Understanding and Managing Procrastination | Executive Function | Autism | ASD

This structured PDF presentation (full lesson) is designed for individuals with ASD and executive functioning deficits. It explores why procrastination happens, including emotional avoidance, time blindness, and dopamine-driven reward differences, and teaches practical, evidence-based strategies for starting and completing delayed tasks.

What is covered:

• What Is Procrastination — the difference between procrastination and laziness
• Why Do We Procrastinate — emotional avoidance, task size, distant deadlines, and short-term relief
• Why This Can Be Harder for Individuals with ASD — task initiation difficulty, distress tolerance, time blindness, and dopamine-driven hyperfocus
• The Universal Struggle — reassurance that procrastination is one of the most common human experiences
• What Procrastination Struggles Can Look Like — recognising the signs before they build
• Examples — the overdue email, and the assignment left too late
• Strategies for Reducing Procrastination — the Five-Minute Start, Temptation Bundling, the Next Physical Action, and Precommitment
• Evidence-Based Techniques — Temporal Motivation Theory and Task Splitting, and Self-Compassion research
• Practice Scenarios and Generalised Feedback — realistic scenarios with feedback
• Practical Tips and Key Takeaways

Suitable for:

• Individuals with ASD and executive functioning deficits aged 13+
• 1:1 sessions or small group work
• SEN specialists, instructors, support workers, and parents

Format: PDF presentation
Session time: Approximately 50 minutes

All content uses clear, literal, and neutral language throughout. Resources are universally applicable, with no political, ideological, or religious content.

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Tags:
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