Episode 14 - Rest Perspectives: Hustle Culture and the Neurodivergent Brain – Part 1

In Part 1 of this three part series on rest, Lois and Claire sit down for a candid conversation about productivity, hustle culture, and what happens when a neurodivergent brain is expected to function like a machine. From ADHD and insomnia to office politics and masking, they explore how the push to constantly do more quietly erodes health, self trust, and any real experience of rest.

Claire shares what it has been like to grow up immersed in hustle culture, carrying the message that if you just work hard enough, everything you want is possible, even while her body and brain were clearly burning out. She talks about the shame spiral of feeling “lazy” or “not tough enough,” the depressive dips that followed, and how intentionally redefining productivity helped her move from “I only did four things” to “I did four things, and that is a win.”

Lois reflects on her own cycles of running multiple jobs, doing late shifts, and believing that hard work would always be fairly rewarded, only to repeatedly hit ceilings, politics, and burnout. She shares openly about living with ADHD, insomnia, and rejection sensitivity, and how lack of rest magnified every emotional hit, every setback, and every self doubt.

Together, they explore what it has meant for Claire to move from the noise of city life to the quiet of the woods, trading constant stimulation and social obligation for fresh air, dogs, trees, and a slower nervous system. They talk about how saying no to after work drinks, holding firm boundaries, and choosing activities that actually refill your energy, like cooking, walking, or a “nothing weekend,” can be powerful acts of rest for a neurodivergent brain.

Key themes include:

✨ Hustle culture, burnout, and the myth that effort alone guarantees success ✨ How ADHD, insomnia, and masking at work shape the experience of exhaustion ✨ Guilt around rest and shifting from self blame to self compassion ✨ Moving from city noise to nature and how environment affects the nervous system ✨ Boundaries around social time, happy hours, and the pressure to be “on” ✨ Redefining productivity as sustainable, person centered, and aligned with real energy

Part 1 sets the foundation for the whole series, reframing rest as something active, intentional, and deeply personal, especially for neurodivergent people. If you have ever felt like you are doing “everything right” and still burning out, this conversation is for you.