Quick question. Is there a bag of clothes in your car boot that’s been “going to the op shop” since last winter?
If you just winced, pull up a chair. You’re among friends.
When Jeff Moore shared a Facebook post reminding people that “sometimes the smallest task becomes a full project”, the comments turned into the internet’s most accurate game of Tell Me You Have ADHD Without Telling Me. People piled in with the little moments that give them away every single time.
One commenter summed up the whole thread perfectly: “Have any of you gotten so deep into these comments that you forgot what the original question was?”
Another simply wrote: “Let me go on ahead and get assessed.”
We read every comment. We laughed. We felt mildly attacked. And we’ve rounded up the most painfully relatable ones below, grouped by the ADHD traits behind them, so you can scan, nod and send it to the friend who’s going to say “THIS IS US.”
Tell Me You Have ADHD Without Telling Me: The ‘I’ll Do It Later’ Signs
ADHD isn’t a laziness thing. It’s an executive function thing, and starting a task can feel like pushing a car uphill, even when the task takes four minutes.
- Your mail lives on the bench to “open later”: Later never comes. One commenter admitted she’d found her unopened mail in the fridge. We’re not judging. We’re checking our own fridge.
- The op shop bag is still in the car: Bagged up, in the boot, driving around with you for months. The decision was made. The doing is another matter entirely.
- Clean washing lives in the basket, not the drawers: Washed? Yes. Dried? Yes. Folded and put away? Let’s not get carried away. The basket IS the wardrobe now, and everyone in the house knows it.
- You’d rather leave the country than return a phone call: This one got a lot of love. That missed call can sit there for days, quietly growing into a monster. Booking a doctor’s appointment? Same energy. Same week-long run-up.
- You sit on the couch thinking about starting: Plenty of people described wanting to do the thing, knowing they need to do the thing, and feeling so overwhelmed by starting that they just … don’t. That’s often called ADHD paralysis, and it’s one of the most frustrating parts of an ADHD brain.
The ‘Where Did I Put It?’ Signs
Working memory is the part of your brain that holds onto info while you use it. With ADHD, it can be a bit like a sieve.
- You put something somewhere “safe” and never saw it again: One commenter nailed it: you can keep something so safe you’ve never found it to this day, yet lose things in plain sight daily. Passports, spare keys, that birthday gift you bought in March.
- You’ve looked for your phone while talking on your phone: Or hunted for your sunnies while wearing them. Your brain and your hands just aren’t always in the same meeting.
- You walk into a room and forget why you’re there: Then you do something else entirely, realise that wasn’t the plan, and still can’t remember what the plan was.
- Your camera roll is full of “important” screenshots: Screenshots for safekeeping. Screenshots texted to yourself. And not one of them has ever been looked at again.
- You’ve rocked up to school pick-up when the kids were at OSHC: The calendar said OSHC. The calendar was not consulted. One mum also confessed to writing things on the calendar, then forgetting to read it, or turn over the month.
The Unfinished Business Signs
ADHD brains love new and shiny. Novelty brings the dopamine, and once the novelty wears off, so does the motivation.
- You gave your whole life to a hobby, then woke up one day and just … didn’t care: Sourdough. Crochet. Pickleball. Total obsession for three weeks, followed by zero interest and no explanation. The gear is still in the cupboard, if you’re wondering.
- You own a stack of beautiful, empty notebooks: Unused planners. Notebooks that are too pretty to ruin by actually writing in them. Several people asked how many we own. We decline to answer.
- You started redecorating a room, then just shut the door: Half-painted feature wall, furniture in the middle of the floor, door closed “for now”. It’s been seven months.
- You bought Christmas cards years ago and haven’t sent one: One commenter bought a box of Christmas cards seven years ago and is still yet to send a single one. Another found last year’s decorations in a box. It’s October.
- You’ve finished a task, then written it on the to-do list just to tick it off: That tick is pure, legal dopamine, and we refuse to apologise for it.
The Side Quest Signs
You start one job and somehow end up on five side quests, as one commenter perfectly put it.
- You clean every room in the house at the same time: Start in the kitchen. Take a cup to the bedroom. Notice the bedroom. Two hours later, eight rooms are 20 per cent clean and none are finished.
- You brush your teeth in a random room: Standing still at the bathroom sink for two whole minutes? Not happening. You’ll be found in the laundry, toothbrush in mouth, sorting socks.
- Fridge open, tap running, cupboard door wide open: You were halfway through rinsing the dishes when something else grabbed your attention. The kitchen looks like it was abandoned mid-heist.
- You picked up your phone for one important thing: Then lost an hour to scrolling. And still didn’t do the important thing.
The Time Blindness Signs
Time blindness is the ADHD habit of not sensing time passing the way other people do. Five minutes and 50 minutes can feel exactly the same.
- You set a timer to leave on time, then folded a load of washing: One commenter set an alarm to leave, then decided to speed-fold a load of laundry first. Late, obviously. But the washing was folded.
- You need 37 alarms to make a 2pm appointment: Missed a 2pm? Who hasn’t. It’s the “I’ll just do one more thing” before 2pm that gets you every time.
- You’ll drive 15 minutes out of your way to avoid sitting still in traffic: As long as the car is moving, you’re fine. Sitting still for five minutes? Absolutely not. That restlessness is a big part of ADHD for many adults.
The ‘Wait, What Were We Talking About?’ Signs
- You answer questions before they’re finished: Or jump into someone’s story because you HAVE to say the thing before you lose it. It’s not rudeness. It’s impulsivity with a side of panic.
- You’ve never told a linear story in your life: You start at the beginning, take a scenic detour through three unrelated tangents, and land somewhere near the end if everyone’s lucky.
- The voice in your head never stops narrating: Constant commentary, 24/7, no off switch. As one commenter asked, has anyone ever managed to make it stop?
Why Do These ADHD Signs Feel So Personal?
Because they’re not really about mail or washing or notebooks. They’re about executive function, the brain’s management system that handles planning, starting, remembering, switching tasks and keeping track of time.
When that system works differently, everyday life gets harder. And mum life is basically a full-time executive function job. School notes, appointments, lunches, permission slips, birthday parties and the mental load of an entire household all land on a brain that’s already juggling.
That’s why so many women only start wondering about ADHD as adults, and plenty of mums first recognise themselves while their child is being assessed. If that sounds familiar, our guide to parenting when you have adult ADHD is a good place to start.
When ADHD Stops Being Funny
We love a laugh, and this thread is gold. But it’s worth saying: living with unmanaged ADHD can be exhausting.
Constantly feeling behind. Apologising for being late again. Beating yourself up over the pile of unopened mail. Over time, that can take a real toll on your mental health, and ADHD often turns up alongside anxiety, low mood and burnout.
If the big feelings hit hard when someone criticises you, read up on rejection sensitive dysphoria, which many people with ADHD experience. If you’re running on empty, check the signs of parental burnout. And if you’re struggling, Beyond Blue is there 24/7 on 1300 22 4636.
Is it ADHD or Just Mum Life?
Fair question. Everyone loses their keys sometimes. Every mum has a washing basket situation.
The difference is how often it happens, how long it’s been going on, and how much it gets in the way of your life. If these signs have followed you since childhood and they’re affecting your work, relationships or how you feel about yourself, it’s worth a chat with your GP. They can refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for a proper assessment.
This list is for laughs and recognition, not diagnosis. You can find reliable info on ADHD symptoms in adults and support through healthdirect and ADHD Australia.
Now Tell Us You Have ADHD Without Telling Us!
Go on. What’s the one thing that gives you away every time?
Is it the mystery bag in the boot? The 14 tabs open right now? The coffee you’ve reheated three times this morning and still haven’t finished?
Drop it in the comments, then tag the friend who’s going to read this and say “I feel attacked.”
Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a basket of clean washing to ignore.
Note: These posts reflect personal observations and humour, not a checklist for diagnosing ADHD. If difficulties with attention, organisation or completing tasks are affecting your daily life, speak with a qualified health professional.
You might also like:
- Spicy Brains & Kink: Why ADHD Could Lead You to Novelty Kink in the Bedroom
- Parenting When you have Adult ADHD – Useful Facts and Coping Strategies
- Mum Shares Clever Decluttering Hack For Busy Mums and We’re For It!
