In the last post, I shared with you the reasons you may procrastinate. If you haven’t read that one, go ahead and read that and then come back here. Because it’s helpful to know the reasons for your procrastination to craft the right workarounds. Because I know that’s what you want to do, right? You want to figure out how you can stop procrastinating.
And by now you’ve probably tried several ways to stop procrastinating. You might even think that there might not be any other ways to do this unless you have someone watching over you to make sure you follow through.
While accountability can certainly be helpful, adults with ADHD definitely don’t want somebody standing over them telling them what to do. I’m sure you don’t.
The first key to countering procrastination is to understand why you procrastinate. You can check out the reasons ADHD adults procrastinate here. Then the second key is to address the reasons you procrastinate in the first place so you can counter your particular flavor of procrastination.
#1 Identify Where You Procrastinate
The first step in learning to stop procrastinating is to identify where you procrastinate. But right now you may not be giving it much thought. That is, you may pause for a second before going on to something else. It could be another work task, the internet, etc.
Until you realize the report, for example, is due tomorrow! Then you get upset with yourself. Maybe figuratively hitting your head against the wall and wondering, “Why do I do this?!” Then you likely get lost in the fire drill mode caused by procrastination.
Obviously, this avoidance response isn’t helpful. But if you don’t know why you are procrastinating or what to do about it, it makes sense that you would continue this way.
Since you’re reading this I know you’re ready to learn how to respond differently. The first step is to make a list of all the tasks you are avoiding. Then with these tasks in mind read on to see what you can do differently.
#2 Decide What Is On Your Active Task List
Next, drill down into your task list and decide what you need to do. I know you may think you need to do all of them. After all, they’re on your list, right? But like many lists I see it may be more of a wish list. Because you can’t possibly do everything on your list.
So you continue to put off tasks you have no intention of doing. But they stay on your list. And you continue to beat yourself up for procrastinating. Maybe you’re willing to cut some of the tasks from your active task list but you don’t want to forget them. Because well, you might do them – someday.
The Next Step is to create a Maybe/Someday List for tasks and projects you don’t want to forget about but have no intention of doing, at least right now. Here is how you can use it:
- You can have one for personal projects and one for work projects.
- Whenever you do your Weekly Review you can check in with these lists to see if you want to take action on them or if they should stay on the maybe/someday list.
- Continue to add any tasks/projects to these lists that come to mind, but you are not ready to act on.
- Delete those you decide you aren’t going to do in the foreseeable future — make your dog food, take pilot lessons, etc.
One of the advantages of having a maybe/someday list is that you are no longer procrastinating on those projects and tasks that are on the list. Nice, right?
#3 Address Your Related Emotions
Sometimes, as I pointed out in the previous article, your emotions are what keep you stuck in procrastination. For example, It could be fear of failure, fear of success, or resentment.
And until you address these it won’t help to use typical strategies like breaking down your tasks, avoiding distractions, etc. So, addressing your emotions is the next step.
Let’s take the example of fear of failure.* Here are a few strategies you can try to address your fear of failure.
- Remember that failure is normal and even a good thing at times when it helps you move forward.
- You might want to talk to someone, such as a friend, family member, or therapist to get a different perspective. Because perhaps you’re blowing the situation out of proportion because you are stuck in your head.
- Focus on what you can control and adjust what you’re doing as you go along if it turns out it’s not exactly what you wanted.
- Consider the worst outcome and what you will do to address it if it happens.
Fear of failure is just one of the emotions that can lead to procrastination. And above are just a few of the ways you can address it. There are other techniques.
If, despite your best efforts, you are unable to address your emotions so they don’t get in your way, you might need the help of a therapist to help you address the more deep-seated emotions underlying your avoidance behaviors.
#4 Make Sure You Have Clarity
Another reason you may be procrastinating is that you are not clear on some aspect of the task or project. You may not even recognize that this is the reason you are procrastinating.
To figure out if this is the reason for your procrastination, complete the statements below for a task you’re avoiding.
- The best place to start is…
- The very next action is…
- The process for doing this part is…
- When I am done with this part / the task it will look like… If you can not visualize the end, it will be hard to know what you are supposed to work toward.
- I am going to work on this… (If you don’t have a specific date and time, it is easy to keep pushing it off to — sometime.)
How did you do?
For those questions you weren’t able to answer any of these questions, ask yourself “How can I get clarity?
#5 Get Rid of Distractions
It’s no surprise to you that one of the reasons for procrastination is getting derailed by internal and external distractions. Of course, you may even use one of the distractions to avoid a task for one reason or another.
The first step to countering these is to be aware of what distractions keep you from doing your work. Then work on minimizing them in one of the ways below.
- Use a website blocker, like Freedom.
- Turn off your email notifications.
- Uninstall games on your phone.
- Turn off your phone ringer.
- If you are at the office and someone knocks on the door, you may tell them, “I want to give you my full attention. But I need to do this first. Can I let you know when I am available?”
What other distractions are contributing to your procrastination? What can you do to manage them?
#6 Don’t Wait For Inspiration
I know you’ve had one of those days where you just don’t feel like doing something. So you decide you’ll do it tomorrow or another day. You know when you feel more like doing it. This is definitely an unconvincing promise because who knows when the time will be right.
Of course, if you can wait for inspiration, that’s great! But this is problematic when you can’t wait until you feel like doing a task because there is a definitive deadline. So the key is to figure out how you can work even when your mojo just isn’t there.
Here are some strategies that might help you tackle a task in these instances:
- Work with an accountability partner. You can work with somebody you know or use an app like Focusmate.
- Try to make it more interesting by listening to music, walking on a treadmill, etc
- Work on the task when you are most likely to be at your best, whether that’s late at night, early in the morning, or another time.
- If you can, delegate part of the task, including hiring someone.
- Work in an environment that is most conducive for doing that task — at a coffee shop, in a quiet office, with music, etc.
What do you need to do to tackle a task even when your mojo just isn’t there?
#7 Practice Good Self-Care
Sometimes the reason for your procrastination is that you aren’t taking care of yourself and so don’t feel up to working.This is especially true when you’re feeling like your mojo just isn’t there.
To figure out if this might be the case use this checklist below to see whether you may be running on empty.
- Do I need to eat?
- Am I tired and, if possible, do I need to take a power nap?
- Do I need to take my meds?
- Do I need to get up and move —exercise — to wake up my brain?
- Do I need to drink more water?
- Do I need to slow for a few minutes and do some deep breathing because I am overloaded?
What other strategies do you use when your tank is low?
#8 Use A Procrastination Journal
One of the best ways to stop procrastinating is to understand what is happening at those critical moments of choice when you decide not to do a task.
You can do this by recording your answers to the following statements in a Procrastination Journal:
- the date and time of the impulse to put off working on a task
- name of the task
- what you were thinking and feeling when you thought of doing the task
- what you were tempted to do instead
- what you told yourself when you were tempted to do something else
- what you ultimately chose to do
Yes, it takes time, especially in the beginning. But the payoff is worth it.
SAMPLE PROCRASTINATION JOURNAL
Below are a few fictional journal entries based on conversations I have had with clients and my own experience.
March 14, 8:30 am
Last time I had to do the quarterly report I got it in late. So I wanted to get to the office and start on the report first thing because I didn’t want to repeat that experience.
When I opened up the file I started to feel overwhelmed and thought this is going to take forever.
Then I thought maybe I should do some email first before I dig into the report.
But I remembered the conversation I had with Sally, my boss, when I handed the report in late last time. And then I reminded myself that I didn’t have to do the report all today. I can break it down into small parts so it won’t be overwhelming. And that is what I did. I finished a little bit and I’ll work a little bit more on it tomorrow.
March 17, 11:30 am
My colleague Ellie emailed me last week with a question about a program we were doing together. I promised her I would give her an answer by today.
But I just don’t know the answer and I really should! I’m embarrassed that I’m not pulling my weight. I don’t know what to do.
I think I’ll just go take a walk and have a snack
March 17, 12:30 am
Now that I’ve taken a walk and had a snack I feel less stressed and have more clarity. I figured out that what I need is help answering the question.
And I think Sam is the perfect person to help me do this. Whenever I’m stuck he’s good at helping me figure out the next steps. I’ll text him and ask him if he has time this afternoon to talk.
Just like the above examples, if you are procrastinating, try using a journal to externalize your thinking. Then, whether or not you come up with a solution, journaling will at least help you be more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors involved in procrastination.
Then you can work on changing them in the long run.
Next Steps For You
What is one suggestion from above that you will try this week
