How do I increase my productivity and decrease distractions? Is it possible to reclaim my time? How can I get more organized? And can I do it all with ADHD?
Welcome to the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast, where we dive into each of these questions and so much more.
Every week, life coach and ADHDer Paula Engebretson brings you her best strategies to boost your productivity, manage your time, get organized, and follow through on your goals.
Whether you're a fellow ADHDer, you identify with ADHD tendencies, or you simply want to take your productivity to the next level, this podcast is for you.
Are you busy being awesome?
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I'm Busy Being Awesome - Sustainable Productivity for ADHD, a podcast by Paula Engebretson - ADHD Productivity Coach - Stats, Episodes and Rankings - My Podcast Data
Two things can be true at the same time with ADHD brains. No two of us are alike, and also, the minute we start talking with another ADHDer, we're saying, "NO WAY, me too! I thought I was the only one."
In episode 377 of the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast, we look at one of the reasons behind both experiences while building your executive function map in the process. By the end, you'll have a clearer picture of which areas come more easily for you right now, which ones take the most effort, and where a little more support would make the biggest difference.
In Episode 377, You Will Discover:
What executive functions are, why they matter for the ADHD brain, and why access to them changes from day to day
The 10 executive function and self-regulation areas that shape our everyday functioning, and what each one looks like when it comes more easily
How to narrow all ten down to the one or two areas that would benefit most from support right now
The three questions that turn one area into a practical experiment you can actually run
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
Chapter Outline
00:00 ADHD No Way Moment 01:03 Executive Function Paradox 02:52 What Executive Functions Do 06:38 ADHD And EF Variability 09:19 Core EF Frameworks 11:04 Build Your EF Map 13:20 EF 1-5 Quick Scan 20:24 EF 6-10 Deep Dive 26:32 Pick Your Friction Points 29:25 Ease Effort Support Questions 31:49 Email Example And Experiments 36:11 Wrap Up And Free Download
376: Your To-Do List Feels Impossible: Try This Instead (ADHD)
Episode 376
Monday, October 12, 2026 • Duration 19:06
You did the thing everyone tells an ADHD brain to do with a big project: you broke it into steps. And instead of feeling calmer, your brain looked at the list and said, "There's no way I can get all of this done." If this experience sends you straight into avoidance, panic, or procrasti-working, episode 376 has one simple question that can shift you out of the spiral and into action.
In Episode 376, You Will Discover:
Why breaking a project into steps can trigger more ADHD overwhelm, not less
The hidden assumption inside the thought "there's no way I can get this all done"
One simple question that interrupts the spiral and how to use it throughout your life.
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info .
Chapter Outline
375: The ADHD Pre-Mortem: Plan for What Could Go Wrong (So You Can Finish)
Episode 375
Monday, October 5, 2026 • Duration 29:38
If you've ever set a goal at the start of a quarter and watched it fall apart by the end of week one, your ADHD brain has probably drawn some conclusions about you and goal setting. So when you sit down to plan something new, a thought might show up that sounds like "why even bother? I'll just feel disappointed anyway."
In episode 375, we're borrowing a practice from the business world called a pre-mortem, where you imagine the project already fell apart and work backward from there. I've adapted it for ADHD brains so the exercise helps you feel prepared and capable.
In Episode 375, You Will Discover:
Why the six to eight week stretch in quarter four is such a useful window for one focused goal
What a pre-mortem is, how it differs from a post-mortem, and a powerful modification for ADHD brains
The five questions that help you plan for obstacles while keeping the exercise contained and supportive
How to decide, ahead of time, what supporting yourself looks like on your lowest capacity days
👉 Enrollment for Overwhelm to Action LIVE closes Monday, October 5: Join us here!
You open the doc, look at it, and close the doc. The project is enormous; every piece of it seems equally important, and there is no obvious way in. This week we're pulling four strategies for exactly that kind of ADHD project overwhelm, and they come from a rather unusual place: a 1500-piece Harry Potter puzzle on my dining room table. Turns out starting at the beginning isn't always the best place to start, and sometimes that's what's keeping us stuck in the first place.
In Episode 374, You Will Discover:
Why your usual approach to starting a big project might be keeping you stuck, and how cognitive inflexibility keeps us there
How to sketch a "box lid" so your ADHD brain knows what done actually looks like before you take the first steps
A question that helps you begin when your brain insists it doesn't know where to start
Why the details of a project only become visible once you get close to one section, and why "just break it down" stalls out without that step
Somewhere in your house there's probably a return you've been meaning to drop off, a form that needs signing, and an appointment you've been meaning to schedule. While individually, each task would likely table about ten minutes, together they add a surprising amount of chatter to an already busy brain.
In episode 373 of I'm Busy Being Awesome, we're naming life admin as its own category of work, looking at what actually makes it so draining for ADHD brains, and building in the stopping point this category never gives us on its own.
In Episode 373, You Will Discover:
What life admin actually is, and why no single item in the category ever seems worth mentioning
How one "simple" ten minute phone call stacks eight or nine executive functions on top of each other
Why shame and isolation tend to show up around admin tasks, and why it isn't just you
An actionable way to help lighten the load of life admin overall
Seven simple sentences. Most of them sound responsible, and a couple even sound like good advice. Yet every one of them makes our experience of ADHD overwhelm more intense, longer lasting, or both.
In episode 372 of I'm Busy Being Awesome, we're looking at the second layer of overwhelm: the mindsets we carry on top of an already full plate. You'll learn what each one does to the overwhelm, plus one supportive counter-move for each, so you have somewhere concrete to start when the overwhelm has you feeling stuck.
In Episode 372, You Will Discover:
What ADHD overwhelm actually is, cognitively, emotionally, and sensorially, and why it's a full-body experience
The seven mindsets that turn an already full plate into something that feels impossible to carry
One supportive counter-move for each mindset to shift gears and move out of overwhelm
A three-step practice for catching the pattern sooner, so you can make a powerful adjustment to move forward
Once or twice a year, I sit down and ask myself what's been supporting my ADHD brain lately, and this time, my list landed at ten things. In this episode, I'm sharing what's on my list, from what's allowing for better sleep, to what's been supporting my workday, and what I've been turning to for pure rest and joy this season.
In Episode 371, You Will Discover:
The sleep fix that's been solving a problem I didn't even know I had
Why a pencil sharpener earned a spot on this list
A rest practice that's become my way of resting with my hands instead of my head
For years, I spent more energy trying to prevent other people's disappointment by saying yes and doing more. And I did so at the expense of my own exhaustion and burnout. In this episode, we're talking about a specific flavor of ADHD overwhelm: the kind that builds when your compassion, your capability, and your rejection sensitivity all push you toward being the person who handles everything for everyone else. If you've ever wondered why you used to manage this fine and suddenly can't, this episode names what changed and offers four steps to start shifting it.
In Episode 370, You Will Discover:
Why caring, capability, and rejection sensitivity combine to make you the go-to person for everyone else
The jar-of-sand explanation for why this pattern used to feel manageable and doesn't anymore
How your strengths can tip into obstacles when they run unchecked
A 4-step way for your ADHD brain to notice the pattern, name the belief underneath it, and practice the pause before saying yes
Creating Fall Routines: It sounds like such a helpful and supportive idea for the ADHD brain, right? That is...until you go all in trying to rebuild them all at once. In episode 369 of the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast, we're talking about why this transition from summer to fall feels particularly overwhelming for ADHD brains and three actionable strategies to help.
In Episode 369, you will discover:
Why it's helpful to think of "getting back to a fall routine" as rebuilding, not returning
The hidden cost of stacking dozens of small transitions on top of each other all at once
Why an instant fall reset backfires, and what a gradual reentry ramp looks like instead
Three small starting points to ease into the season without overhauling everything at once
Starting can take a surprising amount of energy for ADHD brains, even when we truly want to do the thing. In this episode, we make sense of why task initiation feels so demanding and explore practical supports for each stage: getting started, staying focused, handling distractions, and wrapping up in a way that makes the next start easier.
In Episode 368, you will discover:
Why task initiation demands so much energy and what that means for ADHD brains
A five-stage flight analogy: pre-flight, takeoff, cruising, turbulence, and landing
Practical strategies for clearing distractions, riding out mid-task turbulence, and building a repeatable shutdown routine
How a simple "logbook" entry can make your next work session easier to start
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Magnetic Tile System: My favorite tactile, visual planning approach for ADHD brains.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 Overwhelm After Planning 02:07 Why ADHD Goes All or Nothing 03:38 How Avoidance Spirals Start 05:52 Check Your Full Body Yes 07:54 The One Grounding Question 09:24 Client Example SOPs 11:02 Home Declutter Example 12:16 When Deadlines Are Real 13:44 Nonnegotiables Versus Nice 17:59 Wrap Up & Next Steps
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people. Thanks for your support!
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 ADHD Premortem Intro 01:09 Q4 Sweet Spot Goals 03:38 Five Question Overview 04:22 Premortem Explained 05:29 Pick Your Project 06:02 Why ADHD Needs Tweaks 09:20 Question One Motivation 12:43 Question Two Obstacles 16:31 Question Three Plan Ahead 21:53 Question Four Low Capacity 24:12 Question Five Pride 25:33 Wrap Up Quick Start 26:34 Overwhelm To Action 27:22 Recap And Next Steps
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 Puzzle To Project Overwhelm 01:23 Why Starting Is Hard 02:56 Harry Potter Puzzle Setup 05:18 Border Trap And Inflexibility 09:17 Tip One Easier Entry 10:26 Tip Two Sketch The Lid 15:11 Tip Three Start With Known 20:11 Tip Four Zoom Out Then In 26:50 Program Overwhelm To Action 28:30 Recap And Next Steps 29:54 Final Thanks
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 ADHD Open Loops 01:29 What Is Life Admin 05:21 Why It Drains Us 08:56 Shame And Resistance 11:11 No Finish Line Problem 12:27 Program Announcement 14:19 Create Time Containers 16:14 Recurring Tasks Rhythm 20:56 Admin Block For One Offs 25:19 Errand Block Strategy 27:47 Pick One Container 28:34 Wrap Up And Next Steps
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 Seven Sentences Setup 01:06 Why Overwhelm Is Common 03:34 What Overwhelm Really Is 05:54 Seven Mindsets Overview 06:59 Mindset One Perfectionism 10:21 Mindset Two Time Scarcity 13:18 Mindset Three Cramming 16:43 Quiz And Live Program 19:14 Mindset Four Robot Mode 22:48 Mindset Five Conditional Rest 26:53 Mindset Six People Pleasing 29:15 Mindset Seven Everything Matters 32:31 How Mindsets Chain Together 34:50 Three Step Practice 38:34 Wrap Up And Next Steps
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 ADHD Favorites Kickoff 01:00 Why These Tools Help 03:41 Sleep Mask Upgrade 06:08 Adjustable Pillow Fix 08:22 BedJet Cool Sleep 09:59 Productivity Tools Intro 10:08 Todoist Task Capture 11:45 Claude Cowork Assistant 13:54 Tile Planning System 16:17 Grid Notebook Love 18:02 Pencil And Sharpener 20:29 Summer Reading Joy 22:19 Jigsaw Puzzle Reset 24:07 Wrap Up And Next Steps
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 People Pleasing Overwhelm 02:46 Why We Say Yes 05:18 The Hidden Cost 06:58 Capacity Jar Fills Up 10:45 ADHD Amplifiers 13:38 Strengths Turned Weakness 16:44 Start With Awareness 18:33 Four Steps To Shift 23:01 Practice The Pause 25:05 Wrap Up And Resources
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 Fall Routines Overwhelm 01:41 Why This Shift Hits Hard 04:09 Reason 1 Rebuilding Routines 08:00 Reason 2 New Skill Sets 09:31 Reasons 3 and 4 Pile Up 12:23 Reason 5 Instant Reset Myth 13:35 Quick Recap and Quiz 16:07 Tip 1 Start One Routine 17:51 Tip 2 Build Re Entry Ramp 19:38 Tip 3 Define Good Enough 21:31 Wrap Up and Next Steps
Many of the items below are affiliate links with discounts and free trials available. They are all products I personally use and love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Disclosure info here.
Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial. Personalized music, backed by science, designed to help you get and stay in the zone.
Speechify: my go-to text-to-speech app. One-month free trial plus $60 off a premium subscription if you decide to keep it.
Todoist: my favorite task manager. Simple, easy to use, and incredible integration with other platforms. Get two months of premium free. No credit card required.
Wispr Flow: The best tool for talk-to-text. Awesome for verbal processing and saving time. Free trial, no credit card required.
Leave IBBA A Rating & Review!
If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people.
Go to Apple Podcasts
Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews.
Simply tap five stars; that's it!
Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend!
00:00 Why Starting Is Hard 01:39 Common Initiation Blocks 03:41 Flight Plan Analogy 03:59 Preflight Setup Checklist 06:27 Deicing And Warmup 08:56 Line Up And Wait 10:13 Takeoff Sterile Focus 15:13 Cruising Flow State 17:02 Turbulence And Distractions 20:42 Coaching Invitation 21:51 Descent And Shutdown 24:44 Logbook And Key Takeaways 26:18 Final Wrap And Resources
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