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

ADHD overwhelm can feel incredibly isolating—like everyone else has life figured out and you’re the only one struggling to keep up. In this episode, I’m joined by Ammaar Khan and Esteban Perez from ADHD Weasel for a thoughtful conversation about why ADHD overwhelm feels so heavy, why validation matters so much, and how feeling truly understood can change everything.

We talk about the power of community and gentle strategies that actually work in real life. If you’ve ever thought “is it just me?”—this conversation is for you.

1. Why ADHD overwhelm often comes with shame and a sense of feeling alone
2. How feeling seen and understood can reduce ADHD overwhelm before any strategy is applied
3. Why validation is a crucial (and often missing) part of ADHD support
4. How ADHD Weasel helps adults with ADHD move from overwhelm to clarity with actionable strategies
5. A gentler way to navigate ADHD overwhelm without trying to overhaul your entire life

About ADHD Weasel:

The ADHD Weasel is a newsletter for adults who spent decades thinking they were broken. Started by two ADHDers, Ammaar Khan and Esteban Perez, ADHD Weasel delivers validation and helpful strategies to over 19,000 subscribers. With signature "Apply It" worksheets that turn insight into action, The ADHD Weasel bridges the gap between clinical diagnosis and daily life. Subscribe today at www.adhdweasel.com/subscribe

Connect with ADHD Weasel:

Website: https://www.adhdweasel.com/

Threads: @theadhdweasel

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.

Learn more about Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners - We Start March 2nd, 2026! Don’t wait for the “perfect time” to apply!

Have you ever finished a full workday feeling busy but wondering where your time actually went? In this episode, I’m breaking down the hidden ways women business owners — especially those with ADHD or overwhelmed brains — lose hours every week, and why it’s not a willpower or discipline problem. If you want more ease, energy, and realistic time management for women business owners, this episode will help you start seeing your time differently.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. The 5 most common “time leaks” impacting time management for women business owners
2. Why decision fatigue, perfectionism, and overthinking quietly drain your time and energy
3. How ADHD brains experience task switching and why it can cost you hours each week
4. How to create realistic, brain-friendly systems that actually work for a women business owner lifestyle
5. Simple ways to start reclaiming time without working harder or pushing yourself toward burnout

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Apply for Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners
2. Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
3. Website: Executive Functioning First
4. 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.

Learn more about Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners - We Start March 2nd, 2026! Don’t wait for the “perfect time” to apply!

If you’re a woman business owner with ADHD who feels stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in procrastination, this episode is for you. I’m breaking down why so many women entrepreneurs wait for the “perfect time” to take action and why it’s rarely just perfectionism. We’ll talk about executive functioning, burnout, and how to move forward in a way that actually feels supportive and sustainable in your business.

1. Why women business owners with ADHD procrastinate—even when they’re motivated and excited
2. How self-talk, fear of failure or success, and past burnout keep you stuck
3. The executive functioning challenges (like time blindness and prioritizing) that make starting feel so hard
4. Why “someday goals” are especially tricky for ADHD entrepreneurs
5. Practical strategies to take aligned action in your business without burning out

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Apply for Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners
2. Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
3. Website: Executive Functioning First
4. 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.

Learn more about Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners

Do you have something in your business that you want to do, but you just can’t get yourself to start? It keeps popping into your head — “I should do that thing” — and yet you feel completely paralyzed. That’s not procrastinating. You’re stuck.

This episode will help you understand why you get stuck. By the end of this episode you’ll have a simple formula you can use to build a toolbox of strategies that will help you take action in your business in a way that feels supportive, realistic, and sustainable.

You built your business because you love what you do and you’re really good at it. You deserve systems & tools that fit your brain & your business.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

1. Why women business owners with ADHD get stuck, even when they care deeply about their work and have strong motivation
2. How executive dysfunction keeps you stuck in your business
3. Simple ways to figure out why you’re stuck and feeling overwhelmed
4. ADHD-friendly strategies to stop procrastinating in your business and get unstuck without burning out or forcing yourself
5. How to take action in your business in a way that works with your ADHD brain
6. What it really means to get unstuck as an ADHD woman business owner and why it doesn’t require more discipline or motivation

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Apply for Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners
2. Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
3. Website: Executive Functioning First
4. 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.

Learn more about Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners

Prioritizing is one of the hardest executive function skills, especially for women business owners juggling clients, projects, and personal life. In this episode, I break down why prioritizing is so challenging and share five practical questions you can use to coach yourself through overwhelm, get started, and make meaningful progress in your business.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

1. Why prioritizing feels impossible, even when you care deeply about your business and your clients.
2. How energy, excitement, and decision fatigue impact time management for women business owners.
3. A practical, flexible approach to choosing what to work on as a woman business owner without getting stuck in “shoulds.”
4. 5 actionable questions to help you prioritize as a woman business owner and take action today
5. How setting boundaries and saying no can give you space for the priorities that truly move your business forward.

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

1. Apply for Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners
2. Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
3. Website: Executive Functioning First
4. 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.

Learn more about Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners

Have you ever finally had some free time… only to feel totally overwhelmed and not sure how to use it? In this episode, I’m talking about why open time can feel surprisingly stressful especially if you’re a woman business owner and how to make your free time feel more supportive instead of overwhelming. If time management feels harder when you’re in charge of your own schedule, this one’s for you.

1. Why free time often leads to overwhelm, indecision, and analysis paralysis
2. How executive functioning challenges impact time management for women business owners
3. Why uncertainty leads to inaction (and how to create clarity for yourself)
4. Simple, realistic strategies to decide what to do with free time and actually get started
5. How to balance structure and flexibility so your schedule supports your energy, not drains it

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.

Learn more about Ideas to Action: A 12-Week Executive Function Group Coaching Program for Women Business Owners

This episode kicks off a 5-part series all about entrepreneurship, executive functioning, and building a sustainable business without burning yourself out: “Be A Better Boss To Yourself”

January 2026 marks my 12th year as an executive function coach and my fourth year as a business owner! In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I accidentally started my business, the executive functioning challenges that surprised me the most, and what I’ve learned about being a better boss to myself along the way.

If you’re a woman business owner, this series is for you. And even if you’re not self-employed, you’ll still walk away with insights you can apply to your work, your time, and your life.

1. Why unstructured time can feel so overwhelming—and why it caught me off guard when I became self-employed
2. How hustle, perfectionism, and “I should be able to figure this out” thinking quietly lead to burnout
3. The three pillars of my Get Unstuck Formula (self-talk, systems, and support) and how they show up in my real life as a woman entrepreneur
4. Why being a “good boss to yourself” requires strong executive function skills, mindset shifts, and boundary setting
5. How and why my business has shifted into a more sustainable, life-first business

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.

Have you ever fallen in love with a new planner, app, or system… only to stop using it weeks (or days) later and feel like you failed again? In this episode, I’m talking about why this cycle is actually normal—especially for ADHD brains—and why your systems aren’t supposed to last forever. If you’ve got a pile of half-used planners and a lot of self-judgment, this one’s for you.

What you’ll learn in this episode :

• Why planners, calendars, and systems naturally stop working—and why that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you
• The two most common ways systems fall apart (the slow fade vs. the total drop-off)
• How to keep using a system without using it perfectly or every single day
• How to spot early “pink flags” that a system needs a tweak before you abandon it
• How to build a flexible toolbox of systems that works with your ADHD brain, not against it

Resources Mentioned:

• Get 10% off Big Ass Calendar (use discount code: EXECUTIVEFUNCTIONINGFIRST) 
• Get $15 off your Passion Planner (my favorite undated daily planner & Free PDF downloads) 
• Get $20 off Skylight digital calendar 
• Stop Doomscrolling: Get Brick 10% off when you purchase with this link! 

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.

Every December, I feel pulled in two very different directions. Part of me wants to cozy up with a notebook and plan out my entire life. And the other part of me is like, absolutely not. If you've ever felt the same, excited about a fresh start, and overwhelmed at the thought of doing anything about it, you're in the right place.

This isn’t about goal setting, it’s about giving yourself credit and noticing what matters most to you.

I’m also sharing an exciting announcement for women business owners who are looking for executive function coaching & community in 2026 - "Ideas to Action"

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to create a simple reflection practice that fits your energy, mood, and brain
• Reflection questions to help you celebrate wins, notice unexpected joys, and learn from challenges
• How to identify habits or activities that no longer serve you and make space for what energizes you
• Why reflection doesn’t have to be tied to the calendar or to “doing more”—it’s about giving yourself credit and staying curious.
• How I used reflection to navigate challenges in my business and make aligned decisions for the year ahead

Resources Mentioned:

• Stop Doomscrolling: Get Brick 10% off when you purchase with this link! 
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan 
• Learn about my new 12-week small group coaching program for neurodivergent women business owners - "Ideas to Action"

Other episodes you might enjoy: 

• 009: Why Your Goals Don’t Stick (And How to Set Goals and Achieve Them)
• 010: Rethinking New Year’s Resolutions: A Gentler Approach for Setting Goals &  Identity Based Goals for ADHD

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell: 

• 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 overwhelm feels like your default setting—too much to do, not enough time, and everything piling up faster than you can catch it—this episode is for you. 

I’m breaking down why you get stuck in that cycle of paralysis, frantic last-minute action, and burnout, and what you can actually do to interrupt it. 

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of the type of overwhelm you’re experiencing and a toolbox of realistic, actionable strategies to help you reset, reduce pressure, and get unstuck.

P.S. If your phone and doomscrolling is overwhelming you, get 10% off when you purchase with this link!

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why overwhelm happens in the first place (and why it’s not a personal flaw)
• How to regulate your nervous system before you try to get things done
• The role of self-talk in either easing or amplifying overwhelm

Resources Mentioned:

• Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link! 
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan 

Other Episodes You Might Find Helpful (no pressure or rush!): 

• 012: For Overwhelmed People Pleasers: How to Set Boundaries, Advocate for Yourself, and Reclaim Your Time
• 019: How to Take Action When You’re Overwhelmed & Don’t Know Where to Start
• 026: How to keep track of everything on your plate: A simple strategy to make to-do lists less overwhelming
• 039: How to Be More Efficient When You Feel Overwhelmed
• 051: Letting Go of “Shoulds”: Adjusting Expectations to Overcome Overwhelm
• 054: How to Stop Doomscrolling with ADHD: A Simple 3-Step Formula to Have a Healthier Relationship with your Phone

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell: 

• 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.