The ADHD Creative Club

Escape Rooms, ADHD & The Dopamine Game

This week's guest is David Middleton, game designer and founder of Bewilder box Escape Rooms. David has created over 40 immersive experiences and worked with some massive names including Horrible Histories, Peaky Blinders, Paddington, and Black Sabbath. He's also got ADHD, and it turns out building escape rooms might just be the perfect job for a brain that runs on dopamine. * The Dream Job Hidden in Plain Sight: Escape rooms are basically a dopamine delivery machine. Every puzzle solved, every player delighted is a hit your ADHD brain was built to chase. * Coasting at Work (On Purpose): David's honest take on surviving the nine to five: he deliberately didn't go all-out at work because if he had, he'd have burnt out completely. Saving energy isn't laziness, it's survival. * The Side Project Safety Valve: Bands, quizzes, weird creative schemes. Having something creative on the go in the background was what allowed David to keep showing up to the normal job. The side project wasn't a distraction, it was the release valve. * Keep it Simple, Seriously: After trying every complicated productivity app going, the winner is a basic digital to-do list mirrored across phone and computer. If the system is too complicated, you won't stick to it. * OneNote as a Brain Extension: Dumping everything into a digital notepad means you can search for it later. David regularly uncovers notes from years ago he'd completely forgotten writing, and says he finds "absolute gold" in there. * Gamify Everything: From tracking streaks on the NHS quit smoking app to ticking off tasks, the ADHD brain responds to visible progress. Find the game inside the task and you're halfway there. * Swallow the Frog: A tip from David's productivity coach. Do the thing you're most dreading first. The relief of getting it done makes everything else feel more manageable, and gives you an actual win to feel good about at the end of the day. * The Dishwasher Trick: Can't face the whole job? Just put one glass away. Then another. Breaking a low-dopamine task into tiny pieces lowers the dread of starting, and once you've started, you'll usually just crack on and finish it anyway. * Know Your Peak Hours: Without a boss setting your schedule, it's on you to protect the hours when your brain actually works. Fighting against your natural rhythm is a losing battle. * Accountability as an External Brain: Agreeing to do something with or for another person adds just enough outside pressure to make following through more likely. Sometimes an audience of one is all you need. * ADHD Looks Different on Everyone: Delayed diagnosis often happens because people compare themselves to someone else's experience and conclude "that's not me." Years of masking and finding dopamine in different ways, whether that's exercise, creativity, food, or less healthy things, shape how the symptoms actually show up. * Imposter Syndrome Doesn't Go Away: Working on Paddington at County Hall, with a full cast and set, was genuinely exciting. But stepping into bigger projects still brings that nagging voice asking whether you're actually good enough for it. * Ask for Help Early: When you go from employee to business owner you suddenly have to do everything yourself. David learnt very quickly that needing support isn't a weakness, it's just sensible. David's path from office worker to escape room designer to working on major licensed IP shows what happens when you stop fighting your brain and start working with it instead. And if nothing else, if your job involves people screaming with delight every time they solve something you built, you've probably found the right career. * Play David's Escape Rooms: bewilderbox.co.uk [http://bewilderbox.co.uk/], featuring sci-fi themed adventures with Norman Lovett from Red Dwarf. * Explore David's Creative Work: rebelbrain.co.uk [http://rebelbrain.co.uk/] * Follow David: @RebelBrain on Instagram Join the ADHD Creative Club community at https://theadhdcreative.club for more tips, tricks and real talk on getting on as a neurodivergent creative entrepreneur.

Stop Scrolling. Start Making: Why your ADHD brain is burning out on content and the five-minute creative habit that actually helps

* From makeup artist to award-winning cake designer to intuitive abstract artist and burnout coach, Hali Jafari has pivoted more times than most people have had hot dinners. But here's the thing: every single pivot was a feature, not a bug. In this episode, Hali talks about why ADHD's so-called "shiny object syndrome" can actually be your greatest creative superpower, why the antidote to burnout isn't rest but making marks on a canvas, and how a painting she made for her mum became the wake-up call that changed absolutely everything. * The Fearless Pivot: Why ADHD's "get bored and leap" instinct took Hali from total cupcake beginner to international award winner in just a couple of years, and what other creatives can nick from her pattern of push, learn, launch. * Burning Out vs Burning Bright: Hali's honest account of juggling three young kids, multiple side projects, a full-time job and undiagnosed ADHD all at once, and the moment she quit her entire business overnight rather than just... having a sit down. * Art as Active Meditation: Why 30 minutes of intuitive abstract painting beats a bubble bath with a business podcast every single time, and why getting your hands busy is the real off switch for an ADHD brain. * The Consuming vs Creating Problem:Why constant scrolling, podcast bingeing and back-to-back content consumption is quietly driving creatives towards burnout and anxiety, and the surprisingly simple daily habit that starts to fix it. * Just Make a Mark: How Hali broke through years of perfectionism paralysis with three words from her coach, and why she firmly believes every human being is born creative. Yes, even the ones who "can't draw a stick man." * Manifestation Without the Woo: No crystals required. Hali breaks down the practical side of visualisation and why keeping your goals on your radar every day is the real reason opportunities start turning up. * The Lucky B*tch Strategy: How Hali manifested events she genuinely couldn't afford to attend, and why her best ideas tend to arrive when she's deep in her creative zone rather than glued to her phone. * The Creative Playground Journal: Hali's own journaling tool built specifically for ADHD brains. Short prompts, habit tracking and weekly reflection that fits into five minutes. Keep it next to your bed so you don't lose it. * Employed and Still Building: The honest truth about holding down a day job whilst quietly working on something of your own, and why Hali always treated employment as temporary rather than permanent. * https://www.halijafari.com/ [https://www.halijafari.com/] * Follow Hali: Connect with her on Instagram for her 30-day daily creative challenge and intuitive art journey. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hali.jafari [https://www.instagram.com/hali.jafari] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halima.jafari/ [https://www.facebook.com/halima.jafari/] Join the ADHD Creative Club community at https://theadhdcreative.club [https://theadhdcreative.club] for more tips, tricks, and real talk on thriving as a neurodivergent creative entrepreneur

From Burnout to Breakthrough: Building a Business Your ADHD Brain Actually Loves

Ever felt like a Scalextric car being held down on the track—wheels spinning, motor screaming, and smelling like burning rubber, but you’re not actually moving?  Katherine, founder of Lightbulb ADHD Coaching, lived that cycle through a dozen "failed" careers before realising she wasn't broken; she was just using a neurotypical operating manual. Katherine now holds exceptional credentials that place her among an elite minority of ADHD coaches: She has both ICF PCC certification (top 4% of all ICF-certified coaches globally) and PAAC 'PCAC' certification (one of only 6 in the UK). According to the 2025 US National Survey on ADHD Coaching published in JAMA Network Open, most ADHD coaches have not completed PAAC credentialing or professional coach certification, making Katherine's dual credentials particularly rare in the field.  She's also the author of an industry white paper on ADHD coaching standards that's helping to shape best practices and is part of an ethics and standards review with UKAAN. Katherine specialises in working with late-diagnosed adults, especially creative, late diagnosed professionals and executives . In This Episode * The "Scalextric" Effect: Why forcing yourself to "just do it" is actually making you more stuck. * The Diagnosis Trap: Navigating the "hit or miss" world of ADHD advice and why TikTok might not be the best doctor. * Permission to Pause: Why Katherine took a five-month break from her own podcast and why you should too. * The "Bible" Method: How to use AI as a thinking partner without losing your authentic creative voice. * Executive Function "Positive" Assessments: Rewriting the rules so your brain feels capable instead of criticized. * The 20-Minute Truth: A simple time-tracking hack for the tasks you hate (looking at you, emails). * Creative Career Pivots: From iconography and Victorian costume making to ADHD coaching. * ADHD is a Body Thing, Not Just a Brain Thing: When you're stuck in "freeze" mode, stop researching and start moving; dictating a report while walking is often more effective than staring at a blank screen. * Stop "Jamming" the Schedule: You cannot keep adding tasks to an overwhelmed brain and expect it not to burn out; space and permission are the two most important tools in your business. * Outsource the "Menial" to Save the "Creative": Even three hours a week of support can prevent the day-to-day routine from tanking your professional reputation. * Internalised Ableism is the Real Growth Block: The "needle-moving" work isn't a new hack or app; it's changing how you think about your productivity and letting go of "how things are meant to be." This isn't about "fixing" your ADHD so you can work like a robot. This is a conversation for the creative entrepreneur who is tired of the "just use a planner" advice. Katherine reminds us that our creativity is a perk, but managing the emotional "heavy lifting" of ADHD is what actually allows us to thrive. If you're currently in a cycle of procrastination or feeling like an imposter in your own business, this episode is your permission slip to stop revving and start playing. Take the Action Quiz: Want to understand your personal ADHD action style? Visit https://lightbulbadhd.com/go/quiz-guest [https://lightbulbadhd.com/go/quiz-guest] to take Katherine's Action Quiz and discover where you're more likely to get stuck when facing important tasks. Join the Waitlist for Lightbulb Studio: Katherine's group coaching program for people ready to translate ADHD knowledge into sustainable action. Find Katherine: * Social Media Links : * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightbulbadhd/ [https://www.facebook.com/lightbulbadhd/] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhd_coach_katherine/ [https://www.instagram.com/adhd_coach_katherine/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@adhd_coach_katherine [https://www.youtube.com/@adhd_coach_katherine] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-sanders-pcc-accg-803634212/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-sanders-pcc-accg-803634212/] Join the ADHD Creative Club: Join the ADHD Creative Club community at ⁠https://theadhdcreative.club [https://theadhdcreative.club/]⁠ for more tips, tricks, and real talk on thriving as a neurodivergent creative entrepreneur.

ADHD & Money: From £45k Debt to Passive Income Gold

For Maddy Alexander-Grout, the realisation that she wasn't a "broken horse" but a "beautiful rainbow-colored zebra" didn't come until her ADHD diagnosis at 37. Before that, life was a chaotic cycle of self-medicating with alcohol and chasing dopamine hits through a shopping addiction that racked up £45,000 in debt. Now, she’s flipping the script to show neurodivergent entrepreneurs how to turn "procrastin-faffing" into a superpower and build a business that actually fits a non-linear brain. * The Dopamine Debt Trap: Why ADHD brains are biologically wired for spending addiction and how Maddy climbed out of a £45k hole. * Passive Income Gold: Why memberships are the ultimate "low-energy" revenue model for neurodivergent creatives. * Visibility vs. Virality: Why your personality and "quirks" sell better than a polished, viral video. * The "Procrastin-faffing" Cure: How to identify task paralysis and move forward when you have too many "bubbling ideas". * Gamifying the Boring Stuff: Tips for making budgeting and admin feel like a win rather than a chore. * RSD in Business: Navigating the "gut-punch" feeling of client rejection and why it’s usually not about you. * Owning Your Soundtrack: The cassette tape analogy for pausing, rewinding, and rewriting your business story. * Recurring Revenue is Freedom: For creatives, hitting a "ceiling" with physical products is common. Building a membership or evergreen course provides the recurring revenue needed to scale without constant manual labor. * Authenticity is a Filter: Don't hide the "screamy" music taste or the "two left feet". Showing your true self online attracts "know, like, and trust" faster than any sales pitch. * Money Values are Formed Early: Most of our financial "blocks" are set by age seven. Understanding your "money story" is the first step to fixing a broken relationship with profit. As Maddy explains, if it isn't fun, why bother? Running a business on "hard mode" often means trying to force an ADHD brain into a neurotypical box. Whether it's through outsourcing the "chores" of business or building a flexible budget that includes self-care (and eyelashes!), success comes from building a life that accommodates your brain, not one that tries to fix it. * Work with Maddy: Find her financial coaching, the Mad About Money app, and her "Invisible to Influential" membership via her Stan Store [https://stan.store/maddyalexandergrout]. * Read the Book: Grab a copy of Mad About Money at all major bookstores. * Follow Maddy: Catch her on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@madaboutmoneyofficial] (@madaboutmoneyofficial) or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/maddytalksmoney] (@maddytalksmoney). Join the ADHD Creative Club community at ⁠https://theadhdcreative.club [https://theadhdcreative.club/]⁠ for more tips, tricks, and real talk on thriving as a neurodivergent creative entrepreneur.

The ADHD Creative’s Roadmap: Building a Sustainable Business Without Burning Out

For many ADHD creatives, the "business" side of things feels like a separate, hostile language. Celie Nigoumi describes the brutal shift from being a "talented amateur" to a "struggling pro" who was once so overwhelmed by corporate meetings she’d completely zone out, feeling like an "idiot". She eventually realised that building a successful business isn't about fixing your brain—it's about building a fortress of systems around it. * The "Accidental" Networker: How working a part-time shop job became the ultimate lead generator for local business clients. * Charging Your Worth: Why Celie shifted from "50 quid" Facebook shoots to high-end branding by investing in the client experience. * The Funding Secret: How to use government resources like Access to Work to pay for the support you actually need. * Automating the Fear: Using Studio Ninja to handle contracts and payments so your "forgetful" brain doesn't drop the ball. * Feedback as Fuel: How a "Reflection Sheet" helps you iterate your services and provides a mental boost when RSD hits. * Quarterly Re-calibration: Why you need to step out of the business every few months to see if you actually like the path you’re on. * The "Signature Offer": Transitioning from "doing everything" to a specific, high-value "Brand Story Experience". * Systems over Willpower: Don't rely on your memory to send an invoice. Use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system to automate your workflows. If it isn't automated, it likely won't happen. * Support is Not a Luxury: Whether it's a virtual assistant to manage your Trello board or a mentor to get you "unstuck," professional help is the fastest way to scale. * Regulate Your Nervous System: Success is unsustainable if you're constantly in "fight or flight." Learn to name your triggers (like Celie's "Frieda") to navigate PDA and rejection sensitivity. Building a business as a neurodivergent creative means rejecting the "standard" hustle culture. As Celie points out, you can’t run a business while burnt out. Success comes from knowing your cycle, protecting your "me time," and creating a structure that allows you to be the artist without being crushed by the administrator. * Work with Celie: Check out her Brand Story Experiences and Mentoring at celienigoumi.com [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://celienegoumi.com]. * Follow the Journey: Catch Celie on Instagram at @celienigoumi [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.instagram.com/celienegoumi]. * Application Link: Apply for an Access to Work grant [https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply]. Join the ADHD Creative Club community at ⁠https://theadhdcreative.club [https://theadhdcreative.club/]⁠ for more tips, tricks, and real talk on thriving as a neurodivergent creative entrepreneur.