“My work’s my special interest… it’s just the way it works.”

In this follow-up conversation, Gold returns to talk about autistic routines, sensory-friendly travel, evolving productivity habits, and what changes as you get older and learn to pace yourself.

From choosing quieter hotels to letting go of perfectionism and learning to say no, this episode explores the small, practical adjustments that can make work and life more sustainable for autistic adults.

If you’ve ever struggled with sensory overload while traveling, found it hard to switch off from work, or are learning to balance productivity with self-acceptance, this conversation offers grounded, real-world insights.

Kyriakos Gold is the founder of Just Gold Agency and a passionate advocate for neurodivergent inclusion. Through storytelling, community impact initiatives and social entrepreneurship, he helps create workplaces and environments where autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people don’t need to mask to belong. Kyriakos is also a leader in Autistic Pride Day and has driven multiple projects empowering neurodivergent voices globally.

Episode Highlights

00:01:05 — When your work becomes your special interest
Gold shares how his work naturally became his primary special interest. Rather than forcing separation, he has learned to work with this tendency while still building in breaks and enjoyable rituals like food and travel.

00:03:35 — What makes a hotel sensory-friendly
He explains that “sensory friendly” often comes down to lighting, acoustics, materials, and spatial design. Small environmental details like noise bleed and harsh lighting can dramatically affect comfort.

00:17:00 — Letting go of all-or-nothing productivity
Earlier in his career, he would work extreme hours to complete every task before resting. Over time, he shifted toward weekly planning and allowing unfinished work without self-punishment.

00:20:30 — Learning to say no and trust body signals
Gold describes becoming more selective about commitments and listening to physical fatigue cues. This shift has made work and life significantly more sustainable.

00:22:00 — Navigating social situations without drinking
He shares practical scripts for declining loud pub environments and suggesting quieter alternatives. Framing the request around environment rather than diagnosis often works well.

00:26:09 — Trying new things without forcing yourself to keep them
In his closing reflection, Gold encourages experimenting with new strategies slowly and safely. The goal is not to copy what others do, but to build a life that genuinely fits.

Connect with Kyriakos Gold:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyriakosgold/
Website: https://justgold.net/

Connect with Jeremy:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy
Email: jeremy@focusbear.io

More from Focus Bear:
Website: https://focusbear.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-bear/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@focusbearapp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/focusbear1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focus_bear/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusbearapp/
Podcast: https://podcast.focusbear.io
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@focusbear

“I always felt a bit like an alien… I was different to everyone else and wasn’t really sure why.”

Before her ADHD and autism diagnoses, Hannah Baden Hop kept hearing the same advice: just focus. But in the classroom, that instruction never made sense. In this episode, she shares what school was really like as a neurodivergent student, how understanding her brain changed her confidence, and why visual learning and interest-driven focus made such a difference.

If you’ve ever struggled to pay attention in traditional classrooms, felt “different” growing up, or are supporting neurodivergent learners, this conversation explores what actually helps and why one-size-fits-all learning often misses visual thinkers.

Hannah Baden Hop has worked across multiple roles at Autism South Australia, where she champions neuro-inclusive practice through community engagement and resource development. As a neurodivergent professional herself, she contributes to initiatives such as Neuro Inclusive Recruiting and the Autistic Guide to Adulthood, helping ensure autistic voices shape the supports designed for them.

00:02:46 — Feeling like an outsider in class
Hannah describes growing up feeling “like an alien” compared to her peers. Without understanding why she struggled socially and academically, the disconnect was both confusing and isolating.

00:02:55 — When “just focus” didn’t make sense
Teachers often told her to simply pay attention, but she couldn’t understand why focusing felt so difficult. The advice created pressure without addressing how her brain actually worked.

00:04:30 — Grades changed when she followed her interests
Earlier schooling was difficult when subjects didn’t engage her attention. But once she could hyperfocus on business and graphic design, she achieved top marks, showing how interest-driven focus shaped her learning.

00:07:06 — Why visual learning works better
Hannah explains that diagrams, visuals, and varied communication styles help her stay engaged. Lecture-only teaching made it much harder to absorb information effectively.

00:15:16 — Using hyperfocus strategically at work
She now watches for moments when her brain “locks in” and uses them to complete high-impact work quickly. Building momentum with quick wins helps on lower-energy days.

00:28:40 — Self-acceptance is a journey
Hannah reflects on initially feeling hesitant to disclose her neurodivergence. Over time, connecting with other autistic people helped her grow more confident and accepting of how her brain works.

Connect with Hannah:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/creativemarketingdesigner/

Connect with Jeremy:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy
Email: jeremy@focusbear.io

More from Focus Bear:
Website: https://focusbear.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-bear/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@focusbearapp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/focusbear1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focus_bear/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusbearapp/
Podcast: https://podcast.focusbear.io
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@focusbear

“…you internalized that you’re doing something wrong because you don’t feel or act the way other people do.”

In this candid conversation, Reuben Schwartz shares what autistic burnout actually felt like behind the scenes, from years of sleep deprivation as a parent to the quiet habit of constantly judging himself for being different.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to be “normal,” struggled with burnout, or wrestled with the realities of autistic parenting, this episode explores what changes after diagnosis, why pacing matters more than pushing through, and how self-understanding can reduce the constant inner pressure.

Ruben is a startup consultant based in Sydney. He’s on his 13th different career, currently writing Choose Your Own Adventure books for startup founders, while wearing many other hats. After 45 often confusing years, including the last five raising a young child, he was diagnosed as autistic last year and is still working through what that means.

Episode Highlights

00:01:22 — Four years of severe sleep deprivation
Reuben describes how his daughter’s sleep issues led to years of chronic exhaustion while he was still working full time. The prolonged sleep deprivation began affecting his health, decision-making, and overall functioning.

00:09:13 — When parenting exhaustion becomes physical
He shares how extreme fatigue pushed his body to its limits, including hallucinations and loss of control. The experience reshaped his understanding of what true exhaustion can do to a person.

00:29:14 — Stopping the self-judgment spiral
After his autism diagnosis, Reuben began recognizing how often he had been harshly judging himself for his natural responses and needs. Accepting how his brain works helped him stop trying to “correct” himself constantly.

00:45:00 — Trying to be “normal” for years
He reflects on how many life choices in his twenties were driven by copying what others were doing. Only later did he realize he had been chasing normality rather than what he actually wanted.

00:46:23 — Pacing energy to be a better parent
Understanding autistic burnout helped him recognize his limits around sensory and emotional load. By pacing his time more intentionally, he can now show up more patiently with his daughter.

00:47:00 — Learning to be less hard on himself
Reuben explains how diagnosis helped him reframe his constant self-criticism. Instead of viewing his needs as moral failures, he now sees them as physical and neurological realities.

Subscribe for more honest conversations about autism, ADHD, burnout, and neurodivergent life.

Connect with Reuben Schwartz:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reubenschwarz/

Connect with Jeremy:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy
Email: jeremy@focusbear.io

More from Focus Bear:
Website: https://focusbear.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-bear/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@focusbearapp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/focusbear1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focus_bear/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusbearapp/
Podcast: https://podcast.focusbear.io
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@focusbear