Hey Team!

This week, I’m talking with Dr. Ari Tuckman, a psychologist, certified sex therapist, and one of the most well-known voices in adult ADHD. Ari brings over 25 years of clinical experience to the table, along with his new book, The ADHD Productivity Manual, which takes a honest look at the tools we use, and why they sometimes don’t work the way we want them to. It was actually funny, before the call, we were joking about how it's funny that our orbits hadn’t crossed before - well, I do get into one anecdote about attending a talk he gave in 2019, but that’s basically as close as we’d interacted before this.

In our conversation, we unpack how shame and comparison can hijack our energy, how to set reminders that actually help instead of hinder, and why simple doesn’t always mean easy. We also touch on what it means to communicate your needs assertively (without over-apologizing) and why trying to do everything perfectly is the fastest route to doing nothing at all. There’s a ton of easy-to-access, actionable advice in this episode. I had a ton of fun with it, and I think you’ll love it too.

If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/228

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This Episode's Top Tips

1. Include contextual details in your reminders. Put the address, building name, or even office location in the event title so you don’t show up on time or in the wrong place.

2. Distinguish between “simple” and “easy.” Just because a task is straightforward (like taking out the trash) doesn’t mean it’s easy to do, especially with ADHD.

3. Be strategic with your best focus time. Don’t “spend gold on garbage” - use your high-focus hours for harder tasks, not emails or unloading the dishwasher. Do less, but do it on purpose. Sometimes productivity means pulling back and intentionally choosing what not to do, instead of doing everything poorly.

When you’ve got ADHD, it can be hard to navigate relationships, be they with friends, coworkers, your kids, or your significant other.

That’s why I want to introduce you to another show today. It’s called Sorry, I Missed This.

In the show host and sex educator Cate Osborn explores questions like:

How do I know what I want out of a relationship?

How do I remember my friends exist?

What can I do to handle conflict better?

I’ve been recently listening to Sorry I Missed This, and it’s just been so much fun to listen to. Cate, or Cateosaurus as she’s known on the socials, is incredibly charming, and she brings so much real-world experience with her in these episodes that the conversations feel both grounded and enlightening.

The episode I’m about to play for you is about the influence of ADHD on social skills - I got a lot out of this episode, and I think you will too.

Be sure to subscribe to Sorry I Missed This in your podcast player!

Hey Team!

On today’s episode, we’re breaking down one of the most frustratingly simple yet hard ADHD challenges, eating, because come on, we have to do it every day, but also, we have to do it everyday. We’ve got a returning guest, Jackie Silver, a Registered Dietitian with a Masters of Health Science in Nutrition Communications. She’s built her practice, Accessible Wellness, around making food and nourishment doable, even on the days when executive function is nowhere to be found.

In our conversation, we dig into why eating with ADHD can be so difficult, from executive dysfunction to low appetite, forgotten meals, and food aversions. We also explore practical strategies for eating, managing dopamine-seeking snacking, handling picky eating, and finding low-effort meals that still meet at least some of those nutritional requirements. Plus, we talk shame, sensory preferences, and how to stop making mealtimes harder than they need to be.

Website: https://jackiesilvernutrition.com/

Free Download “Neurodivergent Grab & Go Foods List”: https://jackiesilvernutrition.com/grab-and-go-foods-list/

Free 15-minute Discovery Call Bookings: https://l.bttr.to/htZ1u

Blog: https://jackiesilvernutrition.com/blog/

Meal Prep Made Easy Course: https://jackiesilvernutrition.com/meal-prep-made-easy/

If you'd like to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/227

YouTube

Patreon

This Episode's Top Tips

1. When needed, you can try out mechanical eating, where you are eating on a schedule, regardless of hunger cues, to compensate for poor interoception or appetite suppression from meds.

2. Try creating a grab-and-go food list. Having a list of foods that are easy to prep, safe to eat, and require minimal effort (like string cheese, baby carrots, or pre-cooked rice packs) can help reduce friction when deciding what to eat.

3. Work on acknowledging emotional and sensory triggers for eating. Sometimes we crave specific foods because of their texture, taste, or comfort, rather than hunger. Recognizing the why behind the urge can help you make more aligned choices, and remember it’s okay to fill those other needs as well.

4. Give yourself permission to eat without shame. There’s nothing wrong with sticking with your safe foods when you need them. The idea that adults should eat a certain way can be unhelpful and ableist. Focus on doing what works best for you.