Understanding and Overcoming Procrastination

There are times when most people delay the accomplishment of projects or chores for no plausible reason. It is not because they are lazy, even if they are aware of a given deadline. Some people kill time at work as if the responsibility isn’t there. 

Have you ever felt that way before? Do you delay projects that could have been finished on time? Are you focusing on lesser priorities or worse, non-vital tasks? This has probably ended up with you rushing to finish by the deadline, or exchanging quality in order to make submit the requirement in the nick of time. 

Not only is it a bad habit, but it’s also an unproductive one that must be corrected. Let’s identify and discuss how this should be solved. 

What is procrastination?

It is an act of intentionally and habitually postponing work on the assigned duties, chores, or other tasks. People who procrastinate find difficulty in persuading themselves to do important tasks and they get distracted with less critical or non-essential projects. 

This creates delays and bogs down work and quality on tasks that should have been accomplished within a set reasonable period.

There are various types of procrastination:

Anxious Procrastination is procrastinating out of the inability to manage time efficiently. Persons who procrastinate like this are unable to manage their time, instead they tend to reschedule work  believing they can rush before the deadline. This type of procrastination is usually the result of worrying about failing to accomplish tasks, causing anxiety and stress that leads them to depression and diminished performance.

“Lots of time” Procrastination is when a person believes the deadline of the given task  is still way ahead and is caught up in the illusion of working at speed. People who procrastinate in this matter often find themselves rushing to finish tasks as the deadline approaches.

Leisure Procrastination happens when persons choose to sidetrack themselves with other tasks or distractions they find more amusing than the project at hand. 

Perfectionist Procrastination is an unproductive obsession with overdoing a project, to the point where a person is unfairly critical of his work due to fear of failing or an unhealthy desire to impress their superiors or peers. 

Some people believe that procrastination could possibly be a mental illness, but the scientific community does not confirm or agree to the idea. As per Piers Steel, author of “The Procrastination Equation” and a Professor of Psychology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, “...though procrastination is not enlisted as a mental health disorder. It can be a preoccupying issue.”

Robert Schachter, Founder of the Procrastination Center of America, a psychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York, mentioned that there are countless roots of procrastination, and one of these is depression.

Finally, according to Linda Sapadin, a Behavioural Psychologist with an expertise in discouraging fear and chronic procrastination, mentioned that all people procrastinate. It exists simply in everyone when they constantly have difficulty in completing tasks.

How then, can one stop procrastinating? Here are several ways:

Be aware

Search for the root cause why you procrastinate. Assess yourself to succeed in dealing with what kind of procrastination you do as outlined in the varieties mentioned above. 

Time Management

Manage your time by listing all you need to do today, tomorrow and the coming days to  help you do more tasks. Set your goals by envisioning the outcome of your work.

Prioritise what is more important and practice it more often. Positively reinforcing yourself to perform is the best way to surpass procrastination. Committing to finish the tasks and recompense yourself is something you need to do.

Always make a list of your tasks, projects, or chores and make a schedule for each. That way, you will no longer feel that you are behind and can discipline yourself by figuring out what projects come first.

Motivation

There are two kinds of motivation: Intrinsic and Extrinsic.

Intrinsic Motivation is an internal desire where a person sets specific goals. For example, you want to get fit but unable to do it because of procrastination. But if you focus on achieving that goal every day, then the result is clear in your mind and easier to work on. It is like asking “What can I do to achieve the goal?” 

Extrinsic Motivation is a desire that stems from influence by the goal itself. Let’s say you want to be physically fit by going to the gym or exercising every day. The vision of being healthy and being praised for it is the extrinsic motivation that drives you to work out. It is like asking “What can I get out of achieving the goal?”  

Self-forgiveness

If you accept the fact that you are procrastinating before and would want to change it for the better, it will give you a sense of relief and move forward to making positive changes. There will be a transition period, but it is better than not forgiving yourself at all as it will only lead you to unproductivity due to depression.

Boost your self-esteem

The more you believe in yourself that you can do the tasks at hand, the shorter the time you will need to achieve your goals. Boosting your morale is an achievement in itself and it can further hone your focus on important things. 

In summary, everyone procrastinates - but some have a tendency to become very immersed in it, that they need lots of help to overcome the bad habit. Are you this person or do you know one who does? It is a real problem that warrants help from family, friends, or professionals in behaviour correction.

Psychologists who studied this condition have developed solutions and methods to combat and correct it through their years of study. There are simple methods out there made public by these experts to help people who procrastinate motivate themselves and finish their tasks with urgency. 

Always find ways to get yourself motivated. It can range from simple joys such as accomplishing one small task at a time, or opening up your schedule to talk openly about your problems with loved ones or through the help of a professional. It can even be as simple as going to the gym, a fine meal, as long as it makes you happy.