Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast

It’s paper day! Dealing with your paper piles requires a unique approach that is more of a cousin to the four steps we’ve been practicing thus far. First thing to note: paper organizing has no end! Once you wrap your head around that, we can get started in building a system to efficiently categorize and stay up-to-date on the paper without becoming overrun by piles! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Take Control ADHD Course: The Paper Solution Luke Barnett’s Author Life chat with Pete Tools They Use Podcast from Keep Productive chat with Pete (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (03:00) - The Opening Question: Letting Someone Down (09:34) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon (11:58) - Oranizing Paper ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You’ve done the hard work. You’ve purged and sorted, and you’ve found a way to effectively assign spaces to your things, things to your spaces. But how do you keep those spaces and systems functioning? You turn to maintenance. Maintenance does not mean that you’re in a constant state of organizing. That would be exhausting! This week on the show, we’re talking about what maintenance is and how to set up smart systems to support your new organized self. Plus, we answer a bonus listener question about managing passwords in the age of epic breaches. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Wikipedia — Have I Been Pwnd? Wikipedia — Troy Hunt (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:42) - Follow-up: Have I Been Pwnd? (07:41) - Support The ADHD Podcast (09:34) - Organizing Step 4: Maintenance ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’ve made it! For those who have been listening to our organizing series and wondering where all the organizing is, this week is all for you! But remember, each step in the organizing process is critical — especially for those living with ADHD! — so just as you’re taking the organizing step seriously, that can only come thanks to your efforts in sorting and purging before it. This week, we’re talking about effective use of your space, how you think about space, and how you approach turning your space into a home for your things! We are proud to be guests in Linda Roggli’s 4th Annual ADHD Women’s Palooza! For a whole week, 30 top ADHD experts gather online to present about ADHD as it specifically relates to women. Registration is open now, presentations begin on February 25th! Oh, and did we mention it’s free to attend? That’s right, as long as you can make time to watch the sessions during the Palooza, it’s free. But you can get all kinds of great bonuses with a paid ticket so check it out! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! 4th Annual ADHD Women’s Palooza (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:11) - 2019 ADHD Women's Palooza! (03:16) - The Opening Question! How do I make decisions with less emotion? (09:12) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon (10:57) - Organizing! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In part 2 of our organizing series we're taking on sorting and purging. How do you handle making the tough decisions that will ultimately lead you to reclaiming your space? You build some new muscles... starting today! First, we’ve got a listener question that takes us deep into the avoidance spiral hole, and a reminder that if you haven’t invested in a password vault to keep your usernames and passwords secure, 2.2 billion reasons just hit the open network. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! “Security firm identifies hacker behind Collection 1 leak, as Collection 2-5 become public” by Catalin Cimpanu Download 1Password (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:08) - Safety Update: Make sure you have a password vault! (03:16) - HaveIBeenPwned.com (04:32) - Opening Question: How do I break the Avoidance Spiral Hole! (11:24) - Support the Show (12:54) - Follow-up: Kondo and ADHD (15:04) - Organizing Step 2: Sorting and Purging (40:40) - Homework! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you haven’t noticed, there is a lot of energy around getting organized in the air right now. Spurred on by the new Marie Kondo show on Netflix, we’re getting more and more questions about the so-called magic of tidying up and, most importantly, is this an ADHD-friendly way to handle your stuff? As you can imagine, we have opinions! This week on the show we’re digging into our roots to talk about organizing with ADHD, kick-starting a five-week mini-series on the organizing process, and how to get organized in a way that is kind to your ADHD. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Organizing Your Space Your Way with Nikki Kinzer Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (02:00) - Question: Is Marie Kondo ADHD-Friendly? (10:47) - Support The ADHD Podcast! (12:55) - Orgainzing with ADHD (18:22) - The Four Steps of Organizing Your Space (19:33) - Step One: Planning, and the Definition of Organization (25:16) - Is tidying up really a special event for ADHDers? (29:26) - Estimating Time to Organize, rewards, and sprints (33:36) - Chosing the Starting Point (35:12) - Is your zone causing you stress? (37:28) - The Zig-Zag and the Yo-Yo (43:04) - Coming attractions ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Some call hyperfocus the hidden superpower of ADHD. It’s characterized as this amazing reserve of focus that you can turn on to accomplish great things, health and wellness be damned! If you’re living with ADHD, you know what a misunderstanding this can be. Sure, hyperfocus can be a massive reserve of energy, akin to firing a glass cannon into the open ocean — it’s a reserve that too often destroys itself with no ultimate reward. Today we’re talking about what goes into hyperfocus with an eye on creating a more productive, targeted experience for ADHD that the experts have dubbed flow. Is it possible to build a model of understanding our hyperfocus states such that we can train our brains to get better at it? Join us and share your experience, too! Along the way, we wrapped up four questions you can ask of yourself to determine whether you're likely to find a state of flow in a project. Consider: Do you have the tools required to meet the project expectations? Do you have the skill required to meet the project expectations? Do you have the interest required to meet the project expectations? Do you have the time required to meet the project expectations? Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Join the conversation on Discord (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (02:00) - Listener Question (14:24) - Sponsor: Support The ADHD Podcast at Patreon.com/TheADHDPodcast (15:08) - Finding Flow with ADHD (20:34) - What is a Flow State? (24:44) - Marie Kondo Dance Break (25:10) - Meanwhile, the Paradox of ADHD (30:08) - The conditions of Flow (32:26) - The Flow Matrix (42:30) - A note on medication (43:15) - Happy Tuesday! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Does the internal chatter of ADHD really sound all that different than that of those who don’t live with it? Our guest today has been working among other leaders in the field to help find those Gremlins in our heads and quiet them down, making room for the benefits that come with the positive voices and stories we write about our own contributions to the world around us. Jane Massengill has been coaching adults with ADHD for the past 20 years, helping them learn to put the brakes on their internal chatter long enough so that they can begin to experience their bright spots instead of focusing on their dark spots. She is the Director of The Gremlin-Taming Institute, and speaks to audiences of all kinds on the benefits of learning how to listen to yourself. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! https://www.janemassengill.com The Gremlin-Taming Institute Taming Your Gremlin: A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way — by Rick Carlson (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast! (01:53) - Introducing Jane Massengill of the Gremlin-Taming Institute (07:02) - Why do some people struggle when others don't? (14:26) - About the Book and Jane's History (18:20) - The ADHD Internal Dialog (22:48) - Word-Watching (30:38) - Word-Watching Exercise ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Happy New Year! We love the turnover of the calendar around these parts because it gives us a time to slow down and reflect. We're not so much resolution people, but we do use the time to think more deeply than usual about how we motivate ourselves to change, the challenges we put in our own way, and how we can use our own efforts to fuel us to stick to the change we want to see in our lives. This week on the show, we're ringing in the new year with a conversation about making life design choices that focus on the good you do for yourself and your communities in the new year. (00:00) - Happy New Year from The ADHD Podcast! (02:20) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon (04:00) - No More Voicemail (04:59) - Listener Question: Coping with Constant Change (08:38) - Designing Your Life (24:42) - Focus Feedback from Facebook ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We called for questions and you delivered! Thank you to everyone who wrote in — We hope we did your questions justice! Here’s the list, and if you use a podcast app that supports them, you’ll find you can jump around to the chapter markers in the episode to hear just the questions you’re looking for. Have there been any studies on marijuana use and teens with ADHD? I struggle with weight... I need strategies to get out of the vicious cycle of loss of motivation. Does boredom lead to depression in ADHD? I have a significant commute. Do you have strategies for coping? Is an official ADHD diagnosis important as an adult? How can I balance my obsession with organizational tools with doing the work? Was "time & attention" intentional? How has your process for capturing content changed at conferences? Have you ever recorded a podcast and then decided not to air it? Any advice for our past selves? Where's the blooper reel? We wish you a happy holiday season and we'll be back in 2019! Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! (00:00) - The ADHD Podcast Annual Q&A Extravaganza! (01:52) - Group Coaching Reminder — Registration Open Now! (03:56) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon — Thank You! (06:20) - Have there been any studies on marijuana use and teens with ADHD? (13:20) - I struggle with weight... I need strategies to get out of the vicious cycle of loss of motivation. (20:36) - Does boredom lead to depression in ADHD? (24:45) - I have a significant commute. Do you have strategies for coping? (29:56) - Is an official ADHD diagnosis important as an adult? (34:32) - How can I balance my obsession with organizational tools with doing the work? (38:30) - Welcome Monica! (40:04) - For Monica: How do you like working for ADHD Nation? (40:44) - For Monica: Do you have personal experience with ADHD? (42:44) - For Monica: Is working with Nikki a ray of sunshine and positivity? (44:55) - Was "time & attention" intentional? (45:56) - How has your process for capturing content changed at conferences? (48:30) - Have you ever recorded a podcast and then decided not to air it? (50:42) - Any advice for our past selves? (55:55) - Where's the blooper reel? (57:39) - In closing... ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We received an email from just about the best boss in the world. Why? Because she asked a question that everyone living quietly with ADHD would like to hear their boss asking. In short: How can I help? Of course, working with — and supervising — someone with ADHD is more complicated after you ask that question. Today on the show, we have tools and strategies for helping to orient your staff, your team, and maybe even your organization to working with ADHD in the office. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Group Coaching Winter 2019 Registration Open Now! Listen to Pete on the Day One Podcast (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control! (01:54) - Pete on the Day One Podcast (03:22) - About Show Notes (07:31) - Support the show on Patreon! (09:45) - ADHD Group Accountability Coaching — Registration is Open Now! (11:04) - Working with ADHDers in the Workplace (30:33) - Thank you... and don't forget!... ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Do social situations exhaust you? Do you feel like your brain is working in overdrive to keep up with your environment? According to our guest this week, that’s a common refrain for those living with ADHD. Caroline Maguire is a coach, author, teacher, and speaker with a special focus in social skills supporting kids and parents of kids with ADHD. She’s here today to talk with us all about reading between the lines and the challenges that ADHDers face when it comes to understanding the unspoken complexities of social interaction. It’s time to master the “Polite Pretend!” Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Caroline Maguire ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Ever wondered what happens at a national ADHD conference? OK… that’s a leading question. This week on the show, Nikki has returned from CHADD/ADDA/ACO in St. Louis and she’s got lessons to share! If you’ve ever struggled with cementing a growth mindset for yourself, shame, existing with ADHD at work, or you just want to know who’s hot right now in ADHD (that sounds weirder than it was intended), then you should listen in! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! 2018 Annual International Conference on ADHD ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What is the brain dump? Generally, when we’re talking about a brain dump, we’re referring to the big discharge of all the things on your mind that are keeping you from being able to move forward. We know that there is a limit to what we as human organisms can keep in our working memory so we get it all out on paper and can then start doing the work, right? Probably not. This week on the show, Pete and Nikki are talking about the perils of the one-off brain dump and how you can work a regular brain purge into your own system reliably! Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There is no shame in starting small. That’s the truth, but that’s not often the message we tell ourselves. We’re naturally focused on the sadness that comes from not accomplishing more, from not achieving some sort of greatness that comes when we complete our massive lists. When we tell ourselves that it’s OK to do one thing well, we close the door on any appreciation of modesty and let the shame in, that we’re not doing enough, fast enough, to fit in. This week on the show we’re talking all about letting go: letting go of the fear of starting small, letting go of the lists that plague us getting in the way of what we need to do today, letting go of a mistaken appreciation of quantity in favor of quality. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

That first rush of relief that you feel when you’re handed the diagnoses of ADHD is exhilarating. You finally have words to describe what you’ve been feeling and experiencing, and a brand new way to relate to the world around you! And that feeling lasts for about three-and-a-half seconds, right up to the moment you ask yourself, what now? Accepting your ADHD diagnosis might be your first experience of an ADHD storm, a term coined by our guest today. He’s the author of Focused Forward: Navigating the storms of Adult ADHD, he’s host of The Complex: Shiny Shorts podcast, and he’s released a new video education series ADHD — From Answers to Action. We’re thrilled to have our friend James Ochoa back on the show to help us unravel the complexities of accepting your ADHD diagnosis. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You’ve sat through all the seminars. You’ve read all the books. You’ve watched all the videos. Your brain is a cup overflowing with new goodies to try… and now you’re overwhelmed, discouraged, and disappointed that you’re not able to just get to it. You’re not alone. And if you’re living with ADHD, you’ve likely squirreled away worksheets and notebooks and PDFs galore that will supposedly support you in changing your life for the better. Today on the show we’re talking all about the practice that comes with making change, and how you can turn that library of notes and resources into something you can manage — one new skill at a time. Download the ADHD Strategy Worksheet on the website! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week’s show comes thanks to a listener with a time challenge. School, work, family … they all compound the challenges that come with a life with ADHD. How do you approach the world when you feel like you’re too acclimated to timers and alarms? You can’t trust your own calendar? You feel like you’ve run out of ideas to cope and you’re awash in hopelessness? You try something new. And maybe… just maybe… that new thing is seeking help from your friendly neighborhood ADHD podcast. This week on the show, we start with the premise that ADHD time is different that time for many people… and that’s perfectly OK by us! Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We spend a lot of time building gates and systems to protect ourselves from distraction of ADHD. But, what might we be losing at the expense of saying No? This week on the show, Pete talks about control and ADHD. Spinning off of the concept of Margin as discussed by Shawn Blanc and Richard Swenson before him, what does it mean for ADHD when our systems and processes that we use to protect ourselves and our focus cause us to run out of margin in our lives and run headlong into a broader world that doesn’t understand us? Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! Giving up Control at Work — Shawn Blanc Margin from The Focus Course — Shawn Blanc Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives_ by Richard Swenson ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We had so many fantastic submissions for our "What do you want the world to know about ADHD" poll that we had to do TWO episodes! From judgment to raising kids with ADHD, this week you brought even more incredible insights to share with the rest of us. This is one of our very favorite pairs of episodes and is highlighted by your collective vulnerability and generosity. Thank you. Links & Notes CBS Sunday Morning — Hiring Autistic Workers ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There are so many signals coming at us; judgments, criticisms, guidance, and support. But so often, these messages come from those with limited experience with ADHD. This week on the show, asked you a simple question: What is it that you want the world to know about your life with ADHD? You told us how you experience relationships. You told us how your memory impacts your day. You shared your challenges with intimacy. You talked about how hard it is to respond to well-meaning strangers who know a thing or two about gluten. You came at us with glorious gusto. So please join us today for part one of what has become a two-parter and hear how your peers would like to share their ADHD experience with the world. Thank you for listening, and even greater thanks for sharing! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! The Pre- & Post-Diagnosis Journey with ADD Crusher Alan Brown — The ADHD Podcast Episode 270 Lessons in Love & ADHD with Melissa Orlov — The ADHD Podcast Episode 311 Ear Hustle — Ear Hustle brings you the stories of life inside prison, shared and produced by those living it. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

One of the greatest muscles you can develop to help you relate to the world around you while living with ADHD is to become a better listener. Author Rebecca Shafir brings her communication skills — and her book on the subject — to help us out this week! Rebecca a speech/language pathologist, an ADHD coach for over 25 years, a colleague of Dr. Ned Hallowell and the author of The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction. With over 30 years experience working with students and professionals to improve well-being, personal productivity and communication, she’s in the perfect position to teach us all to move on from active listening and become a truly mindful listener! And, her book is now available on Audible! Support Rebecca and this show by starting your free Audible account today at audibletrial.com/theadhdpodcast. Start your trial then search for the book and start listening today! Our great thanks to Audible for their sponsorship of this podcast. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! About Rebecca Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Receiving a diagnosis of ADHD can be hard enough. But what do you do when your partner, friends, or family don't work to understand and support you? This week on the show, Nikki and Pete take on this thorny issue. Yes, in fact, there are two sides, and approaching those closest to us with news that something is not as they’ve always understood it in your relationship can be jarring. Normalizing around this big new thing is the first step, then you can move on to the business of figuring out the rhythm of your relationship going forward. But what if you run into an ideological brick wall? That’s another story. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! I Don’t Believe in ADHD by Rick Green, TotallyADD.com XOXO Festival ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s hard out there. Why do we make it harder by subconsciously practicing language that devalues us, our contributions, and our abilities? Inspired by recent conversations in our coaching groups, Nikki brings a strategy that can help you build the muscles and triggers you’ll need to both notice when you’re falling into the trap of limiting beliefs, but to correct the pattern with replacement language. Discord fan? Our general chat is open to all in Discord and we’d love to have you there! Sign up and join the fun! If you’re a Discord user and you’re already supporting us on Patreon, make sure to connect your account to get access to all the supporter-level channels available to you! Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Yes, you know what ADHD does to your attention. But did you know that part of your distractibility might just be because you're ... human? New research out of Princeton says distraction was an evolutionary benefit and our ability to cycle the spotlight of attention actually serves to keep us safe. Today on the show, we’re talking about the research, and Pete brings three tools that purport to rewire your brain through sound! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Here’s Scientific Proof your Brain was Designed to be Distracted Brain.fm Behind the Brain: Theory & Algorithms — White Paper Focus@Will Noiz.io ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Building and maintaining strong friendships is critical to emotional well-being. When we announced that we were doing a show on friendships and ADHD, you spoke up. This week on the show, we’re walking through a collection of questions from you, from setting better boundaries to navigating unbalanced relationships and so much more! Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Building and maintaining strong friendships is critical to emotional well-being. But ADHD characteristics can put a damper on social convention. How to cope? It starts with developing a keen understanding of how your brain and your own relationship with ADHD impacts how you relate to people important to you. This week on the show, we’re talking about the skills and traits you’ll need to develop to grow stronger and healthier human connections! Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Memory is a fickle beast. With ADHD, you’re saddled with the unpredictability of having a terrific and accurate memory one day to a devastatingly terrible memory the next. This intermittent reinforcement makes the ADHD memory unreliable, sure, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. From executive functioning to working memory and prospective memory, understanding where your memory is impacted is key to determining the strategies that will work best for you, to help you remember what you need, when you need it. We're talking about memory this week, the functions of memory that may be impaired with ADHD, and strategies for improving your memory that come from some unlikely sources. Links & Notes More Attention, Less Defecit by Ari Tuckman The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci by Jonathan Spence Hannibal by Thomas Harris — This is where Pete was first inspired to explore memory palaces. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The thing about routines is that they’re as easy to break as they are to start, no matter how well they were working for you. With ADHD, it’s so simple to move to another task blindly that without developing a real muscle around task switching awareness, it’ll only take a few missed steps to forget you had a routine in place at all. This week on the show we’re talking about routines… those we’ve started, those we’ve broken, and how we can work to change our definition of success in our routines so we’re not so deeply tied to the perils of consistency. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’ve been working hard over the last few weeks to talk about how we define success. The lesson, from your own contributions, is largely that we as a group need to get better at it. We’re stuck in a place where success, to us, means defiant win. But the space between our big wins can feel like a chasm. And the isolation and judgment that comes with ADHD can make that chasm unusually dark. That’s why the success stories today are so important. Because in each, no matter how dark they begin, they reveal an effort to celebrate the act of movement, of taking action, of trying something new. We applaud everyone who wrote in, called in, or even thought about reachout out to us to share a success, and encourage you all to keep pushing through, to leap the chasm and find your own success. We’re off for the month of July. See you right back here in August! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Acknowledging our successes is not an easy thing to do for many of us — and it's even harder when wading through the judgment of ADHD. So how do you celebrate your successes and pat yourself on the back? This week on the show, we’re talking about how we go about defining and cataloging success, how we frame our own pride in our accomplishments and set the stage for a whole episode devoted to your success stories next week! Email your successes to [email protected] before Wednesday, June 20th! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How can you tell the difference between a legitimate reason you’re not able to do something and an excuse that you’ve started telling to get yourself out of it? Strange as it may sound, we’ve gone to the Oxford English Dictionary for help and — spoiler — that just made things worse! Nuances of language, culture, and context aside, we push through today to offer a framework for approaching excuses through logic, building the muscles that allow us to see when we’re not being honest with ourselves, and learning to live by fact and truth — as hard as that is for us to do sometimes. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Sign up for Summer Accountability Coaching! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Do you have FOLI? Never heard of it? Don’t worry, we hadn’t either. But if you’re living with ADHD, once we tell you about “Fear of Losing Interest,” we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to relate. Credit to one of our fantastic listeners for coining the acronym, we’re thrilled to be able to talk more about it today and spread the word! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Sign up for Summer Accountability Coaching! Check out Pete’s Podcast: What’s That Smell? — and binge season 1! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If you're living with ADHD, you know what it's like to feel misunderstood. That isolation can lead you to a place where advice like, "you should just get out more," is tough to take seriously. Today on the show, we're talking all about loneliness. But first, an important safety tip: 1Password 7 for Mac was released this week which offers direct access to a new tool that you need to know about — whether you use 1Password or not. That tool is HaveIBeenPwnd.com and it’s going to help you stay on top of data breaches hacks — and keep your user accounts safe. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Have I Been Pwnd? 1Password Dr. Robert Brooks Mortality: Insights into Meaningful Living by Robert Brooks ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’ve seen a flood of comments about expectations over the last few weeks and they all seem to zero in to the same general area: the to-do list is out of hand. But it’s more complicated than just having too many things on your list. In fact, your overflowing to-do list likely has more to do with your lack of practice in estimating time for individual tasks, and lack of a system to visually connect your work to the time you have available to do it. Today, we’re talking all about that, plus a plug that can help you free yourself from the self-judgment and shame that comes with feeling like you’ve failed when you can’t check everything off your list each day! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Download the Daily Schedule Worksheet Accountability Coaching with Nikki! — Join the Waitlist! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What motivates you? That’s the principal question around rewards, and it’s harder to answer for folks who are living with ADHD. The complications of reward systems are many; are you taking care of yourself? Do you remember to reward yourself? Do you question whether you “deserve” a reward? Does the reward actually keep you motivated to continue to move forward on your projects? This week on the show, we’re talking about reward systems and ADHD and have some terrific suggestions from our brilliant listeners that you can try to keep yourself motivated and happy! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Organizing What You Learn — The ADHD Podcast 327 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

James and Jules Ochoa are back! The OTHER dynamic duo in ADHD podcasting have just wrapped their first season of The Complex, a podcast that approaches ADHD through the lens of a fictional apartment complex and it’s many ADHDer residents. They’re here today to share a bit about their experience and lessons learned in approaching the ADHD community through a podcast platform. For more background on the show head back to our show, episode 331. Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Subscribe to The Complex Learn more ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’re going back to our roots this week with a trip down organizing lane! That’s right, it’s our ANNUAL SPRING ORGANIZING episode! Trouble getting started? Trouble finishing? Trouble narrowing down how to start? All that and more as Nikki and Pete revisit their tolerations and share strategies for overcoming the practical and emotional hurdles of tackling spring organizing with ADHD! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Check out our online courses! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’re getting colorful this week on the show! After a quick review of some cool emoji tools to take your charm AND organizational skills to a new level, we dig into chromotherapy and how you can use color to help sooth some of the challenges of ADHD – plus the colors to avoid if you’re launching a redecorating sprint like Pete! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Learn to use the Emoji Picker on Windows 10 Get Rocket for Mac The Psychology of Color by Carey Jolliffe ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’re going through the motions. Get up. Go to work. Come home. Go to bed. Sure, there might be more to it than just that, but how much, really? Are you stuck in the trap of routine? Are you feeling stuck? Bored? Confused? Gretchen Rubin has contributed so much to this very discussion through her book, The Happiness Project. Today on the show, we’re talking about the book, and about the things that you can do — the concrete actions you can take — to help you find your center, and rediscover your happiness. Sponsor: This week's show is brought to you by Audible! Get a free audiobook to spice up your commute and learn and love through reading. Sign up for your free book at AudibleTrial.com/theadhdpodcast. From there, search for our recommended book for the week: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD by Lidia Zylowska, MD ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’re inspired today. Hot on the heels of a fantastic conversation with a client, Nikki has a message of hope and opportunity for change that we can each use to help us focus on the positive, the bright, the empowered. It all begins with a simple choice: Today, I have the opportunity to do something different ... A listener emailed this week with a five point mantra that fits the bill, too. It’s such a perfect pairing with our conversation today that we wanted to share it here in writing. When you’re feeling compromised, try reading it aloud to yourself. What does your voice sound like as it carries across the air? How can you make it stronger, more confident? How can you take ownership of this message, craft it into something uniquely you? “No expectations” (unrealistic future thoughts) “No films” (Kopf-Kino: either memories or (repetitive) visions of hypothetical “futures” “This too shall pass” (recognise and acknowledge the emotion and if I know it, the cause) “You are safe in the present” “You no longer have to freeze” Thanks again to everyone who commented, wrote, and contributed to the message this week! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast _The dangerous downsides of perfectionism — BBC ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast We’re taking on anxiety this week. Specifically, that feeling of paralysis that comes from ADHD overwhelm and panic. Your todo list is too long. You don’t know what to do first. You feel like you’re letting people down because of your paralysis. All these feelings are real and if you’re in the middle of them, it can feel impossible to break free. That’s why we’re going to talk about preventative strategies that you can practice to make sure you don’t fall into the frozen trap in the first place! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Doug Herr is back with us all the way from Nashville to talk about ADHD Inattentive Type. ADHD inattentive represents one of our most frequent subjects for questions and one we haven’t covered specifically. Dr. Doug takes on questions on treatment, motivation, talking with schools and special ed teams, writing, reward systems and so much more. Links & Notes Find Dr. Doug Herr Register for ADHD Accountability Coaching before April 17! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We’re backing up on questions again! This week we’re taking a raft of your questions and have some tools, tips, products, and solutions you might try for all of them. From re-tuning your brain from overstimulation and hyperfocus to marriage buckets, noise canceling headphones and so much more! If we didn’t get to your question, please know that we just ran out of time this week but we’ll get to it in a coming episode. Thank you for sharing and keep ‘em coming! Links & Notes Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD by James Ochoa Bose Noise canceling Headphones Sony Noise canceling Headphones The Adventure Zone Podcast Trello Habit Bull (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:24) - Is there such a thing as pro-ADHD bias? (05:08) - Do you have suggestions for noise canceling headphones? (08:34) - How do you find an ADHD coach in a place where there are no coaches? (11:20) - Do you have any strategies for coming down from overstimulation? (16:44) - Shoutout for Trello and Habit Bull (17:52) - How do you navigate ADHD in the marriage? (23:24) - How can you remind yourself of reminders you haven't set yet? (26:04) - Is there a way to stop hyperfocus? ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You have a terrific list of tasks. But how do you decide what to work on first? After a run of conversations about task managers, it's time to take on sorting, sifting, filtering, and making the tough decisions that help you determine just how to put one foot confidently in front of the other: setting priorities! Plus: Listen through to the end for a preview of Pete's new podcast! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast The trick with procrastination is that it’s easy. It’s the easiest thing in the world to succumb to inaction in place of action, especially when action is challenging. But when you let procrastination rule, shame is sure to follow, and the ADHD brain doesn’t work well in those conditions. This week on the show we’re talking all about procrastination, avoidance, and the shame that stands between you and the feeling of productive accomplishment that truly is right in your reach. We’re going to help you re-attach motivation to your the actions in your way and hopefully find a path to the other side of inaction. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Inspired by an email from a time-starved OT, we’re taking on efficiency today, looking some of the ways that you can shave precious minutes off of tasks that force you to struggle. “Why can’t I do this task the same pace as the person next to me?” you ask. The secret is buried in the question. You’re a different person… perhaps it’s time to approach the task a different way! Links & Notes TextExpander ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week on the show we’re taking on questions on ToDo systems. Pete has been living out of a bunch of the major players in todo apps and comes ready to share thoughts on Things 3, Todoist, OmniFocus, and more. Which system is right for you? How do you go about testing? What should you be looking for in managing work for ADHD digitally? All that and more on today’s show. BONUS: We’re making the whole livestream available to all this week! (Click here!) We want you to be able to see what we were talking about during the show as Pete walks through all the apps on deck. And remember, all members of our Patreon community have access to the video livestream every single week through our members-only Facebook group (technology willing)! We hope you’ll consider joining! Links & Notes Things 3 Todoist 2Do OmniFocus Microsoft To-Do Apple Reminders (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (04:56) - Background to The To-Do Showdown (06:50) - Things 3 (15:50) - Just a few thoughts on Trello (17:10) - More on Things and task nagging, templates (20:36) - OmniFocus (23:22) - Todoist (38:24) - How do you make a decision? (41:58) - Wunderlist, Microsoft (42:46) - Apple Reminders (43:34) - Meanwhile, back to Nikki's challenge ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast James Ochoa is back and this time he's brought family! You'll hopefully remember James from our conversation with him last year — author of Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD, and founder and director of The Life Empowerment Center in Austin, TX. James joins us with his son Jules, recent grad of the fine Clark University and researcher in cognitive neuroscience… and podcaster! The Ochoas are here to introduce their new podcast, The Complex, a fiction show that aims to unravel the complexities of ADHD through a cadre of eclectic tenants of an apartment. Make sure to stay tuned to the very end of the show for a sneak peak at episode one, then go subscribe to the show yourself in your favorite podcast app! Links & Notes Subscribe to The Complex JamesOchoa.com Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD by James Ochoa (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:54) - Support The ADHD Podcast on Patreon — Thank you! (02:04) - Introducing James & Jules Ochoa (03:44) - What is The Complex? (06:34) - Clip — "People in my complex are driving me insane." (10:02) - Approaching The Complex as fiction (12:54) - How do you ensure the podcast is appropriately clinical? (18:38) - On Authenticity (21:16) - Clip — Genius Boy (23:58) - The Fallen Tree Story (25:59) - Writing & Producing The Complex (28:28) - Launch Plan (30:02) - Learn More (31:43) - The Complex — Episode 1 ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast We get lost with ADHD. Lost in feelings of struggle, lost in time of hyperfocus, lost in loneliness. It doesn’t take long before we build habits around the experience of negativity. But what if you were to change those behaviors and learn to celebrate the positive outcomes of even your smallest achievements? Our guest is Jennifer Kampfe, a certified ADHD coach with Fantastically Focused. Jennifer works with children, teens, college students, parents and adults with ADHD and she’s here today to talk about her program, Hearts for ADHD. She’s helping parents and coaches celebrate the strengths and achievements of kids with ADHD, and teaching them to celebrate the same in themselves! Links & Notes Hearts for ADHD — FantasticallyFocused.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Thank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon! — https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast Linda Roggli is an award-winning author and founder of the ADDiva Network supporting women who are 40-and-better. As one of the founders of the ADHD Women’s Palooza she’s created an online conversation with the world’s top experts in ADHD and women. After a fantastic conversation last week on the latest research on issues that affect women with ADHD, she’s agreed to stick around this week and take on your questions on parenting, work, tech, and so much more! Links & Notes Register for the 2018 ADHD Women’s Palooza! Confessions of an ADDiva — Midlife in the Non-Linear Lane by Linda Roggli The Distracted Couple: The Impact of ADHD on Relationships contributor Linda Roggli Let’s Fix It: A Magic Kit for ADHD Adults by Linda Roggli The ADDiva Network ADDiva Retreats ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★