Overcoming Distractions The Podcast

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/

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 thr

One of the best ways to thrive with adult ADHD is through effective routines and proper systems. It's also great if the important things in your life have a place where you can find them. Effective routines that are tailored to our lives and our careers help guide us throughout the day and provide tremendous benefits for reducing the stress of having ADHD. This week we have Skye Rapson on the podcast who is the founder of the Unconventional Organisation based in Auckland New Zealand. Skye and her team offer ADHD coaching and other services and everything are offered by those with ADHD. Many people with ADHD feel they are stuck but Skye is a doctoral candidate. She is living proof that people with ADHD can thrive and achieve the goals they want. She discusses briefly how she has been able to navigate school and other life commitments to get to this point in her life. Skye and her team focus a lot on routines with their clients including how they work closely to identify overwhelmed and create strategies to red

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/

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 a

There is one thing we absolutely know about adult ADHD. We have to try different strategies and tactics to be able to thrive in life and in business. As we mentioned in a previous podcast, we need to constantly be trying differently to find what works for our personal situations. Sadly, many on social media discount many strategies and flat out tell their audiences that these do not work for people with ADHD. The bottom line is you need to find what works for you whether it's traditional advice or ADHD tactics that fit into your own personal situations. In this ADHD minute, Dave briefly discusses how those of us with ADHD can continue to analyze our personal situations and develop strategies that will help us thrive. That includes advice from people who are not in the ADHD community. Don't forget to check out Dave's new book Overcoming Burnout. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WQ17T22

Every organization needs different viewpoints, regardless of its size. To solve problems and move forward, different types of brains and thinking styles can be a tremendous advantage in any size business. Sarah Ohanesian and Jeff Gibbard join the podcast this week to discuss how they work together with different types of brains. Working together, they provide companies with productivity training. And because they each have a different type of brain, they can be far more effective than other consultants. Jeff has ADHD, and Sarah does not. Because of this, they feel they have an advantage when working with clients. Dave, Sarah, and Jeff have a wide-ranging discussion about how different brains can work well together. One of the major advantages Jeff and Sarah see is that they have the ability to work with other different brains as well as identify people who may need different approaches to productivity. They also discuss why clarity is the backbone of any business and any individual. If you are an adult with A

What are some of the common symptoms of burnout? Dave discusses three of the more common symptoms of burnout. While there are many more, and burnout is a complex and sometimes misunderstood issue, Dave discusses some of the early signs to look out for. Dave also discusses that burnout can be very dangerous if it is not addressed. But there is hope and you can overcome burnout by recognizing some of the signs. By understanding that you are heading towards burnout, you can take care of health issues that may be bothering you, stress around your career and workplace, and get your life back in order without overidentifying with your career. A reminder that Dave is the author of the book Overcoming Burnout and you can find it here. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WQ17T22

This week, Dave talks about managing your adult ADHD by returning to the basics. All too often we see on social media the complexities of managing ADHD. And while everyone with ADHD is different and responds to all types of strategies and methods to thrive, sometimes what is most effective is going right back to basic core strategies of good ADHD management. In this shorter episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave talks about how to go right back to the basics of ADHD. He talks about the power of self-awareness and understanding your strengths and weaknesses. He talks about how to stay away from negative forces and groups and think for yourself when it comes to developing strategies around ADHD. Dave also discusses some mind and body such as making time to just get out and move in the power of being obsessed with your own time management. Dave also shares a couple of non-traditional ADHD tips that go right back to the basics. Looking for Dave’s new book Overcoming Burnout? Check it out below. https://www.amaz

In this podcast, Dave talks about some of the causes of time blindness in adults with ADHD. Everything from the way our brain is wired, hyperfocus and flow, squeezing more things into our schedule, and other reasons. Here are a few basic ways you can keep track of time: Try your best to put everything in your schedule-professional and personal. Invite each other such as spouses to certain events Try hard not to squeeze things in when you have a free few minutes. Alarm the shit out of your life. If you're using an iPhone, take a few minutes and preset important alarms for your week. Use the sleep app on your iPhone or another device Apple Watch has its pros and cons for those of us with ADHD Parkinson's law-work expands to the time allotted so set deadlines and timeframes. Good brain health-executive functions such as understanding time get better when our brain is healthier Overcoming Burnout can be found here: https://overcomingburnout.net/ Overcoming Distractions can be found here: https://overcomingdistr

One of the phrases that bother people who have ADHD the most is when people tell you to “try harder.” many of us with ADHD heard this phrase growing up, and even sort written on our report cards. But those with ADHD know better. “Trying harder” is far from a solution to improving our lives. Burnout can come from trying harder so it's important to understand how our brains operate. Laura MacNiven from the Springboard Clinic in Toronto is back on Overcoming Distractions the podcast to discuss this very topic and to offer a different viewpoint. She is the co-author of May We have Your Attention please? With Dr. Anne Bailey. People with ADHD need to try differently rather than focus on trying harder. Laura takes time to explain the core differences between trying harder and trying differently and Dave and Laura even pull the phrase apart “try harder” to understand what it actually means. Laura says that a lot can be accomplished by understanding the stories we tell ourselves. If we can reshape those stories, we h

In this ADHD minute edition of Overcoming Distractions, we talk about how to be a little more flexible when it comes to time management and ADHD brains. The two years of going through COVID-19 have taught us, even those of us with ADHD that we need to be a little more flexible when it comes to managing our time and our commitments. Dave takes just a few minutes to go through a few things that have worked for him and for others when it comes to trying to manage your time in an ever-changing environment. In short, doing a thorough review of your professional and personal commitments on a regular basis will help you manage time better, feel less stress and ultimately stay away from burnout. Find Dave's new book Overcoming Burnout here. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WQ17T22

Are you a high achiever? And are you one of those go-getters that just happens to have adult ADHD? Even professional businesspeople and entrepreneurs can experience a whole host of distractions in their professional lives. And that's what we are talking about in this podcast episode. This week we have back Casey Dixon from Dixon Life Coaching. Casey coaches high achievers with ADHD including attorneys, professors, and many more in high-profile and demanding careers. Casey talks about what she classifies as a high achiever including some specific careers as well as some specific traits when it comes to those that are driven to succeed. Casey and Dave also discuss whether those of us in high-demand careers suffer the same distractions as other people in different industries and careers. Casey suggests that many of us need to find the tasks and projects we are good at and try hard to delegate the tasks we do not like to do. She says working on things we are not good at reduces our focus. Casey offers a number of

Are you burned out or feel like you're heading down the path of burnout? Dave announces his new book has just been published. Overcoming Burnout-Real life Strategies and Solutions for Burnout Recovery and Prevention. https://overcomingdistractions.com/overcomingburnout/ Dave wrote this book to shed new light on the topic of burnout and just how complicated the issue can be for people. He specifically covers career burnout. Dave talks about how many of us are the Co-founders of our burnout in that we brought a lot of this on our own. That may be a tough thing for us to hear but many of our habits have contributed to our burnout. Dave talks about understanding our capacity, setting boundaries, people-pleasing, and of course time management. Listen to Dave as he discusses why he wrote the book and what you can learn from the people he has interviewed. To purchase the book, go to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WQ17T22

Research has shown that adults with ADHD are more prone to addictions than others. That includes alcohol abuse and other substances. In this podcast, we will discuss why those with ADHD are more prone to these behaviors and we will also discuss how to mitigate our reliance on alcohol and other addictive substances. We have back Lara Honos-Webb, author of Brain Hacks and Six Super Skills for Executive Functioning: Tools to Help Teens Improve Focus, Stay Organized, and Reach Their Goals as well as many other books. Dr. Lara Has been on Overcoming Distractions many times and it's a wealth of knowledge in the area of ADHD. Dr. Lara Talks about how addictions such as those with alcohol and other substances not only affect those with ADHD to a greater percentage but how they have increased during the past two years of the pandemic. Lara talks about how prevalent addiction is in the ADHD community as well as why we've seen the increases recently. She also answers the question about why those of us with ADHD have mor

This time on the ADHD Minute version of Overcoming Distractions, Dave talks about creating values statements for your life and your career. Many of us may think we have values but when we sit right down and try to list those, we may struggle. Many of us complain about situations we are in such as a bad job, a bad boss, or unrealistic clients if you're a small business owner, and we're getting stressed out, resentful and even burned out. Dave talks about how you can turn negative aspects of your life into positive statements. You can define the type of people you want to work with, the type of workplace and culture you want to spend your time at, and the type of people you want in your life. Spend 8 minutes with Dave to learn more about how to create value statements for your life.

Now that COVID-19 is becoming much more manageable in our lives, it's time to ask ourselves what we have learned over the past two years that can help us in the future. That's what Dave talks about in this ADHD Minute addition of Overcoming Distractions. Dave talks about some of the things that he has learned that can help him manage his business and life much better. Dave talks about how he has gotten obsessive with time management including blocking off days, not responding to every notification that pops up, and getting very creative with his calendar. He talks about personal goals before professional goals and that your personal goals should drive your career goals. Dave also talks about how it's important to have routines but to always self-assess and be flexible when necessary. And most of us should have learned this by now but making sure you set time aside to clear your head Several times a week or whenever needed. Dave talks about the importance of this.

Improving communication in the workplace is something everyone should strive for but for those of us with adult ADHD, it needs to be an ongoing process of identifying what can be effective. Some of us receive communications differently, some of us put out communications in the workplace that can be misunderstood, and the bottom line is not every communication style is a match. 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 improve strategic communications in the workplace as well as being an entrepreneur with ADHD. As you'll find Grant's book also injects a little fun and humor into the process. What exactly is strategic communications and why do we need to practice it? How do we have fun and reduce stress while improving communication styles? How do we find the right patterns of communication as well as capture the attention of our coworkers and others? How can we connect appropriately as

In this short episode of Overcoming Distractions Dave talks about the concept of burning the boats. If you're ready for a new job or career change, Dave has a little bit of advice for how to hit the reset button. Some of the things Dave brings up that may trigger your need for a new career are being bored, tired, feeling disconnected, stressed out, exhausted or all of the above which equals burnout. Dave offers some quick tips from his personal experiences over the years managing his careers as well as his entrepreneurial journeys. If you're stressed out and need a change, spend the next 10 minutes getting some quick advice from Dave about hitting the reset button on your life and career.

Planning seems to be another challenge that many with adult ADHD must deal with. While the topic of planning could be a much larger conversation, on this podcast episode, we discuss what it takes to plan out tasks and projects in our professional lives. If you need to get better at planning your professional or personal life out, this is a great discussion with a ton of valuable tips. Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright from Taking Control…The ADHD Podcast joins Dave to discuss ways those of us with ADHD can get better at planning as well as executing on those plans. First, Nikki, Pete, and Dave discuss why people with ADHD have challenges with planning at many levels. They discuss how certain executive functions can get in the way of planning projects and tasks as well as more extensive items such as an entire workweek. But they also make it clear that those with ADHD are not the only ones who have challenges with planning. People without ADHD also could use a lesson in planning as well as entire companies Nikki, P