Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

What if the recurring problems in your career or business aren't a sign that you need to work harder, but a sign that you need a better system?
For busy professionals, business owners, and entrepreneurs with ADHD, constantly remembering, rescuing, reorganizing, and starting over can create an "ADHD tax" in time, energy, money, and mental bandwidth.
**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
In this episode, Dave explores questions to help you:
Identify where you're paying the ADHD tax in your business.
Turn recurring problems into simple systems
Reduce mental load by externalizing information
Automate, delegate, or eliminate unnecessary work
Stop relying so heavily on memory
Find opportunities for a 1% improvement
The goal isn't a perfect system. It's creating a little more ease, control, and space for what matters.

How does ADHD manifest uniquely in women across their lifespan, and why are so many high-achieving professionals being missed or misdiagnosed?
In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave talks with Dr. Jolene Brighten, naturopathic endocrinologist, nutrition scientist, and author of "ADHD and Women" to unpack the often-overlooked nuances of neurodivergence in female professionals.
Dr. Brighten shares her insights as a late-diagnosed "AuDHDer," explaining how hormonal shifts, cultural expectations, and internalized hyperactivity create distinct challenges for women in business, health, and daily life.
**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
Dr. Jolene and Dave Discuss:
The Entrepreneurial Advantage: Why ADHD brains excel at creativity and problem-solving, yet often struggle within rigid corporate structures.
The Diagnosis Gap: How up to 75% of women reach adulthood undiagnosed, often receiving their diagnosis during perimenopause when changing hormones amplify symptoms.
Hormones & Executive Function: The impact of fluctuating estrogen and progesterone across the menstrual cycle, including the connection to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Masking & Internalized Hyperactivity: Why female ADHD presents as internal restlessness, overthinking, and burnout rather than overt physical hyperactivity.
Find Dr. Brighten on her website: https://drbrighten.com/

Why do high-performing professionals with ADHD so often feel paralyzed by simple or critical tasks, and how can you break through those hidden barriers?
In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave welcomes back ADHD coach and author Brendan Mahan to discuss his book Overcoming the Wall of Awful: Why It's Hard to Get Things Done with ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety (and How to Do Them Anyway)
Even top executives, business owners, and driven entrepreneurs struggle with the invisible emotional friction that halts execution. Brendan breaks down how past failures, uncertainty, and fear of rejection stack up like bricks between us and our goals, and provides a practical blueprint for navigating through, over, or around those mental walls.
Meet Brendan Mahan here and find your copy of the book!
www.TheWallofAwful.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

What if the biggest productivity problem for adults with ADHD isn't a lack of focus, but not having enough uninterrupted time to focus?
For business owners, entrepreneurs, and busy professionals with adult ADHD, constant interruptions, meetings, emails, messages, and competing priorities can make it nearly impossible to reach the level of focus needed for high-quality work.
In this episode, Dave explains why large blocks of protected time can be one of the most powerful productivity tools available to the ADHD brain. And he offers ways to create them despite the demands of a busy professional life.
The goal isn't to work harder. It's to create the conditions that allow your ADHD brain to do its best work.
**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

In this episode of Overcoming Distractions, Dave interviews Alex Partridge, founder of UNILAD and LAD Bible and host of the ADHD Chatter podcast, to explore how Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) impacts adults and entrepreneurs with ADHD.
The central takeaway from their discussion is that in the absence of context and clarity, the ADHD mind catastrophizes ambiguity, filling in the blanks with the worst-case scenario and severe emotional distress.
They unpack the origins of RSD, the role of early childhood criticism, and how these factors drive people-pleasing, imposter syndrome, and professional burnout.
Key Discussion Points:
Defining RSD in Adults: How Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria extends beyond childhood into busy professionals, driving catastrophic thinking in ambiguous situations.
The Impact of Ambiguity: How unsaid details or minor shifts in behavior trigger a knee-jerk reaction in the ADHD nervous system to expect rejection or disaster.
Alex's Personal Journey: The story behind founding UNILAD, the legal battle over ownership, and how RSD and poor self-esteem led to signing a detrimental partnership agreement.
The 20,000 Extra Rejections: How children with ADHD receive significantly more micro-rejections growing up, shaping adult struggles with burnout and people-pleasing.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: The concept of "out of sight, out of mind" regarding personal achievements, and the strategy of storing tangible evidence of success to build confidence.