As a person with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, there’s a huge change that you got a really long to-do list. But with all of these things that you’re going to do, have you ever thought about your “never-to-do” list? If you’re wondering what these are, it’s a list of time-consuming, energy-wasting activities that you should try to avoid as much as possible. Whenever you start getting unproductive, it’s because of your ADHD bad habits getting in the way. So stop blaming your job, your kids, or even social media for “stealing” all of your time.
Nine ADHD Bad Habits Are The Culprits That Are Both Making You Unproductive And Stressing You Out
I’ll Do It Later!
Adults (and even children) with ADHD are familiar with procrastination. These people have gotten used to putting off important assignments until the very last minute. Procrastinating ends with a stress-driven burst of energy, which is commonly not the healthiest way to operate. For a person with ADHD. The first step for any task is the hardest. But once you get through the bump of starting a project, you will soon realise that it’s not as hard as you thought. Often your procrastination gets in the way, leaving your projects undone until the very last minute. To avoid this, try to inspire yourself to at least get through with starting. You’d soon overcome your procrastinating ways and get things done more than before.
Everything Needs To Be Perfect
People with ADHD have very ironic mindsets – while they are bona fide procrastinators, they can also be extreme perfectionists. The fear of potentially making a mistake can lead to procrastination, which also leads to no good. To keep your perfectionist perspective from holding your productivity, learn the habit of making drafts of your work. The first draft will compose the core idea of your work, while the second and third drafts will trim down the errors.
Paying Too Much Attention To Detail
It can be a great habit to focus on all the nooks and crannies, but getting too obsessed with it might prevent you from ever finishing your projects on time. If you’re proofreading a thesis document, try limiting yourself to a fixed number of read-through before sending it. That way, you won’t have to spend all day staring at the same piece of paper.
Not Thinking About Your Long-Term Goals.
Have you figured out what you want to accomplish today? How about this month? Or this year? ADHD brains might shrug off the thought of something that seems far away, but determining what you want to accomplish in the future can actually help you figure out your daily undertakings. Once you manage to structure your ultimate goals and priorities for the long-term, it will become even easier to disregard unimportant tasks and structure your work effectively.
Trying To Do Everything All At Once
The ADHD brain struggles to juggle through with all of the things on their to-do lists. This results in them doing all of their tasks at once. Jumping from one work to another without even completing them first. This is an ineffective way to get things done, and will only result in stress, frustration, and disappointment.
Keep in mind that not all tasks are created equal. If you treat your responsibilities that way, you could potentially miss important deadlines because you got caught up with low-priority tasks.
To help solve this problem, look at your to-do list and start sorting out the low and high priorities. Doing so will give you a clearer picture of the things that you should deal with first.
Responding To Every Single Email, Text, Or Call
The ADHD brain can be generous when it comes to responding to even the most unimportant email, text, or chat. People with ADHD easily get stuck replying to people that they won’t have enough time to get any actual work done. Instead of replying to everyone, try responding only to high priority emails. You will save both time and energy on other more important things.
Trying To Solve Every Problem All At Once
Whenever you get a new task, the ADHD brain can immediately shift gears and focus on it right away. This habit can undoubtedly throw the momentum you had with what you were doing, rendering you unable to complete any of your tasks at all. Instead of immediately jumping ship on a new task, control yourself and try to finish what you’re doing first before starting a new one. Mark your new tasks with a “do-later” label. Once you’ve completed a task, look through each of these new tasks and determine what comes next.
Burning Yourself Out Way Too Much
We all have so many things to do that we sometimes neglect taking breaks in favour of accomplishing our tasks first. You might think of this as a good move towards productivity, but it actually isn’t. Your body and mind need a break once in a while. Adults with ADHD can sometimes feel overwhelmed by their brain racing through the roof due to all the things that need to be done. So don’t burn our yourself. Set aside some time to unwind and relax. You’d feel a lot better afterwards, which will then translate to more things done.
Trying To Please Everyone
You can’t control other people – what they think about you and or how they act when you’re around. The only person you have total control over is yourself. So instead of trying to please people, spend your efforts on being the best you can be. Spend your time with people who genuinely love and respect you. Forget about making everyone else happy. Focus on no one but yourself, and you’ll be happier than ever.
Stop Wasting Time & Start Being Productive
Incorporate these nine useful tips and not only will you become a productive person, but you will also realise that wasting time will not do any good to you. If you want to know more tips on managing your ADHD, you can visit the ADHD Centre Clinic in either London or Manchester. Talk to one of our professionals and let them help you control your ADHD bad habits.
