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Task Initiation

Apr 24, 2017 | 8:30 AM

The Prince Albert Branch of the Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan presents article eight in a series on helping people with ADHD or parents of children diagnosed with ADHD live more successful lives. ADHD is frequently marked by inattentive behaviors, impulsivity, or hyperactivity. These behaviors are often inconsistent in that the individual can do something with success and then be unsuccessful the next number of attempts to the frustration of themselves and others around them. There is no cure.

Often parents will turn to medication in an effort to reduce the effects the symptoms have on the child’s life. For approximately two thirds of the children diagnosed the symptomatic behaviors continue into adulthood, sometimes with more control because of maturity and experience.

Task initiation is the executive functioning skill of getting going and taking action, in other words overcoming procrastination. People with ADHD often have difficulty with tasks or duties that have little value or meaning to them personally. Sometimes the task will gain value if there is some type of reward attached.

For children the reward may have to be somewhat immediate and as they mature the reward can be more future oriented. Often getting internal and external clutter out of the way can help them get started as the distractions are reduced. Obviously having a plan of breaking up the task into bite-sized components can help get started, especially if each step is limited to short periods of time and the next activity promises to be more fun or rewarding.

Having a coach or mentor to report progress can help the people with ADHD to monitor their progress and receive continued reinforcement.

Other issues that may lead to procrastination and task initiation efforts could involve fears. Both the fear of failure, such as the task is too hard, I’m not good enough, or I can’t be perfect; or the fear of success, creating high expectations, or harder future tasks, or other unknowns can prevent one from starting tasks.

Sometimes talking to a friend, coach or other support person can reduce the fears so one can get started. The key to getting started is not to get overwhelmed and keep the task in manageable chunks. Celebrate the completion of each step. As with almost all ADHD strategies, practice and time are the keys to improvement. Start small and build to larger tasks slowly.

If you or a family member wants to improve skills living with ADHD you are invited to call LDAS Prince Albert Branch to meet with an ADHD coach to discuss how coaching new behaviors or skills can make life better. LDAS PA also offers an ADHD Support Group that meets every second Wednesday to help people put some of their ADHD issues into perspective with help from group members’ experiences. The group meets from 7:30 to 9:00 pm at the LDAS Center 1106 Central Ave. Please call 306-922-1071 to pre-register or to inquire into either service.