When Clients Chronically Procrastinate: Strategies for Therapists and Coaches
Use this action plan to help clients with ADHD turn intention into action.
Kevin has the best of intentions. In our coaching sessions, he speaks openly about his struggles with procrastination but says he is confident that he will follow the plan we outlined. Yet, in subsequent sessions, Kevin shares that it was an off-week, unexpected obstacles arose, and he was unable to start his plan.
As coaches and therapists, we are well acquainted with clients like Kevin. At first, we show empathy for his struggle, stay positive, and problem-solve. Each week brings similar tales and we feel stuck. “Am I enabling Kevin?” we wonder. “Is he just saying what he thinks I want to hear? Why is he seeking help if he doesn’t want to take control of his life?”
Why ADHD Brains Struggle to Overcome Procrastination
Kevin’s intentions are likely genuine. He seems enthusiastic about a plan and expresses confidence that he will follow through. It’s his ADHD that has other plans. His brain’s altered rewards-processing system makes the task of turning intention into action a Mount Everest-sized challenge.
[Get This Free Guide: How to Build a Dopamine Menu to Stimulate Your Brain]
When most people feel unmotivated, they call on their executive functions to override the dread of getting started. They use their working memory to hold a goal in mind and recruit willpower to pursue it. They use inhibitory control to resist temptations and stay on task. But Kevin faces a double whammy from his altered rewards processing coupled with weaker executive functions. His attempts to follow through can feel like he is fighting his brain.
To help clients with ADHD get the most out of therapy, our research team at the University of Washington investigates provider strategies to enhance follow-through and created a roadmap for coaches and therapists.
Helping a client cultivate follow-through can be a slow process. Building one small success upon another, over time, can empower clients toward personal growth.
Stop Procrastinating: An Action Roadmap for ADHD Brains
During a Therapy or Coaching Session
- Devote at least 10 minutes to building plans that include details on how, when, and where actions will be taken to implement intentions. Gauge the client’s confidence in following through on intentions and adjust the plan as needed until confidence improves.
- Discuss possible barriers with the client and ask what they will do before they face each obstacle. For example, “What if you go to buy a calendar and the store is out of stock?”
- Put choices into the plan that will build enthusiasm and buy-in. Say, for example, “Will you do this at your desk or at a coffee shop?”
- Explore the outcomes and consequences of following through versus not. “What will it be like to complete your intentions? What will happen if your goals are not realized?”
[Read: How to Set Intentions to Crush Procrastination]
In the Next Session
- Help the client reflect on their attempts at follow-through. Some providers gloss over successes because they do not require problem-solving. Time spent discussing successes is an investment toward future follow-through.
- Reinforce all positive steps, even when follow-through was limited. Did the client complete a task one day out of seven? Celebrate that rather than dwell on what went wrong. Review each aspect of the plan in slow motion to increase the time spent discussing successes.
- Link positive steps to habit formation. Ask the client how they might continue with their new behavior long-term.
- Reframe failures as learning opportunities. Instead of rehashing barriers, ask clients how they wish to move forward. Say, “What will it take for you to be 10 percent more successful next week?” Refrain from giving suggestions except as a last resort. Encourage the client to come up with their own solutions.
- Revisit priorities when follow-through is tough. Are they different than initially thought? Perhaps perfection is not as important as meeting deadlines. Is insisting on one’s way not worth conflicts with others?
Stop Procrastinating: Next Steps
- Free Download: Finish Your To-Do List TODAY
- Take This Quiz: How Seriously Do You Procrastinate?
- Read: Why Do I Procrastinate? ADHD Excuses — and Solutions
Maggie Sibley, Ph.D., is a psychologist and researcher at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
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