Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

Navigating life with Adult ADHD often feels like operating in constant "survival mode." In this episode, Dave talks about why awareness is the non-negotiable starting point for meaningful change, acting as a powerful doorway to separating your ADHD wiring from perceived personal flaws. Instead of focusing solely on deficits, we explore how to leverage your unique strengths—like high energy, creativity, and resilience, while creating personalized strategies to manage common challenges like time blindness and task initiation. Most importantly, learn why self-compassion is a crucial performance enhancer and how setting realistic expectations through "micro-adjustments" is the key to rebuilding self-trust and finding lasting clarity. Awareness as the Doorway to Thriving: Learn why you "can't fix what you can't see" and how working with a coach, mentor, or trusted friend can help you build awareness to reduce shame and increase agency. Leveraging ADHD Strengths: Identify your unique assets, including high energy, creativity, and hyperfocus, and consider how to intentionally do more of what you're naturally good at. Pinpointing Pain Points: Strategically look for daily "friction points" where things consistently fall apart to create a roadmap for change, whether the stress comes from work, family, or unclear priorities. Reviewing Systems vs. Memory: Discuss the common trap of relying on memory, adrenaline, and urgency. Assess whether you have (or have abandoned) task capture systems, effective calendars, and a way to manage energy. The Power of Self-Compassion: Understand why harsh self-talk is a major roadblock and how introducing self-compassion can become a powerful performance enhancer, improving clarity and progress. Building Trust With Yourself: Learn how awareness leads to action, and action builds self-trust. **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   

In high-pressure careers, stress is constant, and for adults with ADHD, that pressure can quickly turn into frustration, overwhelm, and chronic complaining. In this short episode, Dave digs into one of the most important personal upgrades you can make: shifting from reacting to your problems to actively solving them. This isn't about ignoring stress or pretending things are easy…It's about learning how to reclaim control, build momentum, and become someone who figures things out instead of staying stuck in the same mental loop. Remember, those of us with Adult ADHD are great problem solvers! Key Discussion Points: Why the "complaint loop" feels productive, but quietly drains your energy and power The critical difference between venting for relief and problem-solving for change How ADHD magnifies overwhelm, and why shrinking problems restores momentum The one question that instantly shifts you from reaction mode into solution mode How language shapes your outcomes: replacing emotional drama with usable data Why problem solvers don't wait for perfect clarity, they take imperfect action fast The identity shift that changes everything: becoming "the person who figures it out" If you feel stuck in the same frustrations at work or at home, this episode will give you a practical, actionable roadmap to move forward, one small decision at a time. **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  

Did you know your ADHD brain has its own rhythm? The key isn't to fight it, but to work with it. In this episode, Dave dives into one of the most overlooked parts of productivity: your energy rhythms. Because, you can't manage your time if you don't have the energy to show up for it. Just because something lands on your to-do list doesn't mean it's going to get done. That's not laziness. It's your brain chemistry at work. Dave talks about how to identify your natural "focus zones" and how to protect them fiercely. You'll learn why the myth of "9 to 5" productivity doesn't apply to ADHD brains, how energy and focus aren't always the same thing, and why understanding both can help you choose the right type of work for any moment. Most importantly, he reminds us that focus will fluctuate, and that's okay. True consistency doesn't come from doing things perfectly every day. It comes from respecting how your unique brain actually operates. Tune in to learn how to match your energy, your focus, and your systems, and finally work with your ADHD brain, not against it. **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