How ADHD Affects Your Motivation (2023)

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is characterized by symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Unfortunately, adults and children with ADHD are often labeled as unmotivated, lazy, or even apathetic. These negative labels are unfair and hurtful.

Instead of simple laziness or a lack of motivation, this "immobility" or "sluggishness" often reflects the impairments in executive function that can be associated with ADHD. Understanding these impairments is important in order to correct common misperceptions about ADHD.

This article discusses how ADHD can affect motivation and how symptoms of the condition can often be wrongly interpreted as laziness.

ADHD and Executive Function

Executive function deficits affect a person’s ability to get started, organize, and sustain effort on a task. The person may even experience a sense of paralysis associated with a task or project—wanting to get started, but unable to make progress forward in any manner.

These differences in executive function affect the person with ADHD, but can also result in negative reactions from others who become confused and frustrated by the inconsistencies in the person with ADHD who is able to perform well when the task is stimulating and interesting or when it is novel and exciting but does not perform as well when the task is tedious or repetitive.

ADHD Paralysis

While people who have ADHD are often good at making quick decisions in the moment, they may struggle when they are working on tasks that require organizing lots of information. They may feel like they are bogged down with too much information, which can feel overwhelming. Figuring out how and where to begin may seem impossible.

Boredom and Motivation

Even if the person is able to begin the task, they may have great difficulty staying alert and persisting in this effort. Though they may know what they need to do to get things completed, as hard as they try, they just can’t.

Boredom results in all sorts of problems for kids and adults with ADHD. Maintaining focus on a boring task may seem nearly impossible as their attention wanders away to more interesting activities and thoughts.

What can also happen is that after repeated frustrations, the child or adult with ADHD can begin to feel less motivated. It can be hard to get excited and hopeful about something and then crash down again and again.

Do I Have ADHD or Am I Lazy?

When you have problems concentrating or finding the energy to get things done, you might wonder if it might be ADHD or something else. You might even wonder if maybe you're just feeling lazy.

If you are wondering if you might have ADHD, you should talk to a doctor to learn more. While the condition is most often diagnosed in childhood, it is sometimes underdiagnosed and can continue into adulthood.

Symptoms in boys tend to include more hyperactivity and impulsivity and because such symptoms are more disruptive, they are diagnosed more frequently. ADHD in girls and women, however, tends to be marked by more symptoms of inattention. Since these symptoms are less obvious, the condition is often missed.

ADHD Symptoms Are Often Misunderstood

Because people who have ADHD often struggle with staying focused and completing tasks, others may incorrectly label the behavior as laziness. Unfortunately, people with this condition sometimes internalize these labels as well, particularly if they have not been accurately diagnosed.

Labeling people with ADHD as "lazy" contributes to mental health stigma. It's important to recognize that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that is caused by factors such as genetic, brain abnormalities, and exposure to environmental risks. The symptoms of ADHD are not caused by laziness.

Other Factors That Affect Motivation

If you don't have ADHD and are experiencing a lack of motivation, there may be other factors that are making it difficult for you to be focused and productive:

• Anxiety: If you are experiencing anxiety, you might feel restless and find it difficult to concentrate. This may mean that you also struggle to stay on task and get things done, which can make it hard to stay motivated.
• Boredom: It might mean that you are feeling stuck in a rut and need to find some new strategies for getting motivated.
• Depression: Depression can lead to symptoms such as avoidance, loss of interest, loss of motivation, difficulty remembering, and problems concentrating.

If you are having a difficult time staying motivated, it may be worth talking to a doctor or therapist for further evaluation and advice.

Treatments

First of all, it is important to actively engage in treatment for ADHD. Connect with a doctor experienced in treating ADHD, and openly and regularly communicate with them about your symptoms.

Treatment for ADHD depends a great deal on your symptoms and individual needs. In many cases, it may include medications and behavioral interventions:

• Medications that are used to treat ADHD include stimulants, antidepressants, and non-stimulant ADHD medications.
• There are a variety of behavioral interventions that can be helpful including psychotherapy, parent training, school interventions, and learning interventions.
  

Interventions focused on improving executive functioning can be helpful for improving motivation and productivity. Strategies like using reward charts, daily planners, and daily checklists can help people better plan, organize, and carry out tasks.

How to Improve Motivation When You Have ADHD

Finding ways to manage the symptoms of ADHD can help you feel more motivated and be more productive. The next time you are struggling to get started or stay on task, try some of these ideas:

• Break down projects into smaller, more manageable chunks
• Delegate some tasks
• Exercise
• Incorporate physical movement into your day
• Reward yourself more immediately for little steps taken towards reaching goals
• Set smaller goals
  
• Set aside a short, less overwhelming time period (for example, 10 or 15 minutes) to commit to working on the activity that has you feeling stuck
  

A Word From Verywell

ADHD can have an impact on your motivation, making it more difficult to initiate and maintain tasks. When you have ADHD, it can be helpful to find strategies that will help you get started and sustain focus on a task that is overwhelming or just plain boring.

If you're worried that your lack of motivation might be related to ADHD, consider talking to a doctor. They can help determine what factors might be affecting your motivation levels, whether it's ADHD or something else, and suggest solutions that might help you get back on track.

By Keath Low
Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD.