Why People Procrastinate and how to overcome it
It’s not about being lazy. Some people like to wait until the last minute because they work better under pressure. Some people simply put off what they do not enjoy or what seems too challenging. Often the consequences of procrastination can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress, fatigue and disappointment from falling below our own standards. Procrastination can actually be hard on us and actually increase our chances of failing, yet we do it anyway. Why is that?
It’s not a matter of having poor time management skills either, but perhaps can be traced to more complex psychological reasons. It can be made worse in school where students are constantly being evaluated and the pressure to make high scores depends on performance. In reality, procrastination can become almost a protection strategy. You can always blame not having enough time in the event you fail so your ability is not threatened. So often our reasons for delaying and avoiding are rooted in fear and anxiety about doing poorly. We avoid doing work to avoid being judged. So how do we avoid the tendency to procrastinate?
The first step is awareness. We need to understand the reasons why we procrastinate and what purpose does it serve in your life? We’ve got to understand the root of the problem before we can solve it. Just knowing our true reasons makes it easier to stop. Reflect upon your reasons.
Another piece of the puzzle is time management techniques. For some, it may be as simple as making a “to do” list, prioritizing it and putting it on your calendar. For others, that is too much pressure and creates more anxiety. A better option might be to set reasonable goals (SMART) goals and break larger tasks down to smaller easier to achieve tasks. Give yourself time and flexibility. Instead of one large list, make a list of only 3 things and get those done. Then if you have time left, you can tackle one or two more. It will boost your reward center in the brain and you will feel accomplished and stay motivated to do it again the next day. Celebrate your success preferably with something other than food or alcohol. Take a nap or a hot bath or go for a walk in nature.
It is critical to stay motivated for productive reasons. Successful people get things done, especially things that unsuccessful people don’t want to do. Achievements lead to positive, satisfying feelings while helping to keep you motivated. Set positive goals for yourself with the outcome in mind. How will it make me feel when I complete the task? What are your motivating factors for reaching a particular goal?
Honor your commitments. If you have told someone you are going to do something, do it. Have integrity by keeping your word. Notice your thoughts. Are they lifting you up or dragging you down? Just thinking more positively can give you more energy to get things done.
These are all things that a health coach can help you achieve because we offer support, inspiration, empathy and a system with accountability. Trying and waiting does no good. Taking action is what gets us the desired outcome we want. Take a step in the right direction towards avoiding procrastination and book a free call with me today!