Episode 48: Yvonne Heimann

Focus and Chill - productivity tactics for AuDHDers and other neurodivergent folks

Welcome to episode #48 We’re thrilled to be joined by Yvonne Heimann today.

Yvi was born and raised in Germany where she caught the entrepreneurial bug early on, working in her parents’ business and owning her own pub by the tender age of 22.

Yvonne left the safety net and security she had in Germany to pursue her own dreams. Since moving to the US in 2007, Yvonne’s goal has been to help empower entrepreneurs so they can successfully run a sustainable business while also enjoying life.

Her own life-changing challenge came in 2014 when she lost her husband to cancer. Yvonne was determined to resume her passion for building “bulletproof businesses” that can withstand anything.

Welcome to the show Yvi!

QUESTIONS

1. Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realise that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
   1. Struggled with by-the-book teaching style in school
   2. After moving to the US, became aware of ADHD and found it explained the trials and joys of her brain
      1. Divergent thinking is a big asset for her work with clients - sees things from a different perspective
   3. Microdosing 2 times per week helps with cognitive overload (too many tabs) and anxiety
2. How has your neurodivergence affected your financial life?
   1. In business, she’s great at starting things but polishing/last mile is hard
      1. Learning is to delegate the integration work
   2. Advice to only focus on one thing has been unhelpful. She’s been able to form a cohesive niche from doing many different things
3. How has it affected your relationships?
   1. Got told in the past: “You’re too intense/loud”
   2. Moving to the US has made it easier to find people on the same wavelength
   3. She now warns new clients “This is how I am” and puts out authentic content so she attracts people who like the way she is
4. What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
   1. Coaching for digital entrepreneurs who are open to change and want help systematising their business
   2. Recently published a book “Mastering the Basics of ClickUp: Get Up and Running in No Time: Easy project management using repeatable processes”
   3. YouTube channel + Boss Your Business podcast
5. How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
   1. Fitness: 1-mile circuit around her neighborhood
   2. Going to the beach: amazing sunsets in San Diego
   3. Experiencing food: tamale cooking class
6. What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
   1. Coffee on the patio - sitting and thinking
   2. Reading
   3. Journaling
   4. Gym
7. What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
   1. No client meetings before 10 am
   2. Work mode on the phone
   3. Eliminate decision fatigue: plan the night before (in the future, she’ll hire a business manager to help prioritise)
8. COMMERCIAL BREAK
9. What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
   1. Using phone too much (uses parental controls to help)
10. How do you switch off at night?
    1. Sleep:
       1. Avoid hot baths late at night
       2. Avoid alcohol
       3. Cold room
       4. Weighted blanket
    2. Brain dump ideas (voice notes)
    3. Luna app for sleep: bedtime stories + painting a scene
    4. Aura ring to track data
11. What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
    1. Books:
       1. Her book: “Mastering the Basics of ClickUp: Get Up and Running in No Time: Easy project management using repeatable processes”
       2. The One Thing
       3. Atomic Habits
    2. Apps:
       1. Luna sleep app
12. Where can people connect with you or find your work?
    1. askyvi.com
13. Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
    1. Be kind to yourself

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