4 coping skills to manage ADHD-influenced procrastination 🎯

Is there something you need to do, but you're having a hard time getting started? Have you been diagnosed with ADHD and find yourself constantly procrastinating?

The right coping skills will help you manage ADHD-influenced procrastination! 💪🏽

Studies have shown that ADHD symptoms can increase a person's likeliness to procrastinate. This is because ADHD symptoms, like inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, can make it difficult to start and finish a task.

So why do people with ADHD procrastinate? Here are a few possible reasons:

• Lower motivation: You may struggle to do something because your brain has a harder time producing the chemicals that control pleasure and motivation.

• Lower emotional control: Managing stress and emotions can be difficult with ADHD. Difficult tasks could feel overwhelming.

• Mind wandering: Inattentiveness is one possible symptom of ADHD, making it hard to stay focused.

Photo by Bhautik Patel on Unsplash

Remember, procrastinating doesn't mean you're lazy or unable to finish anything. Getting diagnosed, getting medical attention, and learning skills to cope with ADHD procrastination can be a big help.

It's easier to procrastinate when there are a lot of distractions around you. The great news is that you can eliminate this problem by having a productive work environment.

Here's how you can create the right work environment:

• Find somewhere quiet where other people can't distract you.

• Remove unrelated items from your desk.

• Move away from TVs and screens.

• Put your phone on silent and make it hard to reach.

A large task can feel overwhelming, and can lead you to procrastinate. It's easier if you take it one step at a time. You can do this by:

• Breaking up a large project into smaller tasks. Maybe instead of writing your whole paper, you make it a goal to just write the introduction.

• Using lists is a good way to break down tasks into simpler goals. This also organizes your tasks into actionable steps!

Don't multitask! ❌

Focus on doing one task at a time. Even if it's not completely finished, you've made progress on one task! That's better than having several tasks that haven't moved very far.

Give yourself enough time to do the project — don't think you'll finish something big in just one day. Be realistic about your time and expectations!

Instead of rushing your work, try:

• Setting a schedule can take the pressure away and can give you a realistic timeline of when it will be finished.

• Setting a deadline can give you the push to start and finish a task, especially if you're someone who works better under pressure.

• Paying attention to your daily rhythm can help you find when you're most productive. If you're a morning person, don't try to do everything at night!

Write down your accomplishments and reflect on the progress you made. Focusing on the things you accomplished instead on what you need to do will keep you motivated and away from harmful self-talk.

Don't punish yourself! ❌

It will only hurt you emotionally and it may create task avoidance.

Instead, reward yourself for wins and progress. Did you start the task? Or maybe you finished a project? Then treat yourself to something you enjoy! See some friends or spend time with the family.

Edward has his ten page research paper on duck migrations is due in two weeks, and he's having a hard time getting started. The thought of having to do all of that work makes him feel overwhelmed.

What can Edward do to keep himself from procrastinating?

A. Break down what he needs to do into smaller steps.

B. Clean his room so there's less clutter.

C. Work on his paper while he watches a show.

D. Treat himself for acknowledging he has a lot of work to do.

Now that you know how to manage ADHD-influenced procrastination, it's time to start on something you've been putting off!

Remember that these are just a couple of possible things to do. Try out and see which skills work best for you.