Procrastination Transformation

Procrastination Transformation Secrets to Getting Started The Secrets to Getting Started Developed by Bonnie Mincu, MA, MBA Senior Certified ADHD Coach

RECAP of Module 1 Major reasons we don t get started: Procrastination: unmotivated, don t feel like doing it Paralysis: feeling mentally stuck, unable to move forward Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 2

RECAP of Module 1 Concepts and Strategies Introduced Procrastination Transformation Key: Visual aid illustrating reasons we don t get started Download at http:///key Simple Procrastination avoiding task due to boredom and disinterest. Strategies primarily involve stimulation. Rituals Set of actions repeated the same way regularly, intended to form an automatic habit Intention A thought-out idea of what you intend to do, and the conditions that will most likely make it succeed Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 4

RECAP of Module 1 Secrets from Module 1 Learn to identify exactly what s stopping you from moving forward For simple procrastination, entertain your brain Perform rituals to create habits that make mundane tasks automatic Create full intentions to successfully start a task, and to track what derails you Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 5

Complex Procrastination When you re not interested in task/project, and it isn t simple! Too many details Requires too much concentration and focus Must learn how to do something Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 6

Complex Projects Break down large tasks or projects into the smallest of parts Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 7

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Impatience We exaggerate how much time it will take Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 8

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Impatience SUGGESTION: Break down the task to simple steps Time how long it takes to perform one or more steps. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 9

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Visual Overload If your brain gets overwhelmed at what looks like too much information on a page, you may react with impatience, fear or anxiety. You may falsely perceive complexity for something that s really quite simple. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 10

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Visual Overload SUGGESTION: Cover up the page or visual information Uncover it slowly so that you process just one piece at a time HINT: It helps if you print out the page Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 11

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Thinking Non-Sequentially ADD / ADHD people are more likely to think in a circular manner, rather than in a sequence. This is a problem when steps must be performed in a particular order. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 12

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Thinking Non-Sequentially SUGGESTION: With step-by-step directions, follow the directions as given! HINT: Print them out, cover up the page, and just uncover one at a time. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 13

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Missing directions or detail The attention mechanisms may blink in and out, so you miss some bits of information Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 14

Dealing with DETAILS: Why a problem for ADD/ ADHD? Missing directions or detail SUGGESTION: Make sure the directions are clear to you Read them one at a time, sequentially Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 15

Intense Concentration required on Tedious Tasks It s hard enough to focus when you re not interested much less focus intensely for long periods of time! Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 16

Complex Projects Don t fight your attention span. Go with your own flow and try to enhance it Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 17

Intense Concentration required: FLOW with your Attention Span Don t try to force it beyond its capacity to tolerate the task Figure needed breaks into your planning Learn what time of day you focus best on this work Enhance your attention span if possible with exercise or meditation HINT: Avoid meal of heavy carbs & protein before you have to concentrate Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 18

Learning Curve When you have no interest in learning the subject Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 19

Lean into the Learning Curve Treat the process like any other procrastination issue: - Break it down to its simplest parts - Focus on one piece at a time - Follow the directions in sequence - Don t tax your attention span Set up stimulating conditions, if appropriate Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 20

CASE STUDY: Invoicing Laura the attorney was months behind on invoicing her clients. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 21

CASE STUDY: Invoicing Although months of backlog is OVERWHELMING The process of billing is just tedious: A procrastination issue Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 22

CASE STUDY: Invoicing Break the process down, step by step What are all the action steps required to process one client s bill for one month? Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 23

CASE STUDY: Invoicing Laura s Plan: Delegation What could her assistant do? Intention Make appointments with herself to do billing Time Tracking See how long each step of the process really took Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 24

CASE STUDY: Invoicing LESSONS LEARNED Ask for help Don t be afraid to let your assistant know you aren t perfect Develop time-tracking ritual Set reminder to stop at end of morning and afternoon to track time, no matter what! Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 25

Mental PARALYSIS When you are not able to move forward Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 26

BLOCKED because Something else needs to come first OR Difficulty transitioning out of previous activity or thoughts Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 27

Blocked: Can t find the Time Common reasons why ADD people don t find TIME to start Overbooked, more than is realistic for anyone Didn t use calendar to schedule Inability to plan realistically Forgetting current commitments Tendency to be a pleaser Working inefficiently or drifting off-task Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 28

How to understand time Learn your own relationship with time Become aware of your current assumptions about time Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 29

How to understand time Learn your own relationship with time Become aware of your current assumptions about time Understand that time is not infinite How much time you have available is not necessarily relevant to how long something takes to do! Use something visual to show you what you need to do within a particular block of time Calendar, daily planner, week at a glance Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 31

BLOCKED Can t find the TIME Develop a realistic sense of time. Become aware of how your time is spent and what you do to spend it. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 32

Calendar / Planner Enter tasks, Intentions and appointments into a Calendar / Planner Trying to rely on memory will not earn you any extra credit in life! It doesn t matter what kind of calendar you use, as long as you can easily see what you have to do that day or week Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 34

Calendar / Planner Develop a ritual / habit to use the calendar Entering things in a calendar is only useful if you look at it and use it for planning. HINT: Treat the ritual as a daily INTENTION until the habit feels established Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 35

Timer to stay on track Set a timer to sound or vibrate at regular intervals to keep you from drifting off-track For example, every 15 minutes Set for shorter time intervals in your DANGER ZONES when you re more likely to drift Online activity can lead to surfing Any activity that bores you Times of day (or times in your medication cycle) when you re more unfocused Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 36

Are you a PLEASER? Are you a chronic volunteer? Do you have trouble saying NO? You may not have time for your own responsibilities because you re too busy doing things for everyone else. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 37

Are you a PLEASER? Learn this magic phrase: Let me check my schedule and get back to you! Practice saying NO to someone about something at least once a day starting with baby steps Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 38

Blocked by Dependencies Something else is required first Before you start, imagine yourself performing the task, step by step, to determine if something else is required first Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 39

What could be required first? Must find or organize material or information Pre-step: What really has to be done first. Plan on the pre-step in your schedule ADDers need for pre-steps due to disorganization can make things take longer Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 40

What could be required first? Need permission or information from another source Manage expectations: Give a heads up to the other person in advance that you ll need something In projects of multiple steps, taking care of this kind of communication should be one of the first steps, no matter when the information might be needed in the process Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 41

What could be required first? A prior step was needed before you can start Visualize beginning the task. Imagine what it would take to begin. If you are not able to begin under current conditions, there s a prior step needed. Sticky Note strategy: Write each step on a separate sticky note. Move the notes around on a table or wall until you ve worked out the order the steps have to be performed. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 42

Blocked by Hyper-focus Locked into a previous activity, you don t stop in time to start the new one Set a timer in advance, with several transitional warnings to give yourself space to pull out of the hyper-focus mode Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 43

Blocked by Hyper-focus Locked into your own thoughts, you lose track of time, or are unwilling to turn your attention to the task Positive thoughts keep you locked in a daydream Negative thoughts have you stuck in a swamp of rumination Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 45

The 5 minute Rule of Rumination If you are dwelling unproductively on a particular thought pattern, assign that topic of thought a particular 5-minute time period. It must be the same time every day. Whenever that thought comes up at any other time, push it away, saying STOP. It s not your time. As you continue to push the thought away, it will gradually stop intruding so often. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 46

Paralyzed by OVERWHELM The most common type of ADD-related paralysis Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 47

1. Recognize common triggers that bring on Overwhelm. Think about what has made you overwhelmed in the past. Identify what types of challenges are overwhelming to you. Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 48

Common overwhelm triggers: Activities that are -- or seem to be: Large - a great deal to do or to learn. (Example: filling out several months of overdue expense reports) Complicated or difficult- involving many steps. (Example: putting together a bicycle with a 10-page instruction manual) Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 49

. Common overwhelm triggers Ambiguous - unclear to you what has to be done or how to start. (Example: trying to figure out someone else's filing system) Unpleasant - starting or performing the action makes you feel uncomfortable. (Example: Writing 96 "thank you" notes for wedding gifts you received six months ago.) Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 50

2. Identify overwhelm as soon as it descends upon you. Pay conscious attention to your feelings when you find yourself avoiding something. Become very aware of what Overwhelm actually feels like, so you can instantly identify it and categorize it as resulting from a challenge that is large, complicated, ambiguous or unpleasant. Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 51

3. Schedule a time to think through the overwhelming project on paper. In order to break large, ambiguous or complicated projects down to manageable proportions Make an appointment with yourself to plan it out. Treat the appointment seriously and put it in your calendar. Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 52

4. Break down the large project into small steps, using visual tools. Techniques you can quickly sketch out on paper make it much easier to capture your whirling thoughts and turn them into a nonoverwhelming plan. Use Sticky Notes or Mind Map Technique Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 53

Shame's Role in Overwhelm Feelings of shame keep you locked in overwhelm. When you feel ashamed, you are afraid to let others know when you don't know what to do. - You ruminate about past failures - You avoid asking for help So you remain overwhelmed and paralyzed. Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 54

Consider each step completed a success. Avoid "all or nothing" thinking - Think of your project in stages and small action steps. - Use a check-list of all the different steps and check off each area as you complete it. This will give you an on-going feeling of progress -- the opposite of paralysis! Bonnie Mincu 2010 Thrive with ADD 55

Creating Full Intentions Create full Intentions to successfully start a task, and to track what derails you Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 56

What to track in the Intention Log ROADBLOCKS! You won t need to do this forever! Just tracking your Intentions for a couple of weeks will make a big difference in understanding what solutions you ll need Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 57

Summary of Module 2 1. Break down large tasks or projects into small parts. 2. Don t fight your attention span. 3. Develop a realistic sense of time. Become aware of how your time is spent. 4. Before you start, imagine yourself performing the task to determine if something is required first. 5. Use a mindful process to understand your Overwhelm triggers, and an Intention approach to break through it. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 58

Assignments (should you choose to accept them) PRIMARY ASSIGNMENTS: Time Sense As part of a few INTENTIONS, guess how long the intended task will take you. Time the task and compare your guess to reality. See if you sense any pattern to how off your guesses are. Multiply your future guesses by that number. Use the Time Sense Tool as a guide. (Download it from Jigsaw Box) Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 59

Assignments (should you choose to accept them) PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT #2: Break it Down Practice breaking down a large project into small steps. Create Intentions for carrying out the steps. Track what you ve learned about your strategy, and what you would do differently next time. Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 60

Procrastination Transformation Coming up in MODULE 3 Dealing with shame and fear Analyzing best, worst and most likely cases to happen How to handle ambiguity, when things are not clear Breaking the perfectionism trap Quick breakthroughs for planning and prioritizing Next steps Copyright Bonnie Mincu, 2012 61