ADHD-Friendly Podcast with Patty Blinderman
Episode 229: How to Reset After an Avoidable ADHD Mistake
Release Date: March 11, 2026
Overview
In this episode, certified ADHD coach Patty Blinderman discusses practical ways to recover after making a completely avoidable ADHD-related mistake—a scenario where you “knew better” but still fell into old patterns. Patty uses her personal experience to illustrate self-compassion, actionable strategies, and the power of supportive systems. She also celebrates the concept of “Reading Day,” reviews her latest ADHD-friendly purchase (a set of Post-it notes), and shares a variety of ADHD-specific tips for using sticky notes as a powerful organizing tool.
Celebrating “Reading Day” & Structuring Self-Care
[00:45 – 08:55]
- What is Reading Day?
- Inspired by college students’ pre-exam “Reading Day,” Patty finally decided to give herself an entire workday dedicated solely to reading backlog articles relevant to her coaching and ADHD topics.
- “It never connected in my brain to structure a Reading Day for myself until a few weeks ago.” [02:11]
- How She Organized Reading Day:
- Blocked off Friday, 8am-1pm; treated it as non-negotiable “professional reading.”
- Set up in a sunny, cozy spot with coffee, highlighters, flags, notepad, and laptop.
- Results and Insights:
- Cleared her “to read” folder, found 5 exciting new topics for the podcast, and discovered new tools and apps (some discarded, one to test).
- “I protected it like I was going out of town or something. I was like, nope, kept that time unavailable... it was just this is what I'm doing and it's professional reading.” [04:15]
- Unexpected Validation:
- During a dinner date post-Reading Day, her husband commented: “Right now, I would have to say the first thing that comes to mind is your work ethic.” [06:40]
- Patty initially deflects (“I sat around reading all day today with my coffee and my highlighters...”) but comes to appreciate his genuine perspective on her structure and dedication.
Product & Tip of the Week: Post-it Notes for ADHD Brains
[09:00 – 29:40]
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Product Review: Post-it Notes Variety Pack
- Four sizes, vibrant colors—Patty’s “happy little set.” Practical for diverse needs.
- “This little four pack, $7.29... I don't know if I'm just getting used to inflation, but that sounded super good to me!” [10:00]
- Extra-sticky variant: 7/10 — sticks well but can damage paper if left too long.
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ADHD-Friendly Tips for Using Post-its:
- Instant thought capture:
- Keep Post-its everywhere (car, desk, purse, nightstand, knitting bag) to immediately jot down and visually cue important reminders.
- “Because they stick, you can put it where you need to see it.” [12:30]
- Breaking big projects into steps:
- Assign each step of a project to a sticky note, sequence them, and physically move as each is completed.
- Great for creating visual workflow (to do/in-progress/done) — “It activates your brain. It gets the momentum going.” [15:05]
- Working memory relationship:
- Post-it notes relieve the burden on working memory by externalizing tasks.
- Point of performance reminders:
- Place sticky notes where you'll see them exactly when you need the reminder (e.g., on the steering wheel to grab your child, on the coffee pot to remember meds).
- “Leave reminders at the point of performance.” [18:30]
- Stimulus Variety:
- Change colors/move stickies so prompts stay visually fresh and don’t become “wallpaper.”
- Sequencing and Routine-Building:
- Example: Use stickies for daily routines (“brush teeth,” “rinse toothbrush”) or visualizes a “reward menu.”
- Combatting Bedtime Brain Swirl:
- Jot quick notes on Post-its bedside to offload worries and reminders onto a physical note (“I don’t want to write it in my journal. No. I want to write it on a post-it.” [23:30])
- Flexibility & Low Commitment:
- Move tasks easily on your calendar or daily board; Post-its make rescheduling less overwhelming.
- “When you think about ADHD brain wiring paired with post-its, they support working memory, visually prompting you, and create flexibility...” [25:10]
- Instant thought capture:
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Real-Life Examples:
- Reward charts, moving tasks around on wall calendars, family to-dos, assigning incentives, and visual weekend schedules.
- “If these [to dos] aren’t moving, I'll put money on it... This one's worth five bucks.” [27:16]
- Satisfaction from physically moving a complete task to the “done” column.
Main Topic: How to Reset After an Avoidable ADHD Mistake
[29:42 – 55:20]
Patty’s Own Example
- The Scenario:
- Annual physical scheduled for a Monday noon — required fasting, which was unusually hard for Patty.
- Knew she should confirm ahead of time that lab orders were ready but procrastinated on calling or using the portal.
- Day of: Discovered orders were missing; couldn’t do labs until after physical—and had to return another day, creating extra hassle.
- “My mistake was absolutely avoidable. I went into it eyes wide open, fully hoping everything would just work out.” [31:49]
- “Beating myself up didn't solve the problem. Didn't make the lab orders appear. It just made me feel worse.” [41:22]
Emotional Response & Recovery
- Rumination & Beat Self Up:
- “A little bit of rumination, a little bit of beating myself up. I did a couple of things I thought I wasn’t really doing anymore...” [32:24]
- Interrupting the Spiral:
- Realized unproductive desk staring; chose to take action by moving her nail appointment up, canceling swim laps, and allowing self-care.
- Key Insight: Physical, self-nurturing action (nails) got her unstuck—“It was getting into action, which is what really helps when we start getting our brain spiral going.” [43:55]
- Cascading Wins:
- Managed all appointments, returned to work, attended book club, and ended up tolerating (not loving) the inconvenience.
- Self-Support for the Future:
- At checkout, immediately scheduled next year’s early appointment; set calendar reminders to request labs a week out, with a note about why.
- “I don’t have to rely on my working memory... I have the structure in place to support my future self...” [49:18]
Patty’s Reset Formula
- Adjust Mindset
- Don’t expect zero mistakes; focus on faster, kinder recovery. “It’s shortening the amount of time we spend beating ourselves up and getting back on the horse.” [51:08]
- Shift from Self-Attack to Self-Support
- Notice and interrupt shame spirals (“This is just a moment, this is not who I am.” [53:01]), and physically do something supportive.
- “Remember, our shame will shut down our executive functions... Connects to moving into repair mode quickly.” [53:46]
- Learn & Systematize
- Accept reality, look for the lesson, and put systems (like calendar reminders) in place.
- “Every mistake is an opportunity to learn more about what our patterns are and how to work better with our brain...” [55:10]
- Rebuild Trust with Small Wins
- Taking one supportive action rebuilds self-confidence and reduces overwhelm.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- On Self-Forgiveness:
- “Beating myself up didn't solve the problem. It just made me feel worse.” [41:22]
- On ADHD Fundamentals:
- “ADHD is not a disorder of knowing what to do. It is a disorder of doing what you know.” — Dr. Russell Barkley [56:42]
- On Buildings Systems:
- “It would be lovely, but I don't have to rely on my working memory. I don't have to rely on my year-from-now future self to remember the experience.” [49:25]
- On Post-its:
- “I wish I invented them. My gosh, that person has like crazy money. But when you think about ADHD brain wiring paired with post-its, they support working memory, visually prompting you, and create flexibility...” [25:10]
Book of the Week
[55:24 – 56:29]
- Culpability by Bruce Housinger.
- “A car crash involving a self-driving vehicle... brings up all the different ways AI is programmed. That was really uncomfortable and really thought provoking.” [55:36]
- 4/5 stars from Patty.
Final Thoughts
Patty closes with encouragement to apply the discussed strategies, share insights, and join the growing ADHD-Friendly community. She reiterates the need to support your future self, interrupt negative self-talk, and give your brain systems and compassion to thrive—plus a friendly reminder: “Tally ho, Sam!”
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For anyone impacted by ADHD or supporting someone who is, this episode offers both heartfelt honesty and practical, actionable tips for moving from stuck and self-critical to supported and self-empowered—one post-it, one reading day, and one reset at a time.