Overcoming Distractions The Podcast

Let's face it, many of our challenges as adults with ADHD revolve around executive functions. We've talked about executive functions several times on overcoming distractions because it is an important aspect of our lives and our careers as adults with ADHD. Dave gets street smart once again and discussed Some simple ways we can improve or compensate for our executive function challenges. As he mentions in the podcast, each one of these could be a separate podcast but this episode is meant as an audio checklist to get you thinking about what you can do to manage your executive functions, compensate for challenges and limitations and create a few workarounds. From creating routines and keeping important items as visible as possible to the most basic ways to clear your head and gain some energy to get your work done. **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  

If you are a professional adult with ADHD, have you ever considered the services of an occupational therapist? In this episode, we discuss why adults with ADHD may want to consider occupational therapy. Jamie Cutino is an Occupational Therapist / 2x TEDx Speaker and an ADHD Advocate and she joins Dave to discuss various aspects of benefiting from occupational therapy. Jamie gives a general overview of occupational therapy and how occupational therapists generally work with clients. **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 She talks about how we can recognize the need for occupational services. Jamie discusses that many times adults with ADHD working with occupational therapist to manage sensory needs including overstimulation. She also gives us an overview of the vestibular system of our body and gives us an understanding of why ADHD can affect this.

Most of us have heard of or purchased a weighted blanket but have you ever heard of a weighted pillow? Mikey Goldman is the founder of Quiet Mind and he's the inventor of the first of its kind weighted pillow. And he is a successful entrepreneur with ADHD. Dave talks to Mikey about a number of things that relate to adults with ADHD and feeling calm. First, Mikey talks about growing up with ADHD including the successes and challenges he encountered. And he talks about some of the challenges as he entered adulthood. As an entrepreneur with ADHD, he first started out in other careers and he talks about how he navigated those careers with ADHD. Mikey talks about the quiet mind weighted pillow, why he invented it and why he believes that it can be beneficial for anyone with ADHD. He talks about the science behind the weighted pillow and the calming effect that not only the pillow has but in hugging. And Mikey discusses the must haves that he needs to have in place as a busy adult with ADHD. The most important thin

Cynthia Hammer is the founder and executive director of the Inattentive ADHD Coalition and the author of the book… “Living with Inattentive ADHD-climbing the circular staircase of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” Cynthia explains the mission of The Inattentive ADHD Coalition and what the organization does and how it provide much-needed resources for those of us with ADHD. She talks about what inspired her and prompted her to write a book about inattentive ADHD and speak about her personal journey with ADHD. She discusses what is very important for readers to take away from her writings. Cynthia also explains some of the strategies she has incorporated in her life that has allowed her to thrive with ADHD. And she talks about why humor and positive self-talk is so mission critical for adults with ADHD. And Cynthia gives some words of advice and inspiration for those busy adults with ADHD who may be struggling and working through challenges currently. Learn more about the Inattentive ADHD Coalition and

If you haven't figured it out yet, executive functions pretty much rule our life. From remembering to brush our teeth, working memory, planning our day, switching from one thing to the next, understanding time etc. If those of us with ADHD do not understand and get a handle on improving our executive functions, it makes it challenging to get through work, home environment and everything in between. This episode is dedicated to understanding executive functions 101. Dave's guest has been here before- Lara Honos-Webb….Clinical psychologist and author as well as Cofounder of Bonding Health which is an app that helps children with ADHD. She is the author of Brain Hacks life changing strategies to improve executive functioning and her new book 6 Super Skills for Executive Functioning. Dr, Lara gives listeners an overview of what our executive functions are. Attention and focus, planning and organization, emotional regulations, controlling impulses… She talks about why those of us especially with ADHD rely so heavi

If you are an adult with ADHD looking for career advice, this is a great episode of Overcoming Distractions. Whether you need to change careers or jobs or just need some adjustments in your current workplace, Shell Mendelson will give you some advice. Shell Mendelson is a career coach for adults with ADHD and the author of the new book Unlock Your Career Path: A Course for ADHD Adults and Teens.  Shell and Dave discuss her recent book and start out by talking about how ADHD can impact our careers including some examples listeners can relate to. One area some adults with ADHD can relate to is when placed on a performance improvement plan at work which as Shell puts it can be a soul crushing situation. When forging a new career, Shell talks about how many childhood experiences including things we like and hobbies could be an indicator as to our career direction. Shell also discusses why she's used the word preferred many times in her book. She says it is important to understand preferences and must-haves when a

In this episode, we are talking about confidence for adults with ADHD or for that matter confidence building for anyone. Back on the podcast is Alyssa Dver, founder of the American Confidence Institute. Alyssa is one of the leading authorities on the subject of confidence out there today. Confidence is something that allows adults with ADHD to thrive. Many of us struggle with self-doubt, which sometimes gets in the way of being our best selves, especially in our careers or the workplace. When we have confidence, then we can earn the trust of others in the workplace, leadership, clients, and others. And it's an awesome feeling when we can walk into work and be confident. Alyssa starts out by defining confidence in the simplest terms we can all understand. She talks about how lacking confidence can affect us in the workplace and our personal lives. Alyssa discusses with Dave about people who have come up with a breakthrough in building confidence and some of the things they say in how it affected their lives. D

If you're wondering if you're experiencing stress or you're going through burnout, Dave takes time to discuss the differences between being stressed out and burnout. Busy adults with ADHD can experience stress at many levels, and if not addressed, it can eventually turn into burnout. Dave discusses the difference in the definition, causes of burnout, the impact of both stress and burnout as well as the basics of what you need to know when it comes to recovery for stress and burnout. They can be different. In short, stress can be a short-term experience, while burnout can be a more chronic issue that will require much more work to recover from. If you are a busy adult with ADHD and continue to feel more challenged in business and in life, you'll want to listen to this short podcast. **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 we are talking about managing distractions with the help of willpower. While many adults with ADHD may be put off by the concept of willpower, building that willpower muscle can be an effective strategy for thriving with adult ADHD. Back on the podcast is Giovanni Dienstmann, a sought-after meditation teacher and author of the books Practical Meditation, Mindful Self-Discipline, and ..Wise Confidence. Giovanni and Dave discuss the following on this episode of Overcoming Distractions. ·         Giovanni provides a well thought out definition of willpower and how it affects our lives. ·         He discusses why willpower must be a daily habit and how we build upon it, much like building muscle. ·         Dave and Giovanni discuss why distractions are another form of seeking energy. ·         How decision fatigue and willpower are connected and how increasing willpower can reduce decision fatigue. Giovanni goes through a simple framework for improving willpower in our ADHD lives. That include

Dave continues his on air checklist of distractions many adults with ADHD face. This is Part 2 and Dave discusses some not so obvious Distractions that enter our lives quite frequently. When we think of Distractions we think of the usual suspects including office noise, doom scrolling on social media and shiny objects. But there are many pieces of our day that when you come right down to it, end up being distracting. And maybe more so than the general distractions we always think about. This podcast, once again, is meant to get you thinking and to see if any of these Distractions David discusses are affecting you in your work and home. **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  

We're talking about distractions in this podcast. And if you can't name them, then you can't deal with them. If you are a busy adult with ADHD, distractions are coming at you all day long. You're distracted at home, and distractions are most likely entering your professional life in some way. But the only way we can conquer our distractions is by self-awareness and owning them. Only then can we work towards minimizing distractions as adults with ADHD. This podcast is meant just to give you a brief checklist of some of the main distractions you know you're dealing with already. Dave wants to get you thinking about how you can minimize distractions. So if you have forgotten what's distracting you, let Dave remind you in this two-part podcast. **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  

There are huge misconceptions and misunderstandings about procrastination. And Dave tackles this because of a recent social media post he saw telling people that they should schedule procrastination to manage their time. That's bad advice to say the least and to a greater extent reckless, especially for adults with ADHD. There is an enormous difference between procrastination and strategic delay and Dave goes through both and offers a few tips on how to understand your own procrastination a little better. He also talks about how strategically delaying certain tasks or projects can actually work in your favor and help lower your stress. **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  

Dave talks again about his two favorite words when it comes to adult ADHD. Clarity and control. Because you can't talk about these two enough. They are mission critical to surviving as a busy adult with ADHD. Dave discusses briefly why clarity and being in control is such an important part of your ADHD life and gives some examples of how to gain more clarity and take back control. The more busy adults focus on these two areas of life, the less reactionary you'll be. **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  

If you are an adult with ADHD, this conversation is built just for you. Whether you are a CEO, busy executive, business owner with ADHD or are juggling life and professional responsibilities, you'll learn a lot about being an adult with ADHD in this conversation. Kathleen Nadeau, PhD is the Founder the Chesapeake Center and the author of Still Distracted After All These Years: Help and Support for Older Adults with ADHD. In this conversation you'll get a snapshot of what it's like to be a busy adult with ADHD and get some great tips for thriving in both business and home life. First, Dr. Nadeau discusses why she wrote this book. While we see a lot out there in the world about children with ADHD, as you well know, ADHD impacts adults as well. Dr. Nadeau discusses how ADHD impacts almost every aspect of our lives including sleep, work, distractions, overcommitting and much more. Dave and Dr. Nadeau discuss why one of the most impactful and basic ways you can thrive with adult ADHD is have the proper support and

In this short episode, Dave runs through some of the lessons learned from people who have experienced burnout. While it is a harsh way to learn lessons about life and gain some self-awareness, many people who have experience burnout have learned how to understand thier capacity, manage time more effectively, learn to communicate their needs and more. In Dave's book Overcoming Burnout, real people share these lessons from their own time feeling burned out. **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  

This is Part 2 of Dave's conversation with coach Diann Wingert about how adults with ADHD can understand the Four Tendencies, authored by Gretchen Rubin. Diann makes it clear, as she did in part one of this discussion, that understanding the four tendencies, whether in ourselves or others, is all about expectations. She also discusses with Dave the importance of understanding “it depends.” Every adult with ADHD has different wants and needs and their particular life and career circumstances. That's why when understanding someone's tendency, we also need to preface it by “it depends.” Dave and Diann also discussed understanding your tendency and possibly the tendency of others you may be working with including direct supervision, that this can guide you to the right career or job. And in the case of adults with ADHD who have gone on to work for themselves and explored entrepreneurship, many understand these tendencies and it has enabled them to choose who they work with including the type of clients they serve

If you're looking to thrive in the coming year then you're going to have to build a solid foundation for managing your adult ADHD. Dave gets street smart here and discusses briefly a number of areas that he believes make up that solid foundation for thriving with adult ADHD. Managing ADHD does not have to be complicated and focusing on the basics is one of the best ways to get a better handle on living with adult ADHD as a busy professional. If you want to move forward and feel better in the coming year, check out Dave's quick tips for building a solid foundation for thriving with adult ADHD. **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  

This week, Dave has brought back Diann Wingert, therapist turned coach. Diann discusses the concept of the four tendencies, a philosophy by author Gretchen Rubin. Dave and Diann discuss how adults with ADHD can relate to these four tendencies and how you might find yourself in one or more of these. Diann points out that this is not a personality assessment; it is more of a way to understand the characteristics of ourselves and others. And by doing so, we learn more about ourselves and how to work better with other people, especially in the workplace. The four tendencies are: The upholders. The questioners. Obligors. Rebels. Diann goes through the basic characteristics of each one of these tendencies. Dave and Diann discuss how adults with ADHD can fall into these categories and how we can see ourselves in our personal and professional lives. Diann and Dave also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each tendency. This is part one of a two-part podcast series about how adults with ADHD can relate to the four

Dave sits down with Russell Kramer, author of the book Hocus Focus- Coming of age with ADD and its medicines. Russell owns and operates a contracting business and tells his story of growing up taking medication for his ADD and why he decided to stop taking meds. To be clear, Russell is not anti-ADHD medication but has learned how to thrive as a self-employed contractor without meds. Russell talks about why he wrote this book and what people can learn from his story. In the book, he talks about critical self-awareness and as he says, coming of age. Russell uses the term growing into his ADD when discussing learning how to thrive. Along with Russell's story, he talks about how he manages his business as a self-employed contractor. Russell discusses everything from how important it is to keep track of his numbers through proper bookkeeping, keeping logs of his day and keeping track of time. He also discusses how he manages his project lists which are critical to finishing jobs and how he breaks down projects. An

Many adults with ADHD have a love hate relationship with their cell phones. While it can be a major distraction, a cell phone can be used to help you thrive with adult ADHD. There are many tools and apps that can help busy adults with ADHD in many areas of their lives. Many of these are Productivity Tools as well as alarms and timers but other helpful capabilities exist on a mobile phone such as utilizing dictation and other apps to keep you on track and even provide you with motivation. Dave talks about some of the basic ways he utilizes his mobile device to stay on track, get things done when he doesn't want to be on time and maximize his productivity. **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