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Leaping Over the
Procrastination Trap
By Karen M. Wicks, Ph.D., Learning Specialist
Individuals who suffer the effects of
attention deficit disorder struggle with sustaining the energy needed to
consistently focus, attend to details, think ahead, follow through on
tasks or instructions, order things sequentially, organize information and
personal space, think abstractly, and concentrate on routine tasks. Many
form procrastinating habits in response to the fear of failure or because
of the need for a surge of adrenaline to marshal intention into action.
These students frequently pull all-nighters in order to complete
assignments. Without cramming the night before, ADD students often find
that they cannot get their brain worked up enough to complete the
assignment. Without sufficient stimulation, the brain looks for ways to
increase activity-sometimes in the form of negativity, the urge for
instant gratification, or adrenaline-producing substances. Students end up
feeling discouraged and negative, confusing their ability to perform with
their self-worth. Many ADD sufferers self-medicate with mild stimulants
like caffeine and/or nicotine to produce the adrenaline they need to start
and complete tasks. The downside, of course, is that they decrease the
overall blood flow to the brain, making their symptoms worse over time,
and reducing the effectiveness of medications.
As a neurobiological condition, ADD is
often misunderstood by those who assume that the label is an excuse for
inconsistency, laziness and procrastination, when in fact the ADD brain is
inconsistent by nature and cannot perform with equal amounts of energy
100% of the time. It has significant problems with the integration of
sensory information, and is, thus, overly attuned to external and internal
stimuli. Individuals with ADD are generally distractible because of the
inability to discriminate between useful stimuli and those that are
irrelevant. Medications can regulate the effects of the condition to some
degree; however, triggering the part of the brain that shuts down before
it is turned “off” and regulating the environment are key elements to
effectively manage ADD and improve academically. ADD individuals need to
develop good internal supervision skills-which they innately lack-and a
system to reduce procrastination and indecision. Generally, they have more
difficulty with auditory, sequential instructions and require time to turn
the information into a mental picture. They respond better to
whole-to-part (concept to details) learning and need to see the relevance
of the information-i.e., understand why they are learning it. ADD students
work best in short, intense bursts of activity; therefore, taking breaks
and doing assignments in chunks increase focus. They may require more idle
time to work their brain into motion. Too much pressure also creates
performance anxiety, which sabotages their ability to learn, shutting down
the attention centers of their brain.
Since ADD individuals generally have the
advantage of seeing things from many perspectives and are creative,
critical thinkers, they benefit from developing intuitive systems that
work for them. They respond better to the novelty of a task than to
repetitive activities, as their brain needs a challenge to stimulate it
for focus and concentration. Pictures help them remember better than using
lists. They have the ability to hold images of the finished product in
their mind’s eye for extended periods of time; therefore, harnessing this
skill will help them succeed academically and propel them to enormous
success in fields requiring visual-spatial intelligence.
In addition, thinking differently about
themselves as achievers rather than accepting the label of slacker,
procrastinator, or dummy-words ADD individuals often use to describe
themselves-sets the right emotional tone to change attitudes and activity
levels. Celebrating small incremental changes and having an air of
expectancy instead of failure create the right environment to succeed.
Thus, leaping over the procrastination trap
starts with a change in attitude and then a focus on the desired future.
Without a mental picture of who they want to become, learners lack the
mental energy needed to tackle the tedious aspects of life-be it in school
or elsewhere. Once dreams are clear, it is essential that individuals
believe in their ability to achieve them. If students set goals and
attempt to act upon them before developing a compelling “why” and a strong
belief, they are starting backwards-an exercise in frustration and
futility. Belief drives behavior. The ageless success
pattern-dream-belief-commitment-goal-action-is a critical “tip” that
creates lifelong mindful habits. Reversing the thinking process that has
created bad habits involves visualizing their cancellation and replacing
them with the attitude of “I can,” “I will,” and “the price is worth the
prize.” Taking ownership of one’s own learning is the highest form of
focus.
Parents and teachers can make a big
difference in retraining the difficult behavior of ADD students by
noticing and applauding their strengths and their small, incremental
improvements. An acceptance of the genuine struggle within the mind of an
ADD student and its potential advantages is a critical step in leaping
over the procrastination trap and reversing the tide of underachievement.
Dr. Wicks holds a Ph.D. from New York
University. She is a former professor & administrator, director for
curriculum and instructional development at the College Board—the SAT
people, and a leading expert in learning styles. She is co-founder of
EdVANTAGE™ Learning Center, Marlton, New Jersey. Readers may contact her
at 856-988-6640 or
info@Edvantagelearningcenter.com.
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