We all do that too, don’t we, if we have ADD or ADHD? Kind of a special tool to facilitate procrastination. And anything can be used. Some other task. An unimportant project – “I’ll just get all these papers alphabetized first.” Even a good ADD strategy – “First I’m gonna make a long list of all the things I need to do.” Or we can get so involved in getting ready to do the project -“Now let me make sure that I have all the tools and that they’re all in working order.” and we never get around to the project.
I have a card labelled “Avoiding” and I put those things on there. Sometimes I look at it and go ahead and do one of the things, or better, sometimes while I’m writing something down I say “What the heck!’ and just go ahead and do it instead. That’s good. 
doug
or collecting new songs on spotify, cause they’re free. is this a new addiction?
ADDadultstrategies 
Pingback: Letting Things Slide — ADHD Tip O the Day 911 | ADDadultstrategies
Pingback: Procrastination, Thy Name Is ADD ADHD — Tip o the Day 475 | ADDadultstrategies
Haha — I can’t tell you how many times I’ve scrubbed my bathroom top to bottom or learned a new (and often challenging) song on the piano those sleepless nights when I’ve got mountains of studying to do for an exam in the morning and hardly enough time to do it in.
The worst is when it’s a large, sort of “vague” task — that gets overwhelming really quickly. There’ll be so many different things I have to do, and I have to figure out in what order and how to go about them… plus, I never really learned how to study so. I avoid studying like the plague.
However, I learned an excellent cover of “Skinny Love” and a very moving piece from Bach’s French Suites that night! Did lots of laundry, dishes, and vacuuming too.. All tasks with attainable goals and clear steps to achieve those goals. “Studying,” however, seems to me like a gargantuan, amorphous blob of a task with no beginning and no end… and no way to know you’re doing it right. Or when you’re done. OR ANY STRUCTURE AT ALL! Avoid avoid avoid.
LikeLike
yeah, i didnt learn how to study til 2nd year med school, made huge difference. techniques described in the book. most basic tool is small chunks, setting small realistic goals. “i can’t learn this chapter today (even if i’m sposed to) but could learn the first two pages, which is not good enough maybe, but a lot better than learning nothing at all.”
often that jump starts us and maybe then we can do another small chunk. maybe. the small chunk tool makes it easier to get started at all, which can be a huge problem.
thank you for your good comments
LikeLike