

I'm Busy Being Awesome
Paula Engebretson
How do I increase my productivity and decrease distractions? Is it possible to reclaim my time? How can I get more organized? And can I do it all with ADHD?
Welcome to the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast, where we dive into each of these questions and so much more.
Every week, life coach and ADHDer Paula Engebretson brings you her best strategies to boost your productivity, manage your time, get organized, and follow through on your goals.
Whether you're a fellow ADHDer, you identify with ADHD tendencies, or you simply want to take your productivity to the next level, this podcast is for you.
Are you busy being awesome?
Welcome to the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast, where we dive into each of these questions and so much more.
Every week, life coach and ADHDer Paula Engebretson brings you her best strategies to boost your productivity, manage your time, get organized, and follow through on your goals.
Whether you're a fellow ADHDer, you identify with ADHD tendencies, or you simply want to take your productivity to the next level, this podcast is for you.
Are you busy being awesome?
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 8, 2025 • 36min
Episode 332: 5 ADHD Study Tips For Learning Anything
In Episode 332 You Will Discover: Why working memory struggles make information retention harder with ADHD 5 proven strategies to enhance memory retention when learning new things Personalized approaches for each overwhelm type (Lion, Gazelle, Turtle, Chameleon) so you can adapt these strategies to YOUR brain. Work With Me: 👉 Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz! 👉 Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains 👉 Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching) 👉 Learn more about private coaching here 👉 Join us in Overwhelm to Action here Resources From This Episode: Episode 150 - How To Get Started With Something: Use This Time Management Technique Episode 266: Mind Mapping for the ADHD Brain Mike Schmidt PKM Note Taking Approach Tiago Forte Para Method and Note taking More ADHD Resources: Discover my favorite ADHD resources Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here. Leave IBBA A Rating & Review! If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people. Go to Apple Podcasts Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews. Simply tap five stars; that's it! Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend! Chapter Outline 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:57 Understanding ADHD and Working Memory 04:31 Five Core Learning Strategies 06:24 Strategy 1: Teach It Back 10:15 Strategy 2: Adding Anchors 15:14 Strategy 3: Using Multiple Senses 16:41 Strategy 4: Active Recall Breaks 19:59 Strategy 5: Distributed Practice 25:32 Applying Strategies Based on Overwhelm Types 34:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Dec 1, 2025 • 33min
Episode 331: ADHD Impatience - The Secret Tip To Handle It With Ease
In Episode You Will Discover: Why ADHD impatience happens in the brain and body How "trying harder" actually makes impatience worse The mindset shift that helps everything Four ADHD-friendly strategies to build real-world patience Work With Me: 👉 Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz! 👉 Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains 👉 Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching) 👉 Learn more about private coaching here 👉 Join us in Overwhelm to Action here Resources From This Episode: Self Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Dr. Neff Fierce Self-Compassion: How to Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Your Power, and Thrive by Dr. Neff More ADHD Resources: Discover my favorite ADHD resources Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here. Leave IBBA A Rating & Review! If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people. Go to Apple Podcasts Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews. Simply tap five stars; that's it! Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend! Chapter Outline 00:00 Introduction: The Struggle with Patience 01:03 Understanding ADHD and Impatience 04:05 The Impatience Trap 10:04 The Radical Mindset Shift 21:20 Strategies for Building Patience 28:50 Conclusion and Recap

Nov 24, 2025 • 23min
Episode 330: Holiday People Pleasing + ADHD: Your Step-by-Step Survival Guide
In Episode 330 You Will Discover: How to run a quick "pre-holiday audit" to spot energy drainers before the season starts Practical scripts to help you pause before saying yes The "Good Enough Manifesto" that quiets perfectionism How to build a personal recharge plan for social or sensory overload Simple, kind ways to say no—or a balanced "yes-if"—that honor your capacity Work With Me: 👉 Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains 👉 Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching) 👉 Learn more about private coaching here Resources From This Episode: Discover your Overwhelm Type (Free Quiz!) Holiday Season Blueprint More ADHD Resources: Discover my favorite ADHD resources Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here. Leave IBBA A Rating & Review! If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people. Go to Apple Podcasts Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews. Simply tap five stars; that's it! Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend! Chapter Outline 00:00 Introduction: People Pleasing, ADHD, and the Holidays 01:37 Reflecting on People Pleasing Patterns 03:14 Step 1: Pre-Holiday Audit and Intention Setting 07:15 Step 2: Practicing the Pause 11:24 Step 3: The Good Enough Manifesto 13:36 Step 4: Recharge Strategies for Sensory Overload 17:03 Step 5: The Kind No and Yes If Compromise 21:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

12 snips
Nov 17, 2025 • 29min
Episode 329: ADHD People Pleasing Holiday Edition: Why We Say Yes to Everything (+ How to Stop)
Dive into the complexities of holiday people-pleasing, especially for those with ADHD. Discover the emotional triggers and impulsive yeses that create anticipatory dread with every invitation. Explore rejection sensitivity and how it fuels the need to please others. Learn about a people-pleasing inventory to recognize patterns and understand your emotions. This insightful discussion reframes people-pleasing as a survival strategy, offering a nonjudgmental approach to breaking the cycle.

8 snips
Nov 10, 2025 • 31min
Episode 328: Holiday Stress & ADHD: 5 Coping Strategies for a Calmer Season
Explore the holiday stress curve specifically for ADHD brains. Discover practical strategies to soften stress buildup and learn about the Good, Better, Best framework for managing expectations. Simplify tasks by asking what makes things easier and plan ahead with if-then strategies for predictable challenges. Understand how to complete the stress cycle during peak times and practice self-compassion post-holidays. Equip yourself with tools for a calmer, more meaningful season.

7 snips
Nov 3, 2025 • 16min
Episode 327: ADHD Mental Fatigue or Resistance? How to Know Which One You're Experiencing
Discover the unique fluctuations of energy in ADHD and why understanding them is crucial. Explore the push–pull dilemma, where fatigue can feel like resistance, and learn how to differentiate between the two. Gain insights on assessing your energy levels with practical check-in questions. A guiding question about kindness helps clarify whether to rest or engage. Paula even shares a personal decision-making moment that illustrates this approach, encouraging listeners to embrace self-kindness in their choices.

10 snips
Oct 27, 2025 • 27min
Episode 326: ADHD Activation and the Yerkes–Dodson Law
Explore how ADHD brains can swing between under-activation and overdrive, influenced by dopamine differences. Discover the Yerkes–Dodson Law, illustrating optimal performance at moderate activation. Learn how urgent behaviors can push you past your limits and why hyperfocus might signal burnout rather than productivity. Paula shares strategies for balancing activation, from energizing music to calming exercises. Track your moments on the curve to find steady, sustainable effort and avoid the pitfalls of constant overdrive.

9 snips
Oct 20, 2025 • 23min
Episode 325: ADHD Object Permanence & 3 Tips to Support Your Brain
Explore how working memory affects daily life for those with ADHD. Discover the concept of object permanence and its impact on daily tasks like managing bills and medications. Learn three effective strategies to boost working memory, including visual cues and habit pairing. Gain insights into using reminders effectively and the benefits of keeping items visible. Paula also shares personal anecdotes and encourages choosing one small support to implement this week for a lighter cognitive load.

11 snips
Oct 13, 2025 • 23min
Episode 324: ADHD Overwhelm Types - 4 Patterns and How to Manage Them
Explore the four overwhelm types that can affect those with ADHD: the driven Lion, the fast-moving Gazelle, the planning Turtle, and the empathetic Chameleon. Each type has unique triggers and coping patterns that can lead to burnout or avoidance. Discover how these patterns form over time and why they're not flaws but natural responses. Listeners can take a quiz to identify their type and learn strategies tailored to their needs, promoting personal growth and effective action.

10 snips
Oct 6, 2025 • 16min
Episode 323: ADHD Habit Formation - 3 Powerful Ways to Build Habits That Last
Discover how a sneaky thought—'Let's see how long this lasts'—undermines habit formation. Explore the power of identity-based habits to lessen pressure and enhance consistency. Learn three practical strategies: use identity language, redefine consistency, and embrace judgement-free returns to strengthen your routines. Insights on overcoming doubt and building lasting habits will inspire anyone navigating life's challenges.


