From Stuck to Started: Executive Function & ADHD Coaching to Take Action

Want to Explore if Executive Function Coaching is Right for you?

• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

If you've ever wondered whether other people struggle with the same things you do: getting started on tasks, keeping up with laundry, remembering what you said you'd do in that meeting last week — this episode is for you.

As an executive function coach, I'm sharing the nine most common reasons people reach out to work with me, based on patterns I've seen in over a decade of coaching and 200+ applications.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why it feels impossible to get started on tasks (even ones you're excited about) — and what's really going on underneath that stuck feeling
• Why relying on urgency and deadlines to get things done can be a strength and a burnout trap
• How an executive function coach helps you stop forcing yourself to use productivity systems that were never built for your brain in the first place
• Why self-care requires executive functioning — and why executive functioning requires self-care (it's a two-way street)
• How executive function challenges quietly show up in your relationships with partners, friends, coworkers, and kids
• Why "I should have gotten more done" is a self-talk problem as much as a productivity one

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

"I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to." If you've said this to yourself more times than you can count, you're not alone. It's one of the most common things I hear from my executive function coaching clients.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your brain fixates on unfinished tasks (and what "open loops" have to do with it)
• How all-or-nothing thinking convinces you that nothing you did today counts
• Why comparing yourself to your past self or to other people can quietly sabotage your executive functioning
• How to adjust your expectations to fit your actual capacity
• The mindset shift that ties it all together and helps you give yourself credit, even on the hard days

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Delegating sounds simple; just hand something off and check it off your list, right? But if you have ADHD, executive functioning challenges, or a touch of perfectionism, it’s rarely that straightforward. In this episode, I’m breaking down why delegating can feel so complicated, sharing a few real-life examples, and giving you practical strategies to make it a little easier.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why delegating requires all of your executive functioning skills
• The most common reasons it’s hard to delegate — from time blindness to people-pleasing
• How to separate planning from action so you can actually pass things off
• Simple check-in questions to help you decide what’s worth keeping and what to delegate
• How to reframe delegation as an act of trust, not control

Resources Mentioned:

• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
• Join the ADHD Coaching Membership: Stuck to Started
• Read the Blog here

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy:

• Episode 45: How to stop being a people pleaser: 5 traps to watch out for
• Episode 46: Why Asking for Help Feels So Hard (and How to Make It Easier)
• Episode 47: Why “Just Ask for Help” Isn’t Actually That Simple (& how to practice asking for help)

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

Life is joyful, stressful, chaotic, and never seems to slow down. Between the laundry, emails, deadlines, and all the things you want to make time for (like rest, hobbies, or time with your people), it’s no wonder your brain feels maxed out. In this episode, I’m diving into the messy reality of overwhelm, why it shows up, how it snowballs, and what you can do when it feels like too much.

I’ll share gentle mindset shifts, questions to reflect on, and real-life examples (including my own) to help you process your overwhelm with a little more self-compassion.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why overwhelm hits differently when you have ADHD or executive functioning challenges
• The “something goes up, something has to go down” mindset shift
• How to spot (and stop) the habit of comparing yourself to a past version of you
• Questions to ask when you're in survival mode and need to re-center
• Reframes and reminders to support yourself when overwhelm takes over

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
• Read the Blog here

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Have you ever tried to take the most efficient route… only to end up creating more work for yourself? In this episode, I’m sharing a very real (and very soggy) story about how my attempt to save time ended with me falling into a lake. We’ll talk about why your brain chases efficiency, how it can actually drain your executive functioning, and how to create systems that help both current and future you.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why chasing efficiency can backfire (especially with ADHD)
• The difference between actual efficiency and avoiding discomfort
• 5 reflection questions to ask before taking a “shortcut”
• How to be more efficient with time without overwhelming yourself

Whether you're folding laundry, writing emails, or building a business, this episode will help you work more efficiently with ADHD by prioritizing sustainability over speed.

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Private Podcast: The ADHD Action Plan
• Read the blog version here
• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

“How can I be more consistent?” If you’ve asked yourself that question lately, you’re not alone. As an executive function and ADHD coach, I hear this all the time. But here’s the twist: today’s episode is all about why it's okay not to be 100% consistent and how redefining consistency can actually help you stick with your habits, routines, and systems more sustainably.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why being consistent all the time isn’t realistic—especially with ADHD
• A more flexible, ADHD-friendly definition of consistency
• The surprising role self-talk and perfectionism play in your consistency struggles
• Three mindset shifts to help you come back to habits, routines, and systems (without shame)
• Alternative words to use when “consistency” feels rigid or overwhelming

Whether you're trying to figure out how to be consistent with ADHD, how to be consistent with habits, or how to be consistent with routines and systems, this episode gives you permission to do it your way—messy, imperfect, and full of variety.

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources:

• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

What is body doubling and why does it work so well for ADHD brains?

In this episode, I'm breaking down one of my favorite (and most underrated) executive function strategies: body doubling. Whether you've been doing it your whole life without a name for it, or you've never heard of it before, this episode will help you understand why it works and give you a whole menu of ways to try it.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What body doubling actually is (and why it's not just "going to a coffee shop to work")
• The science-backed reasons it helps with task initiation and focus especially for ADHD and neurodivergent brains
• Creative ways to body double and how to find the type of body doubling that fits your brain, your life, and your social battery
• How body doubling connects to Parkinson's Law and why it helps you stop dragging tasks out
• How Body Doubling Platforms like Flown can help you with task initiation, sustained focus, and navigating overwhelm

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Why Do I Always Wait Until the Last Minute? (And What to Actually Do About It)

If you've ever found yourself scrambling to finish something right before the deadline — telling yourself next time will be different — this episode is for you. I'm digging into why your brain is wired to lean on urgency as a motivator, and I want you to walk away feeling understood.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why waiting until the last minute isn't a character flaw or a moral failing — it's actually how many ADHD and neurodivergent brains are wired to function
• What Parkinson's Law is and how noticing & naming it can help you get started sooner
• How to create "healthy urgency" through sprints and anchor points so you're not always crunching at the finish line
• Why "someday goals" are often the hardest to start and what to do when there's no real deadline pushing you
• Sometimes waiting until the last minute to get started can actually be the best strategy (and how to do it in a way that is supportive!)

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

If you've ever stared at your to-do list knowing exactly what needs to get done and still couldn't make yourself start this episode is for you. I'm breaking down why motivation works differently for ADHD and neurodivergent brains, and sharing a simple 5-part framework called PINCH (designed by Dr. William Dodson) that helps you create your own motivation, even when you don’t have a deadline approaching!

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why waiting for motivation to "kick in" isn't a personal failing it's actually how your ADHD brain is wired
• The difference between an interest-based nervous system (ADHD or neurodivergent) and an importance-based nervous system (neurotypical)
• The PINCH method: 5 practical ways to add a little dopamine to the tasks you've been avoiding
• Simple, creative ways to make boring, repetitive tasks feel less painful (yes, even laundry and emails!)
• PINCH: Play/Passion, Interest, Novelty, Challenge, Hurry/Urgency

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 coaching

This is such an important conversation that everyone needs to hear. I'm talking with Ayurvedic practitioner Rita Sweeney about something I wish I'd learned way earlier: the four phases of the menstrual cycle and how they affect your energy, mood, focus, and productivity.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The four phases of the menstrual cycle (spring, summer, fall, winter) and what's actually happening in your body and brain during each one
• Why comparing yourself to your "spring phase" self the rest of the month is setting you up to feel like you're failing and how to shift that expectation
• How tracking your cycle doesn't have to be complicated (Rita breaks it into three simple phases so you're not trying to do everything at once)
• What "rest" actually looks like during your menstrual phase and why it can change how you feel going into your next cycle
• How to start using this information to plan your work, social calendar, and self-care in a way that actually works with your body

Listen to Rita’s First Interview: Episode 30: Ayurveda for Beginners: Self-Care Rituals That Actually Fit Your Busy Life with Rita Sweeney

About Rita Sweeney & Connect with her:

Rita Sweeney is a certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor specializing in digestion and menstrual imbalances. She offers workshops in person in northern VT and 1:1 health coaching virtually.

• Website: https://www.rhythmiclivingayurveda.com/
• Instagram: @rita.rhythmic.living.ayurveda
• Listen to Ayurveda for Women’s Health Podcast:https://ayurvedaforwomenshealth.riverside.com/
• Get your Free Menstrual Cycle Tracking Guidebook: https://www.rhythmiclivingayurveda.com/free-cycle-tracking-guide

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

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