How to ADHD: An Insider's Guide to Working with Your Brain (Not Against It)

by Jessica McCabe

Procrastinating is common for those with ADHD—and for good reason. The sense of urgency we feel as a deadline approaches kicks our brain into gear. Starting closer to a deadline instead of well ahead of time, as many of us have learned, can save us a lot of time and mental energy. But how you procrastinate matters. Research suggests that those who engage in what is called active procrastination—the “wait until your brain kicks into gear” or “put off homework until the night before it’s due” form of procrastination—experience similar performance and outcomes as non-procrastinators. On the other hand, those who engage in passive procrastination—the “head in the sand” form where you avoid even thinking about The Thing—are more likely to experience negative outcomes such as poor grades, missed opportunities, and—I don’t remember what else. Ironically, I keep procrastinating on revisiting the research. Even so, active procrastination has its costs. You might still have to blow off something important as you try to get the more urgent task done. Your efforts might affect how well your brain will function the next day. Sometimes these costs are worth it; sometimes they’re not. The takeaway? It’s unrealistic to expect anyone, especially someone with ADHD, not to procrastinate at all. But if you’re going to procrastinate, procrastinate mindfully.