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If you've ever tried an ADHD productivity hack, felt briefly hopeful, and then quietly gone back to exactly how you were before, this episode is for you.
Welcome to this week's summer compilation. This one is all about redefining what productivity actually means for ADHD brains, and letting go of the neurotypical advice that was never designed for the way our minds work.
We hear from four guests across four different conversations. Ari Tuckman on why productivity isn't about doing more, but about creating a life that has more meaning and breathing room in it. Dr Jacob Santhouse on automaticity, why everyday tasks like filling in a form are so much more mentally exhausting for neurodivergent brains, and why that is not a character flaw. Sonia Ponzo on the paralysis state, interoception, and why ADHD brains so often struggle to read what their body actually needs in any given moment. Dr Claire Plumbly on the three states of the nervous system, what it means to get stuck in fight or flight, and how burnout can build so slowly we almost don't notice it. And Laura Willis on digital overload, the default mode network, and why a real rest is not the same as switching from emails to scrolling.
In this episode, we cover:
Why quick-fix productivity hacks rarely work for ADHD brains, and what to aim for instead
How genuine productivity creates meaning and more time for the things that matter, rather than just getting more done
What automaticity is and why struggling with everyday admin tasks is a neurological difference, not a personal failing
Why form-filling, reading and life admin can deplete an ADHD brain so much faster than people realise
What the paralysis state is and why knowing what to do is not the same as being able to start
What interoception is and why ADHD brains often misread what they actually need, leading to cycles of shame and self-blame
The autonomic nervous system explained: green, amber and red, and why so many of us get stuck oscillating between the last two
How burnout can build quietly over time rather than arriving all at once
Why scrolling on your phone during a break is not actually a break, and what the default mode network needs instead
Practical, sustainable ways to create boundaries around technology that protect your energy and your headspace
Timestamps:
00:00 - Welcome and introduction to this week's summer compilation
03:00 - Ari Tuckman: why productivity hacks rarely work for ADHD brains
05:30 - What real productivity looks like: meaning, not just output
08:00 - The importance of immediate rewards over vague long-term goals
10:00 - Sleep, nutrition, movement and flexible routine as the actual foundations
13:00 - Kate and Ari on the ADHD brain's contradictions and daily recalibrations
16:00 - Dr Jacob Santhouse: what automaticity is and why it matters
19:00 - How automaticity affects working memory and executive function
21:30 - Why form-filling is exhausting, and what to do about it
24:00 - Playing to your strengths and letting go of the guilt
27:00 - Sonia Ponzo: the paralysis state and why you can't always start
31:00 - What interoception is and why ADHD brains struggle with it
35:00 - The cycle of self-shame when we misread what our body needs
37:00 - Practical ways to start training interoception
41:00 - Dr Claire Plumbly: the autonomic nervous system explained
44:00 - Green, amber and red: rest and digest, fight or flight, and shutdown
48:00 - What it looks and feels like to get stuck in amber or red
51:00 - Kate on losing access to contentment and compassion during burnout
53:00 - Laura Willis: why scrolling is not a rest
55:00 - The default mode network and what a real mental break actually does
57:00 - Practical boundaries: phones out of reach, batch working and scheduled screen time
Links and Resources:
Find my popular ADHD Women's Wellbeing workshops and resources on my website here.
Connect with the podcast on Instagram: @adhd_womenswellbeing_pod
Get my book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit (also available in ebook and audiobook) here
Join the More Yourself membership community here
Visit Dr Ari Tuckman's website: drarituckman.com
Connect with Dr Ari Tuckman on Instagram
Get Dr Ari Tuckman's book: The ADHD Productivity Manual
Connect with Dr Jacob Santhouse on Instagram
Get Dr Jacob Santhouse's book: Dyslexia Explained: Your Toolkit to Understanding and Thriving
Visit Sonia Ponzo's website: outsetwellness.com
Connect with Sonia Ponzo on Instagram
Visit Dr Claire Plumbly's website: drclaireplumbly.com
Get Dr Claire Plumbly's book: Burnout: How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You
Connect with Dr Claire Plumbly on Instagram
Visit Laura Willis's website: laura-willis.com
Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed women with ADHD find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity.
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