Episode 101: Sharon Collon

Focus and Chill - productivity tactics for AuDHDers and other neurodivergent folks

Welcome to Episode 101!
We’re thrilled to be joined by Sharon Collon, ADHD coach, parenting expert, and founder of The Functional Family. Sharon shares her journey of creating practical ADHD strategies for individuals and families by working with—not against—the ADHD brain.

JN: Can you tell us about your experience with ADHD?

• Married into ADHD: fell in love with her husband’s hyperactive ADHD brain.
• Recognized early signs in her children, leading to family-wide support efforts.
• Started with therapies, pivoted to whole-family ADHD-focused strategies after burnout.

JN: What challenges did you face?

• Emotional dysregulation across the whole family.
• Throwing therapies at the problem without seeing real-life results.
• Overwhelm, financial strain, and lack of holistic support initially.

JN: What changes came after studying ADHD formally?

• Focused on family dynamics, not just child interventions.
• Created practical, strengths-based strategies tailored to ADHD brains.
• Shifted toward helping families and adults find what uniquely works for them.

JN: What neuroexceptional strengths do you see often?

• Kindness, love of learning, fairness, and justice are common strengths.
• Incredible problem-solving abilities and pattern recognition.
• Ability to disrupt stagnant systems with creativity and new ideas.

JC: What projects are you working on now?

• ADHD Classroom Strategies Course for teachers.
• Sibling Conflict Programs to foster harmony.
• A 31-Day Family Connection Challenge.
• Focus on Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria education.

JN: What are your productivity tips for ADHD brains?

• Light theme days instead of rigid time-blocking.
• Opening and closing workday rituals to set a rhythm.
• Weekly "triage" system to prioritize tasks like an ER nurse.

JN: What productivity strategies tend to fail?

• Heavy structure early on often backfires.
• Ignoring time-awareness challenges leads to procrastination.
• Rigid routines without flexibility result in abandonment.

JN: How has your morning routine evolved?

• Focus on removing friction points (example: toothbrush at the breakfast table).
• Environmental changes to support easy habit formation.
• Finding micro-moments of joy (like cappuccinos and sea walks).

JN: How is your sleep, and how do you switch off?

• Sleep is a major challenge ("three sleep terrorists" + husband’s snoring).
• Critical to physically lock away her phone at night.
• Uses magnesium, low lighting, and consistent sleep signals for winding down.

JN: Where can people connect with you?

• Website: https://www.thefunctionalfamily.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefunctionalfamily/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalfamily/

JN: Final Words for the Audience

• "You don't need to try harder—you need to try differently."
• Embrace experimentation, celebrate progress, and build strategies that work uniquely for you.

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