{"id":14142,"date":"2019-08-20T20:32:46","date_gmt":"2019-08-20T20:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marlacummins.com\/stage2026\/?p=14142"},"modified":"2019-08-20T20:32:46","modified_gmt":"2019-08-20T20:32:46","slug":"what-doesnt-motivate-adhd-adults-to-follow-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marlacummins.com\/stage2026\/what-doesnt-motivate-adhd-adults-to-follow-through\/","title":{"rendered":"What Doesn\u2019t Motivate ADHD Adults to Follow Through"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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I know you\u2019re curious as to what will help ADHD adults execute better. But have you ever wondered what doesn\u2019t motivate ADHD adults<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently I was talking to a client about adopting more helpful self-talk when faced with starting a task that was not intrinsically interesting to her. She commented that it sounded a little hokey and, besides, “I’m used to using more \u201cforceful\u201d self-talk,” she said. I noted that doesn\u2019t seem to really be working. \u201cOh, you\u2019re right\u2026,\u201d she responded.  ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve often heard the phrase, \u201cIf it\u2019s not broken don\u2019t fix it.\u201d And that\u2019s important to remember, for sure. But you should also remember to stop doing what\u2019s not working<\/strong>! And trying to force yourself to work <\/strong>tops my list of strategies that don\u2019t usually work for adults with ADHD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Happens When ADHD Adults Try to Use Force for Motivation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meet Laila (a pseudonym and composite of many client conversations)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laila, like many \u201cuninformed\u201d ADHD adults, would try day after day to force herself to plow through her task list. She would tell himself, \u201cI have to\u2026, I should\u2026, I must\u2026\u201d Sound familiar? And, on occasion, trying to force herself to work gave her enough motivation to start. But it wasn\u2019t sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, when force didn\u2019t work, as it often didn\u2019t, she would once again be facing down a deadline at the 11th<\/sup> hour. Then the pressure was on and she delivered, sort of. Sure, sometimes she was pleased with the finished product. But other times she felt she didn\u2019t do her best work because she just didn\u2019t have enough time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the stress and overwhelm that came with trying to force yourself to work was taking its toll. She wasn\u2019t eating well, exercising or getting enough sleep. And, when she did spend time with her family and friends, she often ended up worrying about work. Thoughts about what she still needed to get done and what she might be forgetting kept swirling about in her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laila\u2019s instinct to try to make herself work is common for ADHD adults. But it didn\u2019t work for her. And I bet, if you\u2019re doing this, it is not working for you, either. So, let\u2019s look at a more effective strategy for persisting in following through on your most important work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know Your ADHD Brain Wiring to Understand Why Force Won\u2019t Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For neurotypical adults, a reasonable amount of external and internal pressure motivates them to start and follow through on work that is important to them or others. It makes sense, if you\u2019re comparing yourself to your non-ADHD peers, you might think this should work for you too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, when forcing yourself to work doesn\u2019t pan out, you may decide you\u2019re just not trying hard enough. And, rather than considering it might be the wrong strategy, you blame yourself, amplifying your use of forceful self-talk. This inevitably backfires, and then you\u2019re caught in a vicious cycle. You use forceful self-talk, procrastinate, use more negative self-talk and avoid your work even more<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sounds familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason force doesn\u2019t work for you is you have an interest-based nervous system. It\u2019s just the way your brain is wired. As ADHD expert Dr. William Dodson points, while ADHD medication will help, nothing will change if you still approach the task with neurotypical strategies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, you will need to figure out what will help you get engaged in a task<\/strong>. Then you\u2019ll be able to map out your journey using strategies that will work for the way your brain is wired and your preferences. To do this you\u2019ll need to both engineer your environment and create the interest you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are a few strategies you can try to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How ADHD Adults Engineer Their Environment to Follow Through<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In no particular order below are a few of the strategies you will find useful to start and follow through on what is essential<\/a> to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do enough planning to minimize the cognitive overload<\/a> that can come from thoughts of all your tasks ricocheting around in your brain. For example, you could create a mind map or process aloud with a thought partner. Just make sure you get out of your head. It\u2019s too busy a place to create a plan. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time make sure you don\u2019t get stuck doing too much planning<\/strong>! Check out, When Planning Is Overrated for Adults with ADHD<\/a> to see why this is so important<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may over plan as a means of procrastinating. The source of this procrastination is often reinforced by your self-talk. To turn this around you can adopt self-talk that will help you start and follow through<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, as you are doing just enough planning, remember the objective is for the work to get done. It is not always necessary or wise for you to be the one to do it. So, consider whether you can delegate<\/a> all or part of the task. In addition to requesting someone you manage do the task, you could also hire, barter or negotiate as a means of delegating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you focus on finishing or the immensity of the task, you might avoid it, right? So, instead, focus on persistent starting<\/strong>. Adopting a warm-up routine is one way to make starting easier<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make the task less daunting make sure it is concrete, doable and small enough<\/strong>. Then you will have a better chance of feeling like starting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How else can you engineer your environment to help you get started and follow through?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How ADHD Adults Create Interest to Complete Their Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The above strategies will help most ADHD adults close the loop on their work. But the strategies below are more idiosyncratic \u2014 they may or may not work for you. You\u2019ll need to experiment. And when you do remember it’s an experiment, not an exam. You can\u2019t fail! So, give it a try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n