With ADHD, "just wait until later" can feel impossible. Buy it now. Switch to the fun thing now. Say it now. And when you give in to the impulse, it's easy to blame yourself for not trying harder.

In this special episode of the ADHD Skills Lab, Skye Waterson shares a conversation from the ADHD Channel for Women by Understood.org. Host Cate Osborn speaks with Dr. Polaris Koi, an assistant professor of practical philosophy at the University of Turku who researches ADHD, self-control, and decision-making, and has ADHD themselves.

Together, they explore why impulse control isn't just about willpower. Polaris explains how adding friction, removing temptations, and changing your environment can make impulsive actions easier to manage. They also challenge the idea that self-control works like a muscle and discuss how anxiety and self-blame can make things harder.

Cate shares her experience with compulsive shopping, while Skye reflects on the urgency of wanting something right now, even when you know waiting might be better.

No "just wait." No trying harder for the sake of it. No silver bullet.

What We Cover

• Why waiting can be so difficult with ADHD

• How adding friction can help with impulsive decisions

• What the marshmallow experiments reveal about temptation

• Why willpower isn't simply a muscle you can strengthen

• How self-blame and anxiety affect impulse control

Listen to more episodes of the ADHD Channel for Women from Understood.org:

https://lnk.to/adhdchannelforwomenFD!theadhdskillslab

Want to grow your business with ADHD?

You can use my free focus filter to manage overwhelm and organize yourself and your team:  https://tinyurl.com/focus-filter

Looking for an ADHD business mentor who's also an operator who'll turn your business into a finely-tuned profit and peace machine designed for your brain?

Book a call and let's assess you're business to see if you're a fit: https://tinyurl.com/book-a-call-uo