Oh no! I wanted to have this article written last week. What is getting in the way? Is it fear of writing an article that no one will read? Is it too boring? Am I distracted? Where is my motivation? Am I lazy?
There are many different types of procrastinators. If you have ADHD, you may have poor management when it comes to time, planning and goals. Russell Barkley, widely considered to be the leading research psychologist on ADHD, would say that procrastination is a problem with self-regulation. He states that “self-regulation involves 1) any action an individual directs at themselves so as to 2) result in a change in their behavior in order to 3) change the likelihood of a future consequence or attainment of a goal.”
I like to use Thomas Brown’s model of executive functions to help my clients understand more about self-regulation. Dr. Brown is Associate Director of the Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders and is the Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine.
Initiating a task takes a complex set of skills. Many people want to start a task but aren’t able to motivate themselves to start. In simple terms, they procrastinate. These undertakings can be simple routine, boring jobs like homework, laundry or expense accounts but they can also be important endeavors like doing tax returns or writing a research paper for school.
Setting up and beginning a task can be very complex as it involves focusing, organizing the work, setting priorities, and planning. For people with ADHD and challenges with executive functions, this course of action can feel unattainable. The toll on procrastinators can mean embarrassment, poor self-confidence and anxiety. This vicious circle can keep students and adults from meeting their full potential. Nobody wants to be thought of as lazy or undisciplined and there can be a high price to pay for procrastination.
Coaching can help students and adults recognize the challenges that get in the way of starting. Exploring the steps that are needed to proceed can motivate the client to take action. Rather then muddling around alone, try working with a coach who understands how the ADHD brain functions. Change can be made at any age. Give it a try and experience initiating and completing a task skillfully, without a hitch and with exceptionally good performance!