It’s not that people with ADHD don’t want to be productive. It’s that they’re often trapped in a paradox: striving to do more, while silently blaming themselves for not doing enough. That tension—between internal ambition and external expectations—is the focus of this conversation with returning guest clinical psychologist Dr. Ari Tuckman.
In this episode, Ari joins Pete and Nikki to explore the deep psychology of productivity, the social pressure to “look busy,” and the subtle ways perfectionism becomes a form of avoidance. Along the way, they discuss the myth of the perfect planner, why your to-do list is lying to you, and what happens when you finally admit you just don’t want to do the thing. With humor, heart, and a healthy dose of hard-earned insight, Ari introduces lessons from his new book, The ADHD Productivity Manual, revealing how managing productivity starts not with apps or alarms—but with radical honesty.
Because the real challenge isn’t doing more—it’s knowing what matters enough to do at all.
Links & Notes
- (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast
- (00:57) - The Productivity Trap with Ari Tuckman
- (02:06) - The ADHD Productivity Manual by Ari Tuckman
- (03:57) - Where is the ADHD Productivity Groove?
- (20:49) - Perfectionism
- (24:43) - Getting Clear
- (27:17) - "I don't wanna"
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