I'm Busy Being Awesome - Sustainable Productivity for ADHD

"There's no way you have ADHD." That's what the psychiatrist said to me, right before he laughed out loud. Why? Because I had a PhD, a job as a professor, and a marriage.
In his mind, my "success" canceled out my struggle. That moment was my first lesson in self-advocacy, and it sparked a journey that changed everything.
Ten years later, I'm sharing the 10 things I wish I could go back and tell that version of myself and anyone else navigating a late ADHD diagnosis. Today in episode 348, we're covering:
Why understanding your brain's need for stimulation, cognitive flexibility, and working memory can transform how you approach daily life with ADHD
How masking and rejection sensitivity quietly drain your energy and keep you stuck — and what to do about it
The counterintuitive truth about self-acceptance and why it's the foundation for lasting change
Work With Me:
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
Learn more about private coaching here
Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
Resources From This Episode:
Learn about Rejection Sensitivity Here
Learn about ADHD Masking Here
Learn about Working Memory Here
Learn How to Deal with ADHD Boredom and Understimulation
More ADHD Resources:
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
Chapter Outline
0:00 Dismissed on the Phone: The Laugh That Started It All
1:54 10 Years Later: Birthday Reflection & Why This Episode Matters
6:13 Today's Format: A Letter to My Newly Diagnosed Self (10 Things)
7:57 Falling Asleep & Understimulation
10:52 Meds Help, But Pills Don't Teach Skills
14:04 Cognitive Flexibility: Why Transitions and Plan Changes Hurt
16:47 Notes Aren't 'Cheating': Working Memory, Lectures & the Teleprompter
20:55 The Exhaustion of Masking (and How It Gets Better)
23:19 When People Doubt Your Diagnosis: Trust Your Experience
25:25 Rejection Sensitivity: The Shame Spiral Behind Avoidance
28:07 Knowing Better ≠ Doing Instantly: Give Yourself Time to Change
30:10 Self-Acceptance Is the Real Catalyst for Growth
31:53 Your Emotions Are Not Too Much
33:22 Recap of the 10 Lessons
34:17 Closing: Reflect, Share, and Next Steps

Time management might not be the problem we need to solve right now when it comes to ADHD productivity.
If you've tried every planner, app, and calendar blocking strategy out there but still feel behind, you are not alone. For years, we've been taught that if we could just manage our time better, everything would click into place. But for adults with ADHD, the old "time equals money" equation doesn't always hold up, especially when we're doing complex knowledge work.
In episode 347 of the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast, we're challenging core productivity beliefs and exploring an approach that serves our brains better. We're shifting the focus from the clock ticking on the wall to the internal resources we actually have agency over.
In this episode, you will discover:
Why traditional time management advice often fails neurodivergent brains.
A compassionate, ADHD-friendly definition of a "productive day."
The three core elements that impact your output more than time.
Practical ways to work with your natural peaks and troughs rather than fighting them.
It's time to stop trying to manage the unmanageable and start honoring how your brain actually works.
Work With Me:
Learn more about private coaching here
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
Resources From This Episode:
Episode 172: ADHD, Procrastination, and Wanting to Do The Thing
Episode 192: How Tiny Habits Create Lasting Change for ADHD (small hinges swing big doors)
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink
More ADHD Resources:
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
Chapter Outline
00:00 Introduction: Rethinking Time Management
02:01 The Historical Context of Time Management
03:16 Redefining Productivity: Energy, Attention, and Emotions
05:20 Managing Your Energy
06:54 Focusing Your Attention
10:42 Understanding 7 Allowing Your Emotions
14:57 Practical Steps to Boost Productivity
16:34 Next Steps

Episode 346: ADHD Burnout - When "Just Work Harder" Stops Working
Are you that high performing ADHD brain who always figures it out, regardless of how much it impacts your well being? Have you relied on this strategy for most of your life, only to suddenly realize it's not sustainable? On the outside, you look successful and put-together. But inside, you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and terrified because the strategies that got you here won't get you there.
In episode 346 of I'm Busy Being Awesome, we explore a challenge many mid-career adults with ADHD face: the moment your "sand foundation" of grit, hustle, and anxiety-fueled deadlines finally gives way. If you feel like you're drowning despite working harder than ever, episode 346 of the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast is for you.
In episode 346, you will discover:
Why high-achievers with ADHD often unknowingly build success on a "sand foundation."
How to process the fear of realizing what once worked isn't working
What it means to pour a reliable "concrete foundation" designed for your unique brain.
Three simple experiments to start rebuilding sustainable support without burnout.
Work With Me:
Learn more about 1:1 coaching with Paula here
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
More ADHD Resources:
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
Chapter Outline
00:00 Introduction: When ADHD Strategies Stop Working
01:44 Welcome
02:13 Understanding the Friction Point
03:08 Building on a Sand Foundation
08:57 The Emotional Work Required
14:40 Getting Curious and Trying New Strategies
21:29 Concrete Experiments to Try
26:07 Final Thoughts
30:24 Recap

Episode 345: ADHD Brain Overwhelmed By Newsletters? Try This.
I currently have over 800 unread newsletters in my inbox…and I'm pretty sure I subscribed to almost every one on purpose. 😅 If you can relate to the overwhelm of a cluttered inbox, this episode is for you.
Today I'm sharing my personal "Inbox Reset" experiment. If you're overwhelmed by email but afraid to unsubscribe because of FOMO (or because your ADHD working memory fears you'll forget that creator exists!), I'm sharing the exact safety net strategy I'm using to let go.
In this episode, you will discover:
Why we struggle to unsubscribe
My "6-Month Rule" for deciding what stays and what goes.
The specific Bookmark Trick to support your working memory so you can confidently unsubscribe
How changing your physical environment can lower the friction of reading.
This isn't about reaching a perfect "Inbox Zero"—it's an experiment in progress to stop the overwhelm and make space for what we actually have the capacity to enjoy.
Work With Me:
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
Learn more about private coaching here
Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
More ADHD Resources:
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
Chapter Outline
00:00 Introduction
00:16 The Newsletter Overwhelm Experiment
02:36 The Love for Newsletters and the Overwhelm
03:55 Uptick in Newsletters
06:58 The Experiment Plan
07:40 Dealing with Scarcity and FOMO
10:50 Strategy to Remember
12:57 Setting Aside Reading Time
14:52 Summary and Steps to Manage Newsletters
16:22 Conclusion and Call to Action

If your ADHD brain struggles with procrastination, or you often find yourself thinking, "Why can't I just do this thing?!" episode 344 is for you.
We often think "getting started" is one simple action. But for the ADHD brain, task initiation is actually a complex chain of 5-6 distinct steps, each of which demand our executive functions. When we collapse these steps all into one, we miss the nuance of where the breakdown happens and we default to shame instead of solutions.
In this episode, we're taking apart the "I'm just a procrastinator" narrative. You'll learn how to identify which of the 6 stages is actually blocking you from starting and find one small, specific way to make it remove the friction and take the next step.
In episode 344, you will discover:
The 6 hidden layers of task initiation (and why 'just doing it' is biologically harder for us).
How to pinpoint exactly which step has you stuck.
One specific micro-step to remove the friction from the step that's holding you back.
Work With Me:
👉 Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
👉 Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
👉 Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
👉 Learn more about private coaching here
👉 Join us in Overwhelm to Action here
Resources From This Episode:
Check out brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial*
Get Chris Bailey's Book Intentional: How to Finish What You Start here
More ADHD Resources:
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
Chapter Outline
00:00 Introduction: Overcoming Procrastination
01:52 Understanding ADHD and Task Initiation
05:05 The Six Steps to Getting Started
05:35 Step-by-Step Breakdown of Task Initiation
18:30 Identifying and Easing Friction Points
19:34 Practical Strategies for Each Step
28:32 Conclusion and Next Steps