ADHD: Tips for Dealing with Procrastination
Procrastination can be defined as not doing what is in your best interests to do at the time it is in your best interests to do it.
One of the symptoms of ADHD is that the person often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (e.g., starts tasks but quickly loses focus and is easily side-tracked).
Not meeting deadlines or completing tasks can lead to problems in the persons social life, work life and academic career. It can be vital for a person with ADHD to learn how to deal more effectively with procrastination.
Here are some quick tips to assist you in starting the process
- Break up the task into smaller components- We often stall on initiating or completing tasks when we feel overwhelmed by how big a task appears
- Positive reinforcement- Bargain with yourself, agree with yourself that you will give yourself a treat once and only once the task you have committed to is completed.
- Procrastination is often fuelled by the idea that certain conditions must exist before you can start or complete a task. For instance I must feel like I want to do this task before I can actually do this task. It is important to challenge this belief that while having the feeling would be desirable, it isn’t a necessity for you to have the conditions in place before starting. You can begin or continue with a task even if the feeling never comes.
- Set timers- Having a definitive time period when you will work and when you will rest can also aid in minimizing procrastination. 10-15 minutes of work followed by five minutes of rest.
- Pay careful attention to the rationalizations or justifications you tell yourself for not starting a task.
Lastly, in the context of ADHD, procrastination is not about you being lazy. The ADHD brain is wired differently and this tends to play a significant part in the delaying or initiation of tasks. So don’t forget to go easy on yourself even if you slip back into procrastination occasionally but don’t use this as a justification to continue procrastinating.
In cases of moderate to severe procrastination, a specialized psychotherapy reinforcement tool or method may be required. At the Spectrum Centre we offer specialized psychotherapy treatment for the issues stemming from having ADHD such as procrastination. You don’t have to do it alone.
By: Kevin Naidu; Clinical Psychologist (South Africa)
