Podcast Summary: Hacking Your ADHD

Episode: "Focused and Balanced: ADHD Strategies That Work w/ Skye Waterson (rebroadcast)"

Host: William Curb
Guest: Skye Waterson (Unconventional Organization)
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Theme & Purpose

This episode reunites William Curb with ADHD coach and researcher Skye Waterson to discuss her upcoming book, Focused Balance Days with ADHD. The conversation dives into practical ADHD management tools, the nuanced realities behind ADHD research and diagnosis, and actionable strategies for building focus, avoiding burnout, and living a more balanced day-to-day life with ADHD. The tone is approachable, empathetic, and research-backed, making complex information accessible and actionable for adult listeners with ADHD.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Book: Focused Balance Days with ADHD

• Why Skye Wrote It:

  • Culmination of years of coaching and research.
  • Aims to guide readers from "overwhelmed to focused," "stuck to proactive," and "inconsistent to consistent."
  • Emphasizes sharing the writing journey publicly via Substack for accountability and community feedback.
  • [02:34] — "It's basically the culmination of everything that I have been teaching... and then just building on that into these sort of areas." — Skye Waterson

• Book Format:

  • Released in sections, each tackling a specific aspect like executive function.
  • Integrates research recaps for deeper nuance.

2. Executive Function: The Elusive Definition

• Complexity & Debate:

  • No clear, agreed-upon definition across mental health or neurological fields. [04:23]
  • Tied to a range of challenges (working memory, impulse control), but often misunderstood.
  • [04:23] — "Not only that we don’t have a working definition for it, there’s a bunch of different optional definitions." — Skye Waterson
  • Integrates models from researchers like Russell Barkley, highlighting the focus on impulse control.

• Practical Takeaway:

  • Trust your lived experience—even if definitions are fuzzy, strategies can still help.

3. The Adult ADHD Experience & Diagnosis

• Late Diagnosis & Burnout:

  • Many adults don't realize their struggles stem from ADHD until later in life.
  • Misattribute struggles to personal failings or mismatched careers.
  • [10:35] — "I was chronic, like, burnout between every kind of bit of university... Before I was diagnosed, that was kind of my cycle." — Skye Waterson

• Rejecting the 'Find Your Passion' Myth:

  • ADHD brains crave novelty, making consistent passion elusive.
  • Focus on building skills and systems in any job, not on chasing the "perfect fit."
  • [11:56] — "...we have to find this thing we're passionate about, but we get bored so easily... we think that we've never found our passion." — Skye Waterson

4. Strategies for Focus, Motivation & Burnout Prevention

• Step Into Focus Routine:

  • A process for boosting work satisfaction before considering job changes.
  • [12:01] — "First thing we want to do is...figure out, can I do this job well?...then you can make an intentional move." — Skye Waterson

• Breaking 'The Wall of Awful':

  • Addressing feelings of repeated failure and identity setbacks.
  • Focuses on small, achievable steps and shifting mindset from failure to "wins or lessons."
  • [13:20] — "A lot of times it’s just about focusing on the very next step." — Skye Waterson

• Building & Adjusting Systems:

  • Avoid over-complicating tools; principles matter more (capture, prioritize, schedule).
  • [28:36] — "We don't teach people…which app, which one? I'm like, nope, I'm going to teach you principles that will work regardless of what kind of person you are." — Skye Waterson
  • Design for 80% consistency, anticipating imperfection and the need for system 'bounce back.'
  • [30:42] — "You want everything to have that bounce back. You don't want to live in a world where the systems that you use punish you if you don't use them every day." — Skye Waterson

5. Dopamine, Fun & Sensory Stimulation

• Dopamine Dial, Not Detox:

  • Debunking 'dopamine detox' trends—removing stimulation isn't always healthy for ADHD brains.
  • Adjust sources and levels of stimulation to match needs (music vs. podcast vs. silence).
  • [18:38] — "The idea of removing dopamine when you're already struggling with it as a person with ADHD didn't feel accessible." — Skye Waterson

• Scheduling "Dopamine" (Fun) Into the Day:

  • Consistency comes from having enough enjoyable moments built in.
  • Fun and breaks are critical, not just "rewards" or afterthoughts.
  • [32:32] — "When we get to that inconsistent to consistent piece...people think it's going to get so boring. But it's actually where it gets fun." — Skye Waterson

• Practical Examples:

  • Add music to chores.
  • Stack enjoyable sensory activities (comfy chair + tea + music).
  • Rethink breaks (not just 'doing nothing') to match how your brain relaxes.

6. The Immaturity of ADHD Research

• Still-Evolving Knowledge:

  • ADHD as a formal diagnosis is barely six decades old.
  • Earliest DSM entries are sparse and insurance-driven.
  • [23:51] — "ADHD research is very recent. It's only gotten to the DSM was 68." — William Curb

• New Directions:

  • Emerging research on AI voice recognition for diagnosis.
  • Lack of clear diagnostic protocols highlights need for practical, individualized strategies now.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [06:47] Skye Waterson: "It’s so wild for that person who always leaves their house and forgets something and forgets that they forgot something. It’s wild."
• [08:16] Skye Waterson: "Having the right ADHD strategies feels like wearing the right prescription for your glasses. You can see properly, and if you don’t have the right prescription, you ... just looking at this blob that’s a beautiful tree. ... So it’s about what works for you."
• [10:08] Skye Waterson: "Everything should have footnotes. I'm pretty sure footnotes were invented by someone with ADHD."
• [16:44] Skye Waterson: "Instead of being like, it's amazing, I'm doing amazing, or like, oh, it's terr—I'm doing the words. You're like, it is okay. And I am doing it."
• [33:05] Skye Waterson: "If you imagine your brain with ADHD, a bit like a teenager, if you give them two strict rules, they will climb out a window."

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Book intro and purpose: [02:34] – [03:21]
• Defining executive function & research challenges: [04:04] – [07:09]
• Skye’s pre-diagnosis experience & burnout: [10:14] – [11:35]
• Finding the right career vs. using the right strategies: [11:35] – [13:20]
• Wins and lessons, not just "failures": [15:35] – [16:29]
• Dopamine "detox" myth and stimulation needs: [18:38] – [21:00]
• Principle-based organizational systems & consistency: [28:36] – [32:32]
• Building a calendar around fun and dopamine: [32:32] – [34:51]
• Research on diagnosis, DSM history & AI possibilities: [23:41] – [26:25]
• Closing thoughts on living in balance: [35:14] – [36:13]
• Where to find Skye’s work: [36:42]

Actionable Takeaways

• Trust your experience: If typical strategies or definitions don’t fit, focus on what works for you personally.
• Keep systems simple: Use just enough tools to organize—don’t keep chasing new apps. Make sure your setup has capture, prioritize, and schedule components.
• Aim for fun and stimulation: Building enjoyable, rewarding moments into your schedule keeps you motivated and avoids burnout.
• Accept imperfection: Design systems you can return to, not that punish you for inconsistency.
• Value wins AND lessons: Any outcome—success or “failure”—is useful for adjusting strategies.

Where to Find More

• Skye Waterson: unconventionalorganization.com, Instagram: @unconventionalorganization (DM "book" or "dopamine" for resources)
• William Curb / Show Notes: hackingyouradhd.com/206

This episode is a must-listen for adults with ADHD looking for research-informed, empathetic, and practical ways to build a focused, balanced, and enjoyable life—using systems that are as forgiving and flexible as they are effective.