Stop Trying to Hack Your ADHD and Do This Instead

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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