Why do people with ADHD struggle with friendships, forget birthdays, or feel guilty about things other people seem to brush off? ADHD coach and author Caroline Maguire explains how executive dysfunction, ADHD social skills, and years of shame shape our relationships—and why self-forgiveness is one of the most important friendship skills we can learn.

Caroline Maguire is an ADHD coach, educator, speaker, and author of Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults and the award-winning Why Will No One Play With Me?. She helps neurodivergent children and adults build stronger friendships, improve social-emotional skills, and navigate relationships with confidence.

Episode Highlights

00:07:50 — Why ADHD friendships became Caroline's life's work

While coaching ADHD clients, Caroline noticed that nearly everyone struggled with friendships, regardless of age. That realization led her to dedicate her career to helping neurodivergent people build meaningful relationships when almost no one else was talking about the topic.

00:11:03 — The shame we carry over forgetting birthdays

Caroline challenges the idea that forgetting birthdays or being late makes someone a bad friend. Many ADHD traits are rooted in executive dysfunction, yet people often carry years of unnecessary guilt over behaviors that don't define their relationships.

00:16:00 — There's no one right way to build friendships

Friendship doesn't have to look like being the loudest or most social person in the room. Caroline explains why neurodivergent people should stop trying to meet other people's expectations and instead build relationships in ways that genuinely fit their personality and energy.

00:22:01 — Using dopamine and deadlines to stay productive

Writing two books with ADHD required more than motivation. Caroline shares the routines that help her enter deep focus, including exercise, music, external accountability, and breaking large projects into manageable pieces.

00:29:19 — Learning to say no without feeling guilty

One of the biggest productivity shifts Caroline made was learning to pause before committing to new opportunities. Setting boundaries and delaying an immediate "yes" helped her protect her time, reduce anxiety, and avoid taking on more than she could realistically manage.

00:43:09 — Ending the ADHD shame cycle

Caroline closes the episode with a reminder that neurodivergent people don't need to become neurotypical to thrive. Self-compassion, accommodations, and understanding your brain create far more lasting change than constant self-criticism.

Connect with Caroline:

Website: https://carolinemaguireauthor.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorcarolinem

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineM

Connect with Jeremy:

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy

Email: jeremy@focusbear.io

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For years, Catherine Lee believed she was lazy, unintelligent, and simply not trying hard enough. An ADHD diagnosis didn't change who she was. It changed the story she'd been telling herself her entire life.

In this episode, Catherine shares her late ADHD diagnosis, how it transformed her self-esteem, and why understanding neurodiversity can create safer, more inclusive workplaces. We also explore ADHD at work, workplace accommodations, executive functioning, hyperfocus, productivity strategies, and why designing systems for different brains benefits everyone.

Catherine Lee is a Queensland-based occupational health and safety consultant, founder of the Neurodiverse Safe Work Initiative, and founder of Lethbridge Piper & Associates. With more than 30 years of experience, she helps organizations build safer, more inclusive workplaces for neurodivergent employees through evidence-based consulting, coaching, and systems design.

Episode Highlights

00:09:30 — Rewriting a lifetime of self-criticism

After receiving her ADHD diagnosis at 55, Catherine realized she wasn't lazy or unintelligent. Changing that lifelong internal narrative became one of the biggest turning points for her confidence, self-esteem, and overall wellbeing.

00:10:30 — Why workplaces unintentionally exclude neurodivergent people

Catherine explains that most workplace systems are designed with the assumption that everyone thinks and learns the same way. She argues that inclusive systems don't just help neurodivergent employees, they create safer workplaces for everyone.

00:22:30 — The hidden barrier to workplace accommodations

Many adults struggle to access ADHD assessments because of long waitlists and high costs, yet employers often require formal diagnoses before making adjustments. Catherine discusses why focusing on a person's actual needs is more effective than relying solely on labels.

00:31:00 — The productivity routine that actually works with ADHD

Instead of forcing herself through overwhelming task lists, Catherine begins each day by identifying her highest priorities before clearing quick "low-hanging fruit" tasks for an early dopamine boost. Timers and structured breaks help her stay productive without burning out.

00:33:30 — ADHD time blindness and protecting deep focus

Catherine shares how time blindness causes hours to disappear without her noticing, and why alarms, scheduled breaks, and exercise have become essential tools for managing hyperfocus and maintaining sustainable productivity.

00:38:10 — Building a life that works with your brain

Beyond work, Catherine talks about the routines that keep her grounded, including movement, cooking, family dinners, and protecting time for relationships. Working with her ADHD, rather than constantly fighting it, has made both work and life more sustainable.

Connect with Catherine:
Website: https://neurodiversesafework.com.au/
https://neurodiversesafework.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-lee-08048695

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

Is planning becoming a distraction?

William Cerdelli spent years building productivity systems, tweaking workflows, and optimizing how he worked, only to realize that sometimes the excitement of building the system was greater than actually doing the work. In this episode, we explore ADHD self-awareness, productivity traps, hyperfocus, energy management, startup building, and the lessons William learned while creating Stu, a physical AI desk companion designed to help people with executive dysfunction stay on track.

William Cerdelli is the co-founder of Hey Stu, an AI-powered desk companion designed to help people with ADHD manage executive dysfunction, focus, and productivity. Originally from Italy, William transitioned from a career in data science to full-time startup building after seeing strong demand for Stu, which sold out its first production run and quickly attracted hundreds of pre-orders.

Episode Highlights

00:09:07 — When planning becomes more exciting than doing
William describes a pattern many ADHD people recognize: spending hours designing productivity systems instead of completing the actual work. Learning to recognize when optimization becomes avoidance helped him become more intentional with his time.

00:10:00 — Managing the hyperfocus and burnout cycle
Some days William feels capable of working 15 hours straight, but that intensity often comes with a cost the following day. Developing awareness around energy management became just as important as managing tasks.

00:11:30 — Why ADHD thinking can be a founder advantage
William explains how rapid context-switching, non-linear thinking, and years of exploring random hobbies became valuable strengths when building a startup. The same traits that can look like distraction often create unexpected connections and creative solutions.

00:14:30 — Building Stu to reduce executive dysfunction
After speaking with members of the ADHD community, William saw an opportunity to create something different from traditional productivity apps. Stu was designed as a physical desk companion that helps users organize tasks, capture thoughts, and stay focused without adding more screen time.

00:18:00 — Selling 100 prototypes before they existed
What started as a simple experiment quickly turned into a real business. William shares the chaotic story of manually producing and delivering the first 100 Stu devices using 3D printers and a small team working around the clock.

00:32:00 — The productivity skill most people overlook
Instead of filling every spare moment with more inputs, William argues that doing nothing can be surprisingly valuable. Taking walks, staring at the water, and allowing the brain to rest became an important part of maintaining focus and creativity.

Connect with William:
Website: https://www.heystu.io/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-cerdelli/

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