Overcoming Distractions The Podcast

Grandmaster Chris Berlow is back on Overcoming Distractions to talk about how to set and achieve the biggest goals of your life.   In 2017 Chris climbed Kilimanjaro (19,341 feet) in Tanzania, in 2018 he went to Everest Base Camp (17,600) and climbed Kalapathar (18,508) in the Himalaya’s in Nepal, in 2019 Chris went to Ecuador and climbed Cotopaxi (19,347) which is one of the tallest active volcanos in the world.   Chris will tell us about how he prepared to do these climbs and he tells us what drives him to set and achieve big goals such as climbing.   He talks about some of the highlights of those climbs and what he did to prepare mentally for these climbs.   He answers the questions: How do we get “out of our head”?  How do we deal with frustration?  How do we set and achieve the biggest goal of our life?    Find Chris Berlow and Empowered Mastery: https://empoweredmastery.com/

This week we have Dr. Sarah Reiff-Hekking back on Overcoming Distractions. And we’re talking about how to get the most out of going to or attending a time management workshop or seminar. Dr. Sarah runs True Focus Coaching just outside of Boston, MA. She coaches professionals on how to get a grip on their time and she also runs the Time Matters Boot Camp.   Dr. Sarah and Dave discuss how to make sure your walk away from a time management event with actionable goals and a plan to maximize your time and why you should consider taking the right time management workshop.   Dr. Sarah walks us through some of the indicators that may lead us to decide we need to get a handle on our time and if it actually makes sense for the entire team in your business to attend as well. How do we maximize our investment is such a program and how do we follow through on the tactics and processes we have learned?   Dr. Sarah also discusses how we can do our best to make time management not complicated and what to do when our week see

On this episode of Overcoming Distractions, we chat with Cris Sgrott who will guide us on how to get and stay organized when you have ADHD. Cris is with Organizing Maniacs a firm that works with many people but has a specialty in working with individuals with ADHD. Cris is becoming well-known in the ADHD world and helps her clients with many aspects of getting organized which include physical items as well as other things including time. Whether you have ADHD or not, you will find some incredible value and some great tips on how to get organized. Cris answers the following questions about organization and ADHD: On the list of challenges those with ADHD face, how high on the list is disorganization? Is there a root cause of someone being disorganized? Why are some people with ADHD disorganized? Why is it so hard for some of us to get and stay organized?  When has disorganization gone too far in someone’s life or business? Organization comes with physical items as well as time. Cris and Dave chat about how time

Overcoming Distractions was founded on the belief that people with ADHD can thrive and be successful, despite what you see and hear from others. Many entrepreneurs have ADHD and many with ADHD become entrepreneurs. Many also enter leadership roles in other organizations and are responsible for not only the direction of a company but are charged with leading others. How does someone in leadership manage their ADHD and use it to their advantage? This podcast we chat with David Rickabaugh of Leading With ADHD. David works with professionals and leaders that just happen to have ADHD and help them become better leaders as well as use their Superpowers of ADHD to become even more effective. We discuss: What superpowers can a leader with ADHD bring to an organization and what are the challenges associated with having ADHD in a leadership role. We chat about how to stay focused as a leader when you have employees and others under your direction. We also discuss if it is difficult for someone to lay out their challeng

This week we are talking about ADHD and entrepreneurship, something that Overcoming Distractions was founded on. We chat with Rick Fiery of Inventive Labs based in Massachusetts.   Inventive labs is just that, a lab were those who think and learn just a little differently, can grow, thrive, learn and build their ideas. With a main focus on entrepreneurship, Inventive Labs also focuses on career advice, gap years and they host a pitch competition.   Rick and Dave discuss more about Inventive Labs and what the atmosphere and vibe there is like. Rick chats about why he feels feel those with ADHD make great entrepreneurs and what separates someone with neurodiversity from others in the area of entrepreneurship?   Finding a career for many with ADHD can be a challenge so Rick discusses how Inventive Labs helps in that area and how the team atmosphere helps everyone thrive and drive their ideas forward.   He discusses how to bring ideas to the next level including writing a business plan and how to get funding for

This week on Overcoming Distractions, we chat with Cameron Gott, an ADHD coach that works with those in business, entrepreneurs and other professionals. We are going to talk about brain management and how to thrive with Adult ADHD, focusing on the total person, rather than just one type of technique. While many might focus on time management techniques for those with ADHD, Cameron will discuss with us that the picture is much larger than that and if we focus on the individual, we will have a much better chance of managing our ADHD and actually thriving with it. Cameron describes what good brain management is and the components of being self-aware. He talks about why sleep so important to thriving with ADHD and how to achieve that goal. Why is exercise part of good brain management? And what does it do for the brain. He speaks to what impact proper brain management can have on an individual with ADHD. And we discuss what other aspects of brain management are important and he gives us some quick tips for gettin

ADHD and shame sometimes go together and for many, it’s a real struggle. This episode of Overcoming Distractions we chat with Dr. Sharon Saline a licensed clinical psychologist and one of the top experts on ADHD for both children and adults. She is also the author of the popular book on ADHD, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life.  David talks with Dr. Saline about the topic of shame and where it might stem from at an early age. Dr. Saline defines shame as it relates to adult ADHD and explains where shame might come from. Hint, it might be some of those bad report cards… Why shame is such a critical issue when trying to thrive with ADHD and why negative self-talk is not good for anyone with ADHD> Dr. Saline talks about how shame can get in the way of thriving with adult ADHD and we talk about whether shame is in any way, related to imposter syndrome. How do we begin the process of overcoming shame? Dr. Saline talks about how to begin that process

In this episode, we dig a little deep into the mind and mindset of an adult with ADHD. While we often discuss some of the basic techniques and habits to thrive with ADHD such as sleep, exercise, time management and others,  we are going to get into our minds a little bit in this episode. Having a proper mindset is important in all aspects of a successful life but when it comes to managing and thriving with ADHD, it’s a critical part of the mix. Having the proper mindset allows you to make better decisions, not dwell on challenging situations you are placed in and it gives you the ability to see things in a different and more positive way. Jeff tells us about his ADHD coaching practice and other activities around ADHD such as Attention Talk Radio. Jeff defines mindset and he tells us why it’s an important part of thriving with adult ADHD. We did into some examples of the wrong mindset with ADHD and how to think differently about challenging situations. And we touch on how to start on a new path of mindset and

In this episode we chat with Melissa Orlov, author of The ADHD Effect on Marriage and The Couple’s Guide to Thriving with ADHD. Melissa aside from being an author of books on ADHD, also hosts seminars and groups on how to navigate ADHD and relationships. She is the leading authority on this subject and her groups are very popular. In this Podcast on ADHD and Marriage we cover: We chat about the main reasons people come to her and her workshops? Melissa takes time to discuss how her ADHD groups and seminars structured. She details what she wants to achieve when working on a relationship with a couple. Melissa says that one of the keys to success is that both people in a relationship need to have an understanding of ADHD. We talk about relationships when it comes to entrepreneurship. How can that busy entrepreneur or businessperson do their part in maintaining a healthy relationship? Melissa’s top tips for maintaining a healthy relationship when ADHD is involved. You can find Melissa Orlov at the website belo

This podcast we speak with Mary Ellen Wasielewski of BLT Strategies based just outside of Boston, MA. Mary Ellen and her team coach executives and others that are experiencing burnout in their career, have suffered a loss in their immediate family or they are in major transition in business or their personal life. Mary Ellen talks with us about her personal story about how she got into this line of work and introduces us to BLT Strategies. She talks about some of the common reasons her and the team are brought into a company or hired by an individual for coaching. We discuss burnout and why many might experience this and not know it. How do we recognize burnout in ourselves? We chat about the steps we need to take to overcome burnout. We then talk about how the team works with a professional after a loss in the family and steps a busy professional needs to take to get back to work and productive after a death or major life event. Mary Ellen has health and wellness professionals on her team and we discuss why

This episode we chat with Laura MacNiven, co-founder of the Springboard Clinic based in Toronto and the author of the ADHD workbook, May We Have Your Attention Please? The workbook is a great tool for anyone with ADHD trying to sort things out and find their way. Laura’s book is certain to do well with individuals with ADHD of all ages. Some of the topics we discuss are: We discuss the general theme of the workbook Did the workbook fill a void in the ADHD world? We talk about “the hidden you” and ways to find out what the perfect day is in your life. We chat about how this workbook can help the busy businessperson or entrepreneur who might have ADHD. We also have a discussion about how the Springboard Clinic works with someone to maximize their gifts And for the busy professional, Laura gives us her top tips for managing and maximizing a distracted mind. You can find the book on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.ca/Have-Attention-Please-Living-Thriving/dp/1999571908/ Find out more about the Springboard Clinic

This week we talk with Lysa Miller, cofounder of 3MediaWeb, a digital marketing agency based in Hudson Massachusetts. We talk with Lysa about running and growing a digital marketing agency in a fast-paced industry, taking into consideration the constant changes in the world of marketing and PR. Lysa offers her advice and tips for creating systems that work for everyone on the team and how to manage the distractions of a digital world. Some of the other topics we discuss are: Running a fast-paced company in a rapidly changing industry. How do her and her team keep on top of the changing digital marketing landscape. Social media is a big part of her business, so we discuss how they make it work in their favor. Lysa likes to keep busy and we discuss why this is such an important part of how she manages her day and how it works in her favor when staying productive. She also keeps her team busy as well in the community and she speaks about the culture they have established by getting involved in the local com

One major distraction in any size organization is when there is workplace conflict. When your team is not getting along, getting on the same page or working together as a team, conflict arises, and distractions become part of the workplace. This time we chat with Carol Marzouk, “executive lion tamer” with Leadership N Soul. Carol gives us some great insight into what happens in any size organization when conflict comes into play. Here is what we discuss: Some of the main reasons for workplace conflict? How does someone recognize that conflict is becoming a problem? Is there good conflict? If so, how can that be productive? Is conflict worse in a small business rather than a larger organization? How does constant conflict distract us as well as the overall business? How do you work to align an organization? What if we just can’t get along? Carol’s top tips for “taming the lions” Learn more about carol here; https://leadershipnsoul.com/index.html  

How to manage a crisis in your business. There is one distraction that takes on a life of its own sometimes and it is a crisis in a business. Having a public relations crisis can not only distract you, it can stop you dead in your tracks if not handled properly. You may say, this will never happen to me. But guess what, you would be wrong. It can happen to anyone in business. And in this world of social media, it is very different than when the only way to get news out was TV, radio and newspapers. News travels faster than at any time in our history. We talk with Judy Rakowsky of Liberty Square Group in Boston about how to prepare, handle and mitigate the effects of a business crisis. Judy is the Senior Vice President of the firm and works with many organizations in managing and planning for a crisis. Our discussion includes: We define a crisis. A crisis is the ultimate distraction in an organization. Why does it disrupt so much? Why does Judy think many in business are unprepared? We talk about how a crisis

What makes a great place to work? We are going to find out this week with our guest Mari Ryan. Mari is the founder and CEO of Advancing Wellness and the author of The Thriving Hive; How People-Centric Workplaces Ignite Engagement and Fuel Results. Advancing Wellness is a workplace wellness consultancy based just outside of Boston. Mari and her team help build cultures of wellbeing in organizations. We talk about what makes a company a great place to work and how an organization can build that culture of wellbeing so everyone can thrive. Even those of us who are prone to distractions. Some of our conversation points include. What makes a great place to work? What are the items people should keep in mind when looking for a great place to work? What contributes to a culture of well being? Is work-life balance a fad, a real issue or something that many need and want? Does the corporate world understand the importance of work-life balance? Distractions- What should a person that could be prone to distractions loo

This week we have a great chat with Sarah Reiff-Hekking, Ph.D, and Founder of True Focus Coaching, Inc. based just outside of Boston. Sarah works with professionals at all levels to help them overcome procrastination and overwhelm and prioritize all the important tasks in their life. If you are professional in the business world then you have no doubt experienced, overwhelm, distractions and have even procrastinated on various tasks. Sarah walks us through how to overcome various distractions in our business life and gives us actionable tips on how to be more productive. Our conversation: How Sarah worked on her own struggles with procrastination and overwhelm. We talk about why procrastination is such a big issue with those in business Sarah walks us through the four issues we struggle with when it comes to time management Sarah’s three core philosophies when it comes to time management Fives step to busting through our own procrastination and overwhelm. The power of positive self-talk but understanding it

In this episode we talk about kindness and we touch upon the related item of respect. We discuss why kindness matters in life, your business world and more importantly, kindness to yourself. This week’s guest is Tara Cousineau, PhD and author of the book The Kindness Cure; How the Science of Compassion Can Heal Your Heart and Your World. Tara is a clinical psychologist a meditation teacher and is connected with Harvard University. In her book she talks about the many subjects related to kindness including, stress, compassion, emotions and gratitude. On the podcast we discuss The definition of kindness In 2019, is kindness is lacking in our society? She explains why kindness takes effort. What does stress have to do with kindness or lack of kindness? How do we be kind to ourselves? Despite our past experiences, etc… Is kindness being embraced in business culture?   The benefits of meditation both personally and in the business world. You can find out more about Tara and her work at: https://www.taracousineau

The practice of marketing and public relations in a business has fundamentally changed in the past decade. When social media came into our landscape and began to take shape, it changed the way we did business on a number of levels. Those in business were left scrambling to make the best use of these new platforms. And that continues today as the rules keep changing. In this podcast, we chat with Louis Gudema, author of the book, Bullseye Marketing. Louis helps us understanding the marketing trends in 2019 and beyond. We talk about how public relations and marketing has changed, what has stayed the same and how those in business can continue to create valuable and effective marketing and PR plans without letting is distract us into frustration. Some points we discuss are: Has marketing always been a somewhat confusing part of an organization? Does Louis feel that marketing and PR frustrates certain people? Even marketers… How has marketing changed over the past decade? What are companies doing wrong in this d

When the message in your business is complicated, it causes many distractions as well as many other barriers to running a successful and growing company. From the front line, speaking with your potential customers all the way to the top to understand why your company does what it does, a lack of clarity and simplicity can make it difficult to convey what you do and why you do it. This episode we chat with Stephen Melanson of Melanson Consulting based just outside of Boston. Stephen’s firm specializes in verbal branding and simplicity. He helps companies of all sizes get clear on a simple but effective message to help drive sales and revenue and provide a framework for that business. And in the end, help to differentiate your business from others in the market. Here are some of our discussion points and takeaways; What do you companies get wrong in this area of messaging? Why does a mixed message cause distractions in a business? How does complicating matters around your message, hurt a business? Internal, ex

This week we chat with the high-energy Master Paul Melella. Paul is a 6th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and runs a very successful martial arts business in New York. Paul is also a partner in the firm Empowered Mastery where he coaches high-performing individuals to take their career and business to new levels. Paul talks about what is needed to gain and maintain some mental toughness in the business world. There are so many ups and downs as well as emotions when it comes to being in business or being in a career that has high demands. Paul walks us through what it takes to navigate the rough waters of business. Some of the things we discuss are: Defining mental toughness in business Why is it important to have a little bit of toughness when you are in the business world? What from the martial arts can someone bring into their business? For someone that might be prone to distractions or unfocused, how does Paul work with them? How do we work through frustrations, such as being in sales, building a busines