I’m sitting at my desk on a rainy Wednesday morning, and it’s a rare day that my calendar is almost clear. All I have is one private client call early this afternoon.
Wouldn’t you think I’d be elated? A whole day to blast through my to do list. Especially since I’m behind on most of the tasks. Few have deadlines. It’s a day to get my stuff done.
Except for one problem. Everything on that list is stuff that I don’t want to do. Oh, yes, it needs to get done, and none of it is inspiring.
As an ADHD coach, my happy place is talking to people. Recording the Kick Some ADHD Podcast. Leading the Success Club. Helping private clients.
My Wall of Awful? The tasks I’m faced with today. Some of the things are even mind-numbing. Lots of little steps dealing with technology glitches. I know up front it’ll be a hassle.
Ugh. Climbing over that Wall of Awful is a big ask for people with ADHD.
What are my options?
Well, I could procrastinate and run off and find something more fun to do. I’ve got an alluring novel waiting on my bedside table. Or, I could dive into social media or some online shopping.
Or, I could cowgirl up and remember one of my ADHD Codes: I won’t have more motivation or time later.
Because it’s true. None of these tasks will look more inviting tomorrow or next week. Tomorrow my schedule reverts to its normal full state. Today I have a gift of time, and if I don’t use it, I’ll end the day disgusted with myself. Plus, the technology glitches will just cause more problems.
I must remember that I won’t have more motivation or time later. I need to give my future-Dana the gift of feeling great when these tasks are off my list.
That is who I want to be. Not the person I used to be who spent more energy procrastinating and wiggling out of boring tasks than she spent doing the tasks.
Here’s my five-pronged plan for blasting through my ADHD To Do List:
- Number the list in the order I’ll do things. This removes any in the moment decisions. It doesn’t matter what I do first. Just that I do it.
- Break the huge tasks up into smaller, tastier bites. That provides clarity. When I know what to do I am more apt to do it.
- Get out my timer. Check in with myself every 20 minutes to make sure I’m on track.
- Crank up some Binaural Beats. These help my brain waves cooperate with me and get me into a hyper-focus mode.
- Dangle the carrot that when I finish everything on the list (yes, it’s possible), I get to take the rest of the day off and curl up with that alluring novel. And, a bowl of popcorn. Rainy days mean popcorn in our house.
One of the tricks to living with ADHD is learning how to get the boring stuff done. Being a person who keeps commitments to ourselves and others means figuring out how to push through. Even when you don’t want to. Because you won’t have more time or motivation later. You really won’t.
Yay! The first thing is crossed off my list! I’ve got the blog written and can send it off to Meg to edit. Yay Me!!!!
Want to keep learning how to live easier with ADHD?
- Divide and Conquer: ADHD Style
- ADHD’s Productivity Kryptonite
- Kick Some ADHD Episode 120: ADHD’s Warped Vision of Time
- Kick Some ADHD Episode 121: Cultivating a Clearer Vison of Time
Disclosure: There are some affiliate links above and I may receive commission for purchases made through these links, but these are all products that I highly recommend and have used personally or received word from clients on their benefits for ADHD.
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