Skye Waterson: Creative work and ADHD

We’ve talked with people across many creative disciplines on Design Better, and there’s a red thread that keeps popping up—many are neurodivergent in some way. A diagnosis of ADHD in childhood can seem like a disadvantage, but it can actually become a superpower that enables hyper-focus and deep learning. We wanted to learn more about ADHD so we called in an expert—Skye Waterson. Skye received a surprise ADHD diagnosis at the beginning of her Ph.D. program, which led her to research and develop strategies to help other adults with ADHD reach their potential. Now, she has an international business called the Unconventional Organisation which supports more than 800 professionals with ADHD. We spoke with Skye about some common challenges that people with ADHD face at work, why the modern work environment does not always work for ADHD thinkers, as well as some communication strategies for collaborating with neurodiverse people in your work. For full show notes, bonus content, and more, visit our Substack: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/skye-waterson Bio Skye Waterson is an academic with over seven years of experience working in adult education. She has studied in various fields, including Psychology, Sociology, and Public Health, and is now a Doctoral Candidate in Population Health. Skye was diagnosed with ADHD at the start of her doctorate. Since then, she has dedicated time to researching and disseminating ADHD studies, focusing on supporting others with strengths-based, neurodiverse-friendly tools and systems. *** Premium Episodes on Design Better This is a premium episode on Design Better. We release two premium episodes per month, along with two free episodes for everyone. Premium subscribers also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, access to our (small but growing!) library of books and participation in book giveaways, and our new enhanced newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. Upgrade to paid *** Visiting the links below is one of the best ways to support our show: On Set With: The HGTV and Max On Set With podcast explores the sets and world building of beloved films and TV shows produced by Warner Bros. Discovery through conversations with art directors and set designers. Each episode highlights a different iconic set from film or television. Through a constellation of voices (set decorators, production designers, directors, and showrunners) our audience gets a first-hand account of the creation of the environments that became a part of our collective, global iconography — and actionable tips to bring the power of scenic design into our listeners’ own spaces. Listen to On Set With on Spotify Listen to On Set With on Apple Podcasts