The Trap of Procrastination

“I can’t believe it’s already noon!”

I said these exact words, not more than 10 minutes ago, as I started emptying the dishwasher. This was after I took the time to clean the rest of the kitchen, start the laundry, clear out some of my inbox, check out what was going on, on social media and eat some Doritos all while Fixer to Fabulous was playing in the background. Before doing all this, I had also decided to write this week’s blog. I had already done some research and jotted down some ideas and then I got stuck. I wasn’t sure how to start or what I wanted to include. I began to feel that apprehension I feel every time I sit down to write; “nothing’s going to come to me.” So, I did what I often do. I got busy doing other things, only to delay the inevitable. I still need to write the dang thing! And on comes the pressure, the hearts beating a little faster as I finally buckle down.

I'm sure we've all been there –– you have a looming deadline for an important project, but instead of buckling down and getting to work, you find yourself spending hours on the internet, watching TV, or cleaning your apartment. And even when you finally do start working on the project, you're only putting in a fraction of the effort that's actually required. Sound familiar? If so, you may be a master procrastinator. Don't worry. There's no need to be ashamed of. We all put things off from time to time. But if procrastination is a regular habit, it's time to take some steps to break the cycle. In this post, I'll share some tips for overcoming procrastination and getting down to business.

What Is Procrastination?

It's important to recognize that procrastination is not laziness, so you can stop beating yourself up about that!

According to Oxford, procrastination is the act of delaying taking action and Wikipedia says it is the action of unnecessarily and voluntarily delaying or postponing something despite knowing that there will be negative consequences for doing so. And that begs the question: why do we procrastinate when we know that we are hurting ourselves in the long-run? We’re causing more stress and anxiety than if we tackled the project in the first place! Getting to the root of the problem is key.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Well... It may not be why you think. We tend to procrastinate because doing a given task creates some negative energy, apprehension, or overall negative feelings around the task and that's what we're trying to avoid.

According to Dr. Tim Pychyl, professor of psychology and member of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Ottawa, "procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem." It ultimately is an inability to regulate negative emotions such as anxiety, frustration, self-doubt, overwhelm or insecurity.

So, the solution doesn't lay in figuring out a time management system, but rather in finding a more sophisticated way of managing the emotions that come up around performing a given task. These negative emotions can also be combined with a lack of interest in the task at hand, the need for perfection or not having any time pressure.

How Does Procrastination Manifest?

Procrastination can manifest in a number of ways:

1. Need for perfection: This is one I suffer from. If I can't do it perfectly, then I'll delay until I have no other choice. But the need for perfection is just a delaying tactic because perfection is an illusion and does not exist. Perfection is a very individual judgment, so what is perfect for me may not be perfect for you.
2. Time of day: When are you most productive? I'm a morning person and peter out as the day goes on, so I find I can be more productive when I "eat the frog" in the morning, rather than in the afternoon. Everything, especially creative work, is more difficult in the afternoon.
3. Being overwhelmed: Need to tackle a big project and not sure where to start? Feeling pulled into many directions and having no clear sense of direction? It's easy to get into overwhelm.
4. Instant gratification: You mean I have to wait to get some satisfaction? No way! Not this girl! I often wrestle with knowing what I need to do with the desire for instant results. Rationally, I know that I didn't gain all this weight overnight, but I want to lose it overnight! I want results and I want them NOW! That's why a diet often starts "tomorrow". Anyone else?
5. Distractions: Oh look... Squirrel! Ooooh.... I got a new notification! Dishes! Who knew dishes could be a distraction...?!?
6. Lack of clarity: Not being clear about what you want to accomplish is another opening for procrastination to show up. If you don't know where to start or what to focus on, it's easy for procrastination to creep in.

Once we can identify why we're procrastinating, finding a solution that works for us becomes easier.

What's the Impact of Procrastination?

There are many detrimental effects that come from procrastinating. Here are a few:

1. We lose confidence in ourselves: Because we're not meeting our goals or deadlines, we start to doubt our ability. This can spiral into a lack of self-esteem and low confidence, which bleeds into other areas of our lives. If we lose confidence in how we manage projects, how do we expect to manage the biggest project we have: our life?
2. We feel stressed: Because we're anxious about the task at hand and what might happen if we don't meet our goal, stress builds. This in turn can lead to health problems down the road.
3. We feel stuck and frustrated: According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado, people who procrastinate are less happy than those who don't. As humans, we have an innate desire for meaning and attaining goals. We are strivers by nature, so when we don't experience forward movement, frustration builds and we get grouchy.
4. We feel pressed for time: The more we delay, the higher the pressure mounts. Then, one day we wake up and realize we have to get our butt in gear and need to double time everything we do because so much time has already gone by while we were busy procrastinating.
5. We're more creative: Counterintuitively, one good thing about procrastination is that it can lead to creativity. When we put pressure on ourselves to do something, our brain goes into fight or flight mode and we can't think straight. This isn't conducive to creativity. But, when we're not under pressure, our brain relaxes and we can explore different options. So, it's a good idea to build thinking/creative time into our agenda.

Tips For Getting Unstuck

Here are some tips that can help you get unstuck.

1. Be kind to yourself: First and foremost, beating yourself up for procrastinating not only doesn't help, but it makes things worse. I try to remind myself of the quote from Louise Hay, "Remember, you've been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn't worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens." Bottom line, be as kind to yourself as you would be to your BFF.
2. Change your reward system: Procrastination is a form of reward we give ourselves for avoiding the pain. So, it's important to find a better reward. This is going to vary from person to person. Find an internal reward, rather than an externally motivated one. That could be anything from a sense of pride to the satisfaction of "ticking the box".
3. Don't forget external rewards too: This is secondary to the internal rewards are your external rewards. Some of these might include buying a book if you’re an avid reader, going to see that movie you're dying to see if you're a movie buff, or getting a mani/pedi if that makes you feel good about yourself. I have a friend who bought a cool new pair of sunglasses she would only allow herself to wear when she lost 5 lbs. The choice is yours. Make it relevant and exciting for you!
4. Set your objectives: Define what you want to accomplish and list all of the reasons why you want to accomplish it. Make these reasons emotionally charged. Feel the reasons in your belly. Make them so exciting that you almost have to hold yourself back from jumping in. List the benefits to you, but also to those around you.
5. Design obstacles to your distractions: Are you like Pavlov's dog with phone or email notifications? Turn them OFF! If you like playing games, unplug all of your equipment so it's not an easy distraction to jump into. You like having the TV on? Shut the cabinet door or ask someone to hide the remote so you're not tempted!

Final Words

Procrastination is a common human trait, but it doesn't have to control your life. There are ways to get unstuck and achieve what you want. Experiment with different strategies until you find what works best for you. And, be gentle with yourself along the way. The most important thing is that you keep moving forward. Sooner or later, you'll get there, but getting there sooner is sweeter. Procrastinating only robs you of time to get other things done.

What are some of your strategies to avoid procrastinating? I'd love to hear what works for you.