How to Beat Procrastination
Those of us with ADHD have a tendency to procrastinate. We put things off to the last minute or get them done late or not at all. This can be incredibly frustrating. We wonder what can be done to stop this vicious habit.
The first step in stopping procrastination is to determine why you procrastinate. Once you have determined that, you can attack the problem with a specific solution. Note: Why you are procrastinating might be different for each situation in which you find yourself procrastinating. Below I will walk through some common reasons for procrastination and what can be done to overcome that struggle.
Perfectionism
One reason for procrastination might be not wanting to get started until you have a perfect plan or are assured of doing the thing perfectly. The way to overcome this is to recognize that nobody is perfect, and nobody can do anything perfectly. Eventually, you have to get out of the planning stage and just do it. By accepting that it won’t be perfect, you have a better chance of getting started.
Excitement
Sometimes, we can get so excited about a thing we want to do that we never get around to actually doing it. We spend all our time talking about the idea and/or defending it. This leads to it never getting done or the excitement fading away. The way around this is, while you are telling everyone about the thing you are going to do, to tell them when you are going to do it. By telling someone (or everyone) when you are going to do the thing, you are building up an accountability factor.
Negativity
Sometimes we spend our time looking for problems or reasons why we can’t do the thing. We tear down every reason to do the thing. The way around this is to pause and reflect on the reasons why we should do the thing. Instead of looking at why we can’t do the thing, we need to look at the reasons we can do the thing.
Waiting for Pressure
Sometimes, we subconsciously put something off until the last minute so we feel the rush of needing to get it done in a hurry. This is not healthy as it puts our body through unnecessary stress. The way around this is to recognize how unhealthy our current behavior is and decide to make the healthy choice of getting it done early. You could even turn it into a game by seeing just how far ahead of the deadline you can get it done.
Overwhelm
Sometimes the task at hand seems too overwhelming to do. It is big and scary. The way around that is to break it down into smaller chunks or talk it out with someone. The smaller chunks idea helps to make it seem less intimidating. Talking it out with someone helps stop any rumination that might be going on about the task.
In Conclusion
The key to overcoming procrastination is to determine why you are procrastinating. Only with that knowledge can you move forward with a plan to stop it. Telling yourself to just do it will not work., as I am sure you are aware. The question I want to leave you with is: Why are you procrastinating?