Podcast
Hacking Your ADHD
Hosted by William Curb · EN
Welcome to Hacking Your ADHD, where you can learn techniques for helping your ADHD brain.
ADHD can be a struggle, but it doesn't always have to be. Join me every Monday as I explore ways that you can work with your ADHD brain to do more of the things you want to do. If you have ADHD or someone in your life does and you want to get organized, get focused and get motivated then this podcast is for you.
105episodes
Episodes
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Crafting Your ADHD Survival Kit with Maddy De Gabriele (Rebroadcast)
2d ago00:41:03Summary readyWe are diving back into one of our most popular and highly requested conversations! In this rebroadcast, host William Curb sits down with Maddy De Gabrielle to talk about moving past the struggle of adult ADHD and building a highly personalized, practical toolkit for daily survival. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by neurotypical advice that demands the very executive function you're short on, this episode is your permission slip to stop trying to fix your memory and start accommodating it instead. What We Cover in This Episode: The Myth of Neurotypical Sleep Hygiene: Why traditional "wind-down" routines can backfire for an ADHD brain—and how a pair of sleep headphones and a late-night treadmill walk completely flipped the script for Maddy. Low-Tech, High-Impact Hacks: From an $8 plastic medication dispenser that removes the executive burden of record-keeping, to using an unexpected "grabber bar" to tackle messy floors with the kids. Defeating Time Blindness: The power of a waterproof shower clock to manage transition anxiety and conquer the daily "getting in vs. getting out" hurdle. Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Why Bluetooth trackers (like AirTags and Tiles) are crucial health support devices for an ADHD brain's short-term memory limits. The Shared Vocabulary of ADHD: Powerful phrases like "I'm stuck" and the difference between "climbing the wall" vs. "staring at the wall" that can transform communication with your partner or family. "My life got so much better when I stopped trying to improve my memory and instead treated myself like someone who had a memory problem." — Maddy De Gabrielle This Episode's Top Tips When we're looking at what goes into our tool kit we need to be thinking of both the physical and mental items that can assist us throughout the day. It's important to work on getting past the idea of how we "should" be able to do certain things and look at what tools will let us actually do those things. It's important to work on understanding and accepting ADHD as a chronic condition. We need to recognize ADHD's impact on our daily life and work on employing practical tools and strategies to mitigate those challenges.
SummaryResearch Recap with Skye: Virtual Reality and ADHD
5d ago00:13:39Summary readyWelcome to Hacking Your ADHD. I'm your host, William Curb, and I have ADHD. On this podcast, I dig into the tools, tactics, and best practices to help you work with your ADHD brain. Today, I'm joined by Skye Waterson for our research recap series. In this series, we take a look at a single research paper and dive into what the paper says, how it was conducted, and try to find any practical takeaways. In this episode, we're going to be discussing a paper called Virtual Reality Interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review. This paper is actually a review that provides a comprehensive look at how virtual reality is transitioning from a high-tech novelty to perhaps more of a legitimate clinical tool for managing ADHD. Also, as a note, this was a listener-submitted paper and definitely something I would have never thought to look into on my own, so I was really excited to get this submission because I had no idea that this was something people were doing. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at https://HackingYourADHD.com/301 https://tinyurl.com/56rvt9fr - Unconventional Organisation Affiliate link https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk - YouTube https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD - Patreon
SummaryYou Don't Need to Earn Your Rest with Alyece Smith (Rebroadcast)
1w ago00:41:43Summary readyWe are kicking off our summer archive series with one of our absolute favorite, high-impact episodes from the vault . Originally airing at the start of the year, this conversation with Alyece Smith—founder of Socially Awesome, neurodivergent entrepreneur coach, and host of the ADHD CEO podcast—is the perfect reality check we all need as we try to navigate summer schedules without completely burning out . In this episode, Alyece and William dive deep into the exhausting ADHD trap of feeling like you constantly have to earn the right to sit down and rest . They unpack the difference between being truly productive and engaging in "fake productivity"—inventing random, low-priority tasks just to keep our brains in overdrive and avoid basic needs . What You'll Learn in This Episode: The "Earned Rest" Trap: Why the ADHD brain struggles to recognize non-business achievements (like household chores) as real work, leading to chronic overworking and severe burnout . Protecting Your "Spark Times": How to map out your day based on your natural biological energy peaks rather than traditional clock-based schedules, saving your best brainpower for things that actually matter . The Power of Voice Dumps: How Alyece uses voice-to-text apps (like VoicePin) to execute a "60-second brain dump" right out of the shower, preventing mid-day context switching and freezing . Removing Daily Decisions: Tactical ways to systematically eliminate decision fatigue from your life, from building a personal "uniform" to outsourcing your product research to AI or a trusted partner . Bypassing the Monetization Trap: A honest look at the pressure to monetize every single creative hobby and how to search for authentic clarity and fulfillment instead . Whether you're an entrepreneur struggling with a complete lack of office boundaries or just someone tired of trying to force a square peg into a round hole, this episode is full of permission slips to stop, breathe, and put your hands down . Connect with the Show: Newsletter: Sign up for Any and All Distractions at hackingyouradhd.com/newsletter . Patreon & Discord: Support the show and join the community at hackingyouradhd.com/patreon . YouTube: Watch us at youtube.com/@hackingyouradhd . Today's Moment of Dad: "Since it's a brand new season, I decided to get some shoes with clocks on them... you know, so I can watch my step."
SummaryLiving Right Side Out with Andy J. Pizza (rebroadcast)
2w ago00:55:26Summary readyWelcome back to the Hacking Your ADHD rewind queue, team. In this highly requested rebroadcast, host William Curb sits down with illustrator, podcaster, and creative powerhouse Andy J. Pizza (host of Creative Pep Talk) to unpack the exhausting realities of masking and what it truly looks like to live "right side out." Using a hilariously relatable mishap involving a graphic T-shirt at a family memorial service, Andy illustrates how neurodivergent individuals slowly clip away their own tags and forget who they are just to blend into a neurotypical world. The two dive deep into the heavy emotional toll of constantly performing rather than just being, exploring that liberating "pro-being pride" that only happens when you step out of a performance and into a space that actively celebrates individuality. Beyond the philosophy of self-acceptance, this conversation serves up an essential masterclass in ADHD-friendly productivity, hacking the rigid definitions of habits, and managing creative burnout. Andy and William challenge the traditional advice of doing things consistently, revealing that the real secret to sustaining momentum for an ADHD brain is doing the same task differently to feed our constant craving for novelty. From bundling tedious chores like mowing the lawn with juiced-up playlists, to embracing the natural "incubation" period of the creative process, this episode delivers a vital reminder: stop trying to hate yourself into changing, and start building dynamic systems that allow your unique brain to thrive. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/221 YouTube Channel My Patreon This Episode's Top Tips Masking isn't inherently a bad thing, but it certainly is when we're doing it all the time and unconsciously. We want to be intentional about when and why we mask, and aim for authenticity when possible. It's okay to embrace opposing truths. We need structure and flexibility, goals and play. We don't have to fall into all-or-nothing thinking, and this can help us balance some of these ADHD "contradictions". Celebrate difference, don't just tolerate it. Safe spaces are good, but celebration spaces—where your uniqueness is actively valued—are better. Look for relationships or communities where people enjoy your way of being, not just what you can do
SummaryResearch Recap with Skye: Circadian Rhythm
3w ago00:11:44Summary readyWelcome to Hacking Your ADHD. I'm your host, William Curb, and I have ADHD. On this podcast, I dig into the tools, tactics, and best practices to help you work with your ADHD brain. Today, I'm joined by Skye Waterson for our Research Recap series. In this series, we take a look at a single research paper and dive into what the paper says, how it was conducted, and try to find any practical takeaways. In this episode, we're going to be discussing a paper called "ADHD as a Circadian Rhythm Disorder: Evidence and Implications for Chronotherapy." Now, this is a perspective paper looking at the available research on circadian rhythm dysfunction in ADHD and what works for correcting some of that dysfunction. So as we get into it, I think a great place for us to start is to talk about what a perspective paper is, because it's a little different than what we usually take on. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at https://HackingYourADHD.com/300 https://tinyurl.com/56rvt9fr - Unconventional Organisation Affiliate link https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk - YouTube https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD - Patreon
SummaryThe Bypassing Creative Consistency with Susanne Schotanus
3w ago00:45:13Summary readyHey Team! As many of you know, I have a passion for writing, and so I'm excited that today we are diving deep into that world and why it often feels like an uphill battle when you have an ADHD brain. I'm talking with Susanne Schotanus, an expert ADHD coach who holds the unique distinction of being the world's first dedicated ADHD writing coach, as well as the founder of the annual Basecamp to Brilliance writing summit. Susanne brings a wealth of clinical and practical insight from her years spent coaching everyone from burnt-out university professors to memoirists struggling to organize decades of research. In our conversation today, we discuss why standard linear approaches to writing clash so intensely with our multi-dimensional thinking styles. Susanne explains the mechanics of the "messy middle" in long-term projects, how our constant craving for novelty can derail a draft after just two weeks, and why we might want to reconsider our view of consistency. We also explore practical ways to gamify your workflow and create structural frameworks that adapt to your brain rather than forcing your brain to adapt to them. And while this episode's core focus is on writing, I think there is a lot to get out of this when considering any kind of long-term pursuit. Susanne's Website - https://passionatewritercoaching.com/ Free Guide - https://passionatewritercoaching.com/hackingyouradhd/ If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/299 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD This Episode's Top Tips Waiting until you magically feel motivated to start a task is a losing game because our brains require action to generate momentum. To trick your brain into gear, lower the barrier to entry by making the first step absurdly small. Writing a single sentence or fixing a minor typo requires almost zero initial effort, but that tiny completion can give your brain the dopamine boost it needs to transition into work mode. Your note-taking and organizational systems are here to serve you, not the other way around. Using a brand new productivity tool for two glorious weeks and then completely losing interest isn't a personal failure; it's just the natural lifespan of a novelty-driven dopamine source. With this in mind, keep your architectures simple, make sure your data is easily exportable, and make it easy if you need to switch tools in the future. ADHD brains run on an system driven by interest, novelty, challenge, urgency, and passion. Most of us default to novelty (which leaves us with a mountain of half-finished projects) or panic-induced urgency (which runs us straight into burnout). To break the cycle and handle long-form projects, start intentionally leaning into the underutilized levers of challenge, gamification, and genuine playfulness.
SummaryScaffolding the ADHD Brain: How Habits Fail and Systems May Save Us
4w ago00:19:25Summary readyHey Team! When I moved into my neighborhood, most of the houses weren't built. So I got to see over the course of a few years, a lot of the work that went into putting those houses up, all the day-to-day progress that always kept happening, and how every step seemed to set them up for the next step. Now, nobody expects a brick wall to just materialize out of midair on pure willpower or a house to get completely built with no effort. yet when it comes to managing our daily routines, that's exactly what we try to do. We expect our internal motivation to keep us on track despite our own track record, and then we get frustrated when they fall flat. In this episode, we're taking a look at why our attempts to build traditional habits often doesn't work with ADHD, and why it isn't a moral failure or a lack of trying. We're going to explore the critical mechanics of external scaffolding versus internal habits, digging into how we can stop burning through our limited supply of daily executive function and start building physical infrastructure that does the heavy lifting for us If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/298 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD This Episode's Top Tips Traditional habits rely on an internal dopamine reward to lock them onto autopilot. Because ADHD reward chemistry is wildly inconsistent, that "autopilot" switch rarely flips. Instead, we want to work on designing our environment through systems to help make our intentions inevitable. Passive reminders are entirely too easy for an ADHD brain to ignore. Instead, use design psychology to create physical roadblocks that force conscious awareness. Putting your clean laundry basket directly on the couch cushion where you want to sit forces your brain to actively negotiate with the task before you can proceed. Human brains naturally drift toward the path of least resistance. Take advantage of this by manipulating that friction. Lower the friction for positive intentions by creating one-step solutions, like a dedicated key basket by the front door, or crank up the friction for distractions by doing things putting your phone completely out of reach so you can't just pick it up without thinking about it. Your physical environment is never neutral; it is actively directing your behavior right now, whether you designed it or not, which means relying on willpower is a losing game. Treat environmental design as a handoff between two versions of you: let your "Good Brain Day" self build a physical world that protects and supports your "Bad Brain Day" self.
SummaryTearing Down Cement Walls of Shame with Ron Capalbo
May 2500:47:21Summary readyHey Team! Today I'm sitting down with Ron Capalbo, known to many as @adhd_ron on the socials. I've gotten to know Ron at a number of ADHD conferences and had a great time at Neurodiversion talking with him about Dungeon Crawler Carl and figured it was time to have him on the pod. Ron is an AACC-certified coach through the ADD Coach Academy who specializes in strengths-based development and helping adults navigate the messy "shame cycle" that so often accompanies an ADHD diagnosis. He's spent years building a community focused on honoring unique brain chemistry rather than fighting a losing battle against it. In today's episode, we explore the "why" behind our perfectionism and how the fear of complacency often keeps us from being proud of our progress. Ron breaks down how to identify your brain's unique operating system, the value of the elevator pitch for self-confidence, and why hitting a seven when you started at a two is actually a massive win, even if your brain is trying to convince you it's a failure. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/297 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD This Episode's Top Tips Try out the 2-versus-9 scale for Expectation Management. We often fail to start because we set the entry-level bar at a 9 (like, cooking 7 nights a week), which can often feel impossible. If instead we intentionally lower our aim to something that's more like a 2, we bypass the brain's "frozen" state and create a low-friction path to initiation. All right, this is a long one, but it's worth it. Many of us with ADHD actively avoid giving ourselves credit because we've been conditioned to fear that if we're satisfied, it will lead to complacency. Mechanically, however, withholding credit creates a narrative vacuum in our operating system - our brain assumes it just didn't happen. It looks at everything left to do, decides we're failing, and triggers a total system freeze, what Ron calls a "cement wall". The fix here isn't forcing toxic positive affirmations your brain knows are fake. It just takes factual data entry. Take a second to acknowledge that you moved from a level one to a level two. You're not throwing yourself a parade; you're just hitting "Save" so your brain has the baseline level to keep moving forward without crashing. Setbacks are inevitable, but the duration of the setback is determined by your level of self-shame. Implementing a grace period or a mental hug isn't about being soft; it's a strategic tool to reduce the time spent in a frozen state and get back to baseline faster.
SummaryResearch Recap with Skye: Fidgeting
May 2200:13:21Summary readyWelcome to Hacking Your ADHD. I'm your host, William Curb, and I have ADHD. On this podcast, I dig into the tools, tactics, and best practices to help you work with your ADHD brain. Today, I'm joined by Skye Watterson for our research recap series. In this series, we take a look at a single research paper and dive into what the paper says, how it was conducted, and try to find any practical takeaways. In this episode, we're going to be discussing a paper called A Quantitative Analysis of Fidgeting in ADHD and Its Relation to Performance and Sustained Attention on a Cognitive Task. And so, yeah, this study is investigating the functional role of fidgeting in adults with ADHD and how that affects their performance when doing tasks. Let's get into it. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at https://HackingYourADHD.com/295 https://tinyurl.com/56rvt9fr - Unconventional Organisation Affiliate link https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk - YouTube https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD - Patreon
SummaryHacking the Limbic System's Spending Habits with Christine Lane
May 1800:43:49Summary readyHey Team! This week, I'm talking with Christine Lane, an accredited financial counselor (AFC) with a master's degree in psychology. Christine has ADHD herself and, luckily for the rest of us, her hyper-fixation happens to be on personal finance. She's the founder of Mind Over Money, where she focuses on the psychological hurdles that make traditional budgeting feel like a personal failure rather than just a glitch in your executive function. In our conversation today, we get into her "Four-Bucket Banking System" and why we need to stop making our money multitask. We also explore the concept of using "friction" as a tool for impulse control and why simulating the physical loss of cash can be a great way to get your limbic system to play ball. We also talk about the specific tools she uses to gamify spending, why detailed categorization is often just a form of productive procrastination, and how to set up "set it and forget it" systems that protect your bills from your worst impulses. Christine's website: Mindovermoneysite.com. Also for your listeners who are interested in the 4 bucket banking method here's a freebie to help: 4 Bucket Banking Calculator If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/296 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD This Episode's Top Tips Modern digital spending, such as our cards and phones, provides a "gain" without the physical feeling of money leaving. To help bridge this gap, tools like a calculator, where you can subtract the cost at the moment of purchase, can help the limbic system register the loss, balancing the emotional input so you feel protective of your remaining funds. When we let our savings accounts multitask, we can end up imagining that the same $5,000 can cover both an emergency and a vacation. By using something like the Four-Bucket Banking System (Bills, Variable, Periodic, Emergency), you create "object permanence" for your money, ensuring that essential funds are physically separated from your spending urges. Willpower is a finite resource that often fails when we are stressed. Instead of "trying harder," we want to focus on bending external structures (like deleting the Amazon app or removing saved credit card info) to create enough friction to let our executive function outpace some of our more impulsive spending choices.
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