ADHD reWired

The guest of this episode is Emily Parks.  Emily is a productivity consultant and the owner of Organize for Success.  She is an Evernote certified consultant. A lover of technology, Emily can help with prioritization, email, calendar management, and everything else that we could all use help with.   In this conversation, you will hear Emily share a ton of super helpful tips and strategies.  This is a can’t-miss episode if you would like to become more efficient in areas of your life with things like digital clutter, time-blocking, and email.  At the end of the episode, you’ll even hear Emily share some tips specific to this holiday time of the year. Connect with Emily Parks Website - You’ll Learn: [02:26] - “Our brain is made for thinking, not remembering.” [03:28] -  Emily shares her answer to “What’s the best tool for remembering things?” She shares a few reasons she loves Evernote. [05:36] - Emily says that she uses Evernote as her external brain. [07:19] - When it comes to Evernote, Emily never recommends having too much of anything.   [08:57] - Emily shares tips on naming folders in Evernote. [10:54] - I describe my “1-2-3 Hack.” [12:42] - If using the subject line is too overwhelming, you can rename your default notebook and use it as an inbox to hold items for processing. [15:38] - “One is the most productive number” is Emily’s line of thinking behind having people do an audit [24:57] - We tend to scatter our organization.  Emily talks about managing this clutter. [27:27] - Emily addresses the issue of social media notifications. [31:00] - It’s easy to get sucked into the neverending stream of videos on Facebook.  Emily shares how to keep yourself from falling into those traps. [34:49] - Emily encourages me (and all of us) to do our daily wrap-up. [43:11] - Daily planning is very important for people with ADHD, and Emily gives tips on staying on track.   [51:20] - Emily talks more about time-blocking methods. [57:26] - Emily and I share a hatred of email.  Emily shares some tips and tricks related to email. [1:00:35] - Emily gives a few tips on keeping phone calls short in length. [1:03:00] - Email: Checking vs. Processing [1:07:24] - Emily talks about staying productive and on-task during the holidays. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Registration for the winter session of our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is almost over. There may be a spot or two left!  To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is the recording of November’s live Q&A.  The questions answered in this episode were submitted by listeners of this podcast, both ahead of time and live.  Brendan Mahan once again joins me on this Q&A. On this episode, you will hear Brendan and I recount our experiences at the CHADD conference.  We also dive in and answer a handful of listener-submitted questions on topics like digital minimalism, holiday stress, and time blindness. You can listen to our live Q&A sessions on the second Tuesday of every month at 1:30 pm Eastern.  Join Brendan Mahan and me as we answer your questions live. You can register at .   Connect with Brendan Mahan You’ll Learn: [05:36] - Brenan shares his most significant takeaway from the CHADD conference. [09:00] - I talk about my takeaways from the conference.   [18:39] - Gerald asks about digital minimalism regarding smartphones.  We talk about some of the apps we like to use, and how we manage our apps. [28:47] - Lisa talks about having original plans derailed, and then failing to get back on track. [33:59] - We talk about the stress that is induced by the holidays.  We share some ideas on how to simplify and redefine the holidays. [44:26] - Lane feels overwhelmed by work email.  We both hate email and share some of our strategies to manage it effectively. [55:14] - Someone asks about time blindness.  This person is having trouble with managing several calendars in one and struggling with isolating their important appointments.  During the discussion of this topic, I talk about , but Brendan shares why he wouldn’t use it. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Registration for the winter session of our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now in full swing. This Wednesday is your last opportunity to register.  To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

I am joined on this episode by Alex Hey.  Alex is a new ADHD coach from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  He is launching his new coaching practice, Reset ADHD. His mission is to help people hit the reset button on their ADHD.  Alex is turning his mess into his message. Alex has had to hit the reset button a fair number of times in his life. In this conversation, you will hear Alex share some of his poetry, which is what made Alex stand out to me and invite him onto the podcast.  Alex provides us with some of his backstory, which includes a diagnosis about five years ago. Alex also talks about his coaching service, Reset ADHD, and the unique perspective he has.   This episode does contain a conversation around suicide.  If you experiencing suicidal thoughts and you don’t know where to turn, here are resources for help: United States - Outside of the US - Connect with Alex Hey: Website - Twitter - Instagram - Pinterest - Facebook - You’ll Learn: [05:23] - Alex reads a poem he wrote.  I previously heard Alex read this, and it’s a big reason he’s on this episode. [07:00] - Alex shares some of the background information behind this poem.   [08:50] - Alex was diagnosed at the age of 20, and describes his history with depression. [10:23] - Alex describes the role that his relationships have played in his breakthrough. [11:57] - We talk about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. [12:56] - Seeking support for yourself is vital, and Alex talks about his progress in this area. [15:16] - Alex reads his love poem.   [17:35] - Alex describes his poem-writing process, and we discuss the power of storytelling. [20:55] - Alex shares some of the thoughts that he corrects, and he describes the process. [29:36] - I share that when I’m in the moment of “the suck,” what is helpful for me is to stay curious about what I can gain from the experience. [35:05] - Alex talks about the role of prayer and faith. [37:59] - Alex shares some information on his business, Reset ADHD.  He also explains why he decided to become an ADHD coach. [43:20] - We talk about the state of Christian-based ADHD coaching. [45:45] - I explain how giving free talks can help grow a coaching business. [51:09] - Alex has written a about the growth mindset.   [53:20] - Live life in permanent beta. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Registration for the winter session of our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now in full swing. There are just four chances left to register for this session.  To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode contains the second part of my discussion with Laurie Peterson.  Laurie is the owner and director of Diagnostic Learning Services in Plano, Texas.  Laurie and her group assess and diagnose students and adults with ADHD, Dyslexia, and other learning disabilities.  Laurie was diagnosed with ADHD in her late 20s.  In this conversation, Laurie and I discuss the steps following the diagnostic assessments she administers.  Medication plays a considerable role, but Laurie also shares how to work to improve skills in areas with lower scores.  Connect with Laurie Peterson: Website - You’ll Learn: [05:08] - Once we have the information from the testing, what do we do with the information? The first step is medication, but it is not the entire solution. [06:20] - Laurie explains how to improve vocabulary skills by reading. [07:57] - Laurie shares how to build your perceptual reasoning skills, problem-solving skills, and visual processing skills. [11:53] - I share how an instructor used color overlays to help a student read. [14:33] - Improving your problem-solving skills can be done by playing games. [18:08] - Working memory can be improved, but there is a lot of technology to help. [20:22] - Laurie explains how she uses Alexa to put together her shopping list. [24:20] - I talk about a few of the benefits of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group, including shame-free accountability. [26:18] - Environmental modification is a large piece of ADHD management. [28:34] - We discuss interactive metronome therapy, diet, and exercise. [30:48] - Laurie shares information for those that believe they may have ADHD, but have not yet been diagnosed. [33:19] - Laurie talks about the cost of this type of testing. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Registration for the winter session of our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now in full swing. The next registration event is Thursday, November 29th at 3pm Central.  To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .  Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story?  Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

On this episode, I am joined by Laurie Peterson.  Laurie is the owner and director of Diagnostic Learning Services in Plano, Texas.  Laurie and her group assess and diagnose students and adults with ADHD, Dyslexia, and other learning disabilities.  Laurie was diagnosed with ADHD in her late 20s. In this conversation, you will hear Laurie and I discuss the battery of diagnostic assessments she administered to me.  You will hear us discuss the verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed, and memory assessments I took.  We describe what these tests are, and what my results tell Laurie. Connect with Laurie Peterson: Website - You’ll Learn: [04:08] - Laurie shares her ADHD story.   [06:37] - Laurie talks about how she views and approaches the diagnosis when she meets with people.   [09:02] - I describe the battery of tests that Laurie did with me. [09:56] - Laurie explains why she looks at verbal comprehension when assessing for ADHD.  This leads to a discussion on how I am more of an “audio reader.” [14:23] - Laurie puts the scoring of these texts into context, and how scores can improve. [17:14] - We discuss how “verbal regulation” is where impulsivity and the organizing of ideas meet. [18:08] - Laurie talks about some vocational options for people who score higher in verbal comprehension testing. [19:20] - I scored in the “very average” range of perceptual reasoning. I explain why this surprised me.  Laurie explains this realm of the testing. [24:52] - Laurie talks about vision therapy, which retrains the muscles in your eyes. [32:01] - The next domain we cover is “working memory.” [37:43] - Processing speed is a domain in which I scored “below average.”  Laurie explains that score is common for people with ADHD. [43:18] - Coding and symbol search were two subsets that I didn’t enjoy.  I explain why I struggled with these. [46:42] - Laurie explains the adult memory test. [51:00] - Laurie describes the kind of background information she gathers. [53:00] - Laurie shares a few areas where my wife and I have different perceptions of my skills. [57:07] - I confess I thought, “What if I don’t have ADHD?”  Laurie confirms that I do have ADHD. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Registration for the winter session of our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now in full swing. The next registration event is Thursday, November 29th at 3pm Central.  To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is part of a four-episode series of mastermind session.  A mastermind group is a concept that comes from the book, .  We have implemented this concept into our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups. Alumni of our coaching groups have the opportunity to work with me as “addmins,” and those members get an entire hour to sit in the hot seat in our mastermind sessions. This week, Natalie is sitting in the mastermind hot seat.  Natalie has recently experienced some pretty significant life changes.  This has allowed her to step back and determine what she wants to do with her life.  In this conversation, you will hear us walk through some of these things with Natalie.   You’ll Learn: [04:22] - We check in with Dan’s progress since his time in the hot seat.   [05:57] - Dianna shares that she is making progress.  She has set up a sleep study. [07:20] - Sandra says that she needs to listen to her hot seat session again because she had so many great things to work on. [09:34] - Natalie provides us some backstory.  She has recently moved and is in a bit of a reset stage in life.   [11:12] - Natalie finds herself overwhelmed by many tasks, and she lists a few things that aren’t overwhelming her.  She provides us with some examples of things she needs to do. [13:05] - Natalie opens her routine app, .  I encourage her to screenshot the app and then make that her home screen image to remind her to adjust things. [14:52] - I ask Natalie if she could join a professional or networking group.   [16:42] - Natalie explains that she’d like to hire a personal trainer and start working out in the mornings. [21:21] - Natalie says she feels weird having a masters degree and living at home with her parents. [22:43] - Dianna asks Natalie if she’s done a brain dump. [25:06] - Natalie discusses one YouTube habit she would like to create. [31:42] - We realize that Natalie’s morning routine is more like a morning menu.  I share with her that she needs to create habits, not routines. [35:45] - I encourage Natalie to keep things basic, for the purpose of getting started. [41:58] - Natalie talks about the first video she will be producing.   [46:41] - Earlier in the conversation, Natalie said she would like to travel the country for four months.  She talks about the conflict between this and working a job, and the type of work she is considering. [50:46] - Natalie says her lack of routine is what’s holding her back right now.   [53:39] - Natalie talks about needing to find online work in order to accomplish her goal of being mobile. [59:10] - Natalie shares that she is trying to find herself after the end of her marriage. [1:03:48] - I suggest to Natalie that she write a letter. [1:07:00] - Dan takes a few seconds to give Natalie some encouragement to get started. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Registration for the winter session of our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now in full swing. The next registration event is Thursday, November 29th at 3pm Central.  To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is the recording of October’s live Q&A.  The questions answered in this episode were submitted by listeners of this podcast, both ahead of time and live.  Brendan Mahan once again joins me on this Q&A. On this episode, you will hear Brendan, and I talk with a few listeners and read some questions that had been submitted.  We talk about ADHD and substance abuse, a child with ADHD who becomes emotionally sensitive with redirection, and something we label, “procrastappointment.” You can listen to our live Q&A sessions on the second Tuesday of every month at 1:30 pm Eastern.  Join Brendan Mahan and me as we answer your questions live. You can register at . Connect with Brendan Mahan You’ll Learn: [11:26] - Erica brings up the topic of ADHD and substance abuse.  Brenden and I share our experiences as smokers. [24:04] - Sarah asks if there is a term for her type of procrastination.  We invent one called “procrastappointment.” We share some tips on getting out of this pattern, including not taking appointment cards! [33:38] - Marisol recently had parent-teacher conferences.  The teacher asked about her daughter’s emotional sensitivity.  Brendan shares some of his expertise with this situation. [40:49] - Marisol wonders how to teach her daughter that redirections are not a failure. [47:20] - Rachel asks about self-guided learning and online classes with an ADHD brain.  I share that I consider this to be “registering for good intentions.” Brendan talks about how to create the structure to be successful in this type of endeavor. [51:07] - Sarah asks if we have figured out how to slow down our lives.  I believe she has taken the first step by asking that question. I encourage anyone in this situation to decrease overwhelm by saying “no” like we are passing out candy on Halloween. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Our next registration event for the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is this Thursday, November 15th at 11am Central.  This session starts January 7th. To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is part of a four-episode series of mastermind session.  A mastermind group is a concept that comes from the book, .  We have implemented this concept into our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups. Alumni of our coaching groups have the opportunity to work with me as “addmins,” and those members get an entire hour to sit in the hot seat in our mastermind sessions. This week, Dan sits in the hot seat.  In this conversation, you will hear Dan talk about over-committing.  He explains why he has a hard time saying “no,” but this results in sometimes not meeting the deadlines.  Dan has a major traveling project coming up, and this situation is the foundation of this discussion.   You’ll Learn: [8:48] - Dan sets up this conversation and shares that he struggles with overcommitment. [11:44] - Diana asks if Dan has traveled in the trailer before. Dan also talks about setting expectations at work vs. expectations outside of work. [15:14] - I ask Dan how often he ignores the little voice in his head. Dan believes he can be intentional about giving the little voice time to pop up. [17:10] - I share that having a Plan B doesn’t take much time, and the reward is great. Dan talks about his Plan B. [19:08] - Dan explains that he needs to learn how not to say “yes.” [20:18] - Sandra wants to know what Dan has done with this RV project, and how he prioritizes the tasks. [24:31] - Sandra asks more about contingency plans when working with the list. [25:32] - Dan says that there are not hard-stops in their schedule unless it’s for a meeting. [26:39] - Dan says that his list is written in a shared note-taking app that he and his wife can use. [29:54] - Natalie asks Dan if he has considered getting an antenna to boost his cell phone signal. She also asks for examples of little things that need to be done in the house that overwhelm him. [34:15] - I ask Dan for some time-frame dates. I challenge Dan to consider what he would do if he had no time or less time to prepare. [38:58] - Natalie reminds Dan that friends will be coming into his house so that they will be more understanding than a customer. [40:38] - After Dan talks about envisioning looking what “done” looks like. I talk about the difference between a due date and a done date. [49:45] - I ask Dan what the situation would be if he had to tell someone he can’t do something or hit a deadline he committed to. [51:50] - I ask Dan to consider what carries more weight, the current satisfaction of saying “yes,” or the future disappointment of not being able to meet the deadline. [52:46] - Dan explains how it’s possible to build a reputation as the go-to guy, but then expectations can hurt your career. [54:53] - Dan shares that he would be receptive to a suggestion that he seek assistance with a task. I draw a link between Dan’s perfectionism and self-worth. [58:54] - Diana talks about her own personal experience in the area of self-worth. Dan shares what he wants to gain from this journey.  [1:02:46] - I used to say “yes” to everything, and this brought me stress from being overwhelmed. I changed my default answer to “no.” [1:07:22] - Natalie suggests bringing yourself back to the big picture and asking why you want to do something. [1:10:37] - Natalie brings up Dan’s wife and kids. Dan shares an experience from his ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group. [1:14:33] - Dan admits that he is scared. [1:17:12] - I share how I threatened myself with Workaholics Anonymous. [1:18:55] - Dan shares his takeaways from this conversation.  Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:   ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Our next registration event for the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is November 15th at 11am Central.  This session starts January 7th. To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .  Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story?  Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician?  If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is part of a four-episode series of mastermind session.  A mastermind group is a concept that comes from the book, .  We have implemented this concept into our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups. Alumni of our coaching groups have the opportunity to work with me as “addmins,” and those members get an entire hour to sit in the hot seat in our mastermind sessions. This week, Sandra sits in the hot seat.  She explores a topic that a lot of us struggle with and we haven’t really discussed on the podcast.  Sandra feels that she struggles with communication and what she calls “verbal regulation.” In this conversation, you will hear us discuss the issues surrounding communication, and the participants share their experiences and the techniques they employ. You’ll Learn: [10:21] - Diana was in the hot seat on our last episode, and she committed to scheduling a sleep study.  She shares her progress. [12:44] - Sandra lays the foundation for this discussion.  She would like to talk about what she is calling “verbal regulation.”   [17:06] - Sandra says that neuro-typical people tend to make comments to her on this topic.   [19:04] - Dan asks Sandra about her structure creation skills.  She shares a story about someone comparing her work as something similar to the movie “A Beautiful Mind.” [23:52] - Dan asks a clarifying question about her reactions to compliments. [24:46] - Natalie shares that she had similar situations.  She asks about Sandra’s processing characteristics. [29:02] - Sandra talks about trying to communicate to her co-workers how her brain works without it sounding like an excuse. [30:18] - Diana asks in what types of situations this becomes an issue, and she shares her experience in this area. [34:18] - Diana suggests beta-blockers or alpha-blockers.   [36:20] - Natalie suggests that Sandra talks to her friends about their perceptions of her. [38:28] - We talk about fidgets and the advantage of having a more obvious fidget. [40:23] - We put Sandra’s negative self-talk on trial through role-playing.   [47:19] - I talk with Susan about processing speed and the role it plays in things like communication. [55:05] - Natalie shares that she’s also a slow processor and intelligent person, and she talks about things she does in conversations to help this communication.   [59:22] - Dan explains how he builds trust with people by preparing them for his communication style. He also suggests practicing conversation. [1:01:11] - Sandra finds practicing conversation to be difficult because of other ADHD tendencies. Dan shares how he accomplishes this. [1:03:57] - Sandra talks about a recent course she took on self-observation and self-coaching.  She says that a lot of feedback she got in this discussion reinforces what she learned from that. [1:06:10] - I talk about acceptance being a gift to ourselves and other people.  I also share how slowing my speech has helped me. [1:10:41] - Natalie reminds us that we need to start small.   [1:13:36] - Sandra shares what she would like to learn and improve in the near-future. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group Our next registration event for the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is November 15th at 11am Central.  This session starts January 7th. To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is part of a four-episode series of mastermind session.  A mastermind group is a concept that comes from the book, .  We have implemented this concept into our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups. Alumni of our coaching groups have the opportunity to work with me as “addmins,” and those members get an entire hour to sit in the hot seat in our mastermind sessions. This week, Diana will sit in the hot seat, and we are joined by Natalie, Dan, and Sandra.  The morning routine on non-urgent days is what has Diana hung up right now. Throughout this conversation, you will hear us offer suggestions, tips, techniques, and strategies to help her make these mornings productive.  If you find it difficult to get started in the mornings, you should have plenty of things to try after listening to this episode. You’ll Learn: [11:02] - The members of this mastermind introduce themselves, including Diana who is sitting in the hot seat this week. [13:57] - Diana shares that she’s been struggling with her morning routine on non-urgent days. [15:30] - Diana talks about the things she’s implemented to try to create some consistency.   [21:05] - Dan asks if Diana has experienced insomnia and what may have caused that lack of sleep.  This leads to a discussion on sleep. [27:02] - Sandra asks about Diana’s medication.   [29:55] - Sandra suggests Diana recall the last time she had a non-urgent morning and it didn’t work out the way she wanted.   [33:16] - I ask Sandra if she’s ok with choosing comfort over courage. [34:47] - Dan shares that when he thinks about data and analyzing what’s working and not working, his mind gets stirred up.  Diana talks about what the pebbles are. These are the small things that seem to trip her up. [37:19] - Natalie shares that this conversation is speaking to her because she shares some of these issues.  She finds herself wasting entire mornings by hitting the snooze button. is something that has helped her. [40:00] - We discuss the individual steps that could help with her morning routine. [43:38] - Natalie says that the inside of her refrigerator makes for a good dry erase board. [47:26] - I suggest the app, and the clocks and . I also talk about the , which I don’t wholly endorse. [54:30] - Dan asks, “What’s important to you?” when trying to find the motivation to get up and get the day going.  He also suggests finding the areas where other people are depending on her. [57:09] - Natalie explains how she has benefitted from this conversation and the strategies she is going to implement to help her with these areas where she is having trouble. [58:30] - I explain why sleep hygiene is more important than the number of hours of sleep. [1:02:54] - Sandra shares that this discussion reminds her a lot of her own mastermind.  She shares some advice I gave her in that mastermind. [1:08:09] - We talk about using music to motivate in the morning. [1:09:12] - Dan suggests that Diana’s husband helps get her going in the morning.   [1:13:13] - We talk about vitamins, specifically Vitamin B. [1:14:52] - Diana has resisted undergoing a sleep study.  We convince her to make an appointment for a sleep study. [1:16:57] - I suggest morning errands and exercise classes to help Dianna get moving in the mornings. [1:20:28] - Diana shares what she would like to commit to. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group If you’d like to secure an early spot and an early registration price for our winter session of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group, RSVP for our registration event on October 25th at 3 pm Central.  This session starts January 7th. To learn more or RSVP for the group registration, go to .   Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me.  With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patreon-only Adult Study Hall. Learn more at ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to and fill out an application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 pm.  Go to . Want to be a guest? Hey, What about you?  Do you have a story? Are you a Coach?  Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call .