ADHD Flow 4-3-2-1: The Procrastivity Trap
a mindful moment to ride the waves
One minute. No links. Just a reset.
4 Calming Breaths
The box breathing meditation you can do anytime and anywhere. Take 16 seconds right now to reconnect with your body and mind:
I. Inhale (four seconds)
II. Hold (four seconds)
III. Exhale (four seconds)
IV. Hold (four seconds)
Repeat as desired
3 Ideas From Me
I.
Procrastivity is when you do useful things to avoid the important thing
It comes with quick dopamine: small wins, clear steps, a satisfying finish line.
Like spontaneously deep cleaning the kitchen in the hour you’d blocked to create the first draft of a challenging presentation.
The problem is that the list of useful things never ends! So we never get that perfect focus window to face the uncomfortable task we already know matters most.
II.
Name it to break the spell.
When you notice yourself drifting into a side quest, say: “This is procrastivity.”
Then ask: What am I trying to avoid right now?
Uncertainty, boredom, fear of doing it badly, not knowing where to start.
III.
Anchor the day to what matters.
Write your Big 3 for today. One sentence each.
Then keep a separate list called Side Quests for everything else.
When procrastivity shows up, ask: Is this moving me toward my Big 3, or soothing me away from them.
If it’s a Side Quest, write it on a small piece of paper by your desk. That way your brain knows it’s safe and you won’t forget it. Then return to the Big 3.
Come back to the Side Quests later in a short time box, and do the ones that still matter.
2 Quotes From Others
I.
“Procrastinators seldom do absolutely nothing; they do marginally useful things.”
Source: John Perry, Stanford philosophy professor
II.
“Procrastivity is a sneaky form of procrastination, a sort of Trojan horse of avoidance.”
Source: Dr. J. Russell Ramsay, psychologist (Adult ADHD, CBT)
1 Question For You
Where does procrastivity show up most for you right now and which one of the ideas above could you try today?
ADHD Flow 4-3-2-1: Inspired by James Clear. Built for the neurodivergent community
See you next week (I promise - you are now my accountability partners.)