Sunday evenings, neurodiversity and giving yourself permission to park

It’s Sunday evening. I’ve had my Sunday dinner, and I’m sitting here doing a bit of work.

But it got me thinking. When you’re neurodivergent, Sunday evenings and Monday mornings can sometimes feel stressful before the week has even started.

What have you got to do at work? What needs doing at home? What haven’t you managed to do this weekend? Have you been productive enough? And how are you going to fit everything in next week?

Sometimes, Sunday night isn’t stressful because of what’s happening right now. It’s stressful because you’re already thinking about everything that might happen tomorrow.

For some neurodivergent people, navigating a world that isn’t always designed around how they think, process information or organise themselves can take a lot of energy. You might spend much of your day compensating, adapting and finding ways to manage things that other people seem to do without thinking.

That can be exhausting.

And when you finally get to the weekend, you might find yourself worrying about what you haven’t done rather than recognising what you have achieved.

But here’s something I want you to remember: you don’t have to earn your rest by completing everything on your to-do list.

Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is give yourself permission to stop.

Three things you can do right now

1. Give yourself permission to park

This is something I talk about as Permission to Park.

You don’t have to solve every problem tonight. You don’t have to work out every detail of tomorrow or next week. And you certainly don’t have to keep everything in your head.

Give yourself permission to park something and come back to it when you have the time, energy or support to deal with it.

That doesn’t mean ignoring responsibilities. It means recognising that not everything needs your attention at the same time.

If something is worrying you, make a note of it. Decide when you will come back to it, if you can. Then give yourself permission to focus on what you need right now.

You can move forward without having to do everything at once.

2. Get the information out of your head

Sometimes, the hardest part is trying to remember everything you need to do.

A to-do list can help. So can a notebook, a voice note or an AI tool that helps you organise your thoughts.

You don’t have to write everything perfectly or put it in the right order straight away. The first step is simply getting those thoughts out of your head.

For me, technology and AI can be valuable tools for supporting the way we think and work. Dictation can help you capture an idea without getting caught up in spelling. AI can help you turn a jumble of thoughts into a list, work out what needs attention first or identify one practical next step.

The important thing is to find an approach that works for you.

Technology isn’t there to replace your thinking. It can help you make better use of it.

And remember, a to-do list is there to support you, not become another list of things to feel guilty about.

3. Give yourself permission to rest

This one sounds simple, but it can be surprisingly difficult.

Rest doesn’t have to mean doing absolutely nothing. It means finding something that helps you switch off and recharge.

Have a bath. Make a cup of tea. Watch something you enjoy. Listen to music. Read a book or spend some time with someone you care about.

And if you can, try to avoid getting caught in an endless scroll on your phone, especially if it leaves you feeling more overwhelmed.

You don’t need to turn your Sunday evening into another self-improvement project.

You are allowed to enjoy it.

Rest is part of looking after yourself, not a reward you receive only when everything else is finished.

Moving forward doesn’t mean doing everything today

One of the things I’ve learnt through my own experiences of dyslexia and exploring neurodiversity is that we need to understand ourselves before we can work out what support might help us.

There isn’t one perfect system that works for everyone. What matters is discovering your strengths, recognising what takes more energy and finding practical ways to move forward.

That is why I talk about understanding yourself, working differently and moving forward.

You don’t need to change everything overnight. You can start with one challenge, explore what might help and take one step at a time.

So, if you’re sitting there on a Sunday evening worrying about Monday morning, take a breath.

Think about what actually needs your attention tonight, what can wait and what would help you feel a little more prepared for tomorrow.

Then give yourself permission to park the rest.

Tomorrow is another opportunity. You don’t have to figure it all out tonight.

Want to explore what working differently could look like for you?

I’ve created Work Differently. Move Forward., a practical book to help you explore your strengths, recognise what’s holding you back and discover ways to move forward that work for you.

You can find the book here:

Read more and get your copy: https://arransmith.co.uk/work-differently-move-forward/

And if you’d like to talk about your own experiences, explore the challenges you’re facing or find out how one-to-one coaching could support you, I’d love to have a conversation.

Book a discovery call: https://arransmith.co.uk/discovery-call/

Sometimes, a conversation can be the first step towards seeing things differently.

For now, though, look after yourself. Give yourself permission to park a few things, find some time to rest and remember that you don’t have to do everything at once.

Have a good Sunday evening. Here’s to a fresh start tomorrow.

Arran Smith
Founder & Chief Vision Officer | See Differently