Waiting is the worst.
What Is Delay Aversion?
Moreover, the possibility of avoiding that delay is a stronger motivator for people with ADHD than those without.
Verywell / Zoe Hansen
The payoff of a home-cooked meal requires 30 minutes or more of repetitive work and waiting.
Even just having a job involves weeks of working before the paycheck youre working for arrives.
Why Does ADHD Come With Such Intense Delay Aversion?
Fortunately, there are some ways to either leverage that motivation or circumvent it.
It just takes a little creativity.
Then, figure out ways to address that underlying issue so that the delay doesnt feel so unbearable.
you could conserve your willpower by allowing yourself to take short breaks when you feel yourself disengaging.
Come back and read as much as it’s possible for you to before your brain disengages again.
Then, take another break.
For example, when reading that paper, your minimum might be to read at least one paragraph.
This will require a small exertion of willpower, but the frequent breaks can help counterbalance that.
2009;47(2):446-456. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2008.09.015
