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
Jul 30, 2022 • 36min
Your brain is not broken-Understanding your ADHD brain
The topic of this podcast is about the feelings many with ADHD feel about having a different brain. Many with ADHD go as far as to feel that their brain is broken. That's what many say to themselves. Tamara Rosier, Ph.D., is the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan and the author of the book, Your Brain's Not Broken. The book has received much praise from many in the ADHD community. Tamara wants people to understand that ADHD is just a part of you and does not define you. Dave asks Tamara why many people with ADHD feel their brain is broken. They ask questions such as "Why am I like this? Or why do have this brain?" "Why can't I be normal?" These are common messages we feed ourselves as individuals with ADHD. It's not uncommon and the frustration that comes with having ADHD can feed this. By the same token, Dave asks Tamara why many with ADHD have a default negative type of thinking? For example, "I have ADHD so I can't do that." she discusses what those of us can do to begin to change our negative way of thinking. Tamara also spends an entire chapter in her new book on setting boundaries. It's an essential part of managing your life whether you have ADHD or not. But even more important if you're an adult with ADHD. She explains why. In chapter 12 of her book, Tamara lays out practical ways to manage and thrive with ADHD. She discusses these briefly and tells people why it's important to be practical. Building a solid foundation for managing your ADHD is one of the most important things you can do. You can find Tamara's new book here: https://www.tamararosier.com/
Jul 16, 2022 • 45min
Myths About ADHD and Productivity
Jeff Gibbard and Sara Ohanesian are back on the podcast to discuss ADHD and the myths surrounding productivity and focus. Many people with ADHD have let Tick Tock, Twitter, and Instagram influence how they think about their behaviors and habits. Especially when it comes to strategies and tactics for being productive and focused. To be direct, we let others on social media tell us what works and doesn't. When in fact, those with ADHD need to try a variety of these tactics to find out what works for us and our personal circumstances. We discuss the following in this podcast about productivity and ADHD. First, why do we let outside influences dictate our abilities? And have some of us just made up our minds? We discuss why we need to be curious and not dismissive of productivity tactics. One tried, and true way is to break projects down into small chunks and learn about the different systems that allow us to complete these projects. We talk about paying attention to what is working for you as a person with ADHD as well as what it feels like. We talk about paying attention to your reactions and when you try a certain productivity technique, try to understand if you like it or do not like it. The podcast covers so much more regarding myths about ADHD and productivity. Stay with it until the end because this podcast offers many great tips. If you have your mind made up about the productivity techniques that are working or not working for you, this podcast will change your mind. Find Jeff and Sarah here: https://getsuperproductive.com/
Jul 9, 2022 • 38min
How those with ADHD can return to the office successfully-Part 2
Grant Crowell is back to continue the conversation about how to return to the office successfully. Grant is the Author of Grantasms Creative twisted words for cool people! and a self-professed social wordsmith. Grant has extensive experience in corporate training and support. Grant discusses several of the challenges some of us face when asked to return to an office setting. These include having a new work set up such as a desk or workspace as well as adjusting to a possible hybrid scenario. He also discusses maybe not having an ideal office setup. Grant also talks about how your routine could change because of a different schedule, and the need for different types of communication and real-time interaction. Grand and Dave discuss the benefits of going back to the office. Those of us with ADHD are social animals so that face to face time for many of us is a benefit. Not only in the office but our ability to go out to lunch or other social activities. It also helps build new routines and work discipline. And of course, it gets us out of the house. Grant talks about what we can do to analyze our best work and conditions. That includes an audit of what is working and what is not and what you may be challenged within the workplace. He also discusses how to advocate for ourselves including having discussions and conversations with coworkers and your supervisor about how you prefer to work and how you can be most productive for your organization. Find Grant's book here: https://www.amazon.com/GRANTASMS-Creative-twisted-words-people-ebook/dp/B07ZY9JDPP Connect with him on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GrantCrowell Do you want to work with Dave? https://overcomingdistractions.com/workwithme/
Jun 18, 2022 • 35min
How to make the most of going back to the office when you have ADHD
This week we have back Grant Crowell, Author of Grantasms Creative twisted words for cool people! and a self-professed social wordsmith. Grant and Dave discuss how to go back to the office full time, survive in a continuing remote work environment or how maximize hybrid working. As we are all too familiar with, the pandemic challenged our way of working for just about everyone. Especially if you work in an office environment. Now, after two plus years, many companies are refocusing their efforts on what their workforce will look like and how they will work. Grant is a seasoned corporate trainer in many different environments and industries and shares his tips in part one of this series on how to maximize your work environment, regardless of where you work. Grant discusses what he saw that were some major challenges to remote work including the basic needs of having an office, inadequate Internet connections, and getting used to sporadic communication with coworkers and supervisors. Create also talks about the challenges that come with remote work and a hybrid work model whether you have ADHD or not. Dave and Grant discussed the importance of taking control of various aspects of your work in conditions. These include getting ahead of time management, speaking up when certain communication styles are not working for you as well as not being afraid to ask for the accommodations that will help you do your job better. Keep your eye out for Part 2 of this podcast. Find Grant's book here: https://www.amazon.com/GRANTASMS-Creative-twisted-words-people-ebook/dp/B07ZY9JDPP Connect with him on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GrantCrowell Do you want to work with Dave? https://overcomingdistractions.com/workwithme/
Jun 15, 2022 • 15min
You can do far more than you think when you have ADHD
In this short podcast with Dave, he talks about some of the ways in which you can improve your mindset to believe in yourself and understand that your brain is capable of much more than you think. Yes, those of us with ADHD have strengths and weaknesses like everyone else but it's important not to focus on the weaknesses that can bring us down into negativity daily. For example, racking up even the smallest of wins can help us create a positive way of thinking. Continuing to engage in negativity including the negativity that happens often on social media platforms only limits possibilities. Want to work with Dave? https://overcomingdistractions.com/workwithme/
Jun 11, 2022 • 23min
Entrepreneurs with ADHD do these 3 things very well
Many of us with ADHD take the self-employment route. Sometimes we have great ideas and want to run the show, other times maybe it's our only route because the corporate world isn't a great place for us to be. And…Maybe we got fired… Working for yourself is incredibly rewarding but it takes discipline, vision, and an obsession with minimizing distractions. Even if you don't actually own a business but maybe you're in sales, a freelancer, or another career where growth and revenue are directly related to your effort, listen up. Dave talks about three habits that entrepreneurs with ADHD do very well in this short podcast. There are many more critical habits that a self-employed person with ADHD needs to have but Dave talks about some of the top ones here. Staying focused on these three things will allow you to have less stress, manage ADHD much better as well as thrive in business and in life. Are you a self-employed person with ADHD and want to work with Dave? https://overcomingdistractions.com/workwithme/
Jun 4, 2022 • 20min
Becoming an entrepreneur when you have ADHD
If you are an adult with ADHD and you are thinking of becoming an entrepreneur or opening your own business, you'll want to listen to this brief podcast to hear Dave's must-haves before starting your own business. Many people with ADHD end up opening their own businesses. Maybe full-time, maybe side hustle. It's important to have a number of things in place to avoid a disaster both financially and mentally. Dave has owned a restaurant, karate school, and thriving public relations firm and he has advice if you are thinking of going out on your own. Many with ADHD want to go out on their own because they feel they can do it better than in the corporate world, can't seem to find the right job that is a good fit for their brains or they just feel they can shape their future much better as an entrepreneur. Here Dave's tips and must-haves for becoming an entrepreneur with ADHD. If you are thinking of becoming an entrepreneur, you can work with Dave to put the systems in place and build a proper foundation for a thriving business. https://overcomingdistractions.com/workwithme/
May 28, 2022 • 37min
ADHD and the power of routines and systems
Learn from Skye Rapson, an ADHD coach, about the power of routines and systems for thriving with ADHD. Discover how personalized routines can reduce overwhelm and stress, and how developing systems can support weaknesses. Get insights on creating and adjusting routines to navigate ADHD in daily life and achieve your goals.
May 25, 2022 • 15min
How to reduce your ADHD stress with better communication skills
In this ADHD Minute version of the podcast, Dave talks about some basic tips for improving our communication with others. Especially when we have ADHD. Dave talks about some of the reasons why communication may break down and how to gain better awareness of where we need to improve communication. If we are going to thrive in our careers as an adult with ADHD, one of the most basic ways to do that is to get good at communicating with others. We need to take charge of our communication. He talks about how better communication can help us do our jobs better, reduce procrastination, solve problems, make fewer mistakes and reduce our overall stress. And he gives tips for how we can improve our communication with others. Check out Dave's new book here Overcoming Burnout. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WQ17T22 Do you want to work with Dave for your ADHD support system or burnout coaching? Check out your options here. https://overcomingdistractions.com/workwithme/
May 21, 2022 • 38min
How do we "own" our ADHD?
What is the difference between knowing about ADHD and owning our ADHD? Jeff Copper from DIG Coaching comes back on Overcoming Distractions to discuss this topic. Don't forget to check out Dave's new book-Overcoming Burnout. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WQ17T22 If adults with ADHD are going to thrive in life and in professional settings, we are going to have to understand how to own our ADHD. It's important for us to understand our individual ADHD as well as how our brain operates but it is also equally important for those with ADHD to be able to take charge. Jeff copper and Dave talk about what it takes to actually be in charge of your ADHD and take ownership of it. First, Jeff gives us a refresher course on executive functions and includes information about how important self-awareness is as well as emotional self-regulation. He discusses exactly what self-awareness is and if those with ADHD can truly be aware of themselves and their surroundings. Jeff and Dave also discussed the relationship our emotions and self-awareness have and how tuning into these can help us thrive in all areas of our life. Another big question that Jeff answers is the difference between knowing about ADHD and owning ADHD. And as always on overcoming distractions, there are many tips that you can walk away with to implement in your life. Jeff gives us a number of basic tips to get started on the process of owning your ADHD. Learn more about DIG Coaching and Jeff Copper here as well as links to Attention Talk Video. www.digcoaching.com
