In this fun and insightful episode, I talk to Dani Donovan about her journey to getting diagnosed with ADHD in college. Dani shares how starting medication and finding her community in college helped her thrive academically. She also opens up about how her candid ADHD comics went viral on social media, leading her to create resources like “The Anti-Planner” to help others with executive dysfunction. Dani discusses tips like setting short sprints instead of long distances, body doubling, writing down what works, and embracing your weird.
Dani Donovan is a purpose-driven and award-winning viral creator, author, and advocate for people with ADHD. Dani is known for her relatable comics and #NeurodiverseSquad community, and has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. She is the author of the unorthodox productivity guide “The Anti-Planner” and her work has encouraged thousands to seek diagnosis and treatment.
Episode Highlights
[01:05] - Dani’s “Anti-Planner” with creative strategies for ADHDers to overcome roadblocks.
[03:26] - Dani’s ADHD diagnosis in freshman year of college when seeking help for depression.
[07:45] - Rewarding to be able to help people recognize symptoms and get diagnosed.
[09:36] - Medication was like “putting on glasses” for the first time for Dani.
[11:26] - Dani became the “easy person to talk to” which helped her thrive and build collaboration.
[13:29] - Dani takes a non-scarcity approach to competition and community.
[17:05] - Doing laundry as an ADHDer.
[19:04] - How Dani first went viral.
[22:58] - Dani envisioned “The Anti-Planner” as a procrastination “fire extinguisher”.
[26:27] - Dani is launching a podcast and YouTube channel focusing on ADHD struggles.
[29:34] - Dani's mission with her company, The Anti-Boring Project, for underserved populations.
[33:14] - How Dani maintains momentum during the overwhelm and underwhelm cycle with “sprints”.
[36:09] - Dani’s number one ADHD tip!
[37:37] - Dani explains the power of body doubling.
[38:48] - If she could go back, Dani would tell her younger self this.
Connect with Dani Donovan:
· Dani’s Anti-Planner: https://anti-planner.com/
· Dani on Instagram: @DaniDonovan
· Dani’s Website: https://www.adhddd.com/
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Successful with ADHD. If you enjoyed this conversation, please +FOLLOW the podcast on your favorite platform and leave a review to let us know your thoughts.
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