I'm Busy Being Awesome - Sustainable Productivity for ADHD

👉 Boost Your Focus & Concentration Here (Free Course)
If you're like me, a sudden involuntary pull out of hyperfocus can leave your ADHD brain feeling emotionally dysregulated and rather crispy. In episode 362, we're getting into the neuroscience of why our ADHD brains get so locked in, and a simple strategy that makes those dreaded task transitions much more doable.
In Episode 362, You Will Discover:
Why the ADHD brain gets locked into hyperfocus without a built-in signal to stop
Five neurological reasons why shifting out is so much harder than it looks
A simple interstitial journaling practice that creates a gentler off-ramp between tasks
Work With Me:
Learn more about private coaching here
Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
Resources From This Episode:
Free Focus Course — Boost Your Focus and Concentration
David Sparks (MacSparky) — where the interstitial journaling idea came from
Episode 360: A Personal Retreat Guide for ADHD
More ADHD Resources:
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial*
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 Stuck in Hyperfocus
01:56 Paula's Hyperfocus Struggle
04:20 Hyperfocus Double Edged Sword
06:24 Five Reasons It's Hard
06:57 Reason 1 Motivation Wiring
08:51 Reason 2 Dopamine Loop
10:09 Reason 3 Gear Shifter Brain
12:35 Reason 4 Emotional Regulation
14:11 Reason 5 Dopamine Drop
17:00 Coaching Break
18:18 Interstitial Journaling Trick
21:33 How to Do It
22:42 Why It Works
25:07 Try It This Week
26:55 Wrap Up and Next Steps

When your schedule flips on you by 10 am, most traditional planning advice leaves you stranded. This episode walks you through three flexible planning strategies designed specifically for ADHD brains navigating irregular schedules and unpredictable days. Whether you're juggling client calls, shifting deadlines, or the beautiful chaos of caregiving, these methods adapt with you.
Tune into Episode 361 and discover:
How to anchor your day to one priority so decision fatigue doesn't derail you when time opens up unexpectedly
The difference between clock time and event time — and why leaning into event time can be a more sustainable structure for unpredictable schedules
Why intentionally building in overflow time is one of the most supportive things we can do for our ADHD brains (and how to do it without guilt)
Work With Me:
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:
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Episode 357: A Better Way to Build Habits & Follow Through For Your ADHD Brain
Episode 359: Time Blocking for ADHD: Why Magnetic Tiles Actually Work
Laura Vanderkam
More ADHD Resources:
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
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
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
Support your brain with Wispr Flow.* Speech-to-text on your phone or computer.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial*
\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 When Plans Fall Apart
01:37 Why Rigid Schedules Fail
04:14 Strategy One Anchor Task
07:33 IT Example In Action
09:38 Strategy Two Event Time
12:09 Real Estate Scheduling Flex
14:12 Strategy Three Overflow Time
17:16 Project Manager Buffer Wins
21:33 Pick Your Best Strategy
24:22 Layer Them And Practice
25:46 Wrap Up And Next Steps

👉 Download the free quarterly retreat guide here.
Do you ever feel like you've been going non-stop all day, then you get to the end of it and think, "Wait, what did all that busyness add up to?"
This episode is about the practice that changed that for me: the quarterly personal retreat.
I've been doing it for nearly a year and a half, and in Episode 360, I share my exact process, what I've learned from five retreats, and the small tweak that made the whole thing feel worth it from start to finish.
In Episode 360, You Will Discover:
How to structure a quarterly personal retreat from start to finish, including the exact reflection questions I use for relationships, work, and personal life
Why your retreat can be a morning at the library just as much as a weekend away, and how to define what "done" looks like for your version
Why ADHD brains tend to feel like they did the retreat "wrong," and the two-sentence practice that finally fixed it
What five retreats over a year and a half have taught me about big-picture planning with ADHD
Work With Me:
Learn more about private coaching here
Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
Resources From This Episode:
Download the step-by-step quarterly retreat guide
Episode 243: The Four Quarters Method: Tailored for ADHD
More ADHD Resources:
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial*
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
Busy But Unfulfilled: 0:00
Why Quarterly Retreats: 1:27
What A Retreat Is: 2:43
Origin Story And First Try: 4:20
Make It Work For You: 8:26
Three Part Retreat Plan: 11:37
Reflection Questions: 12:19
Pick Next Quarter Priorities: 14:20
Rest And Play Time: 16:04
Inner Critic After Retreats: 18:13
Supports That Made It Click: 21:53
Coaching Invitation: 26:22
Big Themes And Results: 27:43
Your Retreat Checklist: 34:53
Wrap Up And Next Steps: 36:29

Want to SEE what I'm talking about? Check out the YouTube version here! 
https://youtu.be/SZSXcVJcdnQ
If time ever seems to disappear for your ADHD brain, this episode might resonate. I'm sharing my honest experience using Bravestorming, a magnetic tile-based planning system that turns your schedule into something that makes time tangible, flexible, and finally... real.
In Episode 359, You Will Discover:
Why your ADHD brain benefits from seeing time as a physical object, and how tile-based planning solves time blindness in a way digital tools simply can't
Why "thinking in tiles" can help ADHD brains build a more tangible relationship with time
A walkthrough of the full Bravestorming system (Thinker Board, MoveNote, MoverBook, MoverPad, and Tri-fold) and how I use each one in my actual weekly ADHD planning routine
The one key principle that matters more than any specific tool: how to give different lengths of time a consistent, recognizable visual form so your brain starts to internalize it
Work With Me:
Learn more about private coaching here
Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching)
Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains
Resources From This Episode:
Use code AWESOME20 for 20% off your entire first purchase
Bravestorming — the full product lineup
Thinker Board — easel-style board for brainstorming and mind mapping
MoveNote — A4 folio for weekly planning (no tiles included)
MoverBook — compact planning folio with tiles included
MoverPad — daily planning pad with a priority grid on the flip side, with tiles
Tri-fold — four-months-at-a-glance planning overview
Mover Tiles — additional tile set to expand your system
Try Todoist for task management here (get two months of pro plan free)
More ADHD Resources:
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap
Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp
Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain
Discover my favorite ADHD resources
Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial*
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 Magnetic Tiles Breakthrough
01:27 Visual Episode Disclaimer
02:18 What Is Bravestorming
03:26 Why It Feels Different
05:14 Affiliate Note and Plan
06:35 Thinker Board Overview
07:26 Move Note and Move Book
08:57 Trifold and Custom Templates
10:13 How I Use It Weekly
14:19 Tiles Make Time Real
20:27 Flexibility and Overflow Time
23:44 Avoiding Planner Hype
26:47 Who This System Fits
32:51 Links Code and Wrap Up
34:15 Final Thanks and Next Steps

Summer is supposed to feel lighter… but for many ADHD brains, it often brings unexpected overwhelm. If your mental tabs are overflowing and you're already spinning in indecision about plans, commitments, and scheduling, this episode is your permission slip to do summer differently.
Tune into Episode 358 and discover:
Why summer creates unexpected cognitive overload for ADHD brains
The four-container method that gets everything out of your head and into a clear, calm action plan. You can finally stop carrying it all alone.
A non-negotiable ADHD scheduling support, and exactly how to protect it on your calendar
A Decision making approach that breaks through the decision spin cycle
Real scripts for saying no so you can save your energy for your full-body-yes moments
🎧 Get the full transcript here
Work With Me:
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:
Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz!
Try out Wispr Flow (affiliate link)
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
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial*
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 Summer Overwhelm Signs
02:43 Why Summer Hits Hard
05:23 Tip One Brain Dump
10:06 Four Containers Method
14:10 Tip Two Protect Buffers
17:07 Tip Three One Decision
22:35 Tip Four Opt Out
26:16 Recap Start Small
27:48 Wrap Up And Quiz