Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

Practical systems for entrepreneurs with ADHD that reduce overwhelm and boost focus. Tips on a single capture tool and a weekly CEO check-in to set direction. How to pick three daily revenue tasks and protect deep work with boundaries. Ways to use automation, delegation, financial routines, accountability, and scheduled recovery to keep momentum.

Meghan French Dunbar, entrepreneur and author who founded Conscious Company, shares her late ADHD diagnosis and recovery journey. She talks about how hyperfocus hid struggles, systems that drive neurodivergent burnout, and the mindset shift from doing to quality of being. Practical topics include setting nonnegotiable boundaries, purposeful yeses, medication and supports, and building phone barriers, movement, and AI dashboards to manage life.

Your week doesn't have to happen to you. You can intentionally design it around what matters most. For many busy professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and business owners with ADHD, the end of the week can leave you wondering where your time actually went. You were constantly busy, yet your most important priorities may have taken a back seat to interruptions, urgent requests, and other people's agendas. In this episode, Dave explores how asking yourself a few intentional questions each week can help you strengthen your boundaries, protect your time, and regain a greater sense of control. Let's create a more focused, purposeful, and rewarding week ahead. **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min Key discussion points: Why ADHD professionals often feel busy but not intentional The difference between living reactively versus proactively Asking yourself, "Did my week happen to me or because of me?" Recognizing where you protected—or abandoned—your priorities Identifying the commitments that should have been a "no" Strengthening boundaries that protect your time and energy Breaking the habit of automatically saying "yes" Discovering where your time quietly slips away Creating more agency and ownership over your schedule Visualizing what an exceptionally successful week would actually look like Simple weekly reflection questions that help you build intentional habits over time

True physical recovery begins only when we stop ignoring the brain's response to chronic pressure and prioritize our own joy. This is a must listen podcast episode for anyone with adult ADHD experiencing physical symptoms and stress! Dave sits down with Dr. David Clarke, author of They Can't Find Anything Wrong and president of the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms. Together, they explore the profound connection between high-achieving professionals, ADHD-ish tendencies, and "stress illness." Real, debilitating physical symptoms generated entirely by altered nerve pathways in the brain rather than structural disease. Dr. Clarke sheds light on the medical blind spot surrounding neuroplastic conditions and reveals how a childhood spent in high-stress "minefields" frequently shapes the overachieving, people-pleasing adult personalities susceptible to burnout. Ultimately, this insightful conversation highlights how listening to your body's distress signals and intentionally relearning how to pause and play can heal decades of unexplained pain. Key Discussion Points Defining Stress Illness: Dr. Clarke clarifies that ailments like migraines, chronic back pain, and GI issues are 100% real, physical conditions triggered by neuroplastic brain pathways rather than localized injury or organ disease. The Childhood Connection: Many high-achieving adults and individuals with ADHD traits grew up in unpredictable environments where they developed hyper-vigilance and people-pleasing tendencies as survival mechanisms. The Medical Blind Spot: Standard Western medical training primarily addresses structural issues, leaving both primary care and mental health professionals under-equipped to diagnose brain-generated physical symptoms. The Necessity of "Finger Paint" Play: High-performers often lose the essential human skill of purposeless play, trapping them on a treadmill of constant achievement until the body protests. Shifting the Mindset: Healing requires self-respect, acknowledging early life stressors, and taking actionable steps toward recovery through specialized self-assessments and neuroplastic recovery therapies.

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave sits down with Mark Steiner, founder of the powerhouse event marketplace GigSalad. After receiving a life-changing ADHD diagnosis at age 57, Mark looked back on his journey from a New Jersey theater actor to a highly successful CEO. They dive deep into the unique mechanics of the ADHD brain in business, exploring how unconventional paths can breed massive professional success. Entrepreneurship and ADHD: The Reality of Late Diagnosis: Mark shares his personal journey of discovering his ADHD later in life after his daughter was diagnosed, highlighting how common it is for adults to finally make sense of their lives decades into their careers. EQ Over IQ: Mark emphasizes that high emotional intelligence (EQ) and "street smarts" are critical for building a flourishing company culture, far outweighing traditional MBA or textbook knowledge. Non-Negotiable Systems for Success: To sustain a thriving, bootstrap company for over 20 years, Mark relies on hiring people who complement his weaknesses, delegating autonomy completely, and protecting his calendar for essential solitary decompression time. · Build a Culture of Autonomy: Avoid micromanaging your team. Plant the overarching vision, give your employees a "long leash" with plenty of freedom, and act as their ultimate cheerleader while they execute. · Acknowledge and Map Your Social Window: Recognize that even if you are an extrovert who thrives at conferences or in boardrooms, you likely have a "four-to-six-week window" before you need dedicated, solitary decompression time to reset. · Practice Extreme Self-Mercy: Forgive yourself for the tangents, the oversharing, and the inevitable administrative blemishes. Mark attributes true professional freedom to showing up as your authentic self without "shape-shifting" or masking. You can find GigSalad here: https://www.gigsalad.com/

A guided check-in that shifts attention from productivity tricks to ADHD self-awareness. Short prompts help you spot when you were most energized, when you were fighting your brain, and what hidden effort you carried. Surprising wins and recurring patterns become clues about how you work best. A simple reflective question reframes ADHD as useful feedback.

Jenna Free, author and ADHD regulation specialist who helps people reduce fight-or-flight dysregulation, discusses how chronic stress mimics and worsens ADHD. Short segments cover the frantic high-performance then crash cycle, how nervous-system responses drive ADHD-like symptoms, in-the-moment slowing and breathing strategies, and the core beliefs that keep people stuck.

The most impactful way to navigate life with ADHD is to shift your identity from a "disability deficit" mindset to a neuroaffirming, strength-based perspective. In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave chats with Liz Ahmann and Micah Saviet, authors of the new book Flourishing with Adult ADHD (released April 2026). The discussion dives deep into practical, evidence-based strategies for high-performing professionals and entrepreneurs who are tired of temporary "hacks" and ready for long-term growth. They explore how understanding your unique brain wiring is the first step toward moving past the shame of a late diagnosis and toward true well-being. Key Discussion Points Hacks vs. Habits: Why temporary ADHD "hacks" often fail and how a deeper understanding of your specific "flavor" of ADHD leads to sustainable lifestyle changes. The Power of the Pause: Introducing the STOP practice (Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed mindfully) to move from a reactive limbic state to a thoughtful executive state. Neuroplasticity in Action: How mindfulness and nature walks physically clear neural pathways and lower cortisol levels. Identity Re-calibration: Moving away from the "square peg in a round hole" mentality by embracing neurodivergence rather than trying to fix perceived weaknesses. Combating Shame: A look at the research-backed need for self-compassion and how it serves as a foundation for emotional regulation and resilience. Practical Growth Tools: Simple shifts like gratitude journaling, "micro-wins," and using the VIA (Values in Action) assessment to identify natural strengths. Find Flourishing with Adult ADHD: The Evidence-based Guide to Client Well-being for Therapists and Coaches here: https://amzn.to/4uX9Bd0 And learn more about the work Liz Ahmann and Micah Saviet are doing here: https://www.adulttraumaandadhdsolutions.com/ https://www.pathways-ahead.com/ **Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

Dana Hargus, mental health counselor and founder of Restore Ada who specializes in trauma-informed wellness and neurofeedback. She discusses how the body stores stress, signs of a dysregulated nervous system, practical routines like brief morning gratitude and strict sleep hygiene, grounding and sunlight, and how biofeedback/neurofeedback can train the brain for better focus and rest.

Russ Jones, founder of ADHD Big Brother, runs daily accountability and body-doubling rooms to help people with ADHD get unstuck. He explains felt accountability and why external structures beat internal promises. Learn how body doubling adds a teaspoon of focus, when public declarations help, and practical steps like true calendars, notification rules, and a task audit to stop process leaks.