Procrastination and Your Wellbeing

The habit of always putting off an experience until you can afford it, or until the time is right, or until you know how to do it, is one of the greatest burglars of joy. Be deliberate, but once you’ve made up your mind—jump in. – Charles R. Swindoll

Procrastination limits our progress and affects our wellbeing. There are a number of reasons why we procrastinate and recognizing the underlying causes and triggers is the first step in addressing them.

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Why do You Procrastinate?

• Lack of Interest:?Tasks that don't excite or inspire you may lead to procrastination.? It feels heavy, like you have to push yourself to do it.? ?
• Fear of Failure:?Self-doubt and worry, or lack of training and skills can make you feel apprehensive and may lead to avoidance of a specific task or activity.
• Perfectionism:? When you are afraid to fail or hold yourself back because it’s never good enough you are stagnant and unable to advance.? The desire to perform perfectly prevents action and progress. ?
• Overwhelm:?It’s tempting to put off a task that seems too large or complex.? Also, an exhausted body and mind will freeze at the thought of a huge task instead of manageable smaller activities.

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Procrastination Affects Your Wellbeing

Lack of motivation, fear of failure, perfectionism and feeling overwhelmed are some of the most common reasons for procrastination.

While the tasks and activities are not progressing, your body might start to feel stagnant too. Lack of progress affects your self-esteem and physical wellbeing.? The thought of “I need to do it…I still haven’t done it ….I don’t know how to get it done” can be all-consuming and depleting your energy.

Most procrastinators feel constantly overwhelmed, stressed and tired; they feel unable to take action. ?It’s a vicious circle because without action we can’t get out of it.

Procrastination and your health – mental and physical - are closely linked.

Researchers studied 3525 Swedish university students and concluded:

“This cohort study of Swedish university students suggests that procrastination is associated with subsequent mental health problems, disabling pain, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, and worse psychosocial health factors. Considering that procrastination is prevalent among university students, these findings may be of importance to enhance the understanding of students' health” (Johansson et al., 2023, para.7).

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How can you Overcome Procrastination?

• Find What Pulls You: ?When you are excited and motivated, you are pulled toward the activity.?Use the “Inspiration Pull” instead of the nagging push. If the task does not inspire you, think about its benefits and why. There has to be a reason for doing it and there always is.
• Break It Down:?Large tasks can feel daunting and lead to avoidance. Break them into smaller, manageable steps. By focusing on completing one small task at a time, you create a sense of accomplishment that propels you forward. You create movement, one step at a time, each step adds up to something big.
• Forget About Perfection:?Shift your perspective on failure and imperfection. ?Take imperfect action. Embrace the idea that mistakes are part of the learning process. This mindset encourages you to take action despite fears. Ask for help, learn new skills and use tools that support you.
• Lead Yourself to Success:? Do what works for you!? Switch “when you do what” during the day or attach the activities you tend to avoid to something else you are already regularly doing.? Work in short bursts. Explore an accountability system or person, it can help you to follow through on commitments.
• Eat That Frog: Brian Tracy’s book title “Eat That Frog” is an effective reminder to do the things we consider hard or difficult first.? When we do those things first, we feel accomplished and everything else will feel easy and doable. Can you identify your frog? What are you putting off over and over again?

You may delay, but time will not. – Benjamin Franklin

Overcoming procrastination requires persistence, self-awareness, and a willingness to change habits. By implementing the above strategies, you can take control of your time and productivity, leading to greater success in your personal and professional life.

?Remember, the key is to start small and celebrate your progress along the way. ?Your future self will thank you for the effort you invest today!

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Contact me to learn more?Mind Strategies? that will boost your wellbeing and success.

References

Johansson, F., Rozental, A., Edlund, K., C?té, P., Sundberg, T., Onell, C., Rudman, A., & Skillgate, E. (2023). Associations between procrastination and subsequent health outcomes among university students in Sweden.?JAMA Network Open,?6(1), e2249346.

Tracy, B. (2013).?Eat that frog! Get more of the important things done today. Hodder Paperback.

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