Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with Adult ADHD
David A Greenwood
Overcoming Distractions: Thriving with Adult ADHD is a podcast for busy professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders navigating the challenges of adult ADHD.
Hosted by David Greenwood, entrepreneur, former corporate executive, author, and fellow adult with ADHD, the show explores how to succeed at work, build a business, lead people, and enjoy a more fulfilling life while working with an ADHD brain.
If you're an adult with ADHD who struggles with time management, energy, executive functioning, procrastination, prioritization, focus, organization, or burnout, you'll find practical strategies and honest conversations to help you work through those challenges.
Each week, David brings together ADHD experts, successful entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, and other professionals to discuss the real-world challenges of ADHD in business and the workplace.
Topics covered on Overcoming Distractions include:
• ADHD at Work: Managing workloads, deadlines, distractions, interruptions, and competing priorities.
• ADHD Executive Functioning: Improving time management, organization, planning, task initiation, and follow-through.
• ADHD and Entrepreneurship: Building systems, managing finances, delegating, making decisions, and running a business with ADHD.
• ADHD Leadership: Leading teams, leveraging strengths, improving communication, and navigating executive responsibilities.
• ADHD and Burnout: Managing stress, emotional regulation, overcommitment, and the demands of a busy professional life.
• Thriving with Adult ADHD: Building self-awareness, confidence, better habits, and a professional and personal life that works with your brain.
David draws on decades of entrepreneurial and executive experience, along with his own experience navigating life and business with ADHD.
This isn't about becoming someone you're not or trying to force your brain to work like everyone else's. It's about understanding your ADHD, building practical systems, leveraging your strengths, and finding ways to work with less stress and more fulfillment.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, business owner, executive, manager, or busy professional with adult ADHD, Overcoming Distractions offers practical advice and real-world perspectives to help you thrive.
Hosted by David Greenwood, entrepreneur, former corporate executive, author, and fellow adult with ADHD, the show explores how to succeed at work, build a business, lead people, and enjoy a more fulfilling life while working with an ADHD brain.
If you're an adult with ADHD who struggles with time management, energy, executive functioning, procrastination, prioritization, focus, organization, or burnout, you'll find practical strategies and honest conversations to help you work through those challenges.
Each week, David brings together ADHD experts, successful entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, and other professionals to discuss the real-world challenges of ADHD in business and the workplace.
Topics covered on Overcoming Distractions include:
• ADHD at Work: Managing workloads, deadlines, distractions, interruptions, and competing priorities.
• ADHD Executive Functioning: Improving time management, organization, planning, task initiation, and follow-through.
• ADHD and Entrepreneurship: Building systems, managing finances, delegating, making decisions, and running a business with ADHD.
• ADHD Leadership: Leading teams, leveraging strengths, improving communication, and navigating executive responsibilities.
• ADHD and Burnout: Managing stress, emotional regulation, overcommitment, and the demands of a busy professional life.
• Thriving with Adult ADHD: Building self-awareness, confidence, better habits, and a professional and personal life that works with your brain.
David draws on decades of entrepreneurial and executive experience, along with his own experience navigating life and business with ADHD.
This isn't about becoming someone you're not or trying to force your brain to work like everyone else's. It's about understanding your ADHD, building practical systems, leveraging your strengths, and finding ways to work with less stress and more fulfillment.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, business owner, executive, manager, or busy professional with adult ADHD, Overcoming Distractions offers practical advice and real-world perspectives to help you thrive.
Episodes
Mentioned books
4 snips
Mar 4, 2023 • 38min
Are you following conventional wisdom with your adult ADHD?
Conventional wisdom would have adults with ADHD believing that we need to follow a specific path to manage and thrive with adult ADHD. But as you may have uncovered by now, following conventional wisdom and accepted and unquestioned principles, is often not the best path to thriving with adult ADHD. Jeff Copper from DIG Coaching is back to discuss the concept of conventional wisdom and ADHD and how we can challenge certain thinking. Jeff talks about the book "Breaking the Rules" which can describe the theme of this discussion on the podcast. Oftentimes adults with ADHD need to break the rules and one great example is understanding that we cannot always fix our weaknesses. Accepting this concept can provide an opportunity for growth in our ADHD journey. Jeff and Dave discussed the importance of placing ourselves in roles that are a great fit. one example is choosing a career or a job that allows us to utilize our strengths. Jeff also indicates that the more clarity we have in our lives and and our daily habits, the more motivation we can experience. Managing our ADHD can be challenging at certain times in our lives but Jeff and Dave cautioned everyone not to fall into what Jeff calls a sea of strategies. We must stop drowning in the latest greatest strategy or technique to manage our adult ADHD. Do you want to learn more about challenging conventional wisdom and ADHD? This is a great discussion with Jeff and Dave. Find Jeff and Attention Talk Radio on his website. www.digcoaching.com If you want to work with Dave for coaching and mentorship, go to www.overcomingdistractions.com
Feb 18, 2023 • 43min
How to get more comfortable engaging with your calendar when you have adult ADHD
Adults with ADHD seem to have a love/hate relationship regarding scheduling and using calendars. Are you one of these people? Sure, it sounds like a simple concept but for many of us with adult ADHD, we tend to struggle to engage more effectively with schedules and calendars. Back on Overcoming Distractions is Eric Tivers of ADHD reWired. Eric and Dave discussed the following and a lot more. · Why a schedule and using a calendar can be challenging for adults with ADHD. · Understanding that without a workable schedule, getting through the week and getting "stuff" done can also be challenging. · Eric discusses how scheduling, distractions, prioritization and time management are all connected and the calendar can help us. · Eric also takes time to discuss time tracking which he feels is one of the most important ways to understand how long tasks and projects take us. · Dave and Eric discuss time blocking but making sure that we are using that concept effectively. And Eric gives tips for getting started and getting more comfortable using a calendar to manage our work and personal lives. Those include understanding this is going to be a process, you'll need to try different methods, making sure you relax and be patient, the importance of engaging with your calendar and understanding in many cases, there is a setup and a cleanup which you'll hear his thoughts on the podcast. Find ADHD reWired here and all Eric's offerings including group sessions and the popular podcast. https://www.adhdrewired.com/ Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com
Feb 11, 2023 • 42min
Overcoming shame as an adult with ADHD
As individuals with ADHD, by the time we are adults, we have experienced and internalized hundreds of thousands of negative inputs about who we are and how we are. This can create defensiveness, people-pleasing, perfectionism, social anxiety, oppositional behavior, and other defense mechanisms. But one thing we need to recognize and talk about openly is shame. Our guest Diann Wingert, therapist turned coach, says it is the elephant in the room for adults with ADHD. Diann gives us a general definition of shame and explains the difference between guilt and shame. She also gives people a few basic examples of shame then you may be able to relate to. Diann also explains why she has called shame and ADHD, the elephant in the room. She discusses why for people with ADHD, making mistakes can equal shame and the habits we can build to get ourselves out of this pattern. And Diann gives us a road map for tackling shame in our lives, including understanding self-awareness, forgiveness, understanding that shame is a spectrum, and understanding how to take an honest look at situations in our lives that we can avoid. Diann Wingert is a Business Strategist, Coach & Mentor and Host of The Driven Woman Podcast. Connect with Diann on her website: www.diannwingertcoaching.com
Feb 4, 2023 • 38min
Are you an adult with ADHD entering a leadership position?
If you are an adult with ADHD and find yourself in a leadership position, you'll want to pay attention to what our guest Brendan Mahan says this week. Brendan from ADHD essentials is back on overcoming distractions and we talk about the essential elements of being a leader, while being an adult with ADHD. Maybe you find yourself as a shift supervisor in the hospitality industry, leading a major project at your company or wanting to learn more about how to parent through leadership, Brendan has some awesome advice. Brendan and Dave discussed the following. The difference between being a leader and being a boss. What the general role of someone in leadership should be? What would we, as adults with ADHD expect from our leaders? The challenges of being an adult with ADHD and assuming a leadership position. Tips for navigating a leadership role while having adult ADHD. Those include delegating diplomatically, understanding that you are supporting character as a leader, and taking time to own your ADHD and manage it properly. Find Brandan Mahan and his offerings on his website; www.adhdessential.com Want to work with Dave? www.OvercomingDistractions.com
Feb 1, 2023 • 21min
ADHD and Feeling Too Busy
Exploring the feeling of being too busy with ADHD, finding ways to minimize it in professional and personal life, prioritizing tasks, understanding capacity and boundaries, saying no to commitments, and seeking help from coaches or mentors for better time management and work-life balance.
Jan 28, 2023 • 30min
How this creative digital nomad manages ADHD
How does a creative digital nomad manage her ADHD on the road? On Overcoming Distractions this time is Nikki May, owner of Nikki D May Art and Design. Nikki sold her house, purchased a bus and now runs her art and design business on the road. In her business she does everything from drawing, designing accessories and apparel as well as web design. As a newly diagnosed adult with ADHD, she has had to build the skills necessary to run a business on the road including carving time out for work, meeting deadlines and getting it all done. Nikki admits that her brain doesn't always switch into working mode so it's important for her to have implemented several ways to be productive. Those include: Time blocking Planning Hiring and delegating Having a business manager Using contractors. She hired somebody to set up systems for her And one big thing, not saying yes to everything. Find Nikki D. May Art and Design here: https://www.nikkimay.com/ Want to work with Dave for coaching and mentoring? www.OvercomingDistractions.com
Jan 14, 2023 • 38min
Imposter syndrome, ADHD and how to move forward with intention
Many adults with ADHD can also experience imposter syndrome. Some even say it is much more common in adults with ADHD than others. That is the focus of this podcast with Matthew Zakreski a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Matt as many address him, gives an overview of imposter syndrome and what it might feel like. He says one thing that sticks out is when somebody gives us praise, we either feel relief or we celebrate the success. He discusses why it may affect people with ADHD more. Dr. Matt gives several examples of imposter syndrome and discusses how we can become more self-aware, including reflecting on situations when we feel our best and our worst and how to find context in every situation that doubts us. He discusses how we can move forward with intention. And he gives listeners advice on how to begin limiting imposter syndrome in our lives and possibly overcoming imposter syndrome. He talks about how to build confidence, better habits around doubtful situations, and even some quick tips if you're considering a career change that may doubt you. You can find Matthew Zakreski PsyD here: https://www.theneurodiversitycollective.com/
Jan 11, 2023 • 19min
How those with ADHD can make the next day at work much easier
Dave talks about one of the simplest strategies to thrive with ADHD in the workplace. How and why making a list the night before each workday is a powerful tool for adults with ADHD. Many people tell us just to make a list; for others, that sounds very simple. But for those of us with adult ADHD, sometimes that is a difficult task in itself. Dave talks briefly about how to set the tone and create the habit. He also talks about how simple but powerful setting yourself up the night before can be. Yes, it is super simple, but Dave breaks it down in this short podcast. Find out more about Overcoming Distractions Community here. Join for free! https://overcomingdistractions.com/community/
Jan 7, 2023 • 20min
How you can thrive with the right ADHD community
Dave is back for a new year and talks about the power of having the right community as an adult with ADHD. He's talking about how being involved in a community that can support you, encourages you, and celebrates your successes is one of the best ways to thrive with adult ADHD. Some of the ways being in the right supporting community can benefit adults with ADHD are motivation, inspiration, building new habits, hanging out with people who understand you and one of our basic needs, and putting ourselves in a great mood. Learn more at www.overcomingdistractions.com/community
Jan 4, 2023 • 33min
Understanding complex ADHD and treatment options
In this first podcast episode of 2023 we are discussing complex ADHD. Dave's guest on this important episode is Jess Levy MD, Who is a board-certified psychiatrist. Dr. Levy also diagnosed with ADHD personally understands the challenges that come as an adult with ADHD. His practice is A+ Psychiatry, a one-of-a-kind Direct Specialty Care Practice and represents a fundamentally different approach to psychiatric care. Dr. Levy First gives us an overview of complex ADHD, which is when an individual has ADHD in one or more other mental health concerns. Often, we call this Co-occurring and it comes in the form of anxiety, depression, learning disorders and other forms. He also discusses why it matters and why it is important to seek adequate treatment for complex ADHD. In short, if not addressed the symptoms and challenges of an adult with ADHD can only get worse and make life more challenging. Dr. Levy Runs through many of the symptoms and signs of complex ADHD and gives examples. And he discusses treatment options for complex ADHD including how to proceed with medication, psychotherapy and other forms of support. He discusses your expectations of treatment including the trial and error of certain medications and other support systems. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: For the listeners of this podcast, when discussing diagnostic and treatment considerations it is CRITICAL to note that this is for information purposes only. It is not meant to replace medical advice from your medical professional. If you have any questions about this topic as it pertains to your physical or mental health, you should discuss these concerns directly with your providers. You can find Dr. Jess Levy at his Website: www.apluspsychiatry.com
