EP. 12: Our Obsession With Efficiency - Why ADHD Brains Need Sustainability Over Speed | ADHD with Jenna Free
Release Date: 06/16/2025
EP. 40: Why Long-Term Goals Feel Impossible with ADHD (And How to Change That) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Join the free "A Regulated Vision for 2026" hangout (January 8th, 10am MST) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January 27 & 28) - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Why Goals Feel Exhausting 01:00 You've Only Ever Pursued Goals from a Survival State 03:00 Why Relief is Your Primary Dopamine Source 05:00 The Primal Metaphor: Running from the Bear vs Picking Berries 08:00 Why Focusing on the End Goal Keeps You Stuck 11:00 What Regulated Motivation Actually Looks Like 14:00 My Real Life Example: 7 Years Dysregulated vs 2.5 Years...
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EP. 39 (Replay of EP. 1): STOP FIGHTING Your ADHD Brain! The UNEXPECTED Path to Success No One's Talking About | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
This is a replay of our foundational Episode 1 - perfect for new listeners or anyone who wants a refresher on The ADHD Regulation Method! (Called the ADHD Reset in this episode) You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Rethinking ADHD: A New Perspective 11:38 The Journey to Regulation: Finding Balance 19:07 The Impact of Regulation on Daily Life 26:03 Awareness and Acceptance: The Key to Transformation Summary Hi! I'm Jenna Free, therapist for ADHD with ADHD here to share a transformative perspective on ADHD, emphasizing the importance of understanding that we have...
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EP. 38: Why Your ADHD Symptoms Feel Worse as You Age (It's Not What You Think) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the ADHD Regulation Groups waitlist here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: ADHD, Aging, and Dysregulation 01:00 Why ADHD Symptoms Feel Worse as You Age 03:00 What Dysregulation Looks Like During Perimenopause and Menopause 05:00 Three Ways to Support Yourself as You Age 08:00 Aging, Appearance, and Dysregulation 12:00 The Society Piece: Pressure on Women 15:00 Celebrity Examples: Linda Hamilton and Justine Bateman 18:00 It's Safe to Age Summary In this episode, I talk about why ADHD symptoms feel worse as you age - and it's not what you...
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EP. 37: Should I Take ADHD Medication? The Truth About Meds and Regulation | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Meds and Regulation - Do They Go Together? 02:00 What ADHD Medication Actually Does 04:00 The Gas vs The Steering Wheel Analogy 06:00 Medication is a Tool, Not the Foundation 08:00 What ADHD Meds Can and Can't Do 10:00 Medication Can Magnify Your Current State 13:00 Trial and Error is Normal (And Expected) 15:00 Possible Side Effects and Who Can't Take Meds 17:00 Where Regulation Work Fits In Summary In this episode, I clarify my stance on ADHD medication and where it fits with regulation work. This isn't about...
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EP. 36: "What Will People Think?" Why ADHD Makes You a People Pleaser (The Fawn Response) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Worrying What People Think 01:00 The Fawn Response: A Safety Mechanism 03:00 The Trap of External Regulation 05:00 It's Safe to Be Misunderstood 07:00 My Garbage Bag Story: Regulation in Action 09:00 How Fawn Costs Us Our Lives 11:00 The Fear No Longer Drives the Bus 13:00 Practice: Who Am I Trying to Keep Safe? 16:00 Building Freedom Through Tiny Moments 18:00 Their Dysregulation Doesn't Have to Be Mine Summary In this episode, I talk about ADHD people...
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EP. 35: How to Regulate For Real: Why Tips and Tricks Don't Work for ADHD | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: How to Regulate For Real 01:00 Why Tips and Tricks Don't Actually Work 03:00 External vs Internal Regulation 05:00 Regulation Through Avoidance Isn't Real Regulation 07:00 Layer One: The Body (Nervous System Regulation) 09:00 Layer Two: The Mind (Thought and Belief Regulation) 11:00 Layer Three: Behavior (Balanced Action) 15:00 Why People Think Regulation Doesn't Work 18:00 You Don't Have to Do It Perfectly 20:00 What Real Change Looks Like 23:00 Start With...
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EP. 34: ADHD at Work: Putting Work in Its Place (The Severance Episode) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Take the free Dysregulation Quiz here - Register for the ADHD at Work 2.0 Workshop - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: ADHD at Work and the Severance Episode 01:00 When the Mental Boundary Between Work and Life Disappears 03:00 Why Everything Feels Urgent When You're Dysregulated 05:00 You Can't Work Your Way to Peace 06:00 Signs You've Lost Your Work-Life Severance 08:00 Regulating Your Body at Work and at Home 10:00 The Beliefs Behind Your Urgency 13:00 Regulating Your Behavior: Finding Balance 16:00 My Personal Experience with Work...
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EP. 33: But It's Boring: Why Your ADHD Brain Mistakes Calm for Discomfort | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Take the free Dysregulation Quiz here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Boredom and ADHD 01:00 What Does "Boring" Really Mean? 03:00 Boredom as a Nervous System Mechanism 05:00 When Dysregulation Feels Like Boredom 08:00 Boredom Can Be a Motivator for Change 10:00 The Mismatch Between Your State and the Task 12:00 Is Regulation Boring? (Spoiler: No) 15:00 This Week's Practice: Notice Your Body During "Boring" Tasks Summary In this episode, I talk about ADHD and boredom - something I...
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EP. 32: The Belief That's Keeping You Stuck in Survival Mode (And How to Finally Let It Go) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Take the free Dysregulation Quiz here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Dysregulation Quiz 01:00 Beliefs Are the Roots of the Tree 03:00 The "I'm Behind, I Need to Catch Up" Belief 05:00 What Are Belief Schemas? 07:00 Common ADHD Dysregulated Beliefs 09:00 Perfectionism as a Hidden Belief System 11:00 Step 1 - Name It, Don't Shame It 12:00 Step 2 - Connect Body and Belief Work 14:00 Step 3 - Update Your Schema Over Time 16:00 Bringing It Back to Reality vs. Potential 18:00 You're...
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EP. 31: The Real Reason You Procrastinate: Your Nervous System Is Trying to Protect You | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Maladaptive Regulation 01:00 What is Maladaptive Regulation? 03:00 Why Self-Compassion Matters 04:00 The Calendar Research Trap Example 06:00 The Scroll and Clean Cycles 08:00 Compulsive vs. Conscious Choices 09:00 Who's Driving Your Regulation Ship? 11:00 Survival Mode vs. Long-Term Goals 13:00 You're Not Actually in Danger 15:00 Bringing Patterns Into Consciousness 17:00 The Three Pieces - Body, Brain, Behavior 19:00 Implementation Over Information 21:00...
info_outlineYou can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Efficiency in ADHD
08:13 The Cycle of Survival Mode and Efficiency
14:50 Shifting from Efficiency to Sustainability
27:11 Rethinking Rushing and Efficiency
Summary
In this episode, I discuss the concept of ADHDers obsession with efficiency. I explore how the obsession with efficiency can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and frustration, particularly when in survival mode. We are talking about the importance of shifting focus from efficiency to sustainability, advocating for a more regulated approach to tasks that allows for gradual progress rather than perfectionism.
Takeaways
- ADHDers often obsess over efficiency, which can be counterproductive.
- Perfectionism about efficiency can hinder action.
- Survival mode creates a cycle of start-stop behavior.
- Focusing on sustainability is more beneficial than efficiency.
- Life is long; we should aim for gradual progress.
- Small actions matter but we often devalue them.
Connect with Jenna