Is Procrastination a Sign of ADHD?

The official dictionary term for procrastination is ‘the action of delaying or postponing something’ which is something that most people, whether neuro-divergent or not, do at some point in their life. Whilst it’s true that everyone procrastinates, from putting off doing your self-assessment, starting on that assignment, or getting your running shoes on, for people with ADHD, it is much more than just not wanting to make a start.

There is a deep, emotional stigma attached to procrastination for someone with ADHD, with self-worth tangled up in it, so it’s easy to see why procrastination can be a source of real pain to understand and overcome. 

Why are people with ADHD more likely to procrastinate?

A person with ADHD suffering from procrastination will likely have labelled themselves lazy, unorganised, and unable to manage their time but the truth is that procrastination in someone with ADHD stems from weak self-regulation of emotions and moods and in some can lead to physical and mental experiences of pain. 

When it comes to planning and decision-making, the ADHD brain can easily become overwhelmed, feeling a sense of failure before the task has begun, stemming from a lack of emotional regulation and negative self-talk. Procrastination ultimately makes these negative thoughts and emotions worse, giving you more time to sit and dwell on them and as a huge amount of self-control is required to regulate and control thoughts and emotions if you have ADHD, it’s easy to see how the cycle starts and continues every time a challenging or tedious task presents itself.

Self-regulation and ADHD

According to Professor Fuschia Sirois, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield, “People engage in chronic procrastination because of an inability to manage negative moods around a task.” This is a great summary of the everyday battle people with ADHD fight in trying to regulate their emotions and moods and oftentimes, the intention to start and finish a task is always there but the action is where the hurdles lie. A neurotypical person able to regulate their emotions is most likely able to set their intentions around a task, break down and prioritise in a timely manner and complete in each timeframe. Of course, if the task isn’t 100% of interest to a neurotypical person there will be a degree of procrastination but overall, it won’t impact the completion of the task. For a person with ADHD, just the thought of planning, prioritising, and starting the project can cause overwhelm and halt the process before it starts.

Common reasons for procrastination for people with ADHD.

There are many reasons for procrastination among people with ADHD, as mentioned above, self-regulation of moods and emotions is the main factor, but there are more reasons affecting the severity of procrastination in the ADHD brain.

Overwhelming Scale of Tasks

Staring at a blank screen with a list of long, complex, and intricate instructions can cause a huge sense of overwhelm and prevent you from starting, causing the need to pick up your phone and scroll, or head to the fridge for a snack to avoid the instant feeling of failure before the project has begun.

Lack of Understanding

A difficulty understanding what is expected of you, coupled with a feeling of overwhelm is a common “justification” for not starting the task. Often for people with ADHD, the amount of energy it takes to figure out what is being asked of them and make sense of it is monumental and can feel exhausting.

Cynical Thoughts and Self-Talk

For an ADHD brain, one of the main difficulties getting started on a task is the fear of failure, alongside a difficulty in regulating emotions and moods, procrastination then comes in to try and mask these feelings. Also, because someone with ADHD is so used to these feelings and negative self-talk, it can be used as a tool for “proving” you are in fact incapable of completing this work. Of course, really, we know this is not true, and the neurodivergent functioning of your brain is the culprit.

The Need for a Deadline

With all the best intentions to start and finish a task on time, sometimes, without the urgency or pressure of a deadline, it’s difficult to see the end result. Starting work so far out from a deadline can mean continuous procrastination until a week or a few days before the project is due, only then with this added pressure can hyper-focus kick in and the task gets completed on time.

Lack of Interest

Feeling bored by a looming task is almost certainly not going to motivate someone with ADHD to begin, and as an ADHD brain struggles to produce the right amount of chemicals to create motivation, it’s doubly difficult for them to start and finish a task that doesn’t interest them. On the other hand, if the task is something that is highly interesting to them, their ability to hyper-focus can mean the task will be done in no time! 

How you can manage Procrastination if you have ADHD.

We understand how difficult dealing with procrastination can be, it can feel like you have run out of energy just thinking about the task before you have even started. The good news is that there are a few tips you can harness to help manage procrastination at home:

• Break the task down into smaller, more manageable chunks. If you are struggling to understand the task, focus on one step at a time, once you have mastered that bit move on to the next. Doing it this way can help avoid overwhelm.

• If you are struggling to begin, give yourself just 15 minutes to work solely on the project, with no distractions. Set a timer and do what you can in that time, even if it’s just reading through the task, or making some notes, then stop when the timer goes off. Doing this small amount of work for a small amount of time is a good way to avoid overwhelm and spark some creativity and interest in the task itself.

• Take regular breaks by going for a walk or run or practicing some breathing exercises. It’s likely that someone with ADHD thinks they should be chained to their desk for hours on end (because that must be how people without ADHD do it) to be able to get any work done but forcing focusing for a long time is not a healthy habit. Taking regular breaks, especially getting outdoors, can help to refresh and calm your brain. 

Beyond: A Specialist ADHD Clinic.

At Beyond Clinic, we are experienced in helping adults and children understand and harness their varying ADHD symptoms. We truly believe that ADHD can be a superpower and with the right help and treatment, you could be on the road to a healthier and happier life.

We offer comprehensive assessment and diagnosis by our renowned ADHD psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and doctors, all of whom are dedicated to helping you overcome the challenges of ADHD. 

If you would like to speak to Beyond’s friendly team about how we can help you, get in touch here.