From Stuck to Started: ADHD Paralysis Explained

From Doing to Done: How to Finish Tasks When You Have ADHD

From Doing to Done — How to Finish What You’ve Started Do you have unfinished projects everywhere? Half-done tasks, abandoned hobbies, paperwork piles, and things that are almost complete — but somehow never get finished? In this episode, Christine talks about why finishing is often harder than starting when you have ADHD. You’ll learn why motivation disappears mid-project, how executive functioning affects completion, and practical ways to make tasks easier to finish without relying on willpower alone. Topics include: * Why “almost done” can feel impossible * ADHD and sustained attention * Decision fatigue and task avoidance * Small steps that actually help * Building systems that support completion If you’ve ever wondered why you can start things easily but struggle to cross the finish line, this episode is for you. Did you miss the From Stuck to Starting episode? Find it here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510471/episodes/19131825].

From Stuck to Started: ADHD Paralysis Explained

ADHD paralysis is when you want to do something—but can’t start. It’s not laziness or procrastination—it’s your brain getting stuck in a fear response. Key Shifts * Drop the shame * Stop asking “why?” → ask “what’s one step?” * Focus on starting, not finishing What Actually Helps * Get it out of your head (say it or write it) * Break tasks into very small steps * Try the Just Five Method (5-minute timer + start) * Adjust your environment (music, location, noise) * Use support (accountability, body doubling) Try This! Pick one task and do just five minutes. Next episode: From Doing to Done: How to Finish What You Start

How My ADHD Self Gets Dishes and Laundry Done (and you can, too)!

Laundry and dishes are some of the hardest chores for people with ADHD because they’re repetitive, low-reward, and never truly finished—so there’s little dopamine payoff to keep you motivated. Add in executive dysfunction, difficulty getting started, and that familiar “out of sight, out of mind” thinking, and it’s easy for these tasks to pile up.  In this episode, Christine shares simple, ADHD-friendly strategies to make these chores more manageable, like reducing multitasking, adding dopamine boosts (music, podcasts, YouTube), using “fresh eyes” to reset your perspective, and setting up your environment to reduce friction. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s finding systems that actually work with your brain so these tasks stop hanging over your head. This episode may include affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—at no additional cost to you. Magnetic lint bin: https://amzn.to/4slXQLh [https://amzn.to/4slXQLh] Dryer sheet holder: https://amzn.to/4cbtdC2 [https://amzn.to/4cbtdC2] Magnetic strip: https://amzn.to/4cbu06i [https://amzn.to/4cbu06i] Want my free PDF outlining all this? Check it out below! QUICK LINKS PDF: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/XLi30FH [https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/XLi30FH] Website: www.twocatscoaching.com [http://www.twocatscoaching.com/] Podcast homepage: https://asolopersonsguidetoadhd.buzzsprout.com [https://asolopersonsguidetoadhd.buzzsprout.com/] YouTube: www.youtube.com/@twocatscoaching2697 [http://www.youtube.com/@twocatscoaching2697]

The ASSAP Framework: A is for Anchoring and P is for Pace

Making Life Easier Without Starting Over Again A Solo Person’s Guide to ADHD In this episode, we talk about what comes after Structure. If you’ve been following along, you already know: * Overwhelm isn’t a motivation problem. * Staying functional matters more than staying calm. * Most frustration comes from solving the wrong problem. Now we address the part that keeps breaking for so many people: The reset cycle. The new planner. The new system. The new promise. And then—starting over again. This episode explains why that cycle is so exhausting, and how to stop living from zero. The Real Drain: Decision Fatigue It’s not laziness. It’s not lack of discipline. It’s decision load. When you live alone, you carry: * Every micro-decision * Every default * Every background choice No shared systems. No second brain. Anchor and Pace are the final pieces of the ASSAP framework that reduce that load. Anchor: Reducing Decision Friction Anchors are not rules. They’re defaults. Instead of: “I’ll decide in the moment.” You create: “When X happens, Y is already decided.” Examples: * Keys always go in the same place. * Same parking row at the grocery store. * Low energy = no new projects. * Avoidance = pause, not push. Anchors don’t remove freedom. They remove friction. And friction—not character—is what usually breaks systems. A Critical Clarifier Anchors are not hacks. If you try to apply them to emotionally loaded problems without doing Access, Security, and Structure first, they won’t hold. This episode explains why. Organization Isn’t the Goal — Retrieval Is A system works only if you can retrieve what you need under stress. Structure builds the container. Anchors make it usable. Pace: Continuity, Not Speed Pace is not about doing things faster. It’s about preventing resets. Monitoring is not anxiety. Monitoring is care. If you catch problems earlier than you used to, the system is working. Progress looks like: * Fewer emergencies * Smaller corrections * Less starting over The ASSAP Loop ASSAP isn’t linear. It’s a loop: * Access – What feels off? * Security – How do I keep my thinking online? * Structure – What problem are we actually solving? Where does it live? * Anchor – How do I reduce decision fatigue? * Pace – Is this working? Do we need to loop? Smaller problems first. Lower stakes. Real feedback. That’s how change accumulates instead of resets. If This Feels Like Relief If these episodes have helped you understand why nothing else stuck, this work may be for you. I specialize in working with adults with ADHD—especially those who are single and carrying life without a built-in second brain. This podcast shares the framework. Coaching applies it to your real life. 🎁 Free Resource Download the free audio + visual map designed to help you stay steady when your thinking starts to spiral: 👉 https://twocatscoaching.com [https://twocatscoaching.com/] 💬 Coaching Learn more about working together: 👉 https://twocatscoaching.com/coaching [https://twocatscoaching.com/coaching] 📬 Contact Website: https://twocatscoaching.com [https://twocatscoaching.com/]Email: christine@twocatscoaching.com Life doesn’t get easier because you try harder. It gets easier because fewer things need rescuing.

The ASSAP Framework: S is for Structure

Have you ever forgotten to pay a bill… paid the late fee… and then built an entire new budget system that still didn’t fix the problem? That’s not a motivation issue. It’s not a discipline issue. It’s a structure issue. In this episode, Christine Dunning introduces Structure — the second S in the ASSAP framework (Access, Security, Structure, Anchor, Pace). This is the step where you stop reacting and start asking a more useful question: What problem are we actually solving? When you live with ADHD — especially as a single adult without a “second brain” in the house — it’s easy to jump into action too fast. You organize. You reset. You declutter. You download apps. You build systems. And then it falls apart. Not because you failed — But because you solved the symptom instead of the source. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why overwhelm distorts your perception of what the problem is * How invisible cognitive load creates recurring breakdowns * Why small problems are better training grounds than big life resets * The two core Structure questions that reduce mental load * How clarity (not intensity) is what makes systems work * A deeply personal story about misidentifying emotional needs — and what changed everything Structure is not about doing more. It’s the final step before action — and it’s what makes action sustainable. If you’ve ever worked incredibly hard on the wrong solution, this episode will land. Free Resource If your thinking starts to wobble while you’re trying to sort things out, Christine has created a short, free audio + simple map to help you keep your thinking online during overwhelm. Find it at:  https://TwoCatsCoaching.com [https://twocatscoaching.com/] About Christine Christine Dunning is a Master Certified Life Coach and founder of Two Cats Coaching. She works with adults with ADHD — especially those living solo — who want to stay functional without constantly starting over. Coming Next: Episode 31: Anchor & Pace — Turning clarity into something that survives real life.