to us. And our ability to plan accurate schedules is highly dependent on knowing our capacity and what we can complete each day.

I remember when I went through my coaching certification, we were taught a super rigid time management approach with one of the main rules being: if you say you’ll get it done in an hour, then when the hour is up, you’re done. No exceptions. Move on.

(Needless to say, this made my brain melt.)

3. We Pressure Ourselves To Always ‘Do More’

Like most humans living in the modern world today, there’s this running demand to do more, achieve more, create more, and check more off the list.

It doesn’t matter if we’ve already reached pique effectiveness and efficiency, we’re convinced that if we just worked a little harder or faster, we could get more done.

Not only does it create overwhelm, but it also pushes us into a cycle of burnout when we try to keep up. Sound familiar?

Here’s the thing: The problem isn’t you. The problem is that nobody’s taught you how to work with your brain and natural energy patterns—and that’s what we’re here to do today.

My goal is that you’ll walk away with a clear idea of your primary energy style.

Understanding The Workhorse vs. Thoroughbred Framework

Let’s talk about energy flow and how understanding your natural rhythm is key to reshaping how you approach time.

Some of us thrive on steady, consistent routines. We find our groove by showing up daily and making incremental progress over time. Others work best in powerful bursts of focused energy, followed by intentional recovery periods.

It’s not a matter of one being better than the other—it’s about recognizing the approach that aligns with how you naturally operate. I like to think of this as the difference between a workhorse and a thoroughbred.

Workhorses have a steady, consistent energy.

They show up day after day, making small, manageable progress. This style thrives on routines and gradual steps forward.

A workhorse might dedicate the same hour each morning to a specific task — whether that’s journaling, tackling emails, or working on a long-term project. That consistent rhythm builds momentum and helps them stay on track.

Thoroughbreds thrive in short bursts of intense focus.

They can accomplish a lot in a relatively short amount of time when they’re in the zone, but they also need downtime to recharge. Without it, burnout is quick to set in.

For a thoroughbred, a productive week might look like two high-energy sprint days where they dive deep into a project, followed by lighter, low-energy tasks like organizing files or responding to emails on recovery days.

What’s interesting—and exciting—is that you don’t have to fully identify as one or the other. You might find that you naturally align with one energy style, or you could notice that it depends on the type of work you’re doing or the season of life you’re in.

For instance, you might be a workhorse when it comes to your daily routines like exercising or keeping up with the household, but more of a thoroughbred when tackling creative projects or working under a tight deadline.

The key is to start observing your own rhythms and recognizing when one style serves you better than the other.

For those of us with ADHD, it’s worth noting that many of us tend to lean more toward the thoroughbred energy style, particularly when it comes to projects and goals.

We can dive into something with incredible focus and intensity, but the recovery time is just as crucial as the sprint itself. If that downtime isn’t built in, we risk falling into the familiar cycle of hyperfocus, burnout, and frustration.

The good news is that by naming and acknowledging these patterns, we can start to work with them, rather than against them.

Note: Your Hormones Also Play a Big Role

With this in mind, I’ll also mention that for those of us with a 28-ish day hormonal cycle, this might also play a significant role in how your energy flows.

You might notice that during certain phases of your cycle on a more macro level, you have greater bursts of energy than others when you’re in need of more rest and recovery. I won’t go into this topic in depth in this episode, but I want to mention it as another reason why tuning into your own rhythms is so important.

By recognizing these natural ebbs and flows, you can plan your time in a supportive way rather than fighting against your body’s natural patterns.

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This framework gives us permission to honor our natural rhythms instead of forcing ourselves into a model that doesn’t fit.

Whether you resonate more with the steady progress of the workhorse, the dynamic sprints of the thoroughbred, or a mix of both, knowing your energy style is key. By understanding these rhythms, you’re already taking the first step to stop fighting time and start designing a day that works for you.

How to Identify Your Energy Type: Understanding Energy Levels

When it comes to identifying your energy style, the most important thing to remember is this: there’s no right or wrong way to operate.

The key is understanding how you work best, so you can lean into that rhythm and stop fighting against it. Let’s take a moment to reflect on your patterns and preferences with a few guiding questions.

Step 1: Ask Yourself…

Do I feel most productive when I have a steady, predictable routine? Or do I find my best work comes in short, intense bursts of focus? 

If you thrive on persistence, tackling a manageable amount of work on most days you might lean toward the workhorse style. If you tend to dive deep into a task for hours or days and then need a longer break, you’re probably more of a thoroughbred.

Step 2: Think about how you handle low-energy days

Do I have regular, daily tasks that are sustainable? Or do I pause to fully recover and stick to lighter, low-energy activities?

Workhorses might stick to a “slow and persistent” approach, while thoroughbreds often need complete downtime to recharge after a sprint.

Step 3: Let’s look at your exhaustion levels

What does it feel like when you reach a point of depletion? Does it come from steady work, day after day, without pause, or from sprinting way too hard and not allowing enough recovery?

If you feel drained by the ongoing grind of small tasks, you may be pushing your workhorse tendencies too far. If exhaustion sneaks up after an all-out sprint, you might need to build in more thoroughbred-style rest and recovery.

As you reflect on these questions, you might notice that your energy style isn’t black and white. It’s not about being one or the other—it’s about recognizing how your energy shifts in different contexts.

Example

You might be a workhorse when it comes to habits or routines you’ve established. But when it comes to creative projects, you’re all thoroughbred, thriving in bursts of focused energy and needing time to recover before diving back in.

Or maybe it’s the opposite. Perhaps you approach socializing like a thoroughbred, needing long recovery periods after high-energy events, but handle your ongoing work tasks like a workhorse, persistently chipping away at your to-do list each day.

Both styles can coexist, and it’s totally normal to switch between them depending on the situation.

Neither approach is better or worse—they’re just different. The beauty of this framework is that it gives you permission to embrace your natural rhythm.

Once you understand how you work best, you can stop comparing yourself to others and start designing your days in a way that actually supports you.

This awareness is the first step toward transforming how you experience time.

As you pay attention to your rhythms and energy patterns, you’ll start to see where you can make adjustments to align your schedule with what works for you. Whether you’re a workhorse, a thoroughbred, or a mix of both, learning to honor your energy is a powerful tool for creating flow and ease in your life.

Once you name your patterns, you’ll see how much easier it is to make intentional decisions about your time without forcing yourself into a mold that doesn’t fit.

Conclusion

So, as a reminder, effective time management is not about rigid schedules or squeezing productivity out of every minute.

Instead, it’s about tuning into your natural energy rhythm—whether you lean toward a workhorse style, a thoroughbred approach, or a mix of both—and creating flow in your day that feels supportive and sustainable.

As you go through your week, I invite you to reflect on these questions to help you start naming the patterns you see.

• How does your energy show up?
• Are you more often in workhorse or thoroughbred energy?
• Do you notice one energy in work situations and another in social situations?

You might also find you’re a mix, depending on the season you’re in.

So this week is all about building that awareness.

Then, next week, we’ll take those insights and explore how to apply them to your life. I’ll share strategies for setting goals, managing projects, and designing a structure that works with your energy, not against it. So make sure you’ve hit that follow button on your podcast player or subscribed on YouTube so you don’t miss it.

All right, my friends, that’s going to do it for us this week. And if you’re ready to take these concepts and apply them to your life, if you’re ready to learn how to support your ADHD in a way that’s best for you, I invite you to check out today’s show notes where you can learn more about how we can work together in both my small group coaching program, We’re Busy Being Awesome, and through one on one coaching.

👉 Want to learn my simple step-by-step approach to locking in a routine and making it stick, be sure to check out my free course, the ADHD Routine Revamp.

I’ll talk with you soon.

Links From The Podcast

• Learn more about private coaching
• Learn more about We’re Busy Being Awesome small group coaching
• Get the top 10 tips to work with your ADHD brain (free ebook!)
• Discover my favorite ADHD resources here
• Get the I’m Busy Being Awesome Planning System here
• Get the Podcast Roadmap here
• Get the ADHD Routine Revamp here

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