How to Stop Procrastinating Boring Tasks
- Eric Kaufmann
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Wondering how to improve your executive function skills as an adult?
Take our free, 2-minute quiz to find out which executive function skill you should start with.
Thank you to our sponsors who keep this newsletter free to the reader.
Hi Friend,
Today, I'm going to teach you a metacognitive trick that I use to stop procrastinating boring tasks. It works especially well for my neurodivergent brain.
See, I had my weekend all mapped out: enjoy the sunshine on Saturday, tackle my to-dos on Sunday.
But when Sunday hit, the version of me I expected to wake up to was nonexistent. Instead of feeling well rested, I was tired, cranky, and unmotivated.
My to-do list looked something like this:
Exercise
Grocery store
Clean the van
Reply to emails
Update the monthly budget
Plan priorities for next week
Work on my best man speech
By 1 p.m., I’d accomplished exactly nothing. The day was slipping away, and the stress of all those unfinished tasks was piling up.
So I decided to get real. “Okay, which of these things MUST happen today?”
The answer was clear: grocery shopping.
“How can I make this task easier?”
Get it delivered.
Boom. One task complete.
Then I asked myself, “What’s the next most important thing on the list?”
The answer made me groan…clean the van. I hate cleaning, and my brain was sure it would take at least two hours.
But here’s what’s amazing: 35 minutes later, I was back on the couch, van clean, and feeling proud.
What changed?
I asked myself one simple question...let's dive in.
Why do I Procrastinate?
Procrastination isn’t a lack of willpower or poor time management. It’s caused by emotion. Specifically, a struggle with the executive function skill of emotional regulation.
If you have ADHD, are autistic, or otherwise neurodivergent and know you have weaker executive function skills, keep this in mind:
You’re not lazy.
Forget the word motivation.
Focus on emotional regulation.
When we avoid a task, we’re avoiding the uncomfortable feelings attached to it. The four most common emotions that drive procrastination are:
Boredom
Anxiety
Fear
Confusion
For me, cleaning the van felt incredibly boring.
I created a free course that teaches you how to identify the emotion causing your procrastination. You can access it here.
How to Stop Procrastinating Boring Tasks
Here’s the question that got me off the couch and cleaning. It’s a question that will improve your executive function skills.
“How long will it actually take?”
I thought cleaning the van would take two hours. It only took 31 minutes.
Here's me going through the process for visual learners (like me):
For many of us with ADHD, or as autistic and neurodivergent adults, this question is powerful because it simplifies the overwhelm and improves executive function.
Our brains catastrophize the time and effort required for boring tasks. But when we time it, we often discover they take much less time than we predicted.
This question, “How long does it actually take?”, works for nearly anything we are avoiding.
Trust me…I’ve tested it out:
Putting away clean laundry: 11 minutes
Doing the dishes: 8 minutes
Prepping coffee the night before: 3 minutes
Here’s how you can use it this week:
Pick a boring task you're avoiding
Ask yourself, "How long will it actually take?".
Take a guess.
Do the task and time it.
Compare your guess to reality.
Now you have data to use in the future.
The next time that task comes up, you’ll know it’s not the monster your brain made it out to be, and you can use the skills you learned in my course, Own Your Hours, to make a realistic plan for getting it done.
Pro tip: Listen to music. To make cleaning the van even easier, I listened to a new album by my favorite band, Goose.
In Summary
Procrastination isn’t only about poor time management. Saying things like, “I’m just lazy” or “I’m not motivated” ignores the real reason you’re struggling to get started.
Procrastination is a battle with our emotional state.
In reality, the executive function skill of emotional regulation is the key to breaking the procrastination cycle.
The next time you can’t get started because “the thing” is so boring, ask yourself this question:
“How long will it actually take?”
It cuts through avoidance. Gives you a dose of reality. And makes it easier to get started.
I'm betting you’ll discover the task is rarely as big, long, or boring as your brain makes it out to be.
In service,
Eric
P.S. Free Mini Course: Break the Procrastination Cycle
Procrastination can seriously impact your mental health, physical well-being, and financial freedom.
My free mini-course, Break the Procrastination Cycle, teaches the 4 emotions behind procrastination, how to spot them, and a proven toolkit to manage them—all in just 30 minutes
If you or someone you care about struggles with procrastination, this course is here to help.
About the Author
Eric Kaufmann is an Educational Therapist, Certified Executive Function Coach, and speaker. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an executive function coaching company that helps adults and workplace teams overcome disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks. Eric is also the founder of Elevate Learning Solutions, an Educational Therapy practice that supports neurodivergent students in becoming independent and confident. Book Eric to speak or lead a workshop.
