Organizing an ADHD Brain

Do you read the advice, agree with it, and then do nothing? You're not alone.

In this episode, we explain how the all-or-nothing mindset and perfectionism keep you stuck, and how play can help you start. You'll learn why researching can become a form of procrastination, why your brain treats new things as dangerous, and how to build self-trust one baby step at a time.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Why all-or-nothing thinking and perfectionism stop you from organizing, even when you know exactly what to do
• How to interrupt the "I need to research more first" loop and connect your brain to action
• How to tell your nervous system you're safe to start without knowing the outcome, so you can build self-trust
• How to use play and tinkering to take tiny baby steps, treating failed attempts as data instead of proof you're a failure

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/

Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog

Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT

🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain

🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford

🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

#ADHDTips #Perfectionism #Neurodivergent #ADHD #ADHDMom

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Do you reach for your phone, a snack, or a drink when you're exhausted and overwhelmed? In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, we explore how to move from cheap dopamine to real joy with ADHD.

We explain why the ADHD brain craves quick dopamine hits when stuck in fight or flight, and Megs shares the small, everyday joys that have helped her practice being present: mini walks, play, family game nights, singing lessons, and more. You'll also learn how micro-practices and a new view of self-care can help you nourish your body and your life without adding another thing to your to-do list.

Mentioned in this episode:

• How joy is a more satisfying alternative to cheap dopamine
• Simple, low-effort ways to add delight to your week
• How self-care can be reframed as "nourishing your body,"
• How micro-practices and play build tiny habits that add up
• Dopamine Menu (Mentioned in the episode): https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu

00:00 Dopamine, Joy, and ADHD
02:31 Play is Better than Candy
07:04 Self Care in a New Light
07:57 How I Have Been Finding Joy ... So Far
10:53 Hiking with a Friend
11:41 Art with the Spouse
12:42 Kids Helping with Dinner
13:24 Fresh Air
14:07 Decorating the Office
14:58 Starting the Fireplace and Family Time
17:45 Singing Lessons
19:57 Final Thoughts and Homework

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/

Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog

Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT

🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain

🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford

🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

#ADHD #DopamineMenu #Micropractices #ADHDCoach #ADHDMom #ADHDStrategies #SelfCareTips

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

We are joined again by psychotherapist and trauma specialist Deserae Kofoed to talk about what it looks like to notice trauma responses and ADHD overwhelm in real life, and what to do about them.

We share honest, messy, real-world examples of nervous system regulation, emotional triggers, self-compassion, and how to build coping skills when your brain feels hijacked. You'll learn why ADHD symptoms and trauma symptoms can look so similar, why "name it to tame it" works, and why the best time to practice is when you're not flooded.

Mentioned in this episode:

• How to spot a trauma or stress response in your body
• Practical tools for calming your nervous system
• Why kindness beats self-criticism when you're exhausted
• The harm reduction approach to coping

Connect with Des!

🌐 Website: https://www.deseraekofoed.com

Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:

• (Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
• What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
• How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
• Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...

00:00 Intro
02:10 What Are the Symptoms of Trauma?
10:12 What Is It Like When You're Just Reacting to Things?
11:28 Noticing Your Own Reactions is the First Step
19:59 The Harm Reduction Model, Compassion, and Self Love
23:38 Regulating While Being Exhausted
31:22 What Progress Looks Like
36:39 We Need Community and The Emotional Flu
40:48 Inner Kindness Avatars and External Soothing Mechanisms
44:15 Final Thoughts and Advice

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/

Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog

Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT

🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain

🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford

🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

#ADHD #NervousSystemRegulation #TraumaHealing #Psychotherapy #CopingSkills

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Struggle with letting go of clutter, even when you know it's holding you back?

In this episode we break down what letting go actually looks like for the ADHD brain, not the Pinterest-perfect version, but the real, messy, emotional process. We walk through the real reasons ADHDers get stuck in decluttering cycles: overwhelm, emotional decision-making, all-or-nothing thinking, and the myth that the right bin will fix everything.

Learn how to make one decision at a time, build self-trust through small actions, and understand why it’s okay that letting go is uncomfortable. If you're ready to stop buying organizing products as a substitute for actually organizing, this episode is for you.

Mentioned in this episode:

• What it actually takes to start letting go of clutter, even when you don't feel prepared
• The emotional and executive-function process behind decision-making, decluttering, and organizing with ADHD
• Practical mindset shifts for building self-trust, managing emotional discomfort, and creating systems that stick

Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:

• (Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
• What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
• How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
• Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...

00:00 What We Think Letting Go Should Look Like
 04:47 Do I Have to Feel Like Letting Go?
 07:27 Is Organizing About Changing Your Environment?
 09:01 What Letting Go Actually Is and What It Looks Like
 12:16 Asking Yourself What Do I Want to Do?
 17:39 What Happens when You Let Things Go?
 24:59 Towels on the Floor Story
 28:06 It's Okay to Feel Uncomfortable
 30:17 Letting Go Is Different for Family Heirlooms
 34:42 Up Next Week

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/

Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog

Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT

🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain

🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford

🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

#Decluttering #Organizing #ADHDcoach #ProfessionalOrganizer #SelfTrust #HomeOrganization #MentalHealth #Neurodivergent #ADHD #ADHDbrain

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Do you actually know what you want out of life, or are you stuck in the "I'll figure it out someday" loop?

In this episode, we break down why so many ADHDers struggle to identify their goals, passions, and purpose and why that's not a personal failing, but it's actually an executive function and dopamine-driven challenge. We unpack the "hobby graveyard," the danger of using AI as a decision-making crutch, and why knowing what you don't want is just as valuable as knowing what you do.

Megs also shares her own journey breaking away from social media as a real-world case study in messy, non-linear progress.

If you're an adult with ADHD who feels behind, indecisive, or like everyone else got a "purpose manual" you never received, this episode will help you reframe what progress actually looks like.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Why ADHD brains struggle to "just know" what they want
• How the "hobby graveyard" keeps you stuck
• What “progress” actually means
• Megs' personal, honest story of quitting social media
• How to ADHD: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoADHD

Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:

• (Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
• What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
• How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
• Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...

00:00 What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
 04:57 Having Big Dreams but Executive Function Gets in the Way
 07:35 How AI Doesn't Actually Help You
 08:51 How Do We Even Know if We Are Making Progress?
 13:41 Knowing What You Don't Want is Progress
 17:22 Journey to Breaking Away From Social Media
 22:18 What If We're Wrong about What We Want?
 26:02 Don't Lose Sight of Progress by Focussing on the End Result
 31:21 Conclusion

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/

Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog

Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT

🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain

🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford

🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

#selfimprovement #hobbygraveyard #ADHDtips #executivedysfunction #ADHD #neurodivergent

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Is it ADHD or is it trauma?

In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, Megs sits down with licensed psychotherapist Deserae Kofoed aka “Des” to unpack the fascinating overlap between ADHD symptoms and trauma responses.

Des shares her own surprising journey of suspecting she had ADHD, getting a QEEG brain scan, and discovering the truth about what's actually happening in her nervous system.

Together, they break down the science of the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, explain what nervous system regulation really means, and dive deep into the difference between "big T" and "little T" trauma.

If you've ever wondered why you're so reactive, why emotional dysregulation shows up alongside ADHD, or how childhood experiences shape your adult coping skills, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and real tools for healing. This episode is essential listening for anyone navigating ADHD, trauma recovery, nervous system regulation, or perimenopause-related brain fog.

Mentioned in this episode:

• How ADHD vs. trauma show up differently in the brain
• An explanation of nervous system regulation
• The difference between "big T" and "little T" trauma
• Practical, real-life stories of co-regulating with children, breaking cycles of people-pleasing, and building new coping skills that last

Connect with Des:

🌐 Website: https://www.deseraekofoed.com

Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:

• (Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
• What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
• How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
• Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...

00:00 She Thought She Had ADHD but she didn't!
 12:31 What is Nervous System Regulation?
 22:15 What is Trauma?
 24:47 Emotional Disregulation and ADHD
 30:13 Big T vs Little T Trauma
 33:29 How Older Generations Dealt with Trauma
 39:46 Healing Trauma
 44:49 Fire Alarm Story
 49:46 Coping Skills the Good and Bad
 56:39 The Magic of the Parasympathetic Nervous System
 58:42 Where to Connect with Des

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/

Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog

Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT

🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain

🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford

🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

Editing done by Ian Gilliam at Sabr Media LLC: https://www.iangilliam.com/sabr-media-llc

#ADHD #Trauma #NervousSystemRegulation #MentalHealth #Neurodivergent #Perimenopause #EmotionalRegulation #Psychotherapy #SelfRegulation

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Welcome to Season 4 of Organizing an ADHD Brain!

In this kickoff episode, we talk about what it really means to work with your ADHD brain instead of against it with honest strategies from a working ADHD entrepreneur. We talk about daily rhythms, tools, and mindset shifts. Learn how self-compassion, body doubling, period tracking, and asking for help can transform your relationship with productivity and yourself.

If you've ever consumed all the ADHD advice in the world and still felt stuck implementing it, this episode is your permission slip to meet yourself where you are.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Real daily/weekly rhythms, and tools to externalize your brain and stay accountable.
• How to manage shame, burnout, and unrealistic expectations by giving yourself grace.
• The connection between hormones, cycles, and ADHD symptoms
• Different perspectives on what it means to work with your brain.

Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:

• (Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
• Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...

00:00 What Does it Mean to Work WITH Your Brain? 

07:47 There's Not Much Time in a Day 

09:22 Body Doubling Group 

12:00 Giving Yourself Grace for Not Getting Everything Done 

15:17 ADHD, Your Cycle, Shame, and The Unexpected 

20:21 Different Ways of Working with Your Brain 

22:12 The Reality of Being an ADHD Entrepreneur 

25:22 Where Can You Start and What’s Next?

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/

Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog

Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT

🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/

🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain

🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford

🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

Editing done by Ian Gilliam at Sabr Media LLC: https://www.iangilliam.com/sabr-media-llc

#ADHDProductivity #ADHDParenting #ADHDEntrepreneur #ADHD #Neurodivergent #ADHDBrain #ADHDCoach #Hyperfocus #ADHDPodcast #WorkWithYourBrain

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

A year ago I sold everything, organized my whole life into a 5x8 trailer, and moved across the country. There's no after picture to show you — and that's exactly the point.

In this Season 3 finale, Megs looks back on a year of navigating the messy middle: rebuilding a life in Massachusetts, decluttering an entire home in fight-or-flight mode, learning to interrupt hyperfocus before it turns into burnout, and letting go of the Pinterest-perfect kitchen for pink countertops that are exactly enough. If you've ever made a beautiful plan, watched it fall apart, and decided that meant something was wrong with you — this one's for you.

In this episode:
 • Why the "before and after" picture is a lie, and what growth with ADHD actually looks like
 • How to catch yourself in fight-or-flight (even mid-oven-scrub) and come back to the present
 • The "shallow holes" problem: what happens when dopamine picks all your projects — and the treasure you find when you keep digging one
 • Why half-assing it beats no-assing it, every time

Plans change — that's not failure, it's data. If you want to build a flexible fall plan that works with your ADHD brain, join me for the Plan Your Fall Before It Plans You workshop on August 30th: Sign up here

Season 4 launches in September — with episodes on YouTube and big community news coming. Follow the show so you don't miss it. 💛

Related episode: Half-Assing It with Russ from ADHD Big Brother 

02:09 Finding joy and learning to play with ADHD

05:24 When your plans fall apart (and why that's data)

08:21 ADHD fight or flight: regulating in real time

14:52 Hard days, self-belief, and why community matters

19:58 Getting out of debt with ADHD

21:52 Why there's no perfect "after picture"

25:13 Shallow holes, dopamine, and half-assing it

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

What if getting organized isn't something you finally achieve, but something you keep deciding, one small step at a time?

On this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, ADHD coach Megs revisits one of her earliest organizing episodes with fresh eyes, more ADHD knowledge, and a lot more compassion for how hard it actually is to start. Whether you're looking for ADHD coaching, a supportive ADHD community, or practical ways to get organized, this episode meets you where you are.

By the end, you'll have a realistic, shame-free framework for decluttering and building routines that actually work with your ADHD brain, not against it.

Megs opens by reflecting on how her thinking has shifted since recording this episode two years ago, particularly around not prescribing one-size-fits-all habits (she's officially retiring the 5 a.m. wake-up recommendation) and understanding organizing as a collaborative, regulated process rather than a checklist to complete. She shares her own history of growing up surrounded by generational clutter, her Facebook Marketplace decluttering phase, and what she learned from the book Decluttering at the Speed of Life, that not everything needs to be sold, and donating is often the more regulated, sustainable choice.

The episode covers why executive function challenges make starting and stopping so hard, why having less stuff means fewer decisions, and how tiny time-boxed steps, paired with reminders, habit stacking, a dedicated donation box, and focused "blinders", are what actually move the needle over time. She also talks through teaching kids organizing systems, what happens when everything feels equally important, and why action will always beat knowledge when it comes to getting your space under control.

The good news? You don't have to overhaul your whole home. You just have to start somewhere small, and then praise yourself for doing it, without shame.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White: https://amzn.to/43XyQAh

Resources on ADHD and Executive Function: 

What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/what-are-adhd-executive-functions/ 

How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-improve-executive-function-adhd/ 

Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-management-skills-organization-help-adhd/

This episode is for anyone with ADHD who has tried to get organized, given up, and is ready to try again, this time with a plan that actually fits their brain.

00:00:39 — Revisiting Old Advice with Fresh Eyes and More ADHD Knowledge 

00:13:03 — 2026 Megs: Selling Versus Donating perspective

00:15:19 — 2026 Megs: Lessons Learned from Her Parents' Decluttering Journey 

00:20:57 — The Craft Closet Reality Check 

00:22:46 — 2026 Megs: Teaching Kids How to Use Organizing Systems 

00:25:54 — 2026 Megs: When Everything Feels Equally Important 

00:35:01 — Starting Small with Time-Boxed Organizing Sessions 

00:37:59 — 2026 Megs: Using Reminders and Habit Stacking to Build Consistency 

00:45:40 — Why Having Less Stuff Creates More Ease 

00:48:41 — Praising Your Progress Without Shame 

00:50:59 — 2026 Megs: The Messy Middle and Closing Thoughts

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Have you ever achieved something you were "supposed" to want, and still felt like something was quietly off?

On this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, ADHD coach Megs reconnects with Lauren Goldberg to talk about internalized ableism, disability pride, career transitions, and what it really means to work with your ADHD brain instead of against it. Whether you're looking for ADHD coaching, a supportive ADHD community, or practical ways to get organized, this episode meets you where you are.

By the end, you'll have a new lens for understanding the shame many of us carry around disability and neurodivergence, and what it looks like to slowly, imperfectly trade that shame in for pride.

Lauren was diagnosed with ADHD at age eight, but it wasn't until an ADHD reassessment for college that she learned she also had hearing loss. She shares what it felt like to hide her hearing aids, why she initially resisted identifying as disabled, and the milestones that shifted things, ASL classes, learning about Deaf culture, and eventually decorating her hearing aids as a public act of pride. She also opens up about navigating the space between hearing and Deaf communities, and the ongoing messy middle of considering cochlear implants as her hearing continues to change.

On the career side, Lauren talks about how repeated industry shifts and COVID-era unemployment pushed her toward entrepreneurship and why she moved away from digital products to focus on deep one-on-one coaching for neurodivergent clients. She and Megs dig into internalized ableism, toxic professionalism, and what self-advocacy actually looks like in practice when you've spent years masking and shrinking yourself to fit in.

The good news? The messy middle of identity isn't a problem to solve. It's where the real work and the real growth actually happen.

This episode is for anyone with ADHD who has ever felt shame around who they are and is ready to start seeing themselves differently.

Lauren Goldberg is a Career Self-Discovery and Leadership Coach who specializes in helping neurodivergent changemakers move from self-doubt to self-trust, in their careers and beyond. Diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, and hearing loss, Lauren brings lived experience and deep compassion to her coaching, helping clients unlearn toxic professionalism, advocate for their needs, and build careers that actually fit them. She describes herself as a disco ball, reflecting your light back at you so you can enjoy it and shine it on the world.

Website: https://www.laurengoldbergcoaching.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurengoldbergcoaching 

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com