Everyone procrastinates…ADHD’ers procrastinate in the same way as everyone else but there is also something else going on. Procrastination from getting off-task by a distraction or avoidance of tedious tasks are traits of ADHD and normal people.
Distraction
Jumping to one-thing-after-another shows a dis-regulation of attention in ADHDers. For example, to tighten a cabinet screw, I go into my garage to get a screwdriver. I see that I haven’t assembled the shelves I bought last week so I try to finish that. I remember I needed that screwdriver for fixing the cabinet hinge in the kitchen so I leave the unassembled shelves on the floor and go the kitchen. When I get to the kitchen I take out the burnt french fries I put in the oven just before I tried to get a glass of water in the cabinet which I saw has a screw loose on the hinge.
Many people take for granted that they can remember to turn on the timer so the french fries don’t get burned but ADHDers have a difficulty with little things. These little things that we forget or distract us can add up to disasters.
I still haven’t finished those shelves in the garage.