ADHD and procrastination

People with ADHD are often so closely associated with procrastination that they seem like synonyms, and there are plenty of humorous memes related to delaying and giving up.

hile we all tend to procrastinate, people with ADHD do so to a much greater extent for several reasons, primarily related to how our brains function differently.

 

Here are the 5 most common reasons for procrastination:

 

1. Executive functions

A person with ADHD has a holistic view of the world, meaning we see the big picture of an idea or project but struggle to break it down into steps.

As a result, planning and strategizing are challenging without external “instructions for use.” Without these instructions, we aren’t sure what the first next step is.

This is why ADHD is often recognized later in life when external structures of tasks are no longer clearly defined (e.g., self-employment).

 

2. Lack of dopamine

The reward system in the brain, driven by the hormone dopamine, is either under-supplied with dopamine or the dopamine receptors work less effectively.

So, if there is no external instant reward, it becomes difficult to motivate ourselves to take action. For this reason, people with ADHD often rely on a “sense of urgency” to complete tasks under adrenaline or wait for bursts of creativity and inspiration.

This long-term approach leads to burnout and worsens other ADHD symptoms.

 

3. Concept of time

If you ask a neurotypical person and a person with ADHD what can be done in 15 minutes, you’ll get two completely different answers.

It swings between two extremes – either we overestimate how much time is actually needed for a task, which leads to procrastination, or we underestimate it, which leads to discouragement and, again, procrastination.

 

4. Perfectionism

People with ADHD are prone to black-and-white thinking and setting excessively high, often unattainable standards for themselves – either it’s great, or it’s a disaster. It’s never good enough. As a result, they miss deadlines because they often never achieve the desired level of completion for a task.

Perfectionism (from Latin perficere = to complete) is described as a “tyranny of shoulds”, meaning an individual’s attempt to fit into an idealized image of themselves.

The advantages include high standards, a desire to achieve one’s potential, conscientiousness, productivity, and reliability, along with a healthy dose of self-criticism.

How does it develop?

It often arises in early childhood in a family with one or both highly demanding perfectionist parents.

Parents who have unrealistic and high expectations put pressure on their children, and they cope with this in various ways.

Some children will succumb to the pressures, develop anxiety, and a strong desire to please the excessively demanding and emotionally distant parents.

These parents demand a lot but give nothing the child needs.

They impose their own standards without considering the child’s needs and tend to engage in psychological control.

This is how unhealthy perfectionists (people-pleasers) emerge.

Perfectionism developed as a survival strategy in a highly demanding environment. Being perfect meant not being INVISIBLE. To belong.

Rigidity helped maintain the illusion of control, stability of attitudes, personality, and behavior. However, in adulthood, it roots us in place, with imposter syndrome, making it difficult to adapt and accept circumstances beyond our control. This is because your motivation is external (reward), and the reward (rest, self-love, praise) never arrives.

Then, you don’t rejoice in success – because you never allow yourself to feel it.

If you don’t celebrate success, all that’s left is to avoid failure, and your standards become so unattainable that the only way to protect yourself is – procrastination (you miss deadlines, delay tasks, don’t sleep well, etc.).

You set unrealistic expectations and become a slave to your own high, rigid standards. Not only toward yourself but also toward others.

When you start expecting others to put in the same amount of effort and energy as you do into tasks that are personally important to you, you don’t ask for help when you need it. You hide just how many tasks and responsibilities you have so you don’t appear weak or incapable. You feel angry because that person should offer help on their own, but you don’t tell them how important it is to you; instead, you wait for them to figure it out from your efforts.

If perfectionism is your imperative, you can start by learning to perfectly – accept. Yourself, others, and circumstances. Just as they are.

Imperfect.

Just because you can do everything by yourself, doesn’t mean you should. Asking for help is a sign of STRENGTH, not weakness. Don’t assume that people know what you need, ASK.

 

5. Self-Regulation of emotions

Everything mentioned before contributes to feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, or even anger and resentment.

This disrupts persistence, consistency, and focus on tasks because there’s no instant validation for the effort, leading to procrastination due to impatience for the result to arrive.

 

How to overcome this?

        • Whenever you set a goal, break it down into as many small steps as possible and define a time frame for when you will complete each of those steps. This will help you put your plan into perspective.

            • When you know WHY you’re doing something, it will be much easier to stick to HOW. Define your “why” and priorities.

                • When estimating how much time you need for a task, take the average of previous similar tasks and add at least a third of the time you’ve calculated.

                • Remember – better finished than perfect. What is good enough for you is excellent for someone else.

                • Good things come to those who wait. The seed won’t sprout faster if you water it frantically. Don’t expect instant results all the time.

                • Practice mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and other practices that help regulate your unpleasant emotions.

                • Psychotherapy and coaching are excellent sources of support.


              Odmah primijeni :

                    • Insert a “happy break” (5-minute breaks) where you engage in a fun activity (listen to music, dance, watch a funny video, etc.).

                    • Praise yourself for every small step forward.

                    • Change and organize your work environment (e.g., create a cozy space in a café, remove distractions, promise yourself a fun reward, etc.).

                  • Reward yourself BEFORE you start (play before work).
                       

                  Through optimism, flexibility, and openness, I’ll help you find joy and meaning in various life experiences, even those that aren’t always pleasant, and assist you in softening your perfectionism.

                  Schedule your therapy session here.

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