Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast

On this month’s digital episode, Pete and Nikki walk through some of the tools and processes that help to simplify and streamline personal money management. We’ll dig into tools around managing and scanning paper for systems that enable immediate and frictionless action. We’ll talk about transaction micromanagement, and the perils it brings, along with tools that allow for automatic reporting where it counts. And we’ll talk about the importance of a spending diary, if you’re having trouble with focus, and give you some ideas for tools that can help you build up your awareness for your own behavior around money! Links & Notes Scanbot (iOS) CamScanner (iOS/Android/Windows Phone) Google Drive (Android) Scannable (iOS/Evernote) FileThis Mint Personal Capital Dave Ramsay’s Envelope Method Explained DayOne (iOS) DayJournal (Android) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You’ve been working hard to get your day-to-day habits under control, but what about your long-term strategy for your money? Are you thinking about your budget? Your savings? Retirement? This can be the most challenging to get started, but it doesn’t have to be painful — and it can even be fun! This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright talk about setting up a financial plan, the tools and resources you’ll need to start budgeting and offer a variation on a debt reduction plan to get you saving smartly today! Links & Notes 10 Reasons Why Financial Plans Aren’t Just For the 1% by Forbes Dave’s Budgeting Forms Mint.Com The Total Money Makeover - By Dave Ramsey Secrets of the Millionaire Mind - T.Harv Eker The Millionaire Next Door - By Thomas Stanley and William Danko Dave Ramsey’s Snowball Debt Reduction Plan ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Now is the time! If you've thought about joining a coaching group for support as you learn about your ADHD, today is your day. It's open enrollment in small group coaching with Nikki in ADHD Moms or ADHD Professionals groups, and thanks to great feedback from current members, we've made some changes that we're excited to share with you today. This is a brief special episode to get you up to speed — if you've been thinking about joining a group, now's the time to make it happen. Sign up today! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You know that giant stack of bills, statements, and un-opened envelopes sitting in piles around your house? It’s time to get those under control! This week on the show, we walk through a process for getting your financial paperwork under control. From purging what you don’t need, to building a system for maintaining the paper you do need, we’ve got you covered with tools, checklists, and resources to get your finance paper in order! Links & Notes Download the Important Documents Checklist Scanbot — Scan with your iPhone or iPad Getting Things Done® Podcasts Download The Paper Solution ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You know how sometimes when you’re really focused on one thing, other things might fall out of focus? Like, for example, your spending? This week on the show, we talk about impulse buying that comes to many struggling with ADHD. We’ve got three strategies for regaining control over the spending bug, and considerations for making sure you don’t get slapped down the road! Links & Notes Debtors Anonymous How to Find Help Treating a Shopaholic Shopping Addiction Treatment Options ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you’re struggling with ADHD, the data suggests you likely have trouble with money. Not only are you likely to make less money, you’re more likely to be spending it and tracking it less responsibly than your peers who aren’t faced with ADHD. It’s a harsh reality. This week on the show, we’re talking all about money, the importance of your personal financial belief systems and how to begin to find clarity in your approach to money and take back control of your saving! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’ve asked the question before, but this week we answer it in detail. What does it mean to get organized just enough? It means getting organized for you, and not for any organizing system. This week on the show, we take on a question from a listener that bundles such important concepts as balance, organizational aspiration, and shame around ADHD and living the organized lifestyle. It’s a big show, a big question, and hopefully offers you a big and inspired summer organizing season! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s summer, and we’re gearing up for our own vacations, so we thought we’d use the opportunity to reflect on the importance of downtime to our emotional and physical health — particularly when fighting the busy signals of ADHD. We’ve got research and resources and terrific tips from listeners that should help you build a vacation plan you can count on to keep your stress low and your energy up! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thanks to our fantastic listeners, we have received some great questions, comments, and resources to share after our focus and online shopping shows from the last few weeks. This week, we’re talking about notifications, focus, the perils of the return policy in online shopping, and how to exercise your balance muscles while struggling with hyperfocus! Thanks to all who wrote in to share, and keep those comments coming! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s summertime! And for many of us, summer means travel. If you’re struggling with ADHD but have a tendency toward the digital, we have four areas for you to think about in this week’s podcast to keep you organized and informed. First, are you using the tools your travel partner has created to their greatest? Second, did you check for your travel destination’s app? Third: TripIt! And finally, we have a tool to help you craft the perfect road trip! All that, and a discussion of Pete and Nikki’s aversion to camping this week on The ADHD Podcast! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We have a wonderful organizing community! We asked for your very best organizing tips, and you came through! From stickies to timers to hooks and color codes, your tips make for wonderful organizing systems. This week on the show we’re sharing a bunch, but want to hear more of your ADHD organizing successes — so keep them coming… and thank you! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s not easy to get started on your organizing journey. There are bumps in the road around every turn — you have to find the motivation, the time, the childcare. And if you’re struggling with ADHD, you know how important it is to be able to find a space free of distraction and chaos if you’re going to take on any important task. That’s why it’s critical you steer clear of these five organizing missteps that can set you back on your journey to living the organized lifestyle. This week on the show, we take on the five organizing mistakes that can set your organizing back, rather than keep you moving forward into a space of control and confidence! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you’re struggling with ADHD, you know this feeling. Go ahead and do a slow turn around your room or office. Look at all the surfaces — tables, chairs, floor — how’s your clutter? The ADHD mind has the powerful ability to tune it out, to make it invisible, until the subconscious pressure of the clutter around you becomes too much to handle. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright talk about clearing the clutter in your home in a hurry with a few quick daily strategies that can help you get out of the clutter rut! And don’t forget to download the latest batch of free forms and templates to get the new “15 Minute Organizing Tips” we talk about on the show! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’ve been talking about focus this month and this week’s digital episode continues the theme. We’re talking about fighting focus failure with four prime strategies to keep you working free of distraction. From using wifi toggling to save yourself from the lure of the Internet to selective notifications, to full-screen apps, and our favorite tip on application complexity, there’s something in here for everyone whose fingers tickle the keyboard day-by-day! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You’re in a job interview. Things are going well! You’re telling stories of your heroism and courage in facing down your greatest foes, growing businesses, the works. Then they ask the question: “Please describe your greatest strengths and weaknesses…" You freeze! That’s because we, as humans, are terrible at realistically assessing our own strengths and weaknesses. It’s backed by research: we invariably rate our self-assessment either more optimistic or pessimistic compared to others’ observations of us. That’s why it’s so important to have a reliable feedback mechanism for determining and validating our strengths as we develop and mature our skills. This week on the show, Nikki and Pete talk about the challenges of self-assessment and offer a pair of terrific suggestions that you can use to discover your strengths right now. Links & Notes Flawed Self-Assessment: Implications for Health, Education, and the Workplace VIA Character Strengths Finder The Definition of Hell for Each Myers-Briggs Personality Type ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When you sit down to shop online, do you have the same intention and agenda that you have when you shop in brick and mortar stores? Sure, from time to time we might go shopping for fun, but most of the time, when we hit the bricks, it’s to run errands, pick up specific things, and get back to the business of the day. If you’re struggling with ADHD, my bet is that you have more trouble shopping online and keeping your focus on your goal than you make like to admit! This week on the show, we have five tips for managing your time and attention while shopping online — save money while relieving stress and getting things done! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We all know repetition can get boring. It stinks to feel like we’re stuck in a rut of humdrum rinse and repeat! Still, if you have any commitments that you have to repeat each day, week, month… you’d better have a system in place to manage them and make sure you don’t miss a beat. This week on the show, we’re talking all about routines — those strings of tasks that you have to complete in order to accomplish a goal. And because it’s a digital episode, Pete Wright walks through three systems for managing your sets of routines, plus a bonus app for managing your kids’ chores, too! Links & Notes Omnifocus Evernote HomeRoutines DailyRoutine — Update: No longer in active development. Bonus: iAllowance ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We got some great questions after last week’s episode on prioritizing and it turns out we may feel alone, but we’re in good company! As it turns out, many of you are also struggling with this of overload, which leads to our collective inability to follow through on our projects, tasks, and goals. This week, we help identify the potential cause of your follow through problem, and give you four solutions to move you through the mire and find the light of accomplishment! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s a big show! First, some follow-up from last week on tolerations. We answer a great question from a listener around how to address another sort of tolerations, and how to fight the overwhelm that comes from over-commitment. How do you get from a place of overwhelm toward a place of feeling more in control and progressing forward? This week on the show, we offer strategies for dealing with the stress of over-commitment that brings liberation and hope, too! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s been nearly 100 episodes since we last talked tolerations, and we have (ahem) a lot to report. This week, we’re taking a step back to look at the impact of ADHD noise on our tolerations. We look at the positive emotional and creative impacts of building a lifestyle in which we acknowledge, cultivate, and complete our tolerations. Links & Notes Our first tolerations episode The Original Tolerations Worksheet Nikki’s Tolerations Pete’s Tolerations ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Understanding ADHD means you’re coming to an understanding of the unique characteristics of ADHD and you. That can mean waking up to a whole world that all of the sudden doesn’t work the way you always thought it did! Today on the show, Pete Wright shares a few key systems and technologies that can help you get back on track by evaluating how you write, and how you read. Thanks to a few old techniques and new tools, you can begin to build living systems that fit your unique ADHD challenges! Links & Notes Audible Whispersync for Audio Fieldnotes Brand Livescribe Pen Solutions ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’re turning the corner on vulnerability this week, talking about transition stories. What is it like to make the leap from chaos, no idea that there is a definition for your experience, to understanding, learning about your ADHD and building systems that allow you to reach for peace? This week on the show, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer talk about the vulnerability required to make that leap forward in your life, and how important it is to reframe confusion as a positive, a doorway to learning. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

As a parent, we walk a careful balance between nurturing, protecting, and disciplining our children. But the complications that come with parenting a child with ADHD make this balance fuzzy. As our kids are experimenting, pushing boundaries, learning to live in their skin, we have to work extra hard to keep our composure, as acting out can mean so many more things. This week on the show, Nikki and Pete share tools and techniques for parenting children learning to live with their ADHD, with a focus on validation, support, and love. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

For so many struggling with ADHD, traits of focus and attention, and the stigma of the set of behaviors that comes with it can cause us to visit the shame spiral. This week on the show, we talk about Brené Brown’s pioneering research and inspirational presentations on shame and vulnerability, and how reframing our approach to shame can lead to a powerful awakening of strength and confidence. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you’re a regular listener of this show, you know how highly we hold human connectedness toward our emotional health. We are tribal creatures, and more often than not, we are closer to reaching the best “us” we can be, when we’re involved and invested in a community. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright talk about the importance of community and our human connections. From the perspective of being a mom with ADHD, the power of admission and awareness can go far toward releasing some of the frustration that comes with mental noise. Join us for some great resources! Links & Notes Dr. Ellen Littman ADDitude Magazine Webinars ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

On this week's digital show, we're talking all about using your technology to play. It's all about figuring out how to use the tech tools at your disposal to re-engage your kids, get up and move your body, and have fun without the guilt that comes with keeping your head in your phone. This week on the show, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer introduce three games and tools, and walk through how getting outside with tech can become a fun — and intentional — gift of time friends and family! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

On the heels of Nikki’s imploding computer comes a conversation about facing up to — and then facing down — those negative situations that crop up in our lives. From finding the awareness to accept the reality of the situation to mustering the confidence to let it go when it’s time to move on, we share tips and strategies for finding meaningful support in our lives when we need it. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You know the feeling. You may not be a writer, but you certainly know writer’s block. You may not be a psychic, but you know when stars are misaligned. You know the feeling. It’s that feeling you get when life feels hard. When the things you know are supposed to be falling into place in your life are falling out all over the road. You’re walking uphill through quicksand. Every move feels like a disaster waiting to happen … on your head. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can train yourself to fight the friction, dissolve the stickiness, and get yourself moving forward again. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright share techniques for doing just that, and feeling even stronger as a result. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

So much of how we feel in life is determined by how we feel in our skin. That means we have to take the time to evaluate how well we’re treating ourselves — are we eating right? Are we eating the right amounts? Are we exercising? Are we sleeping enough? It’s all too easy to let the world — work, kids, family — eat into our lives to the point that we’re just not healthy anymore. This week, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer share digital tools for monitoring and managing our fitness and diet. From wearables that track your movement to the apps and services that help you define and achieve your health and fitness goals, listen in this week for the tools you’ll need to get started! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Problems! We all have them. They crop up when we least expect them, and they have the potential to truly derail us. But what if we train ourselves to disconnect from the negativity of our problems? To shift our perspective slightly, and turn our problems into challenges empty of emotional baggage, less intimidating? Less frightening? This week on The ADHD Podcast, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright talk about problems, and the work it takes to reframe them into possibilities full of hope, energy, and power! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

After a series of on-air panic attacks suffered while reading the news in front of millions of TV viewers, Dan Harris was forced to rethink his approach to the world. In his book, 10% Happier, Harris chronicles his journey toward mindfulness and meditation and makes a compelling case that his practice offers emotional and physical benefits he had never before imagined. This week on Navigating Change, we discuss 10% Happier as a source for inspiration in our own evolving meditation practices. Even more, we offer strategies for approaching a mindfulness practice in a forgiving and patient manner, no matter your level of meditation experience. Links & Notes The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Happy New Year! Now that we’re well into January, it’s time to leverage the collective energy around new beginnings and make some positive change. Careful, though, not to fall into the perennial trap: January resolutions that lead to February slips. This year, we’re making our January one of reflection. This week on the show, we share our strategy for building reflective and concrete structures around our new year, and how we’re turning our resolutions into plans that will support us all year long. Join us! Links & Notes The Writer's Room — "Breaking Bad" Field Notes Notebooks ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When we think about managing our money with technology, it’s pretty easy to fall into the “tools trap,” that if you could just find that one great tool to manage your finances, you’ll suddenly be smarter, more in control, and better looking. The reality is, no one tool can do it all if you don’t establish the money management mindset. We’re taking on both sides of this particular coin this week, creating the right money management processes to help you stay on top of your spending, and finding the right technical tools that support you along the way. Links & Notes Quicken Quickbooks iBank Chronicle Mint.com (Owned by Intuit) Personal Capital ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This is not a naturally easy time of year if you’re struggling with ADHD. From hyper focus to anxiety and stress, we’re dealing with a new influx of stimuli that can hit is right where it hurts if we’re not careful: the bank account! Don’t let your natural untempered generosity get the better of your finances! This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright share tips and strategies for managing finances without hitting the bottom line so hard! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Groups are transformative. With the guidance and support of a great coach, and like-minded peers, a group coaching environment can clear new pathways to learning and development in a space free of judgment and pressure. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright dive into the power of group coaching and introduce the new service as a core offering. If you’ve ever considered getting support along your ADHD journey, now is the perfect time to join a group and take control of your ADHD! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’re gearing up for the holiday season — just a little over a week from Thanksgiving here in the US — and as if we needed any more of a reminder, our favorite stores seem to be accelerating things by kicking off their holiday extravaganza even earlier than years past! It is the season of the holiday show, the show that takes place outside, and the show that kicks off in our own homes. This week The ADHD Podcast, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright share strategies for reducing stress as you navigate your own holiday adventure this year. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Today, we offer three sentences. They are three simple sentences that may just change the way you talk to your children. And once you see how your relationship with your children changes, you may find yourself wondering how these three sentences will change the way you talk to your partner, your spouse, your team at work. You may find that these relationships grow stronger, and that you grow a bit, too. Or, you may find you’ve discovered a great new TV show, but you’re going to try different sentences all the same. Either way, you should listen to the show this week. Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright share three sentences that have inspired them in the way they talk to their own families. And sometimes, listening to others get inspired is an inspiring enough journey all by itself. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we’re talking about transitions. It’s a story about a transition in the family, in fact, and the challenges that come as a result of watching those closest to us struggle in spite of our own experience. Nikki Kinzer shares the story of her son’s transition to middle school, and the work they have done as a family to understand both the social and emotional struggles that come with executive function issues at home and school. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How are you with daily habits? Are you prone to forgetting your keys? How about leaving the house with the garage door wide open? If you’re prone to tiny bouts of forgetfulness, maybe it’s time to consider a technological solution! This week on Taking Control, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer walk through a variety of home automation solutions. From keyless home entry to complete home automation through your phone, any combination of these systems will give you just a hint at life in the future! Links of note On CVS and Rite Aid Rejecting Apple Pay — Steven Aquino August Door Lock Goji Kevo Lock Withings.com Smart Garage Doors Nest Belkin WeMo ATT Digital Life SmartThings ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Goals are great. Last week we talked at some length about goals, in fact, and the importance of building the right intention into our goals with “would,” “should,” and “have to.” But anyone can set goals. What sets those who set goals apart from those who achieve them is all about awareness. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright discuss the three critical questions to define your level of awareness of your own goals, and help build a framework for understanding the things that are truly important in your life! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Words have power. Nowhere is that more clear than in the language we use to describe ourselves. From empowerment to confidence to productivity and our very own care and appearance, the words we use to define ourselves have a direct and inextricable connection to the way we move through the world. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright talk about the power of three very important words, and how we can use those words to build confidence and motivation toward meeting our goals. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s ADHD Awareness Month and we’re ringing in the season with a terrific list of books, sites, groups and other resources to help you wrap your head around this pesky condition. Whether you’re new to ADHD and wrestling with your own diagnosis or that of a loved one, or been dealing with ADHD for many years, we have some great tools and texts to support your journey. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright share their favorite ADHD resources to help support and spread awareness! Notes & Links You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy? More Attention, Less Deficit — Ari Tuckerman Understand Your Brain, Get More Done — Ari Tuckerman CHADD ADDA ADDitudemag Take Control ADHD ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast We’ve spent the last month talking about the impacts of ADHD on the job hunt, career search, interviews, and lives at work. In this month’s episode of Digital, we’re talking about some of the electronic tools and related systems that can help you get the most out of your work day. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright discuss the electronics that can help to free you from stress and overwhelm, and keep your workday on course! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast We’re continuing our series on ADHD in the workplace and this week, you’ve picked the right career, nailed your interview, and you’re finally ready to get to work. How do you make sure you’re making the most of your time and leveraging your strengths effectively? This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright take on time management in the face of overwhelm and distraction, and the boundaries you can set to make each day shine! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Whether you’re starting a new job or breathing new life into the job you have, creating and maintaining an organized workspace is critical to success and the ADHD brain. Time management, productivity, efficiency all improve when you’re free of disorganization and helps you feel stronger and more confident in the work you do every day. This week on Taking Control, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright help you create an organized workspace and get your workday in control! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast It’s time to dig into the nuts and bolts of getting your next — or first! — great job: the interview. Whether you feel you’re a seasoned vet or a complete novice, the act of pitching yourself to a potential manager can be stressful. The environment is even less hospitable if you’re struggling with attention or focus issues related to ADHD. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright offer key strategies for making your very best impression so that you can focus on the work, and contribution you want to make! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast It’s back to school season here in the US and what better time to kick off a series dedicated to getting back to work! This week on the show, we introduce our next series with the challenges and opportunities that come with guiding your own career and picking your next job. Nikki’s background in human resources and recruiting put her in the hotseat working to help people find the right job where they can contribute their best strengths. This week on the show, Nikki and Pete Wright share tools and strategies to help refine your search and end up in the best role for you! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast We’re taking on tech tools for school in this week’s digital episode of The ADHD Podcast, from considerations around speed of data collection and retrieval to discovering the tools and processes that will help you best focus your attention and achieve classroom success. In this episode we ask three fundamental questions: What is the fastest tool for you to collect information? What is the fastest tool for you to retrieve information you need later? And how comfortable are you with specific technology hardware solutions? This week on the show, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer will help you wrap your head around great options for managing the technology you’re going to need before you hit the books! Links & Resources Apps for Students iStudiez pro for iOS, Mac, Windows If your school is online, make sure you get the app for the platform in your program. Likely either Blackboard or Moodle. Both of these apps stink, frankly, but they’re good to keep around to be able to check in with your courses on the go. Tools and Training Notetaking is a skill. Get better at it! — Assorted YouTube tutorials Lynda.com for all your Technology Training Mind Mapping with Von Glitschka on Lynda.com Tony Buzan on Mind Mapping — This is a goofy commercial video, but I include it here because Tony Buzan owns the trademark as the “inventor” of mind mapping. This will help you get to know Tony a bit better and once you get over the terrible announcer, there’s some good information in here. Evernote Moleskine Notebooks Final Cut Pro ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast So, you’ve made the transition to school on the right foot. How do you make sure each day is as successful as you can make it? Establish a morning routine that supports your natural behavior and your current demands! This week on The ADHD Podcast, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright share strategies for establishing your morning routine supporting your schedule and your health! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Integrating into the college environment is exciting and frightening. Young or old, you’re diving into a new universe of demands, expectations, and deadlines, all of which challenge the ADHD in complex ways. Continuing our series on ADHD and the college student, this week Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright talk about how to start the new year with confidence from living in a new space, to finding the right planning systems, to integrating into classes with the right foot forward! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★