How often do you make 'busy work' for yourself to avoid something important or difficult? Do you work on tasks that keep you moving, but only in circles? It's an easy trap for us to fall into, we might busy ourselves with tasks that are immediately satisfying or require less effort because they feel safer or less daunting.
Are these tasks really productive? Are they moving us towards our goals, or are they just placeholders, keeping us from tackling the more challenging, yet more rewarding work? This cycle of busy work can be a subtle form of procrastination, one that uses up our valuable energy without actually giving us much in return except for some temporary dopamine.
Living intentionally is about aligning our daily actions with our broader goals. It’s about recognizing when we’re spinning our wheels and having the courage to shift our focus to what truly matters. Here are a few steps to help refocus your efforts:
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Evaluate Your Tasks: Regularly ask yourself, "Is this task/project moving me closer to my goals?" If the answer is no, it might be time to reassess its priority.
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Set Clear Intentions: Clearly define what you want to achieve both in the short-term and the long-term. This clarity will help guide your daily choices and prioritize tasks that align with these intentions long-term.
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Recognize Avoidance Behaviors: Be honest with yourself about why you may be choosing easier tasks over more impactful ones. Understanding your avoidance triggers can help you develop strategies to overcome them.
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Allocate Your Energy Wisely: We all have limited amounts of energy and focus each day, especially in the ADHD community. Make conscious decisions to invest this precious resource into actions that are truly beneficial and forward-moving. You already try not to waste money, or time, use the same care with your valuable energy!
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Create a Focused Plan: Use time-blocking with daily planning to clearly define your priorities in order. This not only makes the process less overwhelming but also provides a clear roadmap to follow, reducing the temptation to engage in unproductive busy work.
By focusing on intentionality in our daily lives, we empower ourselves to make choices that are in line with our true goals and desires. This week, take a moment to reflect on where your efforts are going. Are they leading you where you want to go? If not, consider this a gentle nudge to realign your actions with your intentions.
Time, energy, and effort are finite resources, even more so for those of us with ADHD. Let's not let them slip away before it's too late.
Thanks as always for reading,
Aaron Frank
Founder, The ADHD Project