Do you often avoid tasks that seem boring or mundane? Or get so overwhelmed by big work projects that you put them off to the last minute? Or maybe you procrastinate messaging your friends back because you don’t have the focus or energy. People with ADHD often struggle with procrastination, leading to problems at work, home, and in relationships. Although everyone procrastinates from time to time, those with ADHD tend to struggle with chronic procrastination that can have an negative impact on all aspects of their life. If you’re tired of it running your life, here are 8 strategies to manage ADHD and procrastination.
What’s the Link Between ADHD & Procrastination?
People with ADHD tend to procrastinate more than neurotypical individuals. While procrastination isn’t a core sign of ADHD, certain ADHD symptoms can lead to procrastination, including issues with planning, prioritizing, organizing and decision making. Challenges with these executive functions can cause you to get overwhelmed and shut down, preventing you from starting a project or moving forward on the task at hand. You may also find yourself delaying everyday tasks such as doing the laundry or going to pick up groceries.
Procrastination for individuals with ADHD stems from the inability to regulate emotions and moods. It’s difficult for you to manage negative moods around the task, so you put off doing it. Dopamine deficiency in people with ADHD is also thought to help explain the connection between ADHD and procrastination. A lack of dopamine can make doing tasks that aren’t interesting feel impossible. Hyperfocus can also play a role. While hyperfocus can be beneficial if you’re focused on a project, it can also be a huge distraction and lead to procrastination on other responsibilities.
Procrastination becomes a problem when it’s chronic, which tends to often be the case for adults with ADHD. This can cause issues at work when tasks aren’t completed until the last minute or are handed in beyond their deadline. It can also lead to tension at home if the bills aren’t paid on time or household responsibilities are continuously put off. The failure to complete tasks can also lead to guilt, shame and frustration, resulting in negative moods and low self-esteem.
8 Strategies to Manage ADHD and Procrastination
1. Create Daily Lists
A simple piece of paper and a pen often works well for individuals with ADHD. At the start of each day, make a list that includes your workload, responsibilities, meetings, appointments, and any social obligations you may have. You’re going to want to write down your daily list by hour, giving each task or activity a specified time slot. This can be helpful for structuring your day and making sure you stay on track.
2. Break Larger Tasks into Smaller Ones
It’s often the large scope of a project that triggers the feelings of overwhelm that lead to procrastination. Breaking larger tasks into smaller ones keeps them from feeling too difficult. Write out each smaller task within the project and complete them as individual projects with deadlines. This will help you move forward on tasks and projects rather than getting stuck.
3. Know Your Most Productive Times
It’s important to figure out when you’re most productive during the day. If you notice it’s harder for you to concentrate at certain times of day, save that time for easier tasks that don’t require as much brain power. Understanding when your energy and focus are at their highest can be game changing. Schedule the tasks you tend to procrastinate during these times to enhance your chance of getting them done.
4. Limit Distractions
Distractions and procrastination and deeply intertwined. Distractions offer a great way to avoid or delay tasks, so it’s important that you limit them as much as possible when trying to get something done. Put your phone on “do not disturb” and keep it out of sight, block distracting websites, and find a quiet workspace free from interruptions. You can also try using noise-cancelling headphones, white noise or music that helps you focus.
5. Make Tasks Enjoyable
Are there certain household chores that you always put off or avoid? Maybe it’s cleaning the bathrooms, folding laundry, or vacuuming and mopping the floor. Make these chores more enjoyable by listening to your favourite podcast or audiobook while you do them, or splurging on a fun tool or supply. It can also be helpful to create a weekly cleaning schedule so you know when tasks need to get done, rather than just leaving it up to yourself to do when you feel like it.
6. Give Yourself Rewards
Coming up with some type of reward system can help you do the tasks you don’t want to do or aren’t interested in doing. When you know that something good lies on the other side of a task, it makes it more bearable. This could be anything from getting to watch your favourite TV show once you’ve done the dishes, visiting to your go-to coffee shop once you’ve completed a work deadline or buying yourself a new book or outfit when you finish a project. Choose rewards that make you excited and propel you to work on your task.
7. Medication and Occupational Therapy
A healthcare professional can come up with an ADHD treatment plan for you, which often involves medication and occupational therapy. There are two types of medication for ADHD treatment (stimulants and non-stimulants). Stimulants are often more helpful for those who struggle with procrastination. Occupational therapy can help you with time management skills and build up your discipline to be able to complete tasks. It can also help you address the reasons for avoiding certain activities and create a plan for getting more done.
8. Try Body Doubling
Body doubling is a productivity strategy that involves doing tasks in the presence of someone else. Having a supportive person nearby can enhance accountability and make it harder to avoid tasks. It helps you focus, boosts motivation, and reduces potential distractions. Your body double can be a family member, friend or colleague. They don’t need to be working on the same thing as you, they just need to be there. Body doubling can be done in person or virtually. You could be doing laundry, working on a project, or cooking a meal. Try it out next time you feel like you need some external motivation.
If you have ADHD and struggle with procrastination, try these strategies to enhance productivity and get more done.
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