Avoiding Your Taxes (Again)? How to Overcome Anxiety and ADHD Barriers and Get Them Done
Updated April 2, 2026
The deadline to file taxes is fast approaching, and you’ve been putting it off. The pressure is building, yet it's not enough to get you started. If you’re feeling the dread and shame that come with procrastinating on taxes, you’re not alone.
Many people with anxiety, ADHD, or both struggle with big, boring, or stressful tasks like this. Throw in the fact that it's the government and for some reason we feel immense pressure and yet shut down.
You're a grown adult and the deadline is the same every year, so why can't you get it done?
As an anxiety therapist in Cincinnati who works with a lot of neurodivergent professionals, I see this all the time. As a fellow ADHDer, I deeply empathize with the struggle.
This isn’t just putting off a task you don’t like. The stress of procrastinating on your taxes with a firm deadline (or putting it off with an extension only to repeat come October) can be all-consuming. It’s a mix of dreading the task, shame from putting it off, and anxiety about how it’s going to go. If you do 1099 work or run a small business and haven’t kept up on bookkeeping all year, the task of organizing your expenses can feel like a huge mountain with self-loathing every step of the way.
Why Is This So Hard?
In case no one told you, it's not because you're lazy, irresponsible, or immature. Your brain is trying its best to protect you, but unfortunately it doesn't realize it's working against you.
Anxiety can make your brain go into “what if” mode: What if I do it wrong and get audited? What if I owe too much and can't pay? What if I mess this up? Or imagining how terrible it will be and how awful you will feel. No wonder you avoid it.
ADHD makes it harder to start tasks, especially ones that feel boring, difficult, or overwhelming. It’s hard to estimate how long it will actually take, and that ambiguity is hard to plan for. You might run into a question you aren’t sure about, or have to go looking for something you weren’t expecting and get derailed (then start debating whether it’s worth it to hunt for that Goodwill donation receipt). The ambiguity coupled with the tedious nature of the task are like torture to an ADHD brain. If you’re not super organized, you might not be confident you’ve accounted for every deduction and get lost in the search.
When anxiety and ADHD team up, it can feel almost impossible to get started. It can also start the shame spiral about money struggles and other tasks you have a hard time with. And shockingly, shame does not usually motivate us. While we can sometimes get mad enough to get started, most of the time shame makes us feel like giving up. When this cycle repeats every year, we know it’s coming and can get that lovely “anxiety about anxiety.”
Why Do I Avoid Doing Tasks?
When your brain thinks a task is too big or too stressful, it goes into avoidance in a misguided attempt to protect you from pain. You’ll start procrastinating, getting distracted, freezing (Wall of Doom), or trying to self-soothe with anything that will help you feel better in the moment.
This is your brain trying to keep you safe, but it ends up causing more stress in the long run. But it’s the whole “running from a tiger” thing, where our brain wants to get us out of the immediate pain/danger, rather than go through torturous process that will help us be less stressed in the future. You’re fighting biology and evolution, so give yourself a break.
Let’s also consider that you may have many competing demands on your time and attention, so your capacity may be limited. If you have chronic illness or a disability, the struggle can be even harder.
5 Ideas to Help You Get Started
If you start now, you don’t have to finish it all today. Just take one small step. These tips can help:
1. The 15-Minute Rule
Tell yourself: “I only have to do this for 15 minutes.”
Starting is often the hardest part. Once you begin, it might feel easier to keep going. Or you can stop and take a break. Getting started will give you more information about what to expect. Setting a visual timer can help show your brain that this will not be an indefinite struggle and you’ll get relief soon. Take a break and then set the timer again.
2. Get Support
Try body doubling, which is doing the task while someone else is nearby, in person or virtually. Even just telling someone that you’re doing your taxes at a specific time can provide some social pressure to get started. There are apps and online groups for this because it’s so common. You can also reach out to a friend who might be in the same boat or who isn’t judgmental and can just hang out for some admin productivity time. You’re less likely to stop with someone else there encouraging you.
3. Break It Down
Instead of “do taxes,” write out tiny steps like:
Find my W-2 or 1099
Log into my tax software
Enter my demographics
Gather any physical documents
Put all electronic documents into one folder
Write out the list of all the tasks you’ll need to do so you can organize your brain and work on one thing at a time. When you cross it off, give yourself a treat or a quick break. Reward yourself like a dog, preferably with something that boosts dopamine to keep momentum going.
4. Be Kind to Yourself
Realize that you are not alone. Many high achieving, smart, and competent people also procrastinate on their taxes. This is not a time for moral judgment. It’s a time for compassion and understanding. This task is a royal pain and many people are also in the same boat. You can't be fabulous at everything. Out of all the strengths a person can have, “doing taxes early" doesn't seem like the most important one.
Radical acceptance of yourself just as you are can be immensely powerful. Consider this: if nothing changes, and this is just what it’s like every year no matter how much you berate yourself before/during/after tax season, what if we just accept it and work around it? Block off some time in your calendar right before April 15 (recurring annually) and just plan to to do it that time every year. And when the anxiety creeps up, you just remember it’s taken care of - you know you’ll get it done so there’s no guilt or pressure needed. Then put something fun in your calendar on April 16 to celebrate your hard work.
5. Set the mood to support productivity
If you’ve got ADHD, you need a boost of energy and dopamine to focus. If you’re on a task of gathering documents or entering information like copy/paste, play music that hypes you up and makes you feel good.
For example, a Xennial might use a 90’s Alternative playlist to remind you of a time you wished to be an adult with all these freedoms. The Yin Yang Twins made great hype music to get your energy up. Once you’re on a task where you have to think, then you might need some instrumental music or white noise to concentrate.
Movement can also help. Move your body before starting and on breaks, or even while you’re working. A standing desk with a treadmill made a huge difference for my productivity.
If you’re really struggling and it helps, caffeine and sugar can give you a boost of energy. No judgment. We’re going for whatever is going to get this big task done before the deadline. Know your body though and be mindful of a blood sugar crash that may be coming.
Is It More Than Just Procrastination?
These tips can help if you’re generally keeping your head above water and struggle with periodic tasks like taxes. If this happens a lot and it’s seriously affecting your life, like your job, paying bills, or hygiene tasks (super common), it might be time to get support.
Anxiety and ADHD have many treatment options. Therapy can help you to understand your brain and get support and guidance to find tools that work for you. Medication can make a huge difference for some people. There are coaches, groups, and apps that help with executive functioning skills and more frequent support.
You don’t have to keep pushing through alone, and you don't need to feel any more shame. Working with a professional therapist can feel like a weight lifting your shoulders as you have someone in your corner and get a plan together to start tackling these issues.
If you’re in Ohio or Indiana, call/text me at 513-461-2045 or click here to schedule a free phone consultation to see if therapy can help.
