Are you struggling at work? Procrastinate? Overwhelmed? Late? NYC ADHD Psychiatrist Scott Shapiro, MD Can- Help. Source-iStock PeopleImages
Most of us have struggled to finish a project at some point in our lives. As the deadline approaches, the work seems insurmountable. The thought of not finishing may make us feel panic and shame. It is normal to have occasional struggles with productivity, but if chronic procrastination is a recurring challenge in your life, you may have Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is estimated that at least 5% of adults have ADHD.
Why do I procrastinate?
The Neurobiology
Human brains are wired for procrastination. When you procrastinate, there is a fight between different parts of the brain: the limbic system (center of unconscious thought that drives emotions and behavior) and the prefrontal cortex (controls executive functioning such as planning). Psychiatrists think the prefrontal cortex, which helps with task completion—but only with sustained effort and focus, is what distinguishes humans from animals. When the prefrontal cortex loses out to limbic system, you put off your work.
The amygdala also plays a role in procrastination. This section of the brain controls your automatic emotional reactions, and when you are overwhelmed by your work, you can experience a fight-or-flight response. With procrastination, “fight” takes the form of resisting work and “flight” of ignoring it. Both these responses are the brain’s way of protecting you from the bad feelings you have about your work. Your brain drives you to avoid unpleasant activities and pursue pleasurable ones that are more likely to produce dopamine.
Self-talk
The thought of getting started on a difficult task is not just unpleasant; it is painful. Researchers can see the insular cortex, a portion of the cerebral cortex that experiences pain, lights up when they study the brains of people who are thinking about beginning a challenging work project. You might even experience physical symptoms of pain like a stomachache as you think about starting your work.
Is procrastination a symptom of ADHD?
If ADHD is the source of your procrastination, identifying what type of ADHD you have can be useful to you. The American Psychiatric Association has identified three types: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined. Combined is the most common type. Chronic procrastination can result from ADHD-related factors like problems with time management, prioritizing, and sequencing as well as forgetfulness, distractibility, and disorganization.
Case Example
In my practice, I have helped many clients with ADHD who procrastinate. Recently, I saw Donna,* a 42-year-old woman in Midtown who was just promoted to Vice President at a global pharmaceutical company. After the promotion, Donna found it challenging to keep up with her new job duties. She had unrelenting standards for her work that caused her to spend inordinate amounts of time on job tasks, and this made it difficult for her to meet deadlines. Donna’s perfectionism stemmed from feelings of inadequacy and a fear of failure, which, paradoxically, hurt her work performance.
How do I overcome procrastination related to ADHD?
If ADHD is the source of your productivity issues, there are evidence-based strategies that can help you manage the thought patterns underlying your work avoidance and develop concrete steps for meeting your work goals. These tips for overcoming procrastination are designed to help adults with ADHD, but the tips are useful for anyone who wants to improve motivation and productivity.
Break projects into actionable microtasks.
If you have been putting off the work for a sales presentation, writing “create sales presentation” on your list of tasks for the day will probably not entice you to get started. It may benefit you to break your presentation down into smaller, more concrete tasks. Here is a more approachable list of tasks: research client needs and challenges, identify best pitch strategy, write presentation draft, create and insert charts and visuals, edit.
You can write each micro-task on a timeline—make sure it is realistic—to ensure that you complete them on time. Be sure that you describe the task in your calendar with enough detail so that you do not have to remember what the task entails. Starting each task with a verb can help you do this. Essentially, you are making a quasi-instruction book for completing the project.
As you are writing out your microtasks on a timeline, it will help you visualize the steps necessary to finish the project, and you may begin to feel the work is more doable.
Overcome negative thoughts.
When you cannot focus on your work, your inner thoughts may become negative. Your internal dialogue may include negative thoughts like: I do not know how to do this. This always happens. I will never finish on time. My teachers were right. I am just lazy. Everyone else knows how to do this but me. This must be perfect. I have to finish it today. It’s already so late!
Replacing these thoughts with more positive, realistic ones can help you manage your anxiety and get started on your work. Some more realistic thought patterns include: My work does not have to be perfect. I am a work-in-progress. Let me just do a draft and then talk about it with my boss. I will just do 10 minutes of work. I can start with the easiest task.
Adjusting your automatic thoughts can help you take a more realistic view of your project and your work habits, which may help manage the anxiety that is making it difficult to start working.
Determine if you need help or resources.
One reason you may find it difficult to complete a project is that you need to address a deficit in your skills or knowledge before continuing. Perhaps you are embarrassed because the deadline is approaching, and you are mad at yourself for not starting. The first step to completing the project, regardless of whether you meet your deadline, is to correct this knowledge or skill deficit.
If you are working on a presentation, see if your company has a template for or samples of presentations that you can use as a guide. Perhaps you can educate yourself with a simple Google search, or you might ask someone within your organization for help
Overcome perfectionism.
When you are unable to focus on your work, you may not feel like a perfectionist, but there is a growing body of evidence that links perfectionism and productivity issues for people with adult ADHD. Perfectionist thought patterns can be debilitating for your productivity because they result in indecisiveness about your work.
One common perfectionist thought pattern is to impose unrealistically high expectations on your work as we saw with my client, Donna. These high expectations do not account for the real-world constraints in which your work occurs, and they make work seem even more intimidating. Another thought pattern is putting off work until the perfect work conditions arise. That may mean waiting until motivation strikes or external factors like timing are ideal.
Consider writing out all your ideas for a project without judgment and then spending 5 minutes selecting one. Stick with that idea even though it may be tempting to reconsider. Unfortunately, work is usually done under imperfect circumstances. A useful mantra for perfectionists is, “Done is better than perfect.”
Just get started.
This simple tip can be quite effective. We know that starting a difficult task triggers a pain response in the brain. Fortunately, this response will go away after about 20 minutes. Knowing that the discomfort is only temporary may make it easier to begin working. You can likely tolerate 20 minutes of discomfort.
Some people have success with the Pomodoro method, which requires you to set a timer for a 25-minute work session, block out all distractions, and reward yourself with a 5-minute break. There are Pomodoro method browser extensions that feature timers and will block you from time-wasting sites during your online work sessions.
Communicate if you will miss a deadline.
When you know you must miss a deadline, tell your colleagues as soon as possible and agree on a new, realistic deadline. (The first tip we discussed may help you determine a more realistic deadline.) This may seem challenging, especially if you feel shame about your productivity, but keep in mind that project deadlines are adjusted every day. Avoid the pitfall of assuming that more time on a project means that you should raise your work standards.
What additional steps can I take to manage chronic procrastination?
If you are struggling to manage chronic procrastination, you may benefit from working with a mental health professional. My client, Donna, and I worked to find effective ways for her to procrastinate less. She developed more realistic expectations for her work while still maintaining a high level of performance. Her new perspective made it easier for her to start projects sooner. Within four months of treatment, Donna received a significant bonus, and her supervisor noted a significant improvement in her work in her latest performance review.
The Real World
In my practice, I help my clients develop personalized, action-oriented plans to help them calm their minds, get to work, and meet their goals. I use the latest evidence-based treatments in psychopharmacology and cognitive behavioral therapy. As an expert in psychopharmacology, medical psychiatry, and cognitive behavioral therapy, I have a unique background that allows me to provide clients with a comprehensive and thorough assessment and an individualized treatment plan that maximizes the individual’s strengths and talents.
To learn more, contact Dr. Shapiro at 212-631-8010 or scott@scottshapiromd.com for a fifteen-minute consultation at no charge.
* Names and details have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
References:
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Ferrari J.R., Johnson J.L., McCown W.G. (1995) Procrastination Research. Boston: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0227-6_2
Gustavson DE, Miyake A, Hewitt JK, Friedman NP. Genetic Relations Among Procrastination, Impulsivity, and Goal-Management Ability: Implications for the Evolutionary Origin of Procrastination. Psychological Science. 2014;25(6):1178-1188. doi:10.1177/0956797614526260
Oakley B, Sejnowski T.J., Mcconville A. (2018) Learning How to Learn: How to Succeed in School Without Spending All Your Time Studying (A Guide for Kids and Teens). New York: TarcherPerigree.
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