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

5 Simple Systems That Changed My Life (And How to Make Them Work for Your Brain)

This episode gets a little personal. After years of helping clients build executive function systems, I've been reflecting on the simple systems I use in my own life. I’m sharing 5 with you today! These aren't perfect, and they won't all be the right fit for your brain, but I'll walk you through each one and ask you questions to help you figure out what your own version could look like.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• 05:23 The power of quick wins and how to find your own version of a quick morning win that gives your brain a dopamine boost
• 08:05 How letting go of the idea of a "normal week" can help you break free from all-or-nothing thinking and perfectionism around planning and scheduling
• 10:31 My personal strategies for managing decision fatigue — including when to trust your gut, when to pause, and how to batch decisions to protect your energy
• 17:31 What "micro-moments" are and how looking for small pockets of time can help you stay connected to your goals without the pressure of doing it perfectly
• 20:56 How bricking my phone for two years has helped me build a healthier relationship with scrolling and the questions to ask yourself if you want to change your own phone habits

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & getting interrupted by your phone Use 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

I sat down with Annika Angelo, ADHD nutrition expert and creator of the Eat to Focus Cookbook, to talk about the real reason feeding yourself feels so overwhelming when you have ADHD. It's not laziness, it's neuroscience. We cover everything from why you might not notice hunger cues to practical strategies to feed yourself.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How nutrition impacts ADHD brains
• Why eating isn't "one task" — it's actually 5+ tasks and why that matters for your executive function
• The connection between dopamine and hunger cues (and why some people with ADHD don't feel hunger until it's already urgent)
• What interoception is and how learning to trust your body's signals can change the way you eat
• The "4 S's" framework for low-effort lunches that don't require a recipe or a plan
• Why ingredient prepping beats meal prepping for ADHD brains and how to make it work for you

About Annika Angelo & Connect:

Annika Angelo is one of the leading experts in the world on ADHD nutrition research. She holds her MS in Health Psychology and has dedicated her professional career to communicating the science of ADHD nutrition: what works, what doesn't, and why.

• Website: https://nutrimindlab.com/
• Eat to Focus Cookbook: https://nutrimindlab.com/shop/
• Nutrimind Hub Discord: https://discord.com/invite/TJaS57g6wG
• Monthly Membership - Neurodiverse Neighborhood: https://www.patreon.com/TheNeuroDiverseNeighbourhood

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

I use affiliate links for my fave products that I use and trust. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you've ever walked away from a task and come back feeling completely lost or avoided starting back up because you couldn't remember where you left off, this episode is for you.

If you live with ADHD or executive dysfunction, you know how hard it can be to pick up where you left off. Task initiation, working memory challenges, and the mental load of reorienting yourself mid-project can make even simple tasks feel impossible. Breadcrumbs are a practical ADHD task management strategy designed to bridge that gap — giving your brain a clear, low-effort on-ramp back into your work. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a busy parent, this system meets you where you are and makes getting started on tasks just a little bit easier.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What breadcrumbs are and why they're different from a regular to-do list (hint: it's all about that next step)
• Why leaving a note for "future you" is one of the kindest things you can do for your brain
• How to know when it's worth leaving yourself a breadcrumb
• What actually makes a good breadcrumb so it makes sense when you come back to it
• Where to leave your breadcrumbs depending on the type of task or project you're working on

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & getting interrupted by your phone Use 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

If you've ever tried to build a morning routine and ended up feeling like a failure when it didn't stick, this one's for you. In this episode, I'm breaking down why traditional morning routines often don't work for ADHD brains, and sharing a more flexible, realistic approach to creating mornings that actually feel good.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why morning routines for ADHD need to look different and why rigid routines can actually backfire on an ADHD brain
• How to create a morning routine you'll actually stick to by starting with one small, sustainable shift instead of overhauling everything at once
• A simple reflection exercise to identify what's already working in your morning (and what might need a gentle tweak)
• How to create routines that work for you by building in flexibility, so skipping a day doesn't feel like starting over
• Different strategies to stop doomscrolling in the morning

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

If you feel overwhelmed by clutter and don’t know where to start with home organization, this episode is for you. I chat with Allison Converse from Calm Cottage Coaching to talk about simple home organization systems for ADHD brains, why traditional organizing methods don’t work, and how to create realistic, functional routines that actually stick. If you’ve been searching for how to declutter your home, get organized with ADHD, or create simple systems that last – make sure you listen to the end to hear Allison share a realistic step you can take today!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why ADHD and overwhelm make home organization and decluttering feel so hard
• How to get started organizing your home when you don’t know where to begin
• Simple home organization systems that are realistic to maintain
• How to declutter your home without perfectionism or all-or-nothing thinking
• Practical strategies to reduce clutter, stay organized, and create a calmer space if you have ADHD and are overwhelmed by thought of organizing

About Allison Converse:

Allison is an ADHD Home & Systems Coach and the founder of Calm Cottage Coaching. She helps ADHD women create more flow and function at home with simple systems that actually work.

In 2021, Allison left her career as an Occupational Therapist while downsizing her family’s home to half the square footage and letting go of half their belongings. Through that experience, she saw the benefits of living with less including decreased anxiety & overstimulation, simplified clean up, and more time for what mattered most. Now, she supports women virtually in creating calmer, more manageable homes without perfection or pressure through decluttering, organizing, and realistic home task rhythms.

She is also the host of The Gentle Reset Podcast, where she shares bite-sized mindset shifts and home strategies to help ADHD women feel calmer in their spaces, one small win at a time.

Connect with Allison:

The Gentle Reset Podcast: https://pod.link/1816231695

Instagram: @calmcottagecoaching

Website: https://www.calmcottagecoaching.com/

Freebie: 5 Sneaky Clutter Hot Spots (and ADHD-Friendly Fixes): https://calmcottagecoaching.myflodesk.com/clutterpod

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

I use affiliate links for my fave products that I use and trust. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

How do you create simple systems to make life less overwhelming? I’m breaking down 5 simple, realistic ways to create systems that actually fit your brain, your life, and your current season without forcing yourself into something that was never designed for you in the first place.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your systems need to feel enjoyable (or at least not painful) to actually stick
• How to treat systems like experiments so you can stop blaming yourself when they don’t work
• The importance of building systems that fit your brain—not someone else’s
• How to reuse and adapt systems that are already working in other areas of your life
• Why giving yourself credit for trying is the key to creating systems

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:

• Get on my email list!
• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

I use affiliate links for my fave products that I use and trust. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Feeling buried under emails, endless files, and a million tabs? In this episode, I chat with Professional Organizer JoAnn Krall about digital clutter, why it feels so overwhelming, and how to create simple systems that actually work for your brain. If you’ve been stuck wondering where to even start, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. How to take inventory of your digital life without getting stuck in overwhelm.
2. Simple ways to reduce incoming digital clutter and prevent it from piling up.
3. Why letting go of unnecessary files is the first step before creating a system.
4. How to design a digital organization system that fits your brain, not someone else’s.
5. Tips for keeping your system sustainable as your life and technology evolve.

About JoAnn Krall:

JoAnn Krall is a Professional Organizer who helps business owners move through overwhelm and create organization that supports their real life at home and at work.

She founded The Sensible Organizer in 2006 and has a gift for seeing what’s underneath the clutter. With a background in accounting and entrepreneurship, JoAnn helps people create clarity, reduce stress, and build systems that truly fit their lives.

Connect with JoAnn Krall: Everything from free to VIP: https://joannkrall.com/learn-with-me

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
2. Website: Executive Functioning First
3. Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

I use affiliate links for my fave products that I use and trust. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you’ve ever sat down to work and suddenly felt the urge to do literally anything else, you’re not lazy, your nervous system might be trying to protect you.

In this episode, I’m sharing why nervous system regulation is one of the most overlooked systems in executive functioning. Because even the best ADHD productivity tools, planners, or time management strategies won’t work if your brain doesn’t feel safe enough to use them.

We’ll talk about the connection between ADHD, executive functioning, and the nervous system, why emails and to-do lists can trigger fight, flight, or freeze, and simple nervous system regulation strategies you can use to get out of overwhelm and take action.

If you’ve ever experienced ADHD task paralysis, avoidance, or shutdown, this episode will help you understand what’s happening in your brain and what you can do about it.

1. Why nervous system regulation is a foundational system for executive functioning
2. How fight, flight, and freeze responses show up in everyday ADHD situations like emails, to-do lists, and work tasks
3. Simple nervous system regulation strategies to help you move out of anxiety or shutdown
4. Why practicing ADHD coping tools before you need them makes it easier to use them when you’re overwhelmed

Resources:

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

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Website: Executive Functioning First
2. Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

I use affiliate links for my fave products that I use and trust. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I’m kicking off a new series all about creating simple systems for ADHD brains. If you’ve ever tried to start a new routine, productivity tool, or planning system and it didn’t work for you - it probably wasn’t the right system for you (and that’s okay!). I’ll walk you through how to rethink systems, why the wrong systems create frustration for ADHD and neurodivergent brains, and how to start experimenting with simple, flexible systems that support your executive functioning.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

1. Why you already have systems in your life—even if you feel like you don’t
2. How the wrong systems (not your brain) often cause ADHD overwhelm and frustration
3. A simple way to think about executive function systems in everyday life
4. Why ADHD brains need a balance of structure and flexibility to make systems sustainable
5. Reflection questions to help you identify systems that are working—and where you might want to experiment with something new

Resources:

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

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Website: Executive Functioning First
2. Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

I use affiliate links for my fave products that I use and trust. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Do you ever feel stuck in that in-between where you’re not getting anything done—but you’re not actually resting either? I call this limbo, and it’s often driven by overthinking, decision fatigue, and overwhelm. In this episode, I walk you through why this happens and how to gently get yourself out of that stuck state without adding more pressure.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

1. What “limbo” actually is (and how to recognize it in your daily life)
2. How overthinking, decision fatigue, and overwhelm keep you stuck and feeling like you’re “wasting time”
3. The most common reasons you end up in limbo (including lack of structure and unclear plans)
4. A simple check-in question to help you decide between rest vs. action
5. How to take the smallest, most realistic step forward to build momentum without burnout

Resources:

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

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Website: Executive Functioning First
2. Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

I use affiliate links for my fave products that I use and trust. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.