ADHD Get it Done Tip - Take the Smallest, Tiniest Step

Do you struggle just to get started? People with or without tell me that once they get going on a task or project, they are productive. But, it’s the getting started at that so hard!

Is that true for you too? I know it is for me.

Here is a trick that I use when I just can’t seem to get going. It works great on “little” projects such as laundry or filling the dishwasher. And it is what I do to help me start on larger tasks that I might be procrastinating, such as taxes or revamping my website.

The trick is this: Ask yourself what is the smallest baby step that is the very next step that you can take. A step that is so small that you could trip and it would be done.

Did you read that? That question is the most important part of this tip

Now, once you have that step, do it.

Simple, right?

The other part of this trick that I also use, is once I’ve picked my teeny, tiny step, I give myself permission that I don’t have to do anything beyond that one step. Very rarely do I stop at that first step. But, giving myself permission to not do anything else, helps me to at least do that one step.

On days where I’m am struggling to get even one single, simple thing done, telling myself that doing this one thing, and I don’t have to do anything else if I don’t want to, is one task that I wouldn’t have done, so it is start. 

So now, if you are finding that step too much and you still feel resistance to getting started, then your step is still too big. 

Ok - Here’s an example:

If I’m struggling to make myself fold all of the laundry that is on my Mount Wash-more pile of laundry in my room, I’ll tell myself that I don’t have to fold the laundry yet - all I have to do is to go sit in my room. I can watch TV or do stuff on my laptop or whatever - I just have to be in the same room as the clean laundry. 

I figure that at least being in the same room drastically increases the odds that I’m at least going to fold something. But, I don’t have to. Maybe my mind is the only one that works this way, but telling myself that I don’t actually *have* to do it reduces my resistance to actually doing at least some of it.

Another example:

Let’s say that I’m putting off doing some computer work, such as launching this Facebook Page, which I really struggled to make myself do - so I tell myself that all I have to do is get my laptop, and maybe even open it and turn it on. I don’t have to do the computer work. Just open up the computer and have it in arm’s reach. 

Again, it drastically increases the odds that I’ll actually do something with my computer.

This works well for when anxiety is preventing me from doing stuff.

Back to the Facebook Page example, I was feeling incredibly anxious about even just going on Facebook, for a variety of reasons. But, I knew that having a Facebook Page was a great way to let people know about the services that I offer. 

So, again, I told myself to just open the computer. Then I told myself to find my Facebook password. Then, my next step was to go to someone’s Facebook Page for their business just to see what one looks like. (I hadn’t spent any real time on Facebook in years, so I’ve never really seen a Facebook Page before recently) And then, my next step… 

Well, you get the point.

So, here’s my suggestion: Try it. Once. And if it doesn’t help you, you don’t ever have to do it again. 

Let me know in the comments if you tried it and your results. Remember, it is just data.

Oh! And, you can also try posting that small step on Social Media to keep you accountable.

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