ADHD-ish

Joy isn’t a luxury, it’s a strategy: As ADHD-ish host, Diann Wingert, and today’s guest, Dr. Alexis Hope, agree—joy needs to be intentionally built into our routines and workspaces.
Rather than waiting for motivation, seek and design pockets of joy to unlock creativity and productivity. Social connection is powerful dopamine:
For Alexis Hope, sharing small wins, positive feedback, and a sense of community at Focus Space transforms even mundane tasks into meaningful, motivating experiences.
According to the philosopher, Spinoza, joy has “sharp edges”: Joy isn’t about ignoring challenges or “just being happy.” As Alexis Hope shares, it’s about cultivating the capacity to act—and can coexist with struggle. Even during tough times, intentionally seeking joy helps us stay engaged and resilient.
Whether you identify as neurodivergent or just want more purpose in your day-to-day, this conversation is a must-listen. Bring more joy into your work—your brain (and business) will thank you.
You’ll discover:
Why joy isn’t optional for neurodivergent/neurospicy brains
Neuroscience behind task initiation and real talk about dopamine
Smart practices for remote work, creative teams, and fighting burnout
Permission to collect ideas, objects, and “joy units”—no shame, just inspiration
Why “play” isn’t just for kids and how adult creativity is more essential than ever

Get ready to shake off the “just be happy” platitudes and find out what it really takes to keep your momentum and your mood up—especially when the work gets hard.
About Our Guest
Alexis Hope, PhD, is a designer, musician, and organizer whose work focuses on creating playful experiences that help people find joy, self-compassion, and connection with others.
She received her PhD at the MIT Media Lab in 2021. As a designer, she has worked on projects across a variety of domains, including cameras for deep-sea exploration, creative learning technologies for children, artistic tools for zero-gravity environments in orbit, low-cost ultrasound machines for prenatal care in areas with limited resources, and more.
Alexis is co-founder and head of product at Focused Space, a technology company that provides the building blocks for a productive and fulfilling day, helping people cut through the noise and accomplish their goals through the power of “body doubling.”
Connect with Alexis Hope, PhD - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexishopeg/

About the Host
Diann Wingert brings decades of experience as a psychotherapist and now a sought-after coach to entrepreneurs with ADHD traits.
Known for her candor and her refusal to compromise on what matters, Diann Wingert is a fierce advocate for self-acceptance and meaningful growth at the intersection of neurodivergence and entrepreneurship.

Mentioned during this interview:
Spinoza’s philosophy on happiness vs joy: https://joyfulmilitancy.com/2017/10/20/happiness-is-bullshit/
Focused Space: Body Doubling with Community

If you have ADHD, you may find yourself constantly playing catch-up on commitments—forgetting promises made in a flurry of good intentions.
Promises made in the car, at a networking lunch, in a Zoom chat, or even running into someone at Target, all exist in separate universes—voice memos, post-its, texts—but rarely make it into your actual task system.
This isn’t just about a single “dropped ball.” It’s juggling 17 balls in six places with zero strategy—a hallmark of ADHD’s impact on executive function. And these follow-up fumbles aren’t just inconvenient; they can chip away at your credibility and your self-trust.
Six Reasons Why ADHD Brains Fumble on Follow-Throughs
Impulsive Generosity: ADHD brains crave the dopamine hit of being helpful. Before thinking through whether a promise can be fulfilled, we say “Yes!”—and mean it—without considering bandwidth or logistics.
Working Memory Deficits: As explained in Episode #299, ADHD reduces how many mental “sticky notes” you can hold. A neurotypical person might juggle seven or eight promises; with ADHD, it’s three or four. Most commitments simply never get “filed.”
Time Blindness: The moment feels manageable (“I’ll send it later today!”), but later is swallowed by whatever fires need putting out, leaving the commitment lost in time.
Context Fragmentation: Commitments happen everywhere—car, coffee shop, Zoom, networking lunches—but task management systems live in one place. ADHD brains struggle to bridge that gap.
Object Permanence Issues: Out of sight, out of mind. That voice memo recorded in the car vanishes from mental view once you sit at your desk.
The Shame Spiral: When forgotten commitments resurface—often at 2 AM—shame and avoidance kick in. Some people even ghost contacts out of embarrassment.

Fixing the Fumbles: The 3 Stage Follow-Through Filter
Stage 1: Before You Promise—Hit Pause
Stop defaulting to “Yes.” Try the 3-second rule: pause and ask yourself, “Can I do this in the next two minutes, or do I need a system?” If not, set a realistic timeline and use a pre-memorized script to acknowledge the request and buy yourself time (“Let me check my bandwidth and follow up by Friday”). This small delay protects you from impulsive overcommitment. Episode #297 is all about ADHD overcompensating, so check it out here.
Stage 2: During—Context-Specific Capture Systems
Don’t rely on a single capture tool. Customize your approach for the context:
Driving/Traveling: Use voice memos—with all details, not just “email Sarah.” Set a reminder to process them at your desk.
Video Calls: Use chat features in real time, or review AI-powered transcripts the same day.
In-Person Meetings: Use your phone’s notes app, or even a physical notebook (but only if you have a consolidation ritual).

Welcome to a milestone episode of ADHD-ish! In episode 300, host Diann Wingert invites listeners into a raw, unfiltered conversation about the realities of entrepreneurship with ADHD.
Rather than a feel-good celebration, this episode delivers the hard truths that other neurodivergent entrepreneurs need to hear—no sugar-coating, no apologies, just authentic wisdom earned through real-world experience.
If you’re ready for tangible insight (and a few uncomfortable truths), this is your episode.
Here are the 3 Hard Truths Every Entrepreneur with ADHD Needs to Hear:
Your self-doubt isn’t wisdom—it’s unaddressed trauma.
That overthinking, need for certainty, and analysis paralysis? It’s not you being “strategic”—it’s the residue of years spent feeling “not enough.” The real challenge is rebuilding self-trust so you can act boldly, even if you’re terrified of being wrong.
There’s no magic pill or “perfect” system.
Stop believing the next planner, project management tool, or “ADHD-friendly” hack will make entrepreneurship comfortable. Success means tolerating discomfort, not shopping for something to eliminate it.
ADHD is not your get-out-of-jail-free card.
Acceptance isn’t hiding behind your diagnosis—it's doing the tough, creative work to adapt and grow. “I have ADHD, so I need to figure out how to do this differently” is where real progress begins.
Zero F*cks Given:
To “fulfilling my potential” (an ever-moving target designed to keep you feeling not enough).
To being “too niched” (connection and impact mean more than pleasing the masses).
to ADHD diagnosis gatekeeping (if this content helps and you see yourself here, you belong).
What I WON’T apologize for:
Being unmasked and openly ADHD.
Holding ADHD coaches to real standards.
Being selective about coaching clients (it’s about the right fit—not the right paycheck).

The bottom line? Consistency doesn’t come from trying to “fix” yourself—it comes from radical self-acceptance, messy action, and getting honest about what really stops you.
If you’ve been waiting for the “right” moment, the perfect plan, or permission, the only way to get clarity is to take action.
About the Host
Diann Wingert brings decades of experience as a psychotherapist and now a sought-after coach to entrepreneurs with ADHD traits. Her style is direct, strategic, and always honest—peppered with the insight of someone who lives and breathes the neurodivergent experience.
Known for her candor and her refusal to compromise on what matters, Diann Wingert is a fierce advocate for self-acceptance and meaningful growth at the intersection of neurodivergence and entrepreneurship.
If this episode inspired or challenged you, Diann wants to hear about it! Links to several ways to let her know are right here:
Leave a review and let Diann know what resonated, challenged, or inspired you.
Send Diann an email, DM her on LInkedIn or

While everyone talks about ADHD and time blindness, ADHD-ish host Diann Wingert spotlights the real bottleneck: working memory.
She unpacks what working memory is (and how it's not just short-term memory), why ADHD brains often struggle to keep pace in business, and why brain games probably won't fix the problem.
But it’s not all doom and gloom—Diann shares honest strategies that actually work, from building reliable external systems to reducing cognitive load with templates, checklists, and automation.
If you’re tired of forgetting your best ideas or fumbling through processes you’ve done a hundred times, this episode will empower you with practical tips to actually work.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Working memory vs. short-term memory: Get clear on the difference (hint: it’s not just about forgetting phone numbers!).
Where working memory trips up your business: From client calls that go haywire to onboarding step mix-ups — see if any sound familiar!
Why brain games aren’t your magic ticket: Diann gives it to you straight about apps that overpromise and underdeliver.
Practical, game-changing strategies: Discover ways to reduce your cognitive load and externalize what your brain shouldn’t have to hold onto (checklists FTW!).
How entrepreneurs with ADHD actually build smarter businesses: Find out why having to systematize things can become your secret advantage over neurotypical competition.

Actionable Strategies to Outsmart Your Working Memory
Build External Systems:
Use voice memos obsessively to capture ideas instantly.
Write everything down—client notes, tasks, processes.
Use checklists for multi-step processes, every single time.
Offload information for others; don’t be their external hard drive.

Automate and Template:
Batch similar tasks to minimize context switching.
Use templates and SOPs for recurring processes and emails.
Automate scheduling, reminders, and follow-up wherever possible.

Optimize Your Cognitive Capacity:
Prioritize sleep, exercise, and stress management—your working memory tanks when these are out of whack.
If you take ADHD medication, schedule your heavy-thinking work when it’s at peak effectiveness.
Try meditation to increase basic focus and reduce mental noise.

About the Host:
Diann Wingert (she/her) is a seasoned coach, consultant, and the creator/host of ADHD-ish. Drawing from her many years of experience as a former psychotherapist, business owner, and someone who thinks "outside the box," Diann is known for her straight-talking, no-nonsense approach to the intersection of neurodiversity and business...

Welcome back to ADHD-ish! In this episode, host Diann Wingert sits down with marketing strategist, copywriting expert, and podcaster Erin Ollila.
This convo is all about pop-up offers—and how adding a dose of novelty can transform your business. Inspired by her own ADHD-driven creativity, Erin shares the thought process behind developing two unique, time-limited offers just before a major launch.
What sets these pop-ups apart? They’re quick, strategic, easy to implement, and build on skills and systems Erin already uses in her daily work.
Together, Diann and Erin unpack the benefits and pitfalls of pop-up offers, the importance of strategy, and why a well-designed “quick win” can boost both business and client satisfaction.
You’ll hear how Erin’s ADHD-fueled ability to make rapid decisions, build connections, and see opportunity in white space on her calendar led her to a set of mini-offers that serve both her capacity and her clients’ need for immediate results.
If you’ve ever felt stuck between launching new programs or just want to shake things up in your offer suite, this episode is gold.
Here’s what you’ll learn from this episode:
What the heck is a pop-up offer? Erin breaks down how these limited-time, ultra-focused offers work—and why they’re not just a glorified sale.
Why pop-up offers are a dream for ADHD entrepreneurs. Ever feel compelled to act on a spark of creativity? Learn how to channel that energy in ways that actually make sense, earn money, AND feel fulfilling.
The strategy behind a successful offer It’s not just about the excitement; Erin is all about blending impulsivity with real business strategy so your pop-ups support your bigger vision.
How to create quick wins for your clients (and for YOU!) Discover ways to design services that give instant gratification and long-term results—yes, even for things like SEO and content strategy.
What to do when things don’t go as planned Real talk: Erin and Diann discuss what happens when nobody buys right away and how to adapt without losing your momentum.

About our Guest:
Erin Ollila is a content strategist & conversion copywriter with 15+ years helping brands and publications connect through strategic content. She’s the founder of EO Copy Co., the host of the “Talk Copy to Me” podcast, and a fellow entrepreneur with ADHD.
Connect with Erin:
Website - LinkedIn - Instagram
Was this episode THE ONE that is prompting you to leave a 5-Star rating and review? Do it! Here’s the link for Apple or Spotify: https://lovethepodcast.com/adhd-ish
Already left your review and want to share a comment on Spotify? I’d love to hear from you and respond personally to every one!
© 2026 ADHD-ish Podcast. Intro music by Ishan Dincer / Melody Loops / Outro music by Vladimir / Bobi Music / All rights reserved.