023: How to pick the right strategies to navigate perfectionism, executive dysfunction, and ADHD paralysis

From Stuck to Started: Executive Function & ADHD Coaching to Take Action

Have you ever spent hours researching the perfect planner, rewriting an email 10 times before hitting send, or waiting for the right time to start a project? You might think it’s perfectionism, but what if it’s actually executive dysfunction?

In this episode, I break down how perfectionism and executive dysfunction overlap, why both can keep you stuck, and how to recognize what’s really holding you back. By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to identify whether it’s perfectionism, executive dysfunction, or both—and what to do next.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How perfectionism and executive dysfunction create a cycle of avoidance

✅ The difference between procrastination, perfectionism, and task paralysis

✅ How time blindness makes perfectionists wait for the perfect time

✅ Why searching for the “best” system can actually be procrastination

✅ A practical way to recognize what’s really keeping you stuck

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Resources Mentioned:

• Sign up for the FREE ADHD Action Plan Private Podcast
• Join the ADHD Coaching Membership: Stuck to Started
• Read the blog version of this episode here: https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/podcast/023

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

Mentioned in this episode:

Build Routines That Actually Work for Your Brain

If your morning routine falls apart after three days, it’s not you—it’s the system. Learn how to create ADHD-friendly rhythms inside the Stuck to Started coaching membership, launching June 25. https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/membership

Stuck to Started