Procrastination

“It’s the job that’s never started as takes the longest to finish” - J.R.R. Tolkien

We have all been there. There is something you have been meaning to do, but every time you think about starting it, you find a million other things you could do instead. You have a paper to write, a presentation at work, or a phone call to make. Even though it is something you know is important, or will not take long, you scroll on your phone or find some other activity to occupy yourself. Sometimes there are not significant consequences from procrastination, but it can lead to missed deadlines, poor academic/work performance, emotional distress, or even adverse health effects. Research has found that approximately 20% of adults chronically struggle with procrastination, and that these rates are consistent across the world (Ferrari et al., 2007). That number can be higher in certain populations, such as college students (Day, Mensink, & O’Sullivan, 2000). If you often struggle with procrastination, here are some strategies to consider:

Step 1: Focus on your emotions

Despite what our critical self-talk may say, we understand procrastination as primarily an emotional issue. If you do not want to start the task, it probably means there is something unpleasant about it. Be curious about why that is, working to label the emotions that are coming up and why it makes sense you are feeling them. Engaging in these actions will likely require you to act while feeling these emotions, as opposed to making them go away so you can act. This is what it means to tolerate uncomfortable feelings.

Step 2: Consider why the task is worth doing

Life can seem to involve endless tasks that are uncomfortable or unpleasant. This sucks, and there can also be consequences to not doing these tasks. If you are procrastinating, you may be getting caught up in the unpleasant aspects of what you are intending to do. That makes sense, but it will likely sap your motivation. Try thinking to yourself, “Why would this be worth doing?” It is possible you come to the conclusion that the juice is not worth the squeeze, which is OK! However, it may be that this task will move you closer to something that is really important to you. We want to try to attend more to that. 

Step 3: Think about how you will feel afterwards

In the same vein as step 2, it can be helpful to broaden your thinking when approaching a task that you want to put off. Yes, it is unpleasant or boring. Yes, it might take time that you would rather spend on other activities. But if it is a task that has notable consequences associated with it, it may continue to hang over your head. So try to consider how you will feel after you have completed the task. Engaging in the action may truly be uncomfortable, but try to think of what is waiting on the other side of that discomfort.

Step 4: Break it down

We already covered how procrastination can indicate there is something unpleasant about what you are attempting to do. That can often involve the perception that it will be a significant undertaking to complete the task at hand. Even if you recognize that the task is doable, or that others do not struggle with this, that sense that it is too much is worth addressing. So, try breaking down the task into smaller steps. Just because you want to clean your apartment does not mean you have to clean it all at once. There are multiple steps that collectively might seem overwhelming. Instead, try thinking of them one at a time without a need to commit to doing more. This can be a way to build momentum so that you can

Step 5: Give yourself credit

This can be helpful in the moment but is also intended with an eye towards the future. When we avoid actions that are difficult, we may be undermining our perception that we can do difficult things. Patients will commonly criticize themselves after completing a task for taking so long to get to it, which can be a missed opportunity to feel a sense of accomplishment. That sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy is what can help you to tackle the next difficult task, so try to take a minute to recognize your efforts.

Procrastination in and of itself is not a pathological condition, but it can be a symptom of anxiety, depression, perfectionism, ADHD, or other conditions. If this is an issue you struggle with and you would like to work on addressing the extent to which it impacts your life, contact me to set up an initial consultation to discuss how we can work on this issue. 

References

Day, V., Mensink, D., & O'Sullivan, M. (2000). Patterns of academic procrastination. Journal of college reading and learning, 30(2), 120-134.

Ferrari, J. R., Diaz-Morales, J. F., O'Callaghan, J., Diaz, K., & Argumedo, D. (2007). Frequent behavioral delay tendencies by adults: International prevalence rates of chronic procrastination. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 38(4), 458-464.