It's Not Procrastination, It's Executive Function

I'm not an old dog.

I have actually learned some new tricks, or, at the very least, some new concepts.

As I mentioned in my inaugural Craft & Chaos post, I have only recently discovered that I am neurodivergent. I was aware that I had the fun combination of ADHD and OCD, but I didn't realize having both conditions would characterize me as neurodivergent. As with any new label, it comes with terminology to learn, including nuances in jargon I thought I already knew.

Who Knew?

Here’s the thing: I always thought I had a problem with procrastination. That was the planned original topic of this post because I had a lot to say about it. How hard it is to get things done. How it impacts everything about my day. How debilitating it can be.

But it turns out that I don’t actually procrastinate. 

Because procrastination wasn’t what I thought it was: Procrastination is the deliberate act of delaying or postponing something. And believe me, I am not putting things off on purpose!

Instead, I have something called executive dysfunction (which was news to me)! According to the Cleveland Clinic, executive dysfunction is a “behavioral symptom that disrupts a person’s ability to manage their own thoughts, emotions, and actions” (2022).

Executive dysfunction looks an awful lot like procrastination, but the big difference is intention. If there’s a task I need to do, and want to do, but can’t—that’s executive dysfunction, not procrastination.

The Label That Changed Everything

Going back a bit, executive function refers to a set of skills that help you get things done. It involves working memory, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control so that you can focus on tasks, manage emotions, adapt to change, and solve problems.

When executive function doesn’t work like it should, it’s called executive dysfunction. Symptoms can include:

• Trouble focusing on just one thing (or focusing too much on one thing)

• Difficulty initiating tasks and following through

• Struggling to switch from one task to another

• “No filter” when speaking

• Problems with time management and meeting deadlines

• Unable to make decisions

• Difficulty adapting to new situations

Executive dysfunction has been linked to numerous conditions affecting the brain, such as ADHD, OCD, autism spectrum disorder, substance abuse, and depression, among others. However, most importantly, executive dysfunction has nothing to do with intelligence or effort. It’s simply a disconnect in your brain’s ability to organize and carry out tasks.

Knowing that I'm not crazy or lazy (what a relief!) doesn’t necessarily fix the problem. Still, it certainly changes how I view my struggles—not just with writing, but also with deciding what to wear to work, meal planning, cleaning, handling an internet carrier bill issue, or finishing the childhood scrapbook for my almost-27-year-old daughter. Now I know why these tasks overwhelm me, and that knowledge is powerful.

As The Writer's Workout's own Theresa Green recently revealed to me about the discovery of her own executive dysfunction, “I’m not nearly as mean to myself anymore because I finally understand that I am not derailing myself, I am waging a war against my brain to get things done.” Well said, Theresa.

Executive Dysfunction and Writer’s Games

Writer’s Games are coming, and I can’t wait to participate! If you’re like me, this challenge is equal parts exhilarating (Genre experimentation! Specific parameters! Quick turnaround! Judges’ feedback!) and terrifying (Genre experimentation! Specific parameters! Quick turnaround! Judges’ feedback!). 

I have taken part in the Games twice and judged the competition last year. For me, a lot of my “writing” happens in my head days, weeks, even months before I ever put pen to paper. I have to ruminate over it, picture it, go off on tangents to see where various storylines will take me, and only then can I start writing.

With the Games, and knowing that brainstorming is probably 60-70% of my process, I don’t have the luxury of time for this writing stage. When there’s only 72 hours (and I still have to eat, sleep, shower, work, and engage with other people at some point during that time period), this equates to probably only about 4 or 5 hours of actual writing. 

The self-regulation required for the Games is a bit of a challenge for those with executive dysfunction. For me, the hardest part is just getting started. And with only 72 hours, I usually run out of time and submit something far less spectacular than I want.

In case you need proof of my beautifully ineffective process, here’s how a typical Event unfolds for me:

Friday night, 8 PM (EST) - Event challenge is announced 

Friday night, bedtime - Think about Event for several hours, then fall asleep with my head spinning, panicked that I don’t have a concept

Saturday - Between chores and family plans, generate somewhere between three and 427 ideas but determine that none of them will work for this Event

Sunday morning - More brainstorming and self-doubt, now freaking out because I am nearly halfway to the deadline with nothing to show for it

Sunday afternoon - magically, an idea materializes, and I begin writing

Sunday night - I have an outline, a few well-constructed paragraphs, and a plan to finish and edit the most amazing short story every written

Monday - Work? I have to go to WORK?! For like eight hours? And then there’s dinner to cook and clean up. And papers to grade. And Netflix. When exactly did I think I would have the time to finish the story, research the bits, check the word count, edit, proofread, and submit it by 8 PM??? Was I out of my mind?!

I now understand a bit more about what is happening in my brain and why my process has been what it has been. Yet, how do I break this cycle and get the most out of the Games?

Old Tips and New Tricks

I have been compensating for my ADHD/OCD for decades but suffice it to say that I have been utilizing many tricks over the years to function “normally.” I did what I had to do to get things done. Now armed with some new information, I’ll be looking around for other things I hadn’t thought of or figured out myself. 

Here are a few things that work for me:

Extra time

I used to be chronically late to everything. (Whenever I was invited anywhere, my friends/family would give me a fake start time 30 minutes earlier.) By recognizing everything I do will take longer than I think it will—I despise the stressful feeling of knowing I'll be late—I give myself extra time to get ready or do things.

Minimize distractions

We all know that sitting with a laptop on the couch in front of the TV will NOT result in any quality writing getting done, despite what we tell ourselves. So I find that quiet spot in the house or the library, turn off my phone, and get to work.

Set deadlines

Without the motivation of deadlines, I will put off getting started on a task until the last minute. My sister-in-law calls it the I've Got All Day (IGAD) syndrome. If there’s a chore or activity that needs doing and all day to do it, chances are other tasks will take priority for the majority of the day. To help with that, I try to trick my brain by setting a deadline for tasks like outlining a story, ironing my work clothes, or filing the bills.

Create a list

This is my favorite trick—I LOVE lists! Lists make me feel productive, even though the action of writing the thing down is not the same as completing it. It still helps immensely when you need a visual to-do list reminder or if you find ten minutes of free time and want to know how you'll use it best without sorting through the swirling mess of your mind.

Now that I think about it, I probably am an old dog, but I still have a trick or two to learn! Here are a few things I’d like to try:

Pick 5 things to get done each day

Prioritizing is hard, so pick the top 5 must-dos of the day and write them down. Add some bonus tasks on the bottom half of the paper, but fold it in half so you only see the bottom after you’ve finished the top half.

Set time limits for tasks

Break down tasks into their individual steps and assign a time limit for each. This not only indicates how long a task will take, it will give you that satisfaction of checking off each step!

Work with an outline when writing

I should love outlines in theory, as my OCD requires me to start at the beginning and proceed from there, but for some reason, I don’t outline first. I usually just dive into a new story. It would likely ease my frenetic mind if I plotted beyond the opening scene.

One essential thing to keep in mind is what is effective for one neurodivergent writer might not be for another. My bag of tricks works for me, but your bag will look different.

And it should.

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ON A SIDE NOTE:

Executive dysfunction also impacts those with autism. If you are interested in learning more about autism and writing, check out Taylor Grothe’s wonderful video from Writer’s Workout 2025 Conference: Autism and Writing with Taylor Grothe

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About the Author:

Karen is a writer, teacher, audiobook lover, and Wordle enthusiast from New Jersey. When she's not completely distracted by something shiny, she fixes broken stuff around her house. But her favorite activities are spoiling her granddaughter, traveling to warm climates, snort-laughing with friends, and sipping a good cosmopolitan. Visit her online at www.karenkinley.com.