344: Why "Try Harder" Doesn't Work for an ADHD Brain (And What Does) with Brooke Schnittman

📚 PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK Making Home Your Happy Place: The Real-Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm releases February 17th. Pre-order now to receive exclusive bonus goodies — simple, supportive tools you can start using right away. 👉 Pre-Order wherever books are sold 🎯 TAKE THE FREE DECLUTTERING STYLE QUIZ Discover your personal Decluttering Style and get a clear, realistic starting plan that actually fits your life. 👉 Take the free quiz If you've ever felt like you're working twice as hard as everyone else just to keep your head above water… this episode is going to feel like a deep exhale. Because when you're trying harder and harder—making more lists, getting more "disciplined," pushing yourself into new-year productivity mode—and it's still not working? That's not a character flaw. It's not laziness. And it's definitely not that you're "bad at adulthood." In today's conversation, I'm joined by Brooke Schnitman, executive function coach and former special education teacher with 20+ years of experience helping adults with ADHD stop fighting their brains and start working with them. Brooke was diagnosed with ADHD at 35, so she understands this from the inside out—and she explains why willpower isn't the problem… regulation is. We talk about the overwhelm/underwhelm cycle that keeps so many women stuck, how "all-or-nothing" thinking hijacks decluttering (and basically everything else), and the small, realistic shifts that help you build momentum—without burning out or spiraling into shame. If decluttering (or even just managing life) feels harder than it "should," this episode will help you finally understand why… and what to do instead.  KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: 1) "Try harder" backfires because ADHD isn't an effort problem—it's a regulation problem Brooke explains how ADHD brains can't reliably access willpower the same way, especially under stress. When you push harder, your nervous system floods, executive function shuts down, and the shame spiral kicks in. 2) Underwhelm can be just as paralyzing as overwhelm—and it's sneakier Overwhelm looks like "too much." But underwhelm looks like "I'm bored, stuck, scrolling, restless… and I don't know why I can't start." Brooke shares how ADHD brains need the right level of stimulation to initiate action. 3) Momentum comes from tiny wins (the "1% step"), not marathon motivation One small action creates a dopamine hit → which creates more action → which creates momentum → which creates confidence. You don't need a perfect plan. You need a next step you can actually do—and ideally, accountability to help you do it. Mentioned In This Episode Coaching with Brooke: https://www.coachingwithbrooke.com/ Get Brooke's Book: https://www.coachingwithbrooke.com/activatebook Brooke's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachingwithbrooke/ Ready to Simplify Even More? Start Here: 🗞️ Join the Ready, Set, Simplify Newsletter Over 35,000 women read it weekly for clutter-busting tips, tiny mindset shifts, and practical steps to simplify your home and your life. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/simplify 🧡 Loved this episode? Join me inside the Clutter Cure Club — where we take conversations like this even deeper, and I help you simplify everything. 👉 https://www.katyjoywells.com/cluttercureclub-page837548 📲 Come Say Hi on Instagram Behind-the-scenes, real-life simplicity, and lots of laughs. 💛 @katyjoywells SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful if you'd take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps this show reach more women who need a simpler way forward. 💛