Skye Waterson Talks About ADHD, Attention, and Building Systems That Actually Work

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Oct 15, 2025

Skye Waterson, an ADHD coach and founder of Unconventional Organisation, shares her journey from academic burnout to discovering her ADHD diagnosis. She explains why traditional productivity tools like the Pomodoro Technique often fail ADHD brains, advocating for tailored systems instead. Skye introduces her 'Focus Formula' to prioritize tasks and discusses the neuroscience of motivation linked to dopamine. With strategies for managing transitions and using 'dopamine boosters,' she emphasizes creating enjoyable, effective work systems that cater to individual needs.

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ADVICE

Focus Formula: Dump, Triage, Prioritise

Brain-dump everything before prioritizing to clear limited working memory.
Then mark true urgent items and pick one to three important weekly priorities that move the needle.

ADVICE

Use Your Peak Time

Schedule important work at your natural peak energy time, not 'after work'.
Protect that slot to increase success initiating hard tasks.

ADVICE

Give Yourself A Starting Reward

Add a quick, enjoyable reward at the start of a task to trigger starting dopamine.
Use sensory 'dopamine boosters' (taste, sound, smell, touch, sight) at your work location.

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This episode is brought to you by Your Clockwise Week—a personalized weekly structure built around your actual life, not an ideal one. If your week feels full but not fitting, you can learn more at mikevardy.com/yourclockwiseweek.

When you’re managing ADHD—or simply navigating the distractions of modern life—traditional productivity tools often fall short. My guest, Skye Waterson, knows this better than most. A former academic turned ADHD coach and founder of Unconventional Organisation, Skye has helped hundreds of professionals—from entrepreneurs to executives—craft systems that support their unique brains instead of fighting against them.

In this conversation, Skye and I explore the science behind ADHD, the myths that persist around productivity, and how to design frameworks that meet you where you are. Whether you’ve been diagnosed, suspect you might have ADHD, or simply want to focus better in a world full of noise, this episode offers practical wisdom grounded in research and real experience.

Six Discussion Points

The turning point during Skye’s PhD that led to her ADHD diagnosis—and her shift from academia to coaching.
Why common productivity systems like the Pomodoro Technique aren’t built for ADHD brains.
How dopamine differences influence motivation, focus, and task initiation.
The “Focus Formula” method Skye teaches high-achieving clients to identify what’s truly urgent and important.
The role of transitions, zones, and small “dopamine boosters” in sustaining attention.
How leadership and neurodiversity intersect—and why we need more research on ADHD in executive roles.

Three Connection Points

Talking with Skye reminded me that productivity is never one-size-fits-all—it’s about alignment, not conformity. Her evidence-based yet deeply human approach to ADHD management offers lessons anyone can apply: simplify, start small, and give yourself permission to work with your brain, not against it.

If this episode resonated, I’m exploring ideas like these more deeply in my upcoming book, Productiveness. You can follow along as it takes shape at mikevardy.com/productiveness.