Task Initiation – Starting
Task Initiation – or Getting Started is the ability to begin something on an efficient timeline, without unnecessary delay or procrastination. Like all executive skills, it shows up differently depending on the day, the context, your stress level, and what else is going on in your life.
Definition: Action. Starting something on an efficient timeline without procrastinating. You might feel responsible, motivated, powerful, or at ease with the task at hand.
How this might show up…
- You can get started right away.
- You can “just do it”.
- You get started even if you don’t have everything worked out yet.
- People often see you as disciplined, efficient, and motivated.
On the other hand…
At times, people might interpret your actions as lacking organization and/or planning, even when your approach is working well.
Opposite: Procrastination. Difficulty starting something on a timeline. You may feel like starting things at the last minute works for you, in general. Sometimes, you also feel anxious, overwhelmed, unmotivated, and/or ashamed.
How this might show up…
- You are slow to start.
- You avoid a task or put it off until later.
- You think it might be too hard and feel anxious.
- You feel overwhelmed because you don’t know where to start.
- You feel anxious about expectations — yours or others’ (perfectionist tendency).
- Feelings of shame may cause you to spiral emotionally, making everything worse.
- Burnout. You are often doing things at the last minute. Over time, this kind of stress stops being motivating and starts to take a toll on your well-being.
On the other hand…
People may interpret your actions as unmotivated, lazy, disorganized, or even uncaring, even when that’s not what’s happening at all.
WARNING!
ADHDers often have DOING challenges, even when they KNOW what to do. In this way, ADHD often looks like a “performance disorder” because ADHDers KNOW what to do, they just have trouble actually DOING it. This is hard to understand for people who can “just get started”.
Now that we have said that, here are some things you can try to DO that might help. (Do you see the Catch-22 here?)
Decrease the Overwhelm
-Clarify or figure out what you need to do.
-Break it down – What are the steps? If you don’t know, ask someone or use technology (Goblin Tools app, AI, etc.) Breaking it down into smaller, “doable” chunks makes it easier (most of the time) to see where to start and what is the first step or the next step.
-Try the “5-Minute Rule” (Thanks Ellen!) to shift into Focus Mode and then STOP after 5 minutes.
Think About Your Energy
-Schedule things that you know are boring or hard to do for times when you have the most energy. Try Time Blocking.
-“Eat the Frog” – an expression or a technique that means to do the hardest thing first. This works for some people but not everyone. Use it if it works for you. If not, consider a “Frog Free Diet”.
-Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
-If you are an extrovert, and social connection motivates you and gives you energy (even if the task doesn’t!) enlist the help of a friend.
-If you are an introvert, maybe you don’t have the energy to do it with someone else and this is something you could start more easily on your own.
-Or maybe… you are an introvert there is someone you work well with that makes starting easier when they are around.
Gamify (Activate your dopamine!) Sometimes you have to do something boring or difficult. Can you make it feel more fun? Or even make it feel like a game?
-Create a challenge! Time yourself. Set a timer/alarm/reminder.
-Make it feel more urgent! Move the deadline forward in your calendar.
-Add some accountability! Tell a friend what you are going to do.
-Collect a bunch of boring tasks and schedule a body-double session to blast through them.
-Roll a die/dice to decide which task you are going to do first.
-Reward yourself! Do something fun like…
- Hang out with your friends after you do the thing.
- Play your favourite game.
Add Some Accountability
Accountability to Yourself:
-Write down what you plan to do and put this note where you will see it. (This is the opposite of “out of sight, out of mind”.)
Accountability to Someone Else:
-Tell your friend (or someone) what you are doing. Sometimes when someone else knows what you are planning, you feel more like starting.
Why?
-Remind yourself why you are doing this thing. (Not why you should do it or why someone else thinks you should do it. Why do you want to do it? What will be possible if you do it?
More Coming Soon!