Unraveling the Chaos: Navigating Procrastination with ADHD and ASD

Procrastination is a challenge that many people face. However, for individuals diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), procrastination can often feel overwhelming. Understanding the unique dynamics of these conditions helps identify effective management strategies. This post provides methods, tips, and insights designed to help people with ADHD or ASD conquer procrastination and improve their task management skills based on the strategies tested over the years by our Neurodiversity Coaches. The first half includes some potential methods to try, while the second half covers a personal narrative with perspectives gained from managing procrastination in a neurodivergent family with insights about parenting on the spectrum.

Understanding Procrastination

Procrastination involves delaying or postponing tasks or decisions. While it can affect anyone, those with ADHD or ASD often experience intensified patterns of procrastination. Issues related to executive function—like planning, prioritizing, and impulse control—can significantly contribute to task avoidance.

Anxiety often complicates procrastination further. Tasks can seem more daunting due to heightened sensory sensitivities associated with ASD or the distractibility and impulsiveness characteristic of ADHD. For instance, statistics show that around 20% of adults with ADHD experience significant challenges with procrastination. Recognizing these underlying issues can lead to tailored strategies that directly address them.

Practical Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable steps can be incredibly effective. Large projects may feel overwhelming, leading to avoidance. Instead of aiming to "clean the garage," start with simpler tasks like "sort through the boxes," "organize the tools," or "vacuum the floor." Each small completed task builds momentum and boosts motivation.

Using checklists can be particularly helpful. For example, if the ultimate goal is to prepare for a family event, create smaller steps, such as "buy groceries," "clean the living room," and "set up the dining table." Completing each item on your checklist can reinforce a sense of achievement, making the overall task feel less daunting.

Use Timers for Focused Work Periods

Timers can be a powerful tool to enhance focus. Consider the Pomodoro Technique, which encourages working for 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break. Research suggests that this method can increase productivity by up to 25% for individuals with ADHD.

Visual timers can be especially beneficial, providing a straightforward indication of time passing and generating a sense of urgency. Experiment with different time spans to discover your ideal focus duration. You might find that working in 15-minute blocks works better than the traditional 25-minute sessions if you struggle with maintaining focus.

Create a Structured Environment

A well-structured environment minimizes distractions and supports concentration. To combat sensory overload, declutter your workspace and utilize organizational tools like bins or shelves. Research shows that 50% of people report improved focus in tidy environments.

Establishing a daily routine can also help. For example, you might set specific times for focused work, breaks, and leisure activities. Creating this structure signals your brain when to focus and when to relax.

Prioritize Tasks with Visual Aids

Visual aids can be game-changers for people with ADHD or ASD. Use color-coded charts, sticky notes, or planners to visually represent tasks and their priorities. This approach can simplify decision-making. According to studies, visual organization techniques can improve task completion rates by up to 30%.

For example, a planner with color-coded sections for work, school, and personal tasks can help you visualize what needs to be accomplished each day. Placing this planner in a visible spot can serve as constant motivation or having a system in your phone you always have on hand with notifications can also help.

Incorporate Accountability Systems

Having an accountability partner can provide the extra push needed to overcome procrastination. This partner could be a friend, family member, or coach who understands your struggles with ADHD or ASD. Discussing your goals and sharing progress creates a sense of urgency to follow through.

Regular check-ins enhance motivation and facilitate a supportive exchange. Research indicates that people are 65% more likely to accomplish their goals when they report them to someone else. Consider scheduling weekly meetings with your accountability partner to review accomplishments and set intentions for the upcoming week.

Utilize Technology to Assist

Today a variety of apps and tools can aid in managing tasks and timelines effectively. Task management apps like Todoist or Trello, reminder notifications, and digital calendars can help individuals organize their workloads. A recent survey revealed that using task management apps increased productivity by up to 37% among users.

Take the time to explore different applications tailored for those with ADHD or ASD. The right app can streamline how you interact with tasks, making the process less burdensome and more intuitive.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Overcoming procrastination is a unique journey for individuals with ADHD and ASD. By implementing effective strategies—such as breaking tasks into smaller steps, using timers, structuring your environment, prioritizing visually, incorporating accountability, and leveraging technology—individuals can tackle procrastination head-on.

Understanding the specific hurdles posed by these conditions, and leveraging customized approaches will enable individuals to reclaim their time and boost their productivity. While the path may be challenging, perseverance and practice can lead to meaningful progress. Our community resources and coaches can help provide further information or support if you are struggling. Finally, using a simple notebook you keep on hand or your phone's note app as a bit of working memory helps if you tend to lose track of information that contributes to your procrastination.

Jot down all demands/tasks/expectations that have time limits or due dates as quickly as you can to aide with memory and recall. You can organize into a calendar or other systems later, the key is to track important information related to tasks so you don't lose them in the shuffle or chaos. You can prioritize tasks as another step later. Each evening start with the list of to-dos you made and then prioritize based on the due dates, significance of consequences, and/or other ranking systems that help you put what matters most in your control. Set realistic goals for what you want to do within the timeline you are working with. Shuffle non-essential tasks and spread them out over multiple days to provide more balance and prevent overwhelm.

You can do it all, but you can't do it all at once. That is normally the challenge with the neurodivergent mind. It is processing too much information at once and dealing with how to weigh that information to act appropriately in the moment. Executive functioning challenges make planning and organizing difficult to begin with which only compound the problem with managing routines and tasks.

Developing a baseline program based on your individual needs is important to establish a routine you can manage. Understanding yourself and your diagnosis can help you adapt.

There are tools, techniques, and practices that can support you. We practice compassionate care and affirming practices that aim to help individuals and families develop life skills to thrive. These methods have been used by members of our team in their own lives, and we share them with you in hopes it helps others on the spectrum gain a new perspective around procrastination.

A serene and organized workspace encouraging focus and productivity

A personal experience as a procrastinator living with AuDHD: I live with AuDHD (ADHD + Autism) and having my personal work space suited to my style and sensory needs helps me maintain productivity and avoid procrastinating with a focused space for those tasks. I can control my lights, sounds, and other sensory inputs in my home office to provide the balance my nervous system needs if overstimulated. I have noise cancelling headphones and my children on the spectrum loved weighted blankets for soothing naps for example. I found that providing environmental accommodations and simple reinforcement with structure provides the most balance.

Emotional regulation can impact procrastination and task avoidance in those on the spectrum. In our family, meeting our needs and regulating our nervous systems and emotional needs comes first, and other routines can be more regulated after.

It is hard to rein in chaos when multiple family members are not regulated at the same time. For some parents it may be a battle, they struggle with their own routines, and supporting the routines of their neurodivergent children who might also be avoidant with some tasks or struggle with switching tasks.

Managing regulation and providing accommodations to meet needs can restore balance. This means recognizing the importance of caregiver fatigue and burnout along with navigating symptoms simultaneously for themselves and their children. Parents on the spectrum need self-care routines that support them as well as their children. The old saying: "You cannot pour from an empty cup," applies here. Learning when to delegate is also important. If there are certain tasks that are truly adverse, it may be possible in some scenarios to ask for support or help in those areas. Clearing your plate of the tasks you are actively avoiding can help you focus on the ones that are left.

Task sharing is also a strategy. Sometimes the kids would swap tasks of their own choosing for something else on the chore list, allowing them more autonomy which kids on the spectrum with PDA really need for regulation at times. Rather than strictly forcing one child to do a particular task, they could remove the most avoided task by swapping for another task of equal effort. Everything still needed to be done, but we divided things more flexibly. It is ok to come back to tasks that are troubling after tasks you find less overwhelming. Sometimes, the momentum from accomplishing smaller tasks fuels us to continue with the harder tasks.

I often use music in my headphones while working or while cleaning to make those tasks more stimulating for me. Music helps my daughters enjoy chores more as well. Sometimes finding new ways to complete tasks can make them more approachable. Perhaps you have a sensory sensitive teen that seems to hate dishes more than anything? Add some dish washing gloves to help them prevent the "ick" feeling on their hands for example.

You might be surprised how much "sensory differences" could be involved in "task avoidance" when dealing with someone on the spectrum. Consider how to make tasks more comfortable for sensory sensitivities. Vacuums for example might cause real pain or discomfort for some children with auditory processing differences. Understanding environmental triggers can help prevent meltdowns related to sensory differences.

Finally, I use my productivity windows and downtime to get things done and plan restorative time to ramp up again. I understand the cycle of hyper-focus and I don't fight it, I run with it. I let my natural energy dictate the times of the day I get things done.

I used to suffer with insomnia while feeling like I dragged through the first part of the morning. I used to fight hyperactive thoughts at night that kept me from sleeping even while desperately trying. This pattern with insomnia often caused me to be less productive. I could work for 16+ hours after 10 AM... but I simply did not function my best in the early morning before then. My brain always seemed foggy during that part of the day. I seemed to peak at midnight when the rest of the world was quiet. My mind was always sharp and clear at night and I could more easily focus on hard work or deep thinking. When I tried to work in offices that required early hours or that had noisy spaces that seemed to block my ability to focus I struggled to maintain. I could become overstimulated and felt bombarded with processing everything at once. I lost track of information when I got overwhelmed at times contributing to my procrastinating.

I would have to admit I had forgotten or had not heard them correctly, which was hard to do at times, particularly at work. In many of those cases I was actively trying to pay attention; but the ticking clock and other ambient sounds were crowding out the conversation I was trying to hear as I processed it. If I missed processing some of the information in the moment, it was as if it slipped through the cracks of my working memory. I would sometimes catch up a few seconds later and sometimes not, I would have to ask people to repeat themselves when I could not recall or process clearly. Sometimes a contextual clue later might spark what was forgotten and I would write it down to better recall it later. But the reality of the ways ADHD can impact memory played a bigger role than I realized before I was diagnosed. I had always used notebooks since childhood to organize my thoughts.

This related to my need for external processing. I organized my mind as I organized the thoughts on paper. I would do the same with long monologues of speech before I understood what gestalt language processing was. I was deemed "over-talkative" and at times an "over-sharer" even as a child. In reality, I was processing language in chunks and needed to externalize my thoughts either verbally or by writing them down to fully process them at times. But these tendencies were misunderstood by me or those around me -- they seemed to be rude behavior or weird to others, when I was trying to connect and understand. I wanted desperately to be an early bird and to be an extrovert -- but I was a night owl and more like a social butterfly that could handle public but only a little at a time. I somehow always seemed to be dancing around at the edges observing rather than ever able to settle anywhere for long. I seemed flighty to many and that was true in a way.

I also seemed aloof like an owl with my late nights and lack of traditional social cues pushing me towards the edges time after time, making me a loner more often than not. I would act like a chameleon and mask to fit in but could only hold it for so long before needing to stim or do something else neurodivergent I would find myself explaining to others.

In groups my attention was pulled in a million directions at once by my senses. I craved the time with people but at the same time was easily overpowered by those experiences. I seemed to absorb things like a sponge -- good and bad energy around me -- and tried to regulate this excessive energy I seemed to pickup where ever I went. This excessive energy was related to my hyper-activity with ADHD and the sensory differences I experienced with Autism.

I learned to mask my stimming when I was young but only to a certain degree, and they still present when I am overstimulated in smaller but still noticeable ways to my peers. I have burnout from masking to fit in. I have burnout trying to keep normal schedules that felt stacked against my natural tendencies and energy. Now I embrace these realities. I actively try to unmask and try to educate people about neurodivergent behavior. I work remotely now through my network with a schedule that supports me. I do creative work at night. I use traditional business hours to hold meetings, classes, and other calls. Respecting my natural sleep pattern makes me more restored. Having enough rest gives me the energy to reduce my procrastinating tendencies. Much of the pile up in my past was happening because I was too busy hyper-focused on one area. I was in a demanding executive role for 4 years with a startup. I was using nearly all of my energy every single day to maintain the demands of work. I was salaried but working in excessive of 60+ hours some weeks to keep up. I did not have enough physical or mental energy to maintain my housework and other routines as well while I was under such demands on my time and energy at work. But This compounded the anxiety and stress I felt making it even harder to function well outside of the clear pressures at work. I reasoned the laundry could wait a day while the deadline for that project could not if wanted to keep my paycheck. It added up quickly at times, and I would find myself overwhelmed with the pile of things to catch up on during the weekend with no real rest in sight. I went through so many cycles of pushing to the edge of my ability and burning out over and over to survive that time of my life. It was not until that job ended and all of that daily pressure disappeared from my plate, that suddenly the reality of all I let slide in that four years hit me at once. I had not made my own medical appointments for continued care in many cases and I avoided house repairs or other serious tasks that had further consequences down the line. So it was not just the small ways procrastinating haunted me, it added up in ways that really cost me more than I expected at times. I share this story because there were many years I struggled with procrastination before my full accurate diagnosis. I know first hand how much that can add up or cause challenges if unchecked.

Adjusting my routines was important, but so was adjusting my expectations after understanding my diagnosis better.

In the background I also had a tendency towards perfectionism, meaning I did not want to do a task until I could do it properly and thoroughly. I had great fear of critics and failure, so unless I felt I could do a thing well, I was not "ready" internally to attempt it in many cases. I think this stems from the amount of critical feedback I experienced being on spectrum while growing up.

I became locked onto the idea I struggled to do things "correctly" or in the way others expected of me. I struggled with any ambiguous instructions, and really needed clarity. I also disliked being perceived or to be "watched" while completing some tasks. Somehow it made it even harder to perform without incident, as if my clumsy gene just waited for an observer to provide an embarrassing show. Especially as a child, I could lose concentration on the task at hand worrying about the other person in the room. But as an adult, I also had to learn to get out of my own way. My own inner critic's standards plus the fear of failure often made me re-work things or question myself. It is ok to turn in a draft and get feedback for example in many cases. Learning to avoid maximizing the potential negatives and identifying small steps forward is the key. I think many on the Autism spectrum learn to become risk averse overtime and are strict rule followers because of past experiences. The fear of risk, the fear of failure, fear of punishment or judgement; there are many what if scenarios a mind might run through to discourage us from taking action. This tendency begins to look like applying too much brake all the time...or waiting at a green light...we can become our own friction, and hold ourselves back. On the other end of the spectrum it can include being too impulsive and being unaware of some risks. This is like keeping your foot on the gas and flying through a yellow light a bit late but being sure you are going to beat the red light. We know it is a risk...but some people calculate that risk and take it or not by choice, while for others it is more based on impulse. The ability to weigh decisions in the moment and consider consequences to choose can be impacted by executive function or regulation. A person who is normally measured might act out of character under extreme pressure. A neurodivergent person might act out of character when dysregulated by the environment. Understanding that impulsivity and avoidance are both linked to executive functions and regulation is to better understand part of the diversity of the experience on the spectrum. A person with AuDHD like me, might swing between the need for regular routines to maintain regulation vs a need for spontaneous activity to stay stimulated. I am considered conservative or even rigid in many areas of my life, and more flexible/adventurous in others. The contrast is hard for others to understand at times and difficult for me to live authentically in all circumstances. My neurodiversity greatly impacted my interests and how I related to others throughout my life. As an adult I know that my "quirks" as many called them growing up are simply my neurodiversity showing up and I am ok with that.

I found that some things required me to create a written plan before I could initiate tasks with enough confidence. The practice of writing the plan helps me gauge the actual time involved and prioritize against other demands more realistically as well.

When I work with the kids clear instructions also help, for example "Go Clean the Kitchen" vs "Sweep the Kitchen Floor". Just saying go clean the kitchen leaves a lot of room for different interpretation and misunderstanding. Does that include the dishes, the floor, the trash, the appliances? Which parts need cleaning? When providing instructions for children on the spectrum, be specific, be simple, and be clear with your language and the full scope of the ask. Break it down into the smallest steps possible until the whole job is complete if they struggle with maintaining focus/attention for multi-step tasks. Helping children cultivate focus on one task or a single step is good practice for skill building. Visual guides or checklists also help.

For nonverbal children consider AAC devices or other methods for alternative communication cues to encourage routines and understanding. If we don't feel competent or comfortable with a task, it can make it more difficult to approach it. Allowing for imperfection as we learn with more practice is necessary while developing any skill. Having compassion during the learning process can help remove some of the pressure that contributes to procrastinating with unfamiliar or complex tasks. I had real difficulty with fine motor skills and developing balance/coordination. I was clumsy not on purpose or as a goof, but because I could not help it. This translated into difficulty with some tasks as I was growing up that required more coordination.

I could learn new things but it often took me more time with practice, and I often fumbled through the learning process or caused mess along the way. I had to learn to develop patience for myself and just accept that even if it took more practice, once I acquired a new skill it was always worth it.

That persistence in my youth translated into my ability to teach myself new skills as an adult later in life. While I sometimes struggled with receiving instruction from others, I had become more able to teach myself new things learning independently. I needed to understand things deeply and wanted to learn freely. By pursuing interest based learning I excelled where I otherwise would have struggled to maintain attention for subjects that did not compel me. By pursuing my curiosity I became a lifelong learner. Many children on the spectrum are exceptionally gifted in certain subjects or areas such as music, art, dance, or other creative works. Others might find a real passion for science, nature, or math. While some students find language more compelling. Allowing students to develop and cultivate knowledge and skills aligned with their interests and natural tendencies is a gift.

Traditional education paths and alternative methods are both valid, and it is ok to try different approaches if conventional methods are simply not working well enough. Our family practiced distanced learning at different points during their development when they struggled the most with integrating with peers at school for example. The hybrid approach worked best for us instead of forcing them into routines they struggled to maintain that contributed to more chaos at home. I struggled to maintain early mornings without getting dysregulated myself as they struggled to comply with the daily demands in the traditional school routine. The kids having meltdowns before school led to being late or sometimes absent when they were sick with co-occurring conditions. This would also cause the same issues for my attendance at work as the primary caregiver. We made the choice to put them in a hybrid program and for me to work remotely to support them more from home while earning an income as our final solution. In the end, our youngest daughter chose to go virtual for her final year of high school to complete courses while freeing up her time to work her first job without getting overwhelmed trying to manage both schedules. She completed courses at her own pace around her part time job. She had no desire for college and made that declaration clear. She wanted to start learning from experience hands on by working. We allowed her to choose for herself and now she is considering apprentice programs and other certifications to further her education. I encourage every family to make their own personal choices when it comes to education as the needs for everyone on the spectrum present differently. Going a less traveled by route worked for me and my children when it came to learning; so I am an advocate for parent choice when it comes to education plans and meeting the needs of children on the spectrum.

I believe education is the basis of skill building. The more you learn the more you can do. I hope this story helps shed light on how procrastination can be approached with a neurodivergent perspective in mind and that you find some new methods that might work for you or your family. Understanding how to find the right motivational factors for each individual is key. Unlocking procrastination patterns may require a multifaceted approach, knowing that often other underlying factors are at play in the struggle. Diving into the questions behind avoidance around tasks can help us find the points we need to address to move forward.

I encourage you and your family while dealing with this challenge. I understand it can be difficult and may even feel impossible at times. Remember to give yourself compassion and understanding along the way. The guilt or negative feelings that go along with procrastinating only make things harder.

Keep trying your best, that is all anyone can do. There are some days that simply require more than we have to give. As long as you are doing as much as you are able, you have done enough. Some days I can give 110% when I feel my best, other days I can only summon 50% compared to my usual energy due to burnout or other conditions. I had to learn to accept that giving that 50% on the days I felt so much less energy was the same as giving 110% on my best days. I have given all the capacity I had in both cases and there is no reason to beat myself up for the down days.

The low days are the cost from the days before when I spent extra energy to do more. I need the restful days to have more good days. If I deny myself the rest, and keep pushing beyond my natural limits too much, I risk real burnout/shutdown mode that could be even worse or take longer to bounce back from.

In the past I used the pressure of everything in my calendar being so full to push me into action; that constant sense of urgency helped me act due to my AuDHD. On the other hand, I was always overextending myself, and it kept me hitting burnout cycles far to often, which was counter-productive.

Learning to balance the amount I was committing myself to in advance was key, but that only became more clear once I started being more consistent with tracking all tasks and commitments and being honest about non-essentials that I could clear from my plate. If everything feels like a priority nothing really is. If everything seems urgent, it is hard to order them by importance. That is why taking time to write things down and then reviewing at night became such a helpful ritual for me. With my anxiety in the moment almost any task can feel urgent/important, even something simple can sometimes feel like a much larger demand than it is in reality. Writing it all out and seeing the tasks side by side on paper allows me to think more logically and assess importance/priority in a more meaningful way that is not led by the inner critic voice that is just like saying "do all the things right now". That standard is A) impossible to do and B) impossible to maintain; as I have learned the hard way with years of trying to everything all at once :) In summary here is what I changed in my own routine that helped me most:

• The practice of stillness and learning to do one thing at a time helped me focus.

• I use my background (music, etc.) intentionally to facilitate my mood/actions.

• Practicing meditation and other mindfulness techniques helped me regulate my energy, regulate my emotions, and become more self-aware of my patterns and behaviors that were holding me back.

• I committed to planning more intentionally for task management on paper & using apps in my phone with reminders. I used speech to text for notes on my phone. And can take those tasks and put them in my calendar/planner easily from there.

• I negotiated more around my sensory needs to clear things that were blocks for those reasons. I also try to give myself enough rest to stay more regulated.

• I use time blocking and visual aids for structure and to serve as cues for routines.

• I manage my motivation by breaking things down into smaller goals and setting milestones for stretch goals or longer projects and celebrate those wins on the way. I also manage it by noticing when the inner critic is taking over in my thoughts to avoid the negativity traps that can create.

We hope this post provided some ideas to start with as you work on conquering procrastinating.