Determine your reasons for avoidance
A common problem with many ADD-ADHD Adults is avoiding or not doing what they intended to do on a daily basis. If this sounds like you, you can start reaching your best solutions by asking yourself the kind of questions an ADHD Coach would ask you.
State your intention clearly. Start with having a clear intention of what you want to do tomorrow, and exactly how and where you plan to do it. Then, tomorrow night, write down whether or not you followed through on your intention as you planned. If not, write what exactly got in your way.
That “I don't feel like it” feeling
Often what gets in the way is just “not feeling like it.” If that's the case, probe yourself a bit more to get specific about WHY you didn't feel like it.
Common reasons people with ADD-ADHD avoid doing things are:
- it seemed too boring
- unsure what to do (ambiguity)
- afraid you wouldn't know how to do it right
- discomfort around the outcome of doing it
- couldn't tear yourself away from what you were already doing
- it seemed like an overwhelming task
- resentment about doing it
- avoiding doing it due to shame or embarrassment
Each of these “don't feel like it” reasons are powerful roadblocks for you to overcome. Learning how will make a big difference in your follow-through. But they each require different kinds of solutions.
Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all answers. As you can imagine, your own personal strategy for breaking through boredom will be quite different than tools you might need to pull out of feeling overwhelmed. The coaching process of questioning helps determine the answers that will work for you. Similarly, the Thrive with ADD Self-Coaching Workbook & CD package will guide you through the process of creating those customized solutions that someone with ADD needs. No matter how you arrive at your answers, once you learn to coach yourself, you'll know how to break through the avoidance.
