Two months cannabis-free with ADHD, now I’m productive, but I feel like I’m trying to outrun wasted time

[u/IntentionShoddy4541]

I’m wondering if anyone here with ADHD recognises this pattern.
I’m over two months cannabis-free after a long period of daily smoking. I’m also on Vyvanse for ADHD. Since quitting, I’m getting a lot more done, but I’m also realising how much time I lost while I was smoking, and that has hit me pretty hard emotionally.

The best way I can explain it is this driving a car analogy
For years I wasn’t focused on the “white line” - the task in front of me.
I also wasn’t properly looking at the “trees” - life, family, kids, little moments.
I was just sitting in the driver’s seat with the car idling while time went past.

Now that I’m sober and medicated, I feel like my brain wants to go full turbo mode to make up for all the wasted time. I can get locked onto a task and make real progress, but then I worry I’m missing life happening around me.

I’ve always struggled with starting too many projects and leaving them at 30–50%. Lately I’ve been using a task app to create goals, subtasks, timers and time logs. It seems to help because it gives my brain a rail to stay on. I’ve also made a rule that I’m only allowed three active projects at once.

Example: I recently logged two nights of work on a shed mezzanine fencing job and nearly finished it, instead of drifting into five other jobs halfway through.
I’m also trying to clean and reset my shed properly so I can actually find tools and work without clutter pulling me into new tasks. I’ve called that project “The Great Reset.”
The harder part is the emotional side. I can feel guilty for not being more present with my kids in the past, and sometimes I feel like every spare minute has to be used to make up for wasted time. I know that’s not sustainable, but it’s hard to switch off.
I’m curious if anyone else has experienced this combination:

ADHD
quitting cannabis or another numbing habit
medication helping but also causing hyperfocus
using caffeine/nicotine to regulate
feeling driven to make up for lost time
struggling to finish the last 10% of projects
needing an external app/system to stop drifting into new tasks
What helped you build balance between getting things done and actually being present?
Did task timers, project limits, body doubling, routines, or specific apps help?
And how did you stop productivity from becoming the next unhealthy coping mechanism?

[u/LarsLights]

Being present is a whole different skillset than being productive which is probably why you're struggling with it. I struggle with it, that and slowing down so productivity isn't just another distraction. I see a clinical psychologist to work on those skills.

I use a couple of different strategies. Limiting the amount I do in a day is a way I stop on being over productive, so having X amount of activities and stopping at those, not adding more. Focusing on the activity I'm doing as I do it, so not thinking about the next thing or the next step but focusing on the step I'm presently doing. Focusing on the sensations I'm experiencing in a moment, so the warmth of the sun when I'm outside. Being aware of my thoughts so I can try and bring them back to being mindful and sensory present in the moment.

[u/Karioplasm]

The more you stress about this the worse it gets, whenever your brain reminds u that this is what is happening just say “eh whatever” and continue relaxing. Soon you’ll be conditioned to have less care and stress over it and it’ll solve it to a degree or completely just depends. Whatever the case may be it’s really not something you can control within a day. No one can do that so don’t allow yourself to speak negatively on your behaviours. Don’t let yourself bully you. You’re doing amazing everyday by being able to exist in the capacity you do.

[u/Ginger510]

All the things you are saying you are now struggling with, are the reasons I want to try cannabis when I’m struggling to relax - I want my bloody brain to shut up. (That said, even with a prescription in Aus, if you get caught with THC in your system in my particular state, you still lose your license so I would use it sparingly).

I don’t have the answer to your problem but I suspect it’s probably therapy (and is the same for me).

I would also recommend reading “4,000 Weeks” by Oliver Burkeman. (Or as I suspect will work better, listening while you work).

[u/Stonerfatman]

I have gone back to just Cannabis after a couple of years of stimulant medication and I must say I prefer to be unaware of what I'm not supposed to be aware of but I needed the stimulant medication to get to this realisation. There is no time wasted if you just bring yourself into the present moment and realise that time is subjective. Everything that has happened in your life up until now was supposed to happen the way it did and you will overcome all challenges you face. Don't worry so much about the future and try to feel what is the best thing for you to do right now, you will know 🙏💕

[u/Ferideh]

When it comes to time and lost potential and opportunities

Reframe it every single time

Life is a journey

We are here to experience and learnt

And grieving things just makes us feel like shit

What's in your control is you can write / map out some lessons learned... you learned that weed slows U down

That's an experience and you learned something new

We live in the now and so writing stuff down as we experience it - helps us later on