I always think of the description I saw years ago: Self-imposed deadlines don't help me, because I know the person who set them, and they're full of shit.
Give yourself the treat before you start. I'm serious. And ideally during the task and afterwards too.
Executive dysfunction comes from a lack of available dopamine. Common advice is wrong. You need to provide your own dopamine before you can start. Otherwise you're trying to run your car on empty.
"But what if I still don't do it" well you already weren't getting it done anyway. Now you have a little treat. Try again later.
You deserve kindness and care even when you aren't being productive.
(Also read How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis)
I also want to add. Creating an environment where you're anxious so you can be productive will only work for a while. even if imagining a hat man pointing a gun at you works now, it's working because its triggering your fear response, which will override your executive disfuncion. And that can be pretty effective!! It's why pulling all nighters work so well for people with executive disfuncion!
But if you do it constantly, your brain starts changing where the "default anxious" level is. And you'll have to get more anxious, and up the stakes, until you're constantly at a stage of flight or fight. And then not only you will not be productive, but you will be burned out and Miserable. And probably physically ill as well.
Take it from me! Someone who graduated + got into grad school without my adhd meds by doing exactly that and had to spend practically 2 years doing absolutely nothing but learning how to exist as a human again! Don't do that!!! It really really fucking sucks!!!
