Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:00]: If your brain feels like a browser with so many tabs open, completely scattered, you're not alone. Frequently, I have these conversations with my clients, with my students, or with my colleagues. And there are these quiet conversations where they tell me, oh, my gosh, so many different thoughts going on in my brain. It feels like a browser with a million different tabs. That's the reason why I thought this is the perfect episode to kick off our office hours. And guess what? We open office hour episode number one. We'll be focusing on feeling scattered in the fall. Let's talk about this very, very important topic, because guess what? You're not alone. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:44]: And in that moment where you say, I've been working so hard, I've been trying, and still I feel scattered, that's exactly what we want to normalize a little bit in today's episode. So we're going to talk about three important things. Learning styles, we're talking about how to tackle those. Then, of course, we have an expert that's going to tune in that's going to address some even more important issues with regard to adhd. And lastly, of course, we're going to give you some tips and tricks, how you can tackle your brain, your learning styles, and maybe going through the fall feeling just a. A little bit less scattered. So let's do it. First of all, I have an amazing interviewer here today, and guess what? When I'm moving through my morning, coming to my workplace, Kennedy is actually one of the first people that I usually see. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:01:37]: She's right in front of me when I teach my workout classes, giving me the most brightest smile. And, Kennedy, why don't you introduce yourself real quick? Kennedy Pauley [00:01:47]: Hi, everyone. I'm Kennedy. I'm a third year at Cal Poly, and I've known Christina Honest since my first week of my freshman year. So over two years ago. And here we are now. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:01:58]: Yeah. So today's episode I thought would be brilliant because she sees me as I'm just kicking off my day. And that's maybe like one big myth out there that we feel routines, morning routines is the magic trick to everybody's productivity. But you know what? We might not be all morning people. We don't all have the same learning styles, and we don't even follow the same pattern and how we assimilate information. So today's episode, we're talking about productivity, the role of learning styles, nervous system, and how your energy patterns play in your ability to stay steady. So, Kennedy, let's kick things off. Kennedy Pauley [00:02:42]: Yes. All right, so let's just start here why do you think people feel so scattered this time of year? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:02:47]: Brilliant question. And I love, for us in the United States, actually moving into the fall, and you think about the fall, temperatures are changing, schedules are changing, holidays are coming up on our calendars. There is so much change that we feel our body itself needs to adjust. But guess what? Nobody teaches us how to switch to that. It's not like there is this magic thing out there. Oh, you in the fall, well, guess what? Now you're, like, ready for all these deadlines, expectations, whatever else is thrown at you. So the beautiful thing about this is let's normalize this. If you do feel scattered, completely normal, we all have that. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:35]: And right now, if you're nodding your head, we're all in the same boat about this. Right. Do you feel scattered a little? Kennedy Pauley [00:03:43]: I do. I try not to, but I feel like it's a little bit unavoidable without the necessary tips. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:48]: Yeah. So one important thing, of course, is that there might be deadlines, expectations. There might be even new roles you're taking on in your life. That sometimes what we feel is the external world becomes really loud, that internally we nearly feel we need a little bit more peace. And I nearly look at it as. There's always input, Always input. You never have the feeling where somebody doesn't want something else. I mean, there's emails coming in, there's text messages coming in. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:20]: There's notifications coming in from all ends. So it doesn't mean you're failing because you feel you can't address it all. It's a little bit like when you stand in a tennis court. These balls just keep flying out of that ball machine right there. That's sometimes how I feel. Boom, boom, boom, boom. He's like, oh, my God, stop it. Stop it right now. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:38]: Right. It doesn't mean that at all. All what it means. It's just that the outside world doesn't quite match what your brain is set up to do. So it's just the way that we process information doesn't match exactly what the outside world is. And because we just talked about the fall, and Kennedy sees me when I start teaching my workout classes, I have a very set routine. When I come to my workout classes, before you even talk to everybody, you know, I know this. Kennedy Pauley [00:05:07]: You, like, flip on the lights, the fans, you put your bag down. She has a whole setup. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:12]: Yeah, I have a whole setup. And I wear a lot of clothing. Kennedy Pauley [00:05:16]: You do? You have, like, a scarf? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:18]: I have a scarf. I have my vest. I have my jacket. So that's kind of like compare this nearly to how our brain works. So I'm coming from the outside in. And before I immerse myself into making communication with everybody else, I let my brain adjust to that, and I give it some time by first putting off my jacket, getting off my scarf that I'm wearing, getting my bag down. And that gives my brain some time to adjust. So think about learning styles just the same way. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:05:51]: Like, you don't want to, like, throw yourself just in there and you're like, flipping a light switch on this and, like, how it works. Give your time. Give yourself some time and signal. All right, so now I. Here I am. I'm coming from the outside in, and instead of like, oh, my gosh, I'm like, fully on. I'm just, like, taking each little signal as my brain adjusting to a new sort of surrounding. And then when I'm like, fully clicking my microphone on and I'm getting ready to teach my class, I used all of these little elements as, like, my routine to get ready. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:06:25]: So that's why I always start with the question, how does your brain learn best? Right. Because that's just what shapes for me everything. It's like, from your plan, your day, and how you get back on track when you feel maybe a little bit flustered in the fall. Kennedy Pauley [00:06:44]: So what exactly are learning styles? And how should we figure out what ours are now? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:06:50]: That's a beautiful question. And if you think of yourself, and you might wonder right now, it's like, I don't even know what learning I am. Let me give you an example. I have a PhD. So this channel here is called Dr. Christiane, and I love reading books. And during my PhD I would actually mostly read academic books. And then I noticed as I was going through my PhD that when I was reading books, it was mostly on paper, but that I actually retained information much better when I listened to it. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:07:23]: So there is a person that learns well by reading, but there is another learning style that might be more audible, like listening to information. And there's another learning style. And actually I figured out I'm more falling into that category, that third category. It's when you actually move around while you digest information. It's this more kinesthetic learner. And you're smiling now because Kennedy followed my little flowchart here the other day. Kennedy Pauley [00:07:53]: Yes. And I landed at kinesthetic. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:07:58]: So if you're here today in the show notes, we're going to pop in a link to download the little learning style flowchart, which is A very visual learning style that you can figure out yourself where you're falling to. So with little prompts and arrows at the end, then you actually maybe learn just a little bit more about yourself. So you can get this for free, Just download, just look in the show notes. And that's step one to maybe understanding a little bit more of what why you feel flustered, because it might just be that you're not pushing the correct on button in your brain. You keep on missing the light switch. It's because you're going for written information and your light switch is actually more like audible information or the kinesthetic learner. How did you figure this out? Aside from the flowchart? Kennedy Pauley [00:08:48]: I just kind of had to look in at myself, looked at the exterior, and I realized every time I studied, I had, like, hands motions. I would draw things out. I would walk around back and forth. So, yeah, I just had to kind of analyze what I was doing. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:09:03]: Beautiful. And then sometimes what's nice is when you look at these elements that you picked up, you remember the information that you digested. Do you have that, too? Because I learn when I'm on my walks, and sometimes when I go back through the walk, I remember what I was learning when I was at a certain part of my walk. Kennedy Pauley [00:09:21]: Walk, yes. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:09:21]: Do you have those moments, too? Kennedy Pauley [00:09:22]: Oh, yes. When I walk into a room and I forget why I went there. So I go back to the place where the thought came upon me, and then it comes back. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:09:29]: Beautiful. So kinesthetic learners in actions. So listeners tune in with your flowchart. And that's step one, what we're going to talk about today. Those learning styles are like the key to unlock your productivity pattern. Because guess what? There's not one way. In fact, we have three in here. But you might even like a little mix. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:09:51]: Think of it as the spice to your success. You might even be a blend of two. So spices are just like learning styles, right? There is not just one spice. We got so many things going on, so let's maybe think a little bit of this. The more you understand yourself, the easier it's going to become. Copying what works for others will work for me because it's not like how that works. Right? Okay, so the quick learning style diagram will help you figure this out. It's helpful. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:10:17]: And it's also like, a little bit of a relief once you figure this out. It's like, oh, that's how it is. Coming back to my spice example, you might just, like, taste something. It's like kind of Bland. But then when you add the right spices, all of a sudden it's like that's what was missing how I know. And you might even add a couple of them, and it's like a sigh of relief. And all of a sudden we just like smooth sailing, so to speak. Right? Yeah. Kennedy Pauley [00:10:44]: Amazing. That's such a great place to start. So what happens when people do finally figure out how their brain works? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:10:51]: Well, what I like to compare it to is my trademark petite practice. And petite practice, petite, French, small, and practice, very importantly. We always trying something, but we're always feeling we can take little steps, the petite practice steps, to figure things out. So that is so important when you're learning something that you're kind of adjusting to learning in ways that work for you. So it's a method for people that juggle a lot, and at the same time, they still have this pressure on themselves that they need to be very productive. So I have three simple course that I use. First, set an intention. And that's super important. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:11:39]: How do I want to feel today? Remember now what we talked about earlier is that your body might feel one way, but your brain tells you you got to do that. Just ask yourself, how do I want to feel today? Do I. Do I want to feel today? Like productivity is flowing. Do I want to take things a bit more calmly? And that is, oh, so important, because in reality, we are not machines that perform every day the same. Some days you're feeling like, oh, my gosh, I can get a lot of things done. I want to be outside interacting with others. And on the next day, you realize, oh, my gosh, today I just want to be an introvert. And I'm like, peopled out from yesterday. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:12:19]: So today I'm just hanging out at home. Do you have those moments too? Kennedy Pauley [00:12:22]: Yes, I would definitely say I'm an extrovert. But there are still times when I love. I'm independent. I love my alone time. So I do sometimes love to recharge and just be with myself, because I think that's also very important. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:12:34]: Beautiful. And I like that you were the word used, the word recharge. And I have this thing that I tell my kids and my husband. We tend to recharge our phones much better than ourselves. Have you ever thought about that? Kennedy Pauley [00:12:50]: Well, no, but I am now. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:12:54]: Yep. We are like, oh, my gosh, I'm running out of battery in my phone. I only have 40% left. Can somebody help me? Does somebody have a backup charger? You would think of yourself that way. Kennedy Pauley [00:13:02]: No, I didn't before. Yep. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:13:06]: So if you think, like, how do I want to feel today? That was step one. And you're thinking, like, I'm, like, depleting my energy. Did you ever think of maybe that everything will work better once you unplug it? Everything will work better, including yourself. Kennedy Pauley [00:13:21]: Wow. I'm going to have to implement that. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:13:24]: So what would you do? Kennedy Pauley [00:13:25]: What would I do? I think I need to learn to say no a little more. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:13:28]: Beautiful. Kennedy Pauley [00:13:29]: Because I always try to stack my days and try to be as busy as I can, which I do love, but it needs to be to a certain extent, and I need to also prioritize myself. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:13:38]: Good. And in fact, actually, I had to practice a few sentences. I know it sounds really goofy, but I had to practice a few sentences of how to say no in a polite way. Because at first I was like, oh, that's like, maybe too German. It's like, no, I don't want to do that. It's like, oh, we can't do. We can't do that. That's like, whoa. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:13:58]: So, like, soft this up a little bit. Right. Because nobody likes that. So I say now, oh, my gosh, I would love to do this. And I don't like to use the word, but. So I usually like to use the word. However, it's a good transition word. I would love to do this. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:14:13]: However, at this time of the year, my brain already has so many tabs open, and yours would just be another one. I feel that I wouldn't give your project justice. I. I wouldn't dedicate the time that it deserves, and I would really hate to see that your project does not do well. So I have to actually, at this point, say, I am not able to help you, but in the future, sometime, I'm able to maybe help you. So that's how I look at this. I'm, like, not saying no forever, but maybe for the time being, I put it, like, on the back, but like, a little bit like when you make applesauce and you push it on the back and you let it simmer. That's how it works, right? Yeah. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:14:49]: Yeah. So secondly, so first was, how do you want to feel today? Maybe realized we needed to recharge batteries. Second, choose one priority. What actually matters right now. And I just talk with my kids about that because my daughter was working on homework, and I said, do you actually prioritize your homework based on what's due tomorrow? And then we talked about priorities that you can nearly look at this as like a Lego tower because you have to build a strong foundation, what's due tomorrow, we have to maybe build this foundation. Okay. Tomorrow we have to build the building from the bottom up. Because the end of the week is like the top. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:15:32]: Right. But we already had the foundation. And so you need to think a little bit about your week. Just like that. All right, so tomorrow I got to do that first. And then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. So that's how we are setting one priority at a time. Do you sometimes think about that way. Kennedy Pauley [00:15:50]: Like, yes, I actually organize my planner from what's the top priority? To like, okay, this could wait till tomorrow if I don't get to it. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:15:58]: Exactly. And even within the same day, you can prioritize things like thinking a little bit. All right, so this is what I want to do tonight because my learning style diagram just told me that I'm a kinesthetic learner. And maybe tonight I can go to the rec center and sit on one of those recumbent bikes while I'm reading. Right. Do you do that too? Kennedy Pauley [00:16:17]: Sometimes on the treadmill? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:16:18]: Exactly. So that could just be that. So tonight I have to read these 10 pages in my book. And meanwhile, while I'm reading, I'm sitting on the recondo. And it sounds like Kennedy's doing that too, right? Yes. So that's your priority right there. You staggered out your TO DOS into what matters right now. Third, take a reset moment is so important. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:16:40]: The moment of pause. What worked, what didn't, and what needs adjusting. So I think of this as like the most important piece of this whole three step diagram. Because frequently we only really think of what didn't work. You do that too? Yes. How do you do that? Kennedy Pauley [00:17:00]: I just feel like that's the first thing that comes to mind. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:17:03]: So hard on herself, right? I know. And when reality, like when I ask my children, we call it dinner downloads, at the end of the day, we do a dinner download. And my first question is always, what was your favorite part of the day? Now I asked the favorite part, and that doesn't mean, like, your most glorious moment. I didn't say, what was your biggest win? I said, what's your favorite part? And it actually could be that, whatever, lunch break, right? And that was not really a win at all. It's not. It's like, that was really my favorite because I'm out with my friends. Right. After a while, I realized lunch break frequently was the favorite part of the day. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:17:37]: And I was like, you actually do go to school in between, right? Kennedy Pauley [00:17:40]: I think that was my answer when I was in like middle high school, too. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:17:44]: Favorite part. So now lunch break. Not anymore. Kennedy Pauley [00:17:47]: Well, because now in college, it's so like, your schedule is so different every day. It's. There's not designated like 7am to 3pm. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:17:53]: With a lunch break, you know, so that third thing. Take a reset moment. What is your reset moment? Kennedy Pauley [00:17:58]: When I'm driving home from school. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:18:00]: School. Kennedy Pauley [00:18:00]: And I'm like, okay, I'm leaving school. I'm going home. Like, work off. Home on. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:18:06]: Good. Yeah. Kennedy Pauley [00:18:07]: That's how I disconnect. Because it can be hard to separate work and life sometimes. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:18:11]: Beautiful. And the more you create boundaries in your brain, but also with these little things that you do, you get in your car that signals to your body and your brain. Now I'm transitioning from work to home. There. Better. This is to make you aware of. All right. There is a reset moment that's coming. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:18:32]: And I frequently even drive and I don't even listen to anything. I mean, it's sometimes nice because we always get that input. And sometimes it's nice to have the moment of silence. Right. What do you typically do when you sit in the car? Kennedy Pauley [00:18:45]: Well, driving. I. I usually do love to have music on because that's one of my favorite things, is finding new music. However, sometimes I will go for walks. No devices. I even take my watch off, just like, fully try to reset and just like, immerse myself in the nature. I feel like that has been really good for me recently. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:19:02]: That sounds like, brave. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:19:05]: I know. Kennedy Pauley [00:19:06]: Maybe I should actually bring something with me for safety. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:19:09]: No, no, no, no, no. I more like was giving you a hard time. Because we always are connected. I know. Kennedy Pauley [00:19:14]: So that's why I've been really consciously trying to disconnect, connect. Because we're always connected. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:19:19]: Exactly. And so the reset button might actually be you're recharging your battery while your phone recharges at home. Yeah. How about that? My gosh. We're really, like, creating new energy right now. I like that so much. So these tiny, petite practices creating momentum without even adding more pressure. And it's really useful for people that struggle with consistency. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:19:43]: And I want to bring up kind of like learning styles we talked about, but there's also, of course, learning styles tying in with ADHD and of course, just being a human in full season. So let's talk about that a little bit. Kennedy Pauley [00:19:59]: That was all amazing. I'm definitely implementing more of these things into my life, but staying organized can still feel like a lot sometimes. So do you have any tools or tricks that can help people with that and help stick to those practices. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:20:13]: Yes. And actually it ties in just with what we talked about. So I talked about the small steps and everything that we mentioned is essentially free or like small or short. Right. It does not have to be that you're flying to Hawaii and you are like creating a set moment by lying on the beach. Not at all. So how about that planner? You talked about your planner and your intentions. Kennedy Pauley [00:20:38]: Yes, I actually I brought mine with me today and you can see I even have tabs marked on like some of my go to pages that I want to get to very easily. So yeah, this has been great. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:20:48]: Yeah. And, and actually I love that we talked at the beginning of the episode about the having multiple tabs open. See how she only has two open right now. Kennedy Pauley [00:20:57]: I have to make it simple for myself. Yeah. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:20:59]: Beautiful. I love that. Beautiful. So talk a little bit about how you're using a planner. Kennedy Pauley [00:21:04]: Well, so far again, because I'm trying to help separate my life and my work. I have my school like designated school planner and this is more my, my me planner. So I've been using it for sleep tracking, meal planning, goal intentions, stuff like that. And it's been really, really great to separate and have two different planners. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:21:23]: Yeah, I like that because the separation is what we talked about earlier that drive home. Kennedy Pauley [00:21:28]: Yes. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:21:29]: When your body signals to your brain this is the time to reset from leaving the work behind to going home. And I actually personally even have this. When I enter my house, I have my guests and myself take the shoes off. When I take the shoes off, I'm feeling, I'm grounding myself with relaxation and I'm honoring the fact that I'm coming home because I'm connecting and I'm grounding and my guests are always like, oh, it's like shoes off. Is that like a shoes off home? And I'm like, I don't know what you mean. But yes, yes, yes. And, and that is also a European practice that we are feeling like I don't want your outside world in my house. I just want you grounded with who you really are. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:22:13]: And at the same time it's a home where you can really rest and relax. And it starts with just, you know, shedding maybe some of the outside world and leaving that at the door right there. Right. Kennedy Pauley [00:22:23]: I love that. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:22:24]: Have you ever thought about that? Kennedy Pauley [00:22:25]: I haven't. Cause we also have a no shoes household. But I never thought about that. I just was like, okay, we don't want to track dirt in. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:22:31]: Uh huh. Kennedy Pauley [00:22:32]: I will now start thinking about it that way. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:22:34]: Yeah, it's like really honoring who you are and how you're connecting with the earth and becoming a little bit more aware of even like how you move and feeling like when you're moving into the house that you're appreciating more, that you can just feel like you're more yourself. Right. Just being human, so to speak. Yeah. Beautiful. So we have that petite practice planner right there on a planet. A little Eiffel Tower action right there. Do you want to open it up and show your. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:23:03]: I am curious about the meal planet now. Oh, my God. Kennedy's doing meal plan. Kennedy Pauley [00:23:06]: Listen, guys, I this week because again, life comes up, things happen. Not a lot is planned so far because I need to make room for life to happen, but I do have a few things scribbled in. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:23:17]: This is beautiful. Kennedy Pauley [00:23:20]: So, yes, it's been really great so far. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:23:22]: So it looks like the meal planner is great. And actually for me, meal planning, because I'm a visual learner, it's nearly like exactly like how this page shows it. It's. Yeah, it is. You too. Yeah, it's these little sticky notes or Lego blocks and I'm building them and I'm even like, I always, I give myself a high five when I have leftovers. I'm like, yes, leftovers. Because I look at life like making something worthwhile and looking at like the little joys on the next day, day. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:23:58]: And one of those joys is repurposing. So let's say on one day, create a really good tomato sauce and then you have leftover. Think about the endless possibilities, what you can do with that tomato sauce. Right? Yeah, you could do pasta, pizza, dipping it. I mean, that's the joy of meal planning because you could just do one batch and then you have your whole week lined up. And without even traveling to Italy, you have so much joy happening right there. Right? Have you ever thought about that? Kennedy Pauley [00:24:27]: Yeah. Well, although traveling to Italy would also bring a lot of joy. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:24:29]: It would bring a lot of joy. So that could be your ultimate goal right there at the end of all this journey. I love this so much. Yes, yes, yes. So it's very simple, no fluff. I mean, obviously I have to bring my German style there. In there somewhere. We are organized. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:24:44]: We are not fluffy. And it has also some of these intentions that we talked about earlier in our three step plan that you feel how do you want to feel what actually matters right now and what worked. So there is also, of course, these little goal moments and celebrating some things that work for you, the small wins right there. So yeah, it's one day at a time. So let's maybe move on, talk a little bit more about wellness. Right. Kennedy Pauley [00:25:11]: This is what I'm very, very excited about. You talk a lot about energy and nervous system regulation. So how does wellness play into all of this? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:25:20]: Yeah, so wellness connection to me is actually one of the most important thing because focus doesn't really exist in a vacuum. Focus is something that's connected to so many parts of your life. And when your body is exhausted, your brain might not show up either. The way that I look at this is as myself and again, like a very visual learner, I think of the body and the brain as like a two way street. On some days your body is really exhausted, but your brain is sharp. And so your brain can say like, oh come on, you can go for a walk outside, put on those sneakers, you will feel so much better. And you know what I mean, right? There are those days. But on the next day maybe your body is like fully energized but your brain is kind of like. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:26:08]: And that's maybe when you are doing more like a cardio workout. You're going for that run and you just let your brain take in all the colors on the outside because your brain is just like, I just need simplicity. But my body needs to get moving. I need to get the energy out days. Right? I do. It's a two way street. So use them a little bit like, you know, like giving each other high fives, like, come on, we can do this today. And your body encourages your brain or vice versa. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:26:35]: That's really how it works. So for high performing students or professionals, it's just a missing piece to figure out. How do you plan your day? How do you take advantage of how you're showing up for yourself? Because we try to think our way out of exhaustion. We try to think, oh, I know I can push through this. And we're not taking the walk. Even though your brain tells you it needs to move. We are just thinking, I'm going to sit here, I'm going to clean up my inbox. I just, I know, but in reality it's just stepping away from your screen. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:27:08]: Where's the productivity goes? My best ideas happen when I take showers. I'm like a water person right there. Kennedy Pauley [00:27:13]: Hear that? Mine is when I'm about to fall asleep. That's when I have my best idea. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:27:17]: Do you have a notepad next to your bed? Kennedy Pauley [00:27:19]: I, I thought about implementing that because I then I forget the next morning I forget. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:27:24]: Yeah, I'm the same way. I have a notepad. And then I even like when. When my pencil doesn't work, I wake up my husband. I'm like, you haven't got the pencil over there. He's like, why are you doing this to me? I'm like, I have any idea right now? And then it's like, okay, I just have to write it down. Otherwise I will forget. So always make sure you have multiple pencils. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:27:42]: Multiple pencils. And maybe even something that will not run out of ink or something like that. So that's important. Then maybe you're really tired instead of just making coffee and pushing through. Oh my gosh, we don't even want to talk about energy drinks. How about getting some water? Something really simple like fresh air, water. Just simplicity is sometimes where the key really lies or giving your brain a pause. And we talked about that reset button right there because sometimes you just feel like, oh my gosh, my brain is about to hit a wall. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:28:15]: So that's really important, especially when you're really sensitive. And we will have, in a future episode, we're actually going to talk a little bit more about introversion, extroversion, what your brain really needs. Neurodivergence is another thing we're going to address in a future episode. And if you have adhd, that is something. It's not just like an add on. Like if you're thinking about you in a restaurant and it's like a little add on, like a condiment. Absolutely not. Wellness is your focus strategy feeling scattered in the fall, a lot of people struggle with focus, and for some, it's actually even much more than a seasonal issue. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:28:59]: It could be that you're dealing with undiagnosed ADHD or executive function challenges that have been misread by some as just a lack of motivation or even laziness. And that's why I invited Gina Johnson to join us. Gina Johnson is an ADHD in executive function expert. She's a specialist who's worked with students with professionals who often say, I tried everything and I still feel scattered with that. Gina, can you help us and understand what's really happening when neurologically someone has ADHD or executive function struggles? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:29:42]: We hear all the time someone has ADHD or problems with executive functioning. What does that even mean? What it means is their body regulates neurochemicals in a way that makes it really hard for them to get to the part of the brain that helps them to slow down, to focus and to plan and think clearly more often. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:30:06]: So Gina, you work with people who have gone years going undiagnosed without realizing they have adhd. What are some of the patterns you see in high achievers? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:30:20]: Some of the patterns I see with people with ADHD and executive functioning struggles are they have so much energy. And because they have so much energy, they have an immense amount of trouble sitting down, prioritizing what they really want and need to get done in a day and getting started on those things. But let me tell you this, when they do slow down and get started, they produce some of the most amazing creative work that you will ever see. They are some of the most brilliant and innovative minds I have ever experienced. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:30:59]: And now, of course, we're coming to our big takeaway here. For someone who's listening right now and thinking, oh my gosh, that is me, what is the first step they can do? Gina, what is your recommendation? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:31:15]: Maybe you recognize yourself in some of what we have talked about today. If so, the first thing I recommend is going right over to a mental health professional and having a discussion. There is help available. Number two, make movement a non negotiable part of every single day. And last but not least, make a schedule. And I know it's really hard, but stick to it every day because this is where you will find your magic. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:31:52]: Thank you. Gina, it was so helpful to have you here on our office hours today, especially if you're struggling with consistency. It's not always necessarily a mindset issue. It could just be that your brain simply needs a different kind of support and that support is available. So if any of these tips that Gina just gave us sound like they resonated with you, just remember it's just the key and the lock. And maybe you just need a different kind of key to unlock your true potential, to feel maybe just a little less frazzled in this fall season. With that, let's maybe go to our takeaways. Kennedy Pauley [00:32:32]: Well, what's one thing you hope people walk away with today? Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:32:36]: I would like, and we gave you a lot of examples about our personal energy and how it happens, but I would like that you tap a little bit of like, how does focus look like for you? Because the way that focus looks like for me might not be like how it looks like for you, might not be how it looks like for you. The way that you show up for yourself is very much just exploring with what you need on maybe this particular day, but also figuring out your learning styles, following the three step system that we gave you and just becoming more in tune and aware with yourself and how seasons each impact you as well. And you might even have that too, where you're feeling like day of the day might be different, the week might be different, the month might be different. Right? You have that too. Kennedy Pauley [00:33:22]: Yes, for sure. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:33:24]: And that's something we just need to be aware of. Be becoming more aware of yourself. Start with a learning style. Build simple habits around your energy, and then stop trying to win at somebody else's game. Because guess what? You can make your own rules. If you want to go to a morning workout class while your roommates are sleeping, you're winning your own game. Yes. And if you want to bring them along next time, that's amazing, too. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:33:53]: But you just do you. And you can give yourself a high five in the mirror. I give you permission about that. Right. But everybody else, you know, you can control yourself. Everybody else, let them figure that out yourself. Because you're actually not scattered at all. You're just ready for a system that fits you. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:34:13]: And coming back to our little shoes that we take off on the outside of the home, you just need to find the right shoes that fit you. Because, I mean, that is in reality, we might try on different things. Am I a morning routine person? Am I a midday routine person? Am I an evening routine person? That is also something where energy comes in. So with that, if this episode feels like a mirror, we have some amazing tips and tricks for you. First, you can download the quick learning style diagram, and I'm going to have Kennedy show this here to you. This is what you get today. It's our gift to you. Then, of course, we talked about the petite practice, and what's been one petite practice you have been trying recently? Kennedy Pauley [00:35:00]: Well, for starters, it's been unconnect, like disconnecting from everything. I've been putting my phone on do not disturb at a certain time every night, because otherwise I go to bed feeling scattered and there's all these thoughts running through my head. So that's been one little thing I've been implementing to help myself. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:35:17]: And actually, I like the do not disturb button a lot because it just respects it. And I have friends that sometimes don't show up on social media, and that's fine. But then I have other friends that actually, they tell me, oh, I'm just going to unplug for the next week. And I'm like, you don't need to tell me that you're unplugging for the next week. It's absolutely not necessary for you to apologize if you're not showing up on social Media. Because if you wouldn't have shown up, I don't think that actually anybody would have even noticed you. Do you unplug? I love that. Remember the battery recharging? Yes. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:35:49]: So whether you are neurodivergent visual learner in just a chaotic season right now or just tired of productivity, there is always another way, right? And what we want to do is learning styles, simple habits, and in general, just focusing on that. So take a break because I'm sure whether you feel you deserve it or not, I'm sure you do deserve it. That reset button that we talked about, how do you celebrate small wins? Kennedy Pauley [00:36:16]: I let myself do whatever it was that I was looking forward to, honestly. Sometimes a walk is my reward. I'm like, I finished this assignment. I'm going for a walk. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:36:23]: I love that. And like, that is so simple. And what helps me is to even put my shoes in a way that I can see them. It's not nearly like you don't have pets maybe, right? But it's nearly like when some people have the dog that comes with the leash in the mouth. Right? I know it's like that. I don't have pets either. But I put my sneakers right there. So sometimes when I'm really stressed and my gaze is kind of like going from my desk down, I'm like, see the sneakers? I'm like, okay, that's my visual reminder right there. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:36:56]: I gotta go for a walk right now. And then I just go. And some people, you know, they're like, oh, yeah. But then I open the snack drawer and I stay in. It's like, well, then put the sneakers in the snack drawer. Have you ever thought about that? Right? Opening the snack drawers, looking at the sneakers right there. It's your visual reminder. So whatever it takes, you can even put a sticky note on there. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:37:15]: Go for a walk right now. Don't eat the snack door right now. Okay, not that that's wrong, but if you want to go outside, that could just be the magic moment right there. With that. Thanks so much for joining us for office Hours. Kennedy, you want to say any concluding thoughts? Kennedy Pauley [00:37:30]: You guys should definitely go to Christiana's Barre workouts. 7:45am Tuesday, Thursday. Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:37:34]: No, that for sure. And then tune in for our next episode. Check out the planner that Kennedy was holding up. And of course, if you have some cool moments that you come to realization with your learning style, we can't wait to connect and hear that from you. And if you are hungry for more conversation, check out the next episode of Office Hours. Thank you. Kennedy Pauley [00:37:59]: Thank you.