Procrastination - activating your go button?

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Skvurb
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13 Dec 2017, 10:05 am

I was just diagnosed with ADHD and aspergers and have been struggling with procrastination all of my life.
I cannot force myself to do something until the very last possible moment, even if I know I will be better off doing it right away.
The circuitry seems so hard wired in my mind, that I cannot trick myself into doing something non-vital and most of the time I struggle to even engage with things I enjoy. Instead I will read about anything and everything on the internet for hours, instead of facing the task at hand.
I will begin medication for my ADHD in February (non-stimulant based first), but would love some tips for how to deal with this.


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Last edited by Skvurb on 13 Dec 2017, 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

kraftiekortie
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13 Dec 2017, 10:43 am

That's me!

Can't do anything until the "last minute!"

Perhaps that's why I'm just a clerk? LOL



Seff
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13 Dec 2017, 11:00 am

Yep I’m a last minute wonder as well.

In my final year of University we had the choice of doing two projects or one big one. A week or so before my final assessments the teachers told me they didn’t think I had enough work in my one project to pass and suggested I did a second project - I managed to do it in two days, barely getting any sleep and come my assessment got more marks for my rushes project than the one I spent all year on!
Which I was pleased about in one way, but it also frustrated me!

I can sometimes force myself into working by putting music on, but that tactic is very hit and miss as it has to be something I like, and when I’m listening to something I like there’s a high chance I’ll stop what I’m doing because I simply have to learn to play whatever it is on my guitar.


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MariaTheFictionkin
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13 Dec 2017, 11:03 am

What helps me is by giving myself a reward. Like a movie or a treat of some sort so when you are done doing what you need to do you can reward yourself with that thing.

Sometimes that helps motivate me to get things done and not procrastinate.


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whatamievendoing
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13 Dec 2017, 11:33 am

I'm a procrastinator of possibly the worst kind myself. Even now that I'm studying music, I'm constantly putting off practice even though I shouldn't be. Yesterday, though, I finally managed to talk myself into more often than once or twice a week - hopefully it'll last.


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Dear_one
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13 Dec 2017, 11:46 am

If you are due to tidy up your desk, for instance, don't look at the mess and get distracted by the contents or dismayed at the drudgery. Instead, hold your hands away from the job, resisting any faint urge to pick up the first piece. Then, spend some time visualizing the tidy desk you want to see, until you are very clear about what you want to see. Then, the job will go quickly and easily.
The next time you need somewhere to write a note, you can get right to it, without hunting for a space first. Savour that reward, and plan on getting another one.



Skvurb
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13 Dec 2017, 3:08 pm

Thanks a lot for your input! I will try your approaches. I've been using more of a stick than a carrot approach to little avail. I'm also terrible at integrating a "win", which would probably help my self image a lot.


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Quille
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13 Dec 2017, 5:11 pm

So is it an aspie thing to do something important until the very last moment? Ive just realised that i tend to do that a lot.


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Trogluddite
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13 Dec 2017, 7:07 pm

Procrastination is one of my most abundant talents and always has been.

I often find that my procrastination includes a lot of planning or "scripting" for the jobs that I need to do, trying to imagine what is the best way to do each one and how to prioritise them so that I do them in the best possible order. Often there are often so many permutations that I end up hours later still unable to reach a conclusion, and end up getting none of them done. I can get really anxious when I'm doing this; circling the room on tip-toe and stimming like crazy.

If I get stuck like that, I can sometimes "break the circle" by choosing a task at random (I have a little program that I coded for it, but using dice or choosing a random card with a task written on it would work just as well). I then just do whatever the random selection is without questioning it. Even if the thing that gets done isn't the most important one, it's not a big deal because I still did something in the time that I would have only been procrastinating and getting nothing done. After doing that a few times, the reduced list of tasks also becomes more manageable.

With people that I trust, I also make a point of letting them know that it is OK to give me a kick up the bum (metaphorically!) once in a while. I might even tell them my plans and explicitly ask them to check after a certain time whether or not I got something done that I said I would. I find that if I don't tell people very clearly that it is OK to do this, they will often leave any reminders until it is too late to avoid a panic, either because they are embarrassed to ask or are worried that it might seem patronising.


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nick007
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26 Dec 2017, 4:43 am

My girlfriend has this problem majorly. Cass puts off doing things because they stress her out & she has anxiety, depression & fibromyalgia. She wants to spend time relaxing 1st but then has a hard time switching gears & stopping & the idea of doing the task is so stressful that she's paralyzed from getting started on it. She'll play vid games all day even thou she had only intended to play about an hour & got tired of playing after two hours. She says she wants me to help her get started on things more but when I try she makes excuses & gets frustrated with me. I feel like I'm damned if I try & damned if I don't.


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26 Dec 2017, 4:56 am

I just had a rushed period, making a couple of Christmas presents. If I'd started them early, I'd have found a lot more to do on them, so I didn't mind the rush too much. Good exercise. Then, while unwinding today, I noticed that my 20 yr old desk had a useless brace-footrest feature that would serve much better if raised as a UPS shelf, to let me stretch my legs. Having some residual momentum, I broke out the tools and did it right away. It is a great present.



green0star
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26 Dec 2017, 12:23 pm

I wouldn't say I procrastinate but I have trouble doing something if I'm not entirely interested in it. I am currently in a situation like that right now where I have to get my license to drive but haven't really progressed past getting my permit and I have 2 years to do so.



Lost_dragon
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26 Dec 2017, 6:12 pm

Sometimes I try to trick myself that what I'm doing is actually more interesting than it actually is, I'll make lists and refer to things as "operations" and "missions", because things just sound cooler when they have a code name. 8)

:lol:


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kraftiekortie
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26 Dec 2017, 7:34 pm

Anything to motivate :D



Raleigh
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26 Dec 2017, 11:05 pm

Try giving yourself a countdown.
Works for NASA.


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27 Dec 2017, 4:19 am

I try to do the easiest bit that requires the least effort first, then it gets me into the groove of the task so I can better carry on to the more boring/difficult stuff.

It's difficult for Autistic people to transition between tasks, better to do things gradually in this way I find.