What happens when a late ADHD diagnosis meets the powerful potential of AI? Writer, strategist, and sleep coach Lindsay Scola joins Morra to share how she uses AI as a personal productivity partner to manage ADHD challenges, perfectionism, and executive dysfunction—while preserving creativity and rest.

Diagnosed with ADHD at 41, Lindsay discovered that AI could act as an accountability buddy, thought partner, and creativity booster. From using AI to overcome the dread of the blank page to automating follow-up emails, Lindsay shares practical ways she leverages AI without losing her humanity.

Buy Lindsay’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/AI-ADHD-Practical-Starting-Finishing-ebook/dp/B0F5T9QKMH

Listen to our interview about the stimulant shortage, narcolepsy and ADHD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ritalin-and-adderall-shortage-and-how-it-impacts-work/id1480904163?i=1000611595946

Key Themes:

AI as an ADHD Copilot: Lindsay explains how AI helps her manage executive dysfunction, tackle writing tasks, and avoid the overwhelm of perfectionism while maintaining her unique voice.

Reducing Shame and Preserving Brain Space: Using AI for small but stressful tasks frees up cognitive space, letting her focus on big ideas and creative work without getting stuck in spirals of self-criticism.

Permission to Play: Lindsay urges people with ADHD to experiment with AI and other tools to find what actually works for their brains instead of following rigid systems that suppress creativity.

Scheduling for Neurodivergent Brains: From building “dopamine deadlines” to respecting personal circadian rhythms, Lindsay shares how she structures her week to maximize focus while honoring energy dips.

AI for Burnout and Loneliness: We discuss how AI can help solo workers feel less isolated and provide accountability without judgment, acting like a team member who says, “let’s keep going.”

Timestamps:

03:28 ADHD, Midlife, and AI Solutions

08:13 Balancing Perfection and Completion

11:07 Childhood Injustice and Self-Awareness

18:30 Optimize Productivity by Time Awareness

19:37 Embrace Napping for Productivity

25:40 AI-Assisted Writing for Quick Posts

29:06 Podcasting Inspiration for Writing Newsletter

32:32 Flexible Time Management Strategy

35:50 Improvised Charging Solution

#124 - Dan Plunkett