Podcast Summary: Hacking Your ADHD

Episode: "You Don't Need to Earn Your Rest" with Alyece Smith
Host: William Curb
Guest: Alyece Smith, Founder of Socially Awesome and host of the ADHD CEO podcast
Date: January 12, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores the pervasive feeling, especially among ADHDers, that rest must be "earned"—and the burnout that results from that mindset. Host William Curb and guest Alyece Smith, an ADHD coach and entrepreneur, delve into managing energy, setting boundaries, systemizing daily routines, and finding fulfillment. The conversation covers both the daily realities of balancing work, family, and personal needs, as well as larger questions of identity, productivity, and self-compassion for neurodivergent entrepreneurs and parents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alyece’s Journey: From Corporate to Neurodivergent Advocacy

• Alyece’s Story
  • Transitioned from a corporate digital marketing job after her son’s autism diagnosis (03:13).
  • Hyperfocused into entrepreneurship, launching "Socially Awesome" to support neurodivergent entrepreneurs.
  • Frequent pivots in her business reflected a deeper drive to connect with her "why" and make an impact.
  • Now also runs a nonprofit and is a mom to three neurodivergent kids.

“I truly believe that it was really a tug and a pull of bringing why I started my business personally back full circle.” —Alyece Smith (04:16)

• Importance of modeling balanced, fulfilling work for her children (05:41).

2. The Struggle with "Earning" Rest and Burnout

• Cultural and internalized pressure to stay busy and earn downtime (06:35, 09:16).

• ADHDers, especially entrepreneurs, are prone to chase new interests and overcommit.

  • Alyece jokes: “Jackie of all trades, master of none. That is what I’ve always somewhat labeled myself because I get excited and get interested in a topic and it could be the most random thing ever.” (07:04)

• Balancing kids’ activities without pushing them (08:01).

• The Rest Mindset:

  • Both speakers struggle with the guilt of taking breaks or not being "productive", especially when tasks don’t fit the typical definition of business output.
  • Alyece: “I very often had this feeling that I had to earn my rest. No matter how much I did...I never felt like I earned it.” (09:16)

3. Routines, Boundaries, and the Power of Systems

• Daily Method of Operation (DMO):

  • Alyece helps entrepreneurs prioritize tasks—questioning whether their actions are meaningful or simply busywork (10:00).
  • "Are you avoiding doing something else by creating something to do?" (10:34)

• Boundaries in Entrepreneurship:

  • Moving from corporate structure to running her own business presented new challenges around setting and respecting her own boundaries (11:02–13:22).
  • Alyece admits she initially checked emails at all hours, even during family time, out of fear of missing opportunities or disappointing clients.

• Context Switching & Mental Load:

  • Both describe how context switching (jumping between unrelated tasks) eats up brainpower and can be exhausting.
  • William: “That’s where I’m going to get overly frustrated with things...I’m going to be just trying to rush through things.” (14:28)

4. Tools for Managing ADHD Workflow

• Voice Memos and Brain Dumps:
  • Alyece uses the Voicepen app to quickly capture ideas, reducing anxiety about forgetting tasks and allowing her to prioritize more clearly (14:49).
  • She creates short, daily voice memos to unload her mental clutter, categorizes action items, and plans tasks based on context and energy level.

“For me, my brain just runs way faster than my fingers can type. And so I very often...will brain dump everything into just a voice memo in my phone.” —Alyece Smith (14:50)

• Spark Times & Energy Management:
  • Identifying one’s personal “spark times” (natural energy peaks) and reserving creative or high-value work for those periods (17:55).
  • Prioritize tasks not just by deadline, but by energy requirement.

“It’s not just prioritizing your tasks by deadline, it’s prioritizing them by energy. How much energy is this going to take to do and when is the best time to do that?” —Alyece Smith (18:50)

• Removing Decision Fatigue:
  • Alyece removes small daily choices (clothing, lunch) to conserve willpower for bigger tasks (19:59).
  • William relates to “analysis paralysis” from over-researching minor purchases (20:51, 22:45).

5. ADHD, AI Tools, and Productivity

• Both hosts use AI for research and minor decision tasks, but caution against outsourcing too much creative work to machines (23:54–26:37).

“It’s a very beautiful tool to use...but it cannot be your only brain.” —Alyece Smith (24:42)

• Discussion of how over-optimizing or excessively automating with AI can strip work of meaning and creativity.

6. Finding Fulfillment & Avoiding the "Monetize Everything" Trap

• The dangers of turning every hobby into a side hustle (27:44).
• Need for deep reflection, journaling, and listening to internal signals about excitement and boredom.
• Encouragement to pursue work that’s not just profitable but also aligns with personal passions and values.

“A lot of journaling and searching for clarity...If you get up and you sit at your desk, you're like, I, I don't want to do this today. Okay. Well, sometimes we have bad days, but if that happens multiple days in a row...there's a reason.” —Alyece Smith (28:07)

• Recognizing when avoidance, boredom, or lack of energy means it’s time for a pivot.

7. Learning About Your Brain & Self-Compassion

• Understanding the "why" of ADHD tendencies (dopamine-seeking, rejection sensitivity, executive dysfunction) makes challenges easier to manage (31:01).

• Each individual’s ADHD is different—even among couples or family members, ADHD can present with different strengths, symptoms, and coping styles (33:27).

• Celebrating the unique memory quirks and knowledge gaps that come with neurodivergence.

8. Practical Tips Recap (from the quick rundown section)

• Use voice memos or voice-to-text to brain-dump when overwhelmed (40:32).
• Categorize tasks by mode/context (calls, emails, errands) and batch accordingly.
• Save high-value or creative work for your peak energy periods ("spark times").
• Be honest about "fake productivity": recognize when you’re creating busywork or tasks just to earn your rest.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Teaching Kids Balance:

  • "You could do that, but something has to be given up. You only have so many hours in the day or you only have so much energy to give." —Alyece (07:29)

• On Work-Life Boundaries:

  • “I would struggle with working way more hours on a project than even needed to be because I just wanted to constantly achieve and impress my clients...” —Alyece (11:51)

• On Burnout and Rest:

  • “No matter how much I did, no matter how many hours I worked, no matter how much sleep I lost, I never felt like I earned it.” —Alyece (09:19)

• On the Pitfalls of Monetizing Hobbies:

  • “That, I feel like, is a route to hating what you do. You hate your hobby then? Because now it's like, this is. I only do this for work.” —William (27:48)

• On Knowing Your ADHD:

  • “The more I’ve learned about my ADHD, rather than just saying, well, I don’t know, it’s just my ADHD…I can name it, it becomes a lot easier to make those decisions or move past it.” —Alyece (32:36)

• Final Thought:

  • “I challenge you to learn more about how your brain operates and even some of the science behind it that could be a little scary...Find a way to work with your passions. You know, if you can find a way to live your life, make an income, and enjoy what you do on a regular basis...go do it.” —Alyece (38:41)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Quote | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 03:13 | Alyece’s background & business journey | | 06:35 | Balancing passion, work, and family | | 09:16 | The trap of “earning your rest” | | 10:00 | DMO, prioritization, and busywork | | 11:02 | Boundaries & struggles leaving corporate for entrepreneurship| | 14:49 | Using voice memos and brain dumps to manage overload | | 17:55 | “Spark time” & matching energy to tasks | | 19:59 | Eliminating daily decisions to reduce fatigue/not overwhelm| | 22:45 | Analysis paralysis and delegating/outsourcing decisions | | 23:54 | AI as a support, not a replacement for creativity | | 27:44 | Fulfillment vs. monetizing every hobby | | 31:01 | Understanding the “why” of your ADHD | | 33:27 | Differences in ADHD even between close loved ones | | 38:41 | Alyece’s final challenge to listeners | | 40:32 | Practical tips for managing ADHD workflow |

Concluding Thoughts

This episode is a compassionate, practical guide for ADHDers (and those who love them) trying to build systems that nurture intrinsic motivation, limit burnout, and ultimately make room for rest and authentic fulfillment. Both William and Alyece emphasize the value of learning about your own brain, honoring your energy rhythms, setting boundaries, and "working with your ADHD—not against it."