Turning Procrastivity into Productivity

• Key Takeaways:
  • People with ADHD often engage in "procrastivity," escaping high-priority tasks by doing other productive things.
  • Procrastivity tasks tend to be more manual, have a clear start and end, and provide a sense of accomplishment.
  • People are more likely to spend extended time on procrastivity tasks due to a clearer sense of efficacy.
  • By understanding the elements of procrastivity, we can reverse-engineer them to make challenging tasks more appealing.
• Metacognitive Questions:
  • How can I identify my own procrastivity tendencies and the types of tasks I gravitate towards when avoiding priorities?
  • Why do I find procrastivity tasks more appealing, and how can I leverage those elements to improve my approach to challenging tasks?
• Action Plan:
  • Analyze the tasks I typically use for procrastivity, identifying their characteristics (manual, clear start/end, sense of accomplishment).
  • Break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps with clear start and end points.
  • Introduce manual or physical elements into challenging tasks whenever possible.
• Mindset Cultivation:
  • Focus on the sense of accomplishment that comes with completing even small steps.
  • Emphasize the process and progress rather than just the final outcome.
  • Cultivate a mindset of self-efficacy by tackling manageable challenges.
• Metaphors/Concept Handles:
  • Procrastivity is like choosing a scenic detour instead of taking the direct but less appealing highway to your destination. Both get you there, but the detour offers a more enjoyable journey, even if it takes longer.
  • Reverse-engineering procrastivity is like studying the design of a well-loved tool to understand its appeal and then applying those principles to create a more engaging version of a less desirable tool.