ADHD-ers, Hear Me Out: Have You Tried Procrastinating Harder?

Image by @mike_meyers via Unsplash

Once upon a time, I wrote a bunch of anti-procrastination tips. And I stand by them. But I recently discovered a new procrastination tip that works really well for me. Notice that I did not say “anti procrastination tip” that time. No, we’re doing the opposite today. We’re going to learn how to procrastinate even harder, and we’re going to do it on purpose, and guess what? It just might help us get more done. 

How It Works 

We all have “buffer” activities that we put between ourselves and our tasks. Streaming services. TikTok. Learning how to juggle. Whatever. We treat them like compromises, right? Just one episode. Just five minutes. And as soon as we’re done, we’ll start writing that paper or working on that spreadsheet. 

Yeah, how’s that been working out for you? Exactly. If you’re like me, you probably get trapped in an endless loop of “just one more chapter” or “just a five more minutes” or “just one more episode” until it’s gotten dark outside and you’re a stressed-out wreck. 

Recently, I wondered what would happen if I didn’t do that. What if, instead of procrastinating while telling myself I shouldn’t, I made myself procrastinate? What if I procrastinated even more on purpose? 

So, here’s what I did. 

Step One: Figure Out When I Procrastinate 

This one’s easy. I work from home. It’s usually mid to late afternoon, right when the “slump” hits. I still have stuff to do, but my brain fights it tooth and nail. Apparently, “we live in a capitalistic society” isn’t a good enough argument to make my ADHD stop doing that. 

Step Two: Stop Compromising 

I should do the task. I want to watch Bob’s Burgers. This usually means I try to compromise with my own brain. Okay, fine. We will let ourselves watch Bob’s Burgers, but just one episode. Maybe two. And then we’ll get to work. 

That’s a great plan if you don’t have ADHD. But it turns out that I do have ADHD, and these types of compromises don’t work for my all-or-nothing brain. 

So this time, I gave my brain what she wanted. I asked myself how many episodes I really wanted to watch. The answer was three. I would likely have watched three episodes if I were just enjoying them instead of putting something off. 

“Okay then,” I said. “I’ll watch four.” 

Why It Works (for me) 

Want to know what happened next? I watched exactly four episodes. I “wasted” about 90 minutes, and then I got to work. If I had told myself I could only watch one episode, I would have sat there for at least three hours. By committing to a longer procrastination session, I ultimately saved time. 

It was counterintuitive, but it worked. Why did it work? I’m not completely sure, but I have some guesses. 

It Didn’t Force Neurotypical Timing 

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. “I’ll tell you why it worked, Lynn. It’s because you did this revolutionary thing called resting. Imagine that.” 

You’re not wrong. That’s exactly what I was doing. 

But there’s a difference between neurotypical resting and ADHD resting: timing. ADHD-ers aren’t great at estimating how much time something will take. If a neurotypical person says “I’ll need about 20 minutes of rest,” they’re probably right. When an ADHD-er says it, we’re probably severely underestimating or overestimating that number. 

And as a late-diagnosed person, I tend to think I only need 20 minutes of rest because that’s probably what a “normal” person would need, and anything beyond that is just me being “lazy.” 

I can’t prove it, but it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if people with ADHD needed more rest than the neurotypical population. Because existing with ADHD is exhausting. Maybe what looked like excess was actually moderation this whole time. Maybe I was just finally getting what I needed. 

It Shuts off the “Get to Work” Gremlin 

I was never going to watch just one episode. No matter what I told myself I was going to do. But if I start by insisting on just one episode, then every episode after that is going to come with the ADHD monologue. 

You know the one. It sounds like this: “Just get up. Just start the spreadsheet. Why aren’t you getting up? Just do it, it’s not that hard. Okay, fine. Wait for the advertisement, and then get up. There’s the advertisement. Get up! You said you were going to get up. Why are you being so lazy?” 

Thanks to that monologue, I don’t fully enjoy what I’m doing. The procrastination doesn’t provide the satisfaction I’m craving, which is why my brain keeps seeking even more procrastination. And the cycle continues. 

If I procrastinate harder on purpose, the monologue shuts off. It’s reverse psychology, baby. I told myself that I have to procrastinate for a certain amount of time, and now my brain doesn’t see it as procrastination anymore. Now it’s just something I’m “supposed to” do. My brain can’t yell at me to get back to my to-do list if I’m doing something that’s already on the to-do list. Loophole! 

And wouldn’t you know it, if you enjoy your leisure activities, they provide actual leisure. Which makes it easier to get back to work when you’re done. Who knew? 

It Stops the Dopamine Loop 

When we put strict limits on things, we tell our brains that those things are scarce. And when things are scarce, our brains want them even more. They’ll work extra hard to obtain those things. Because our brains haven’t gotten the memo that we’re not competing against the Neanderthals for resources. Or that streaming services aren’t the same thing as berries or gazelle. 

Episodes of Bob’s Burgers are far from scarce. There are over 14 seasons as I’m writing this. And they’re available to me at any time. But as soon as I tell myself that I can only watch one episode, my brain will assume that there aren’t enough. She’ll think we have to grab as many episodes as we can before Oog and Grog steal them. 

How will she achieve that goal? By making me “crave” them even more. By rewarding me with a bit of dopamine every time I click “next episode.” 

But if I tell myself to watch more episodes than I think I’ll want, I tell my brain that there’s plenty. 

Plus, as ADHD-ers, when do we stop an activity? Is it when we’re satisfied with it? Or when we’re bored with it? Exactly. That’s why I add that extra episode from the beginning. This way, I get myself to the point where I actually want to stop the activity. I intentionally take it just past the point where the dopamine ends. 

Potential Drawbacks 

Obviously, it’s not a perfect system. There are some possible downsides. 

For example, it requires some flexibility. If I have a deadline in an hour, I obviously can’t procrastinate for 90 minutes. I also have to make sure that I don’t just exchange one method of procrastination for another as soon as I’m done. 

I’d also be careful with this one if you deal with addictive behaviors, or if your ADHD is untreated. 

There are also some things — like TikTok, for instance — that are designed to be addictive, even if you don’t add scarcity into the mix. 

So if you’re interested in trying this method, keep an eye out for possible challenges. 

Final Thoughts 

Options like “procrastinate harder” are counterintuitive, but that’s because we’re used to doing things the neurotypical way and then scolding ourselves when we fail. If the neurotypical way isn’t working, then there’s usually a more neurodivergent-friendly solution that will serve you better. 

You know your brain and your situation better than I do, so it’s up to you to decide if you want to give this a try. Depending on your needs, this kind of thing can help you reclaim your productivity. If you try it and it doesn’t work, take a look at these anti-procrastination tips instead. If it does work, I hope it serves you better than you could have ever imagined.