Imposter Syndrome & Procrastination

Hello wonderful community.

Today , I want to talk about procrastination.?Most of my clients struggle with procrastination and I am no exception.?

Imposter Syndrome and Procrastination go hand in hand.?

But why is this?

Let's delve into it and look at:

1. Why do we procrastinate when struggling with Imposter Syndrome?

2. Why don't traditional time management techniques work?

3. How can we address the root cause of our procrastination?

4. The tool I use to conquer procrastination.

1. Why do we procrastinate when struggling with Imposter Syndrome?

In short, we procrastinate because we fear failure and believe we aren't good enough.

When Imposter Syndrome takes hold, we worry that our work won't meet the required standards.

We fear appearing incompetent, so we procrastinate, having subconsciously decided our efforts will be unacceptable.

**IMPORTANT NOTE:**?

This is often a subconscious process.

We're usually unaware that we're making this decision.

We just find ourselves delaying tasks, filling time with other activities without understanding why.

Why can't we just get on with it?

The answer lies in our subconscious.

We don't believe our work will be good enough.

As high-achieving professionals, we strive for perfection and delay starting tasks to avoid producing anything less than perfect.

We eventually push through when the deadline looms, driven by a surge of adrenaline.

This cycle repeats itself, creating a familiar "torture."

2. Why don't traditional time management techniques work?

The issue isn't disorganisation.

In fact, people with Imposter Syndrome are often very organised.

We know what needs to be done; we just don't do it.

Time Management tools like scheduling can help initially, but they won't address the underlying problem for those with Imposter Syndrome.

The core issue is our subconscious belief in our inadequacy and fear of failure (as mentioned earlier).

We might try various time management techniques, but without addressing these deeper issues, we inevitably revert to procrastination.

Time Management techniques are like putting a plaster on a wound—they don't provide a permanent solution.

3. How can we address the root cause of our procrastination?

To tackle procrastination effectively, we need to address the root cause: the belief that "I am not good enough."

In coaching sessions with my clients (and in my personal journey), we gently explore where this belief originates.

We question its validity and bring it into the conscious mind, allowing it to be seen, heard, and addressed.

Instead of trying to "beat" procrastination, we embrace it.

Procrastination is our mind's way of keeping us safe from feelings of inadequacy.

Therefore, it's crucial to learn how to feel safe while taking action.

ONLY by healing the root cause of our procrastination can we change our behaviour permanently.

4. The tool I use to conquer procrastination.

Even after years of working on my Imposter Syndrome challenges, I still face procrastination.

It constantly demands my attention.

When I "go with the flow," I end up doing small tasks that provide instant gratification, while the important tasks remain untouched.

To combat this, I use a method I call "the five-year-old tool."

Here's how it works:

1. Pause and Breathe: Sit down and take a few deep breaths to ground yourself in the present moment.

2. Acknowledge Your Feelings: Recognise how you're feeling—typically overwhelmed. If your mind wants to do everything at once, it may get stuck, resulting in either inaction or pointless tasks, or social media scrolling.

3. Talk to Yourself: Out loud, acknowledge what’s happening. No judgement, no rush to change, no self-criticism. Simply acknowledge the resistance to starting the work.

4. Breathe Deeply: Continue deep breathing.

5. Address Your Fears: Acknowledge that you’re scared to start because you fear it won’t be good enough, or that no one will read it, or that people will ridicule it. Feel the fear in your body and breathe into it.

6. Set Clear Expectations: Be very clear about what you can realistically achieve that day. Maybe it's just one thing or part of one thing. This clarity helps your mind relax and focus on one task at a time.?This, for me personally, is absolutely crucial.?

7. Start Working: When your brain feels safe and knows what to expect, begin your task.

Once you start, you'll find your flow. But you know that, don't you??

When you need to stop, follow the same procedure to start again.

This process is akin to soothing a five-year-old—comforting her, assuring her she doesn’t need to do everything at once.

It 's about having your own back and making yourself feel safe.

By repeating this process every time you procrastinate, you build a mental and physical routine.

IMPORTANT:

Acknowledge how you feel after completing a significant task. It feels incredibly satisfying. Remember this feeling, as it will motivate you to overcome procrastination the next time.

THE KEY:

You must actively practice these tools. Otherwise, you’re just procrastinating over the challenge of procrastination.??

Learning to overcome procrastination is a journey.

We all have unique reasons for feeling inadequate.Clearing these beliefs allows us to develop new, opportunity-based behaviours rather than fear-based ones.

Read the above again.?

If you're ready to tackle your procrastination, I'm here to support you as your coach.?

Book your free session below, my lovely fellow human being.

BOOK HERE

Whether you lead teams or run your own business, self-awareness is the key to authentic and enjoyable success.?

I am here to help you achieve that.

As always,

With so much love,

Michaela xx