Do you ever wonder why adults with ADD / ADHD procrastinate until the very last minute? No matter how important something may be, until it’s looming overhead, ADD Adults simply can’t take action?

I call that the Now / Now Not Effect. If you have Adult ADD / ADHD, it’s a very real phenomena.

You can read more about the Now / Not Now Effect in my article The Unique Time Management of Adults With ADD / ADHD.

ADHD’s Now / Not Now shows up for me in a major way each Christmas.

Every November I’m shocked when the Christmas rush starts so early. Christmas isn’t for weeks, yet all around me people seem obsessed with shopping, baking and decorating.

I’m Procrastinating About Christmas Again This Year.

Here it is, December 7th and our house sports no decorations, and I’ve bought only three gifts. We haven’t enjoyed any egg nog or baked one Christmas cookie.

Years ago, before I’d stumbled upon the Now / Not Now Effect, this lack of Christmas spirit would have seriously bothered me.

Along with wondering what was wrong with everyone else, I also wondered what was wrong with me. I felt guilty being a Grinch.

Now I know I’m not a Grinch. Christmas simply hasn’t yet become a Now for me.

I now know I’ll be doing my typical Grinch song and dance until I seem to magically embrace the spirit of the season. Literally overnight I’ll switch from Humbug to Ho, Ho, Ho.

You see, my Christmas spirit increases with REAL deadlines associated with the season.

About five days before the packages to my distant relatives must be mailed, I’ll start humming carols and bustling off to the mall.

My ‘get it in the mail’ deadline flips Christmas from my Not Now to my Now time frame.

I’m not a Scrooge. I just can’t get ready for Christmas early.

What about you? What effect does the Now / Not Now time management approach of Adult ADD / ADHD have on your holidays?