Stop procrastinating and get things done.

Many adults living with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggle with procrastination, which may have a negative impact on their jobs, health, and even strain personal relationships.

Here are several techniques to help manage  procrastination and boost productivity as well as  improve your relationships.

1. Reward in reverse

Do something fun first!

Get into the right mood!  So you can do other things that are less enjoyable. You probably have a list of things you need to do but can’t seem to find the motivation to start them.  It is often said motivation and procrastination go hand in hand.  Try this out and see if it gets you motivated.  First, do something you love doing and that you consider being fun.   Find whatever makes you feel good and do it.    To help you set boundaries with the fun and not get lost in it, give yourself a limit. Set a timer for 15-20 minutes for the stimulating activity and then transition to the important tasks after the time is up.

2. Create your perfect space

If you want to be productive, you need to create the right work environment that works for you. A conducive work environment will help you feel motivated to work and concentrate better on the task at hand. For some, their idea of the right work environment is a place that’s quiet where they can harness their focus while others get things done by listening to music. Some work best under the pressure of deadlines while others prefer to set their deadlines to complete portions of a project. What is vital is that you discover what perfect work space is just right for you so you can get your creative juices flowing and get things done.

3.  Give yourself a break and cut some slack

People with ADHD tend to worry about how much time it takes to get tasks done. Don’t beat yourself up over the amount of work on your desk as it won’t help you finish it in time. To do this, you have to be positive and excited about what you’re doing. Instead of feeling bad that you can’t finish the task before the lunch break, be optimistic that you can finish some portions of it. So instead of saying “This will take forever and the deadline is drawing near,” substitute it with “I might not be able to finish it now, but I can do the first three steps within the next 30 minutes.” Being positive will help lower the guilt you feel for the wasted time and opportunities.

 Don’t be too hard on yourself!

4.   Just do it

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step.” Remember that saying? It still holds true today. The first step towards getting things done in time is starting it. A task might look difficult, but if you can bring yourself to start (even if you do it poorly), you have succeeded in doing one of the hardest parts and should find it easy following through with the rest of the task. For example, if you need to write something and you start by typing only to discover it doesn’t make sense, you’ve just made some progress because you’re no longer staring at a blank page. Just get started even if your first step is nothing close to perfect.

5.   Chunk it up

Break the tasks into small portions

Most times, a project looks insurmountable simply because we view them as a whole. Break the project into smaller portions and set a deadline to get them done, and you will see that everything becomes easy. While you’re at it, put on your blinders, so you don’t worry about how many portions are left; focus on taking one step at a time. Doing this might take a little more time, but the essential thing is that you know that you’re making some progress which can manifest itself into a lot of work being accomplished. If you stay focused and keep up your momentum, you will soon realize that you completed the large task that seemed intimidating without feeling overwhelmed.

Many of the clients that I work with say just getting started is the hardest part.

Once they try one of the above techniques to make the tiniest step forward to accomplish the task they are avoiding, they get into a flow and finishing it out is much easier.

So, I am nudging you to take action with something you are avoiding by committing to one of the 5 options I listed and try it out.   You may just start to feel some sense of accomplishment that will fuel you into get it done!

Raz Coaching specializes in helping people with executive function challenges associated with ADHD, PTSD, Stress, TBI’s and ASD find careers they will love and land them. Read more at www.razcoaching.com/about Or sign up for the weekly blog and learn about my new book Happiness+Passion+Purpose.