{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Focus and Chill - productivity tactics for AuDHDers and other neurodivergent folks ","title":"Are You Planning Your Work More Than You're Doing It? | ADHD & Start-up Building with William Cerdelli","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2397,"description":"Is planning becoming a distraction?William Cerdelli spent years building productivity systems, tweaking workflows, and optimizing how he worked, only to realize that sometimes the excitement of building the system was greater than actually doing the work. In this episode, we explore ADHD self-awareness, productivity traps, hyperfocus, energy management, startup building, and the lessons William learned while creating Stu, a physical AI desk companion designed to help people with executive dysfunction stay on track.William Cerdelli is the co-founder of Hey Stu, an AI-powered desk companion designed to help people with ADHD manage executive dysfunction, focus, and productivity. Originally from Italy, William transitioned from a career in data science to full-time startup building after seeing strong demand for Stu, which sold out its first production run and quickly attracted hundreds of pre-orders.Episode Highlights00:09:07 — When planning becomes more exciting than doing William describes a pattern many ADHD people recognize: spending hours designing productivity systems instead of completing the actual work. Learning to recognize when optimization becomes avoidance helped him become more intentional with his time.00:10:00 — Managing the hyperfocus and burnout cycle Some days William feels capable of working 15 hours straight, but that intensity often comes with a cost the following day. Developing awareness around energy management became just as important as managing tasks.00:11:30 — Why ADHD thinking can be a founder advantage William explains how rapid context-switching, non-linear thinking, and years of exploring random hobbies became valuable strengths when building a startup. The same traits that can look like distraction often create unexpected connections and creative solutions.00:14:30 — Building Stu to reduce executive dysfunction After speaking with members of the ADHD community, William saw an opportunity to create something different from...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/QZFZQrtBSDhon7MItX8a5mQvkXQ5KKmI2fe6dyhM72o/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzMzNDE3LzE2NjEw/NjYyOTYtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}