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Procrastivity! What Is It and How to Overcome It

Writer's picture: Sally TimpsonSally Timpson

Have you ever had a day where you’ve been busy from morning till night but still feel like you haven’t made real progress on the important stuff? You’re not alone—this is the realm of procrastivity. If you’ve ever cleaned your entire office before starting a big project or organised your inbox instead of working on your business strategy, you’ve experienced it first hand.


In this post, we’ll explore what procrastivity is, why it happens (especially for ADHD entrepreneurs), and how to overcome it to focus on the tasks that truly move the needle.


What Is Procrastivity?


Procrastivity is a clever blend of procrastination and productivity. It’s when you’re doing productive tasks—but they aren’t the right tasks. Instead of tackling your highest priorities, you’re drawn to activities that feel rewarding but are ultimately less impactful.


Examples of procrastivity might include:

  • Colour-coding your calendar instead of writing your blog post.

  • Perfecting a logo design when your website isn’t live yet.

  • Researching new software tools instead of calling a potential client.


These tasks might genuinely need doing at some point, but they’re often used to avoid discomfort, risk, or ambiguity associated with more important work.


Why Procrastivity Happens


For entrepreneurs—especially those with ADHD—procrastivity can be a significant challenge. Here’s why:

  1. Dopamine-Seeking Behaviour: ADHD brains crave dopamine. Routine or complex tasks that lack immediate gratification don’t deliver the dopamine hit that organising your files or tweaking a visual design might.

  2. Perfectionism: It’s easier to perfect a low-stakes task than face potential failure or imperfection in a high-stakes one.

  3. Avoidance of Discomfort: Important tasks are often hard. They may require focus, creativity, or decision-making—all of which can feel overwhelming.

  4. The Illusion of Progress: Doing something can feel better than doing nothing, even if it’s not the right thing.


Procrastivity is a sneaky form of procrastination

How to Overcome Procrastivity


Awareness is the first step in breaking free from the procrastivity trap. Here are practical strategies to overcome it:

  1. Identify Your True Priorities Every morning (or the night before), write down your top three priorities for the day. Ask yourself, Which tasks will have the biggest impact on my goals? These are your high-value actions.

  2. Use Time Blocking Dedicate specific blocks of time to your most important tasks. Eliminate distractions during these periods and treat them as non-negotiable. Set a timer if necessary.

  3. Break Down Big Tasks Big, vague projects like “write a business plan” are intimidating. Break them into smaller, actionable steps like “write a one-page executive summary” to make them more manageable.

  4. Schedule Procrastivity for Later Give yourself permission to do low-priority tasks—but only after the high-value ones are complete. Knowing you have time for them later can reduce the urge to jump ship.

  5. Create External Accountability Tell someone your key goal for the day or week. Knowing someone will check in increases your likelihood of following through.

  6. Reward Yourself Celebrate small wins. Even completing a single important task is progress. Give yourself a dopamine boost with a reward that feels good—a short break, a favourite treat, or a walk outside.


Final Thoughts


Procrastivity tricks us into thinking we’re being productive, but it often keeps us spinning in circles. By recognising its patterns and adopting intentional strategies, you can shift your focus to what truly matters and take your productivity to the next level.


Next time you catch yourself organising your bookshelves instead of hitting a project deadline, remember: it’s time to step out of the procrastivity trap and into purposeful actio

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