Print When you have ADHD, it can be more challenging to process stimuli and information effectively (read more about this in the ADHD model). As a result, you may unconsciously make incorrect choices because you have inaccurately estimated things. This can lead to stress, frustration, and a sense of failure. To reduce these feelings, it can be helpful to focus on unhelpful thoughts and develop or expand skills. This article discusses the themes of self-assessment, time estimation, and task estimation. You will learn about each theme, common thoughts associated with them, and examples of how to approach them differently.
Self-assessment
When you have ADHD, it is more difficult to make a realistic assessment of your abilities. For example, you may underestimate or overestimate yourself, or misunderstand how your symptoms can affect you. Here are some examples:
- You overestimate your ability to manage distractions or take insufficient measures to deal with them.
Thought: “If I try hard, I can ignore my phone.”
Change: Turn off your phone and place it in another room. - You overestimate your memory, thinking you can remember things without aids.
Thought: “This is important, I’ll surely remember it.”
Change: Set alarms for important matters. - You overestimate the time needed to complete a particular task.
Thought: “I still have time to do this task later.”
Change: Do the task immediately or schedule it for later. - You overestimate your own accuracy or thoroughness.
Thought: “I feel like I’ve covered everything and I’m done.”
Change: Use a checklist to avoid forgetting anything. - You overestimate your control over your own behavior.
Thought: “I’ll just scroll on social media for fifteen minutes.”
Change: Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Time estimation
Time estimation involves making a realistic assessment of the time needed to complete a task. If you don’t do this well, it can lead to procrastination, overestimating the number of achievable tasks, or the time required for individual tasks. Here are some examples:
- You don’t give enough thought to time estimation and planning.
Thought: “I feel like I know how long this task will take.”
Change: Take one minute per task to estimate how long you think it will take. - You forget to include the startup and wrap-up time of tasks in your planning.
Thought: “This is a simple task, it won’t take long.”
Change: Consider if the task requires preparation or follow-up time. - You don’t allocate enough time or jump too frequently between tasks.
Thought: “I’m in the flow right now, so I might as well tackle this too.”
Change: Consider how it fits into your schedule and potentially schedule it for later. - You don’t account for setbacks, resulting in lost time.
Thought: “If I try hard, I can finish this in an hour.”
Change: Schedule extra time to be on the safe side. - You want to use time efficiently and productively, even though sometimes waiting can provide peace.
Thought: “I’d better be productive than sitting idle and doing nothing.”
Change: Schedule breaks and stick to them.
Task estimation
Lastly, task estimation involves prioritizing and executing tasks. If you find this challenging, you may procrastinate on tasks that are difficult or uninteresting, or rush through easy tasks. This usually doesn’t benefit your planning or the quality of your tasks. Here are some examples:
- You find it difficult to perform boring tasks.
Thought: “I’d rather do something else.”
Change: Reward yourself once you’ve completed the task. - You postpone tasks due to a lack of interest or motivation, making it even harder to start them.
Thought: “I’ll do this when I feel more motivated.”
Change: Do the task immediately to get it done. - You find tasks pointless, which makes it harder to execute them, even though they may be useful.
Thought: “Why should anyone do this!?”
Change: Consider the purpose or discuss the significance of the task. - You find tasks complicated or too big, believing they are impossible to accomplish.
Thought: “This is too difficult for me!”
Change: Break the task into smaller parts or ask for help. - You struggle to understand what is expected of you when tasks are vague or unclear, leading to procrastination.
Thought: “If I don’t understand it, I can’t start.”
Change: First, identify the steps involved in the task or ask for clarification. - You often use circumstances as a reason to postpone a task.
Thought: “My concentration isn’t great today. I’ll try again tomorrow.”
Change: Only tackle easier tasks or schedule difficult tasks for more suitable moments.
Source
- Vink, S. (2021). Cognitieve gedragstherapie bij volwassenen met AD(H)D. Handleiding voor therapeuten. BSL.
