When you have ADHD there is an innate need to put things off until later. Like waiting until later will provide some magical moment where boring tasks will be easier to do. I don’t know about you, but I always hear that voice in my head that sounds like a whiney 4-year-old saying, “But I don’t want to do it!” If you have a whiney four-year-old stopping you from doing things, there are 3 words that you can use to improve your motivation.
Typical conversations with the 4-Year old in my head
Me – “Oh look I got a bill in the mail. I should pay it.“
4-Year Old me – “But I don’t want to do it!” (stomps foot)
Me – “I need to make an appointment to get my oil changed”
4-Year Old me – “But I don’t want to do it!” (makes a pouty face while stomping foot)
Me – “Hey, there’s that piece of paper that fell on the ground yesterday. I should pick that up.”
4-Year Old me – “But I don’t want to do it!” (Crosses arms and turns away)
So, What 3 Words will improve your motivation and stop the whiney 4-year old in your head?
Just Do It
Yes, the classic Nike slogan is the perfect mantra for our ADHD brains. It’s short, easy to remember, and super motivating.
ADHDers are motivated by what is novel, urgent, and interesting. Many things in life are not novel, urgent or interesting, and that is when you need to use those 3 words to improve your motivation.
People with ADHD tend to believe that you need to be in a certain headspace to complete a task. If we wait to feel motivated, we might be waiting for a long time. But when you apply the Just do It method, you are not relying on your mood or feelings to do something, you are merely taking action.
Just Do It. Don’t wait for the right moment because the right moment doesn’t exist. Just do it because once you do it will be done. Just do it because after you do you will feel like you accomplished something and that is an awesome feeling!
Knowing more about your ADHD and how your mind works helps. Now, when I get a bill instead of putting it down to deal with it later (which usually means calling the credit card company to wave a late fee) I just do. And I no longer step over the annoying obstacle on the floor, I just pick it up. Having that awareness is the key to change.
Now my annoying 4-year has been replaced with this…
