Procrastination: A Deep Dive into the Causes and Consequences of Putting Things Off
THE ROOT OF PROCRASTINATION -
What if I told you that procrastination has nothing to do with laziness? Have you noticed that when you’re truly procrastinating, you’ll do just about any other task to avoid the most important one? So, it’s not so much about laziness as it is anxiety. To get to the root of this, we can observe how we feel when we are procrastinating.
What kind of emotional response is elicited when you’re faced with a particular project? I’ll give you an example: I had a recent client who hired me as a writer and brand consultant. When we started working together, I was so excited and almost in disbelief that I had landed such a great client. In fact, some imposter-syndrome crept in alongside some anxiety. I wondered, will she end our contract soon? What if my writing isn’t up to par? Does she think I’m doing enough every week? I would get so anxious about delivering a perfect body of work that I would counterintuitively cripple myself by doing just about anything else until my weekly deadline.
I finally realized that if I didn’t get in my head and worry so much about being perfect and good enough that I would have no problem simply doing the work.
“Procrastination is essentially irrational. It doesn’t make sense to do something you know is going to have negative consequences. People engage in this irrational cycle of chronic procrastination because of an inability to manage negative moods around a task.” - Dr. Fuschia Sirois
USING MINDFULNESS & OBSERVATION -
Whatever emotion comes up for you when you’re procrastinating (insecurity, fear, shame, etc.), you can take it a step further by recalling when you first experienced that emotion and how it reappeared over time as a pattern. This is where the overall life work reveals itself. This is where we can learn to love ourselves without condition and with compassion for the childhood version of ourself (who was just scared and insecure). Unraveling the deep-rooted issues associated with procrastination will inevitably prompt a domino effect of healing in your life; from relationships to career success to your overall health and wellbeing.
So! With that understanding, here are some final takeaways and tools for you to keep in mind:
Identify the reasons for your procrastination: Understanding why you tend to put things off can be a crucial first step in overcoming procrastination. Some common reasons for procrastination include fear of failure, lack of motivation, difficulty prioritizing tasks, and difficulty managing time. Once you have identified the underlying causes of your procrastination, you can start to develop strategies to address these issues.
Set specific, achievable goals: Having clear, measurable goals can help you stay focused and motivated. Break larger goals down into smaller, more manageable tasks, and set deadlines for each one. This will help you stay on track and make progress towards your goals.
Create a work schedule and stick to it: Having a schedule can help you allocate your time more effectively and prevent procrastination. Plan out your work in advance, including breaks, and try to stick to the schedule as much as possible. If you find it hard to focus, try using tools like the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working for short bursts followed by short breaks.
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