Regulation First. Results Follow.
- Meghann Birks
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Why most productivity systems fail neurodivergent leaders.
I have a graveyard of abandoned productivity tools, and I'm guessing you do too.
Bullet journals with three entries.
Apps I used for exactly one week (and am still paying for, oops!).
Time-blocking schedules that looked perfect on Sunday and fell apart by Tuesday.
You don't need another notebook, you need to understand what's really going on.
What most neurodivergent leaders experience:
You implement systems perfectly for about 72 hours.
Your brain feels foggy and chaotic even though you're smart AF.
Everything feels equally urgent (or nothing feels urgent at all).
You flip flop between productive sprints and complete crashes.
You're exhausted from just trying to function.
These are all signs your nervous system is dysregulated, and there’s no hack for that.
What is nervous system regulation?
It's your body's ability to:
Return to baseline after stress (not avoiding stress!)
Accurately assess real vs. perceived threats
Access your full cognitive capacity
Make decisions from clarity and intention, not panic
Why it's harder for neurodivergent brains:
Sensory processing differences create more nervous system load
Executive function is directly tied to regulation
Years of "not fitting in" create baseline dysregulation
Traditional "push through" approaches make it worse
When leaders are dysregulated, they are reacting not responding.
When regulated? Strategic clarity, executive presence, sustainable performance.
The Regulation-First Leadership Approach:
1. Morning Regulation Check (before your work day even starts):
What’s my capacity today? (HINT: If you’re female, this fluctuates a LOT)
Am I resourced enough for what's ahead?
What resources do I need? (water, food, support, clarity?)
Are they internal or external?
2. Design Your Environment (when possible)
Minimise sensory overwhelm (lighting, noise, visual clutter).
Build in transition time between tasks, and use it.
Protect deep focus periods.
Create predictable structure with room for flexibility.
3. Learn YOUR Regulation Tools (what actually works for YOUR nervous system and what you have TIME for):
Movement (walking, stretching, dancing)
Breathwork (box breathing, physiological sighs)
Co-regulation (body doubling, working near others)
Nature exposure
Music or silence (whatever you need)
Stimming or fidgeting
Creative expression
Get support (like coaching!) that can help:
Identify YOUR nervous system patterns and triggers
Build a personalised regulation toolkit
Design work environments and rhythms that support regulation
Recognise early dysregulation signs before they become burnout
Integrate regulation into leadership, not treating it as separate "self-care"
This isn't about adding more to your to-do list. It's about building the foundation so everything else becomes possible.
Ready to change how you live and lead? Check out my services here.
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