Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

Busy professionals with ADHD often don't struggle with effort. They struggle with starting the day and shutting it down. Without clear transitions, mornings feel chaotic and evenings feel unfinished. Dave explores how simple, repeatable routines can act as anchors to create stability, reduce decision fatigue, and help you move through your day with more clarity and control. Without adding pressure or complexity! These are must haves for ADHD individuals in demanding careers and businesses. Key Takeaways: Build a simple morning routine focused on momentum, not perfection Start your day by identifying your top 3 priorities Create a consistent workday start-up ritual to eliminate decision paralysis Avoid jumping straight into reactive tasks like email first thing Use an evening shut-down routine to signal the end of your workday Capture unfinished tasks and set priorities for tomorrow Establish a weekly planning routine to reduce overwhelm and stay proactive Keep routines short, realistic, and repeatable Stack new routines onto habits you already do daily Focus on consistency over complexity. Simple routines done regularly create lasting results **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

Why does the day disappear, even when you start with a clear plan? For busy professionals with ADHD, time blindness isn't a character flaw. Research points to neurobiological differences in executive function and time perception, dopamine dysregulation affecting motivation and internal timing. The result? Reactive weeks. Strategic thinking is squeezed out by "urgent." Constant context switching. Strained relationships. In this episode, Dave reframes time blocking as visual decision-making and not rigid scheduling. Why high achievers with ADHD struggle with estimating time The leadership cost of operating without visual structure Using themed blocks (Deep Work, Meetings, Admin, Strategic Thinking, Recovery) Planning by energy, not just the clock Matching high-focus windows to complex work Building buffers and overflow blocks (plan for reality, not perfection) Transition rituals to reduce friction (5-minute resets, defining the next tiny step, clearing tabs) The "Land and Launch" method for smoother task switching **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

People pleasing is often seen as being helpful, reliable, or easy to work with. But for busy professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners with ADHD, it can quietly become one of the biggest drivers of burnout, overcommitment, and frustration. In this episode, Dave talks about how people pleasing shows up in leadership and the workplace, why it's so common in high-achieving adults with ADHD, and what it actually costs you over time. More importantly, Dave will explore practical ways to recognize these patterns and how to begin shifting toward healthier boundaries that support sustainable success. In this episode: Why people pleasing in ADHD is less about being "nice" and more about emotional regulation How people pleasing shows up in leadership, business ownership, and professional roles The link between rejection sensitivity, conflict avoidance, and overcommitment Subtle signs of hidden people pleasing in high performers The professional, financial, and personal costs of chronic people pleasing Why saying yes often feels easier than tolerating discomfort Simple mindset shifts to move from automatic yes to intentional choice Practical strategies to reduce people pleasing without damaging relationships If you've ever felt overwhelmed, resentful, or stretched too thin while trying to be everything to everyone, this episode is for you. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

Managing the Noise: Why Your Brain Feels So Loud If your brain feels like 37 open tabs that won't load, this short episode of Overcoming Distractions is for you. Designed for entrepreneurs and executives living with ADHD, we explore why your working memory is constantly overloaded and why "externalizing everything" is a biological necessity, not just a productivity tip. Dave shares lived experience on how to move from chronic mental noise to clarity by simply getting information out of your head and into a trusted system. Key Discussion Points: The ADHD Mental Strainer: Why trying to store ideas in your head leads to decision fatigue, stress, forgetting and more. Externalize Everything: Understanding Russell Barkley's core principle, and our brain is for having ideas, not holding them. The 5-Minute Brain Dump: How a judgment-free download of tasks, worries, and anniversaries (guys, this one's for you…)creates immediate psychological relief. The Power of One System: Avoiding the ADHD trap of using six different apps; find one capture tool that works, from a napkin to a notes app. Weekly Maintenance: Using a 20-minute weekly review to clean up the noise and reduce last-minute scrambling. Reframing Resistance: Why externalizing isn't "more work"….it's less work than carrying the mental load. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

In this episode, Dave takes a "street-smart" look at a cycle many high achievers with ADHD know all too well. Survival mode and ADHD! It's that grueling state where you're constantly reacting to fires, clawing your way to Friday, and feeling emotionally depleted at home. Dave will explore why survival mode is a nervous system response rather than a personal failure, and how to shift from chaotic reaction to intentional action. Key Highlights: Defining the Struggle: Identifying signs like constant urgency, mental exhaustion, and the "reaction vs. planning" loop. The High-Achiever Trap: Why being reliable and saying "yes" often rewards survival mode early on but leads to unsustainable burnout. Stabilize, Don't Optimize: Forget perfect routines; focus on "predictability" and small "home base" stabilizers to lower stress. Reclaiming Agency: Moving from "I have no control" to "I can influence this" through strategic delays and better boundaries. Redefining Success: Shifting your goals to match your current season of life, prioritizing sustainable energy over constant output. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

In this episode, Dave sits down with Theresa Lear Levine, an EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Master Practitioner and hypnotherapist, to explore the deep connection between the nervous system and ADHD. For high-achieving entrepreneurs and professionals, ADHD is often managed through "mechanics" Which are mission critical. However, Theresa explains why the nervous system is in a state of high-functioning anxiety or chronic stress for many busy professionals with ADHD. And how we can mitigate that stress. Key Discussion Points: Reframing ADHD: Moving away from the "disorder" mindset to view ADHD as a mismatch between one's brain and their environment or expectations. The Power of the Nervous System: Why emotional regulation is the foundation that allows executive functioning strategies to actually work. Understanding EFT (Tapping): How combining ancient meridian points with modern psychology can disrupt "fight or flight" responses in the amygdala. The "Body Keeps the Score": Discussing how chronic stress and trauma are stored physiologically and how releasing that tension improves focus and health. Overcoming the Resistance to Slowing Down: Why high achievers fear "pausing" and how to reintroduce pleasure and joy to prevent burnout. Breaking the Procrastination Loop: Using nervous system tools to lower the perceived "threat" of a daunting task so it becomes doable. Find her at: https://theresalearlevine.com/ **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

Juggling a demanding career and the unique challenges of adult ADHD can be tough enough. But what happens when you add significant life commitments, like caregiving, into the mix? In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave welcomes Lisa Candera, a mom, attorney, ADHD-er, and autism mom coach. They dive deep into the real-world strategies for managing a full, complex life while respecting and even leveraging your ADHD wiring. Lisa shares her personal journey of late-in-life ADHD diagnosis and the radical compassion it unlocked. This episode is packed with essential insights on managing burnout, mastering self-regulation, and finding grace amidst the chaos. For Busy Professionals with ADHD: Customized Support is Key: For adults with demanding careers, support (from a coach or mentor) should meet you where you are! There is no one-size-fits-all "playbook" for ADHD. Embrace Individual Needs: Recognize and respect your unique sensory environment. Some thrive in dead silence (like David), while others need background stimulation (like Lisa, who studied for the bar in coffee shops). Unexpected Coping Tools: Simple items can be life-savers. Lisa's AirPods/earphones help with focus, enjoyment (listening to true crime), and self-regulating her sound sensitivity and quick startle response. The Adult ADHD "Click": Many adults with ADHD are diagnosed later in life, often after a child's diagnosis. What seemed like stress, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation often turns out to be a manifestation of their neurotype. The Caregiving Challenge: When you have caregiving or high-level family responsibilities, you often experience a next level of exhaustion. Bringing home complexities into the workplace is a reality that contributes to burnout. Practice Radical Compassion: Apply the same love, grace, and understanding you afford a struggling child or friend to yourself. This helps reframe struggles that you previously saw as character flaws as part of your wiring. Find Lisa Candera on her Website: theautismmomcoach.com **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min Buy Dave a cup of coffee and support the show here! https://buymeacoffee.com/overcomingd

What if productivity wasn't just about doing more, but about intentionally doing less of the wrong things? In this short episode, Dave breaks down one of the most overlooked tools for high-performing professionals with ADHD: the Not-To-Do List. If your days feel packed, your energy feels scattered, and your focus feels constantly under attack, this episode will help you reclaim control by eliminating what no longer serves you. You'll learn how subtracting the right things can create more clarity, momentum, and ease, without adding more pressure to your already full plate. In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, you'll learn: How to identify your biggest energy drainers and distractions The five core categories of a powerful Not-To-Do List What tasks you should stop doing, automate, or delegate immediately How poor boundaries quietly sabotage focus and performance A simple weekly review practice to refine your list How pairing a Not-To-Do List with your To-Do List creates real momentum This episode is a must-listen if you're tired of feeling busy but not always productive, and you're ready to protect your time, energy, and attention with intention. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min