Do you procrastinate sometimes? Do you put off or avoid doing certain things that you know you should do, but just don’t want to do or feel like doing? Does this lead you to feel more stressed, frustrated, and, in the end, disappointed or guilty when you leave things to the last minute?
Or even worse, when you don’t get the things done at all, does it lead you to feel less productive and less positive about life, the future and yourself? Is your procrastination, avoidance and putting things off actually slowing you down and stopping you from progressing in your life? Is it leading you to feeling worse about yourself?
In this article you’ll gain a better understanding of how to handle procrastination and increase productivity by:
- Understanding and defining procrastination in more detail and your unique reasons why you procrastinate.
- Understanding and identifying its causes and maintaining factors.
- Applying practical and psychological anti-procrastination strategies.
Also, check out our free videos teaching you about Overcoming Procrastination + Avoidance (the 3 A’s).
What is Procrastination?
Put simply, procrastination is an action of putting off or postponing tasks or decisions.
It frequently entails prioritising short-term comfort above long-term objectives, resulting in a cycle of avoidance and guilt.
Examples of procrastinating can include spending too much time on YouTube, social media, watching tv, lying in bed or on the couch, doing unnecessary work, or simply ignoring the task at hand.
Why Do I Procrastinate So Much?
Understanding the unique reasons why you procrastinate is an extremely important part of overcoming it. Procrastination can be caused by a mix of psychological challenges, such as fear of failure, perfectionism, or feeling overwhelmed. It can also be triggered and maintained by other, very common thoughts and feelings.
So, importantly, you need to start by asking yourself why you procrastinate sometimes?
Could it be that sometimes it is because the things you are putting off seem boring or uninteresting to you, and you just couldn’t be bothered? Could it be that they make you feel uncomfortable when you think about doing them? Or, do you think “its too hard, it will take too long, I don’t have the time or energy for that!” Perhaps you say to yourself “I’d prefer to be doing something easier, more fun, interesting, productive or meaningful”.
Perhaps you think “I haven’t done a task exactly the same as this before and I am not sure how to do it? Maybe you feel anxious about it? And worry that you might not do a very good job or won’t be able to complete it.
Or even worse, perhaps you worry, that if you actually get the thing(s) done, then it means you’ll have to do another bunch of things or tasks that you really don’t want to do and that feels really uncomfortable thinking about.
You might even say to yourself that the things you’re putting off or avoiding are actually not that important or won’t really matter if you do them now, later, or ever. Then maybe you say to yourself “I can do that stuff later, I don’t need to do that now.” Or your mind tells you “I’ll just do these easy things instead, or take it easy for now and chill. I can do that other stuff later.”
Whichever one or combination of these you connect with, these are all normal experiences. Because, well, you’re human! And some things are boring or uninteresting, and some things are scary, and the outcomes are uncertain. You are not a machine that can churn through all of your tasks without feeling anything. And when we as humans feel something uncomfortable and pair it with a task or set of tasks, then we have a higher chance of avoiding it or putting it off, aka Procrastinating.
Sometimes, we don’t know how to do things, because we haven’t done them before or nobody has shown us or helped us learn how to do them well/properly. And sometimes we choose to put things off instead of getting them done because it’s easier to do something else, or nothing at all. Sometimes our minds tell us that the things we know we should be doing, are not that important to us and our lives.
The problem with this is, if you let your mind push you around and you believe these unhelpful thoughts, then you lose out significantly. You are less productive. You either end up having more to do later on, and becoming more stressed and doing a worse job of those tasks under that stress, or you don’t complete it at all.
Either way it costs you. If you put it off until later and have to cram it in under sub optimal circumstances (late at night, or when you should be doing other important things) it might cost you in terms of having to sacrifice your sleep, exercise, time with friends, family or partner, or time spent doing fun stuff. Your leisure, hobbies.
If you don’t do it at all, or you put it off for a significant period of time, this holds you back from progressing in your life and moving to the next opportunity sooner. Your next level.
Essentially you are holding yourself back from moving forward, growing and improving; from taking the next important step forward on your journey in your life, of where you want to go, of what matters to you, of how you really want to be as a person.
Common Causes of Procrastination?
It is possible to address your procrastination effectively by identifying several factors which may be contributing to your procrastination, including:
Prioritising short-term mood:
Choosing instant comfort over long-term gains.
This type of behaviour can be seen in everyday situations, especially those with ADHD.
For example, choosing to watch a favourite TV show instead of working on a report due next week, delivers immediate enjoyment but leads to stress and rushed work later.
The tendency for short-term pleasure can lead to a cycle of procrastination in which responsibilities are repeatedly put off in favour of more enjoyable pursuits. At ST&A we offering ADHD counselling, to help manage and offer guidance with short term mood procrastinating.
Task aversiveness:
Finding a task frustrating, boring, or unpleasant?
Another common cause of procrastination is task aversion. It’s normal to avoid an activity that you find frustrating, dull, or unpleasant.
Filing taxes, for example, is sometimes regarded as tedious and hard, prompting many people to put it off until the last minute.
Similarly, students may postpone studying for a tough subject because they find it unpleasant or demanding.
Anxiety and fear:
Concerns over being criticised or failing. Anxiety and fear of criticism can also lead to procrastinating. If you are afraid that your work will be poorly assessed, you may avoid starting it entirely.
For example, a manager, student, employee, artist, apprentice, parent, or any worker may put off finishing a project for fear of receiving negative comments.
Building self-confidence, receiving self-infused constructive feedback, and encouraging yourself with positive, warm, compassionate self-belief statements, will help to alleviate these worries over time. We call this using your wise, emotionally mature, understanding, compassionate, reassuring you.
You can look at yourself in the mirror ( we all this Mirror work) and say calmly and warmly with confidence “I know I am unlikely to enjoy this task much, or find it interesting or rewarding, and I realise that my mind is going to worry that I won’t complete it or will do a poor job, but you can do this.
You’ve accomplished much in your life before this that was hard where you didn’t know what you were doing at first, but by attempting it and trying, and doing it over and over again, you were able to do it, well. So, like those tasks, you can do this”.
At ST&A Psychology Manly, Northern Beaches, & North Sydney and St Leonards, we can offer Compassion Focused Therapy and Anxiety Treatment, to help you overcome your issues with anxiety and manage it more effectively.
Feeling overwhelmed:
Having too many tasks and not knowing where to start.
For example, imagine being assigned a complex project at work with numerous components. The sheer size of the task might make it seem overwhelming, causing you to put it off.
Perfectionism:
Refusal to complete work with any flaws.
Perfectionists frequently establish overly high expectations for themselves, which can make starting or completing projects difficult.
For example, a writer may avoid starting a novel because they believe each line must be perfect. Accepting that mistakes are part of the learning process can help you overcome this obstacle.
Disconnect from the future self:
A detachment from your future self might also lead to procrastination. This occurs when you see the repercussions of a delay as someone else’s concern or fault.
So you start viewing the repercussions of a delay you are responsible for and which will affect you, as someone else’s responsibility or concern which will affect them, including your future self.
For instance, delaying retirement planning because it appears to be a distant concern that someone else is responsible for can lead to regret in the future. Visualising your future and recognising the long-term consequences of procrastinating can help bridge this gap.
Low motivation and energy:
In light of low-value outcomes or anticipated effort.
Another typical explanation is a lack of motivation or energy. This can be caused by a failure to see the task’s immediate worth.
For example, a student may procrastinate when studying for a topic that they find uninteresting or unimportant to their objectives. Finding ways to relate the activity to personal interests or potential advantages can boost motivation.
You may be struggling with energy and motivation because you are depressed or are suffering from symptoms of depression. At ST&A Psychology Manly, Northern Beaches, & North Sydney and St Leonards, we can offer Depression Treatment, to help you overcome your issues with Depression and manage it more effectively.
The Most Effective Way to Overcome Procrastination?
So, I hear you asking, how can I overcome my procrastination? How can I learn to stop putting things off? Things I know I should do, but don’t feel like doing?
The good news is, not only is procrastination a normal human challenge, that affects all of us, to a greater or lesser extent, it is something we all can overcome. You included. If you work at it.
Yes, you’re going to have to work at it, to improve it. You’re going to need to spend time and energy noticing when you are procrastinating, bringing it to your conscious awareness, and making a different choice.
A choice that involves starting the very thing or things you don’t want to do, the very thing you feel like avoiding or putting off. More than that, depending on how much you want to overcome your procrastination and how quickly), you’re going to slowly or quickly prove to yourself that you do not have anything wrong with you.
And that you can be productive, you can keep progressing in your life, without constantly slowing yourself down. That you don’t have to keep missing opportunities that life will provide you, if you learn to keep consistently taking the next steps on your journey.
The research evidence shows that working in therapy with an experienced and skilled psychologist through a set of consistent and regular sessions is the most effective way to overcome procrastination.
It’s likely that attempting to overcome your procrastination without the support, and professional, skilled guidance of an experienced psychologist, like any mental, emotional and behavioral issue, will make the journey slower and harder, and potentially less effective.
At ST&A Psychology, North Sydney psychologist being skilled and experienced psychologists, we’ve observed and heard thousands of stories of our clients, complaining and worrying with frustration, stress, disappointment & guilt about the effects their procrastination is having on their lives, and a lack of confidence and belief in their own ability to change it. Further, over the years, thousands of our clients have benefited significantly from working with us to overcome their procrastination.
At ST&A Psychology, we’ll help you understand the unique ways your mind and body like to fool you into believing a story that you can’t, don’t need to, won’t do a good job of, or haven’t got the time or energy for that thing you’re putting off. And the unique ways your mind lures you into believing that the things you’re not doing, are not that important to you, or are someone else’s concern or responsibility.”
We’ll also help you devise an individually tailored plan, which addresses, in detail, the unique combination of each of your behavioural, emotional and cognitive patterns, which underpin your procrastination. We’ll help you understand how each of these areas interact, leading to your procrastination. This detailed individually tailored formulation of the problem, provides the clues to what will be in your unique plan of how you can overcome your procrastination.
To help you learn specific, effective ways to overcome your procrastination, At ST&A Psychology, North Sydney psychologist we’ve devised 8 important, effective steps for overcoming procrastination, based on what the research says works.
These 9 steps include:
- Identify what your values are (what’s most important, meaningful and valuable to you, and how you really want to be) in the areas of health, work/career, learning/development, social life/friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships, community, fun/leisure/hobbies, parenting, spirituality.
- Make clear priorities of what goals to focus on when
- Take note of/observe every task you are doing and what you need to do.
- Divide bigger, more challenging tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks.
- Set SMART Goals/plans (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Framed) that are aligned with your values.
- Create a diary and calendarise every task with due dates on a weekly planner. Ensure every task, which is aligned with your SMART goals/plans and your values, is recorded in a visually easy to read diary, calendar, & weekly planner.
- Only do tasks towards your goals, notice any tasks you are doing that are not values based, or part of your SMART goals/plan. And stop doing these.
- Take Immediate action on small manageable tasks to build motivation, energy and confidence.
- Use the time-management techniques listed.
9 Steps to overcome procrastination at work, school or uni:
1. Identify What Your Values Are and Where You Have Not Taken Action
The first, most important step to overcome procrastination is to work out what your values are in important areas and where you have not been taking action. This means finding out what’s most important, meaningful and valuable to you, and how you really want to be.
Start by looking at the 10 most valued areas of people’s lives across the world. Your health, work/career, learning/development, social life/friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships, community, fun/leisure/hobbies, parenting, spirituality.
Rate from 1-10 how important each of these areas are to you, with 1 being not at all important, 5 being moderately important, and 10 being extremely important.
Then rate from 1-10 how much time you have spent and action you have taken in the last month in these value areas. Again with 1 being no action, 5 being some action and 10 being a lot of action. Ask yourself, how do I want to be in these areas of my life? How can I show up and be better at this? What can I do more of, less of?
2. Clarify Your Priorities (What goals to focus on when) with due dates
One of the most effective strategies to overcome procrastination is to define & make clear your priorities and objectives of what goals to focus on when (what comes first), and establish due dates (when these need to be completed by).
When you know exactly what to do when, it’s easier to focus on the most important activities.
You then need to put these things in your diary and a calendar and weekly planner on your phone, laptop, wall, kitchen fridge, bathroom wall, lounge room wall, work space, so it is visible to you everywhere you go.
3. Take Note of Every To-Do task on your List
Keep track of your work to stay focused and organised. Use a to-do list or a task management app to capture every task you need to complete. This practice helps you prioritise your work and ensures that nothing falls through the cracks.
A helpful idea is to mark off each work as you go; this increases your sense of accomplishment and keeps you motivated to do more activities. It is also beneficial to take intervals between tasks to allow your mind to reset.
4. Break up Large Challenging Tasks into Smaller Easier Tasks
Larger projects can be a lot to handle at times and also quite daunting.
To make them more manageable, break them down into smaller, actionable tasks.
This approach not only makes the project less intimidating but also provides a sense of accomplishment as you complete each smaller task.
Example:
For instance, if you need to create a comprehensive marketing plan, start by dividing it into smaller tasks such as conducting market research, analysing competitors, defining your target audience, and developing a marketing strategy.
Each of these tasks can further be broken down into even smaller steps, such as creating survey questions for market research or compiling a list of competitor websites for analysis.
This approach makes the project less confusing and provides a sense of accomplishment as you complete each smaller task.
5. Set SMART Goals Aligned with Your Values to Fight Perfectionism
Perfectionism can be a significant barrier to productivity. To combat this, set realistic goals and accept that perfection is not always attainable.
Begin by establishing specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives. This method allows you to stay focused and motivated.
Remember:
- S- Specific
- M- Measurable
- A- Achievable
- R- Relevant
- T- Time-bound
Focus on completing tasks to the best of your ability rather than striving for perfection. Remember, done is better than perfect.
An Example of a Realistic Goal:
Instead of aiming to write a flawless 10-page report in one go, set a goal to complete a rough draft of the first three pages within two hours.
This goal is specific, achievable, and time-bound, helping you make progress without the pressure of achieving perfectionism.
6. Use a Diary, Calendar, Weekly Planner and Set Deadlines
Setting deadlines creates a sense of urgency and help you stay on track.
Set realistic deadlines for each task and hold yourself accountable. If necessary, break down larger tasks into smaller ones with their own deadlines. This approach helps you maintain momentum and avoid last-minute rushes.
Example of Setting Deadlines
If you have a research paper due in four weeks, set intermediate deadlines such as completing your research within the first week, drafting an outline in the second week, writing the introduction and first sections by the third week, and finishing the conclusion and revisions in the final week.
7. Notice What You Are Doing, Stop Doing Unaligned Tasks
Only do tasks towards your goals. Notice any tasks you are doing that are not values based, or part of your SMART goals/plan. And stop doing these.
It’s better to feel bored doing nothing and then start thinking of what better you could be doing with your time and energy.
You might want to set strict, clear time framed boundaries on unaligned activities, like screens, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, Tv’s, gaming consoles, time spent making snacks in the kitchen, even daydreaming/fantasising of another life. Start creating the life you ant now by doing aligned tasks.
8. Combat Procrastination with Action
Taking immediate action is a very powerful way to overcome low energy, motivation & procrastination. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment or feeling completely ready, start with small steps.
Break down your tasks into manageable, shorter tasks and tackle them one at a time.
This approach significantly reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed and makes it easier to make progress, without feeling like you have one large job to do.
9. Tips For Time Management Strategies
Effective time management is key to overcoming procrastination. Here are some effective strategy tips to consider:
Pomodoro Technique:
Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. Repeat this cycle to maintain focus and productivity.
Using the Pomodoro Technique, you could structure your workday as follows:
First Pomodoro: Work on the project’s research phase for 25 minutes.
5-Minute Break: Take a short break to stretch or grab a drink.
Second Pomodoro: Continue with data analysis for another 25 minutes.
5-Minute Break: Relax and take a quick walk.
Third Pomodoro: Start drafting the project’s outline for 25 minutes.
5-Minute Break: Check personal messages or meditate.
Fourth Pomodoro: Refine the outline and start writing the introduction.
15-30 Minute Break: Take a longer break to recharge fully.
The Pomodoro Technique helps to create a sense of urgency and encourages deep work without distractions.
Time Blocking:
Allocate specific time slots for different tasks or activities. This approach helps you stay organised and ensures that you dedicate time to important tasks.
An example of using the time blocking method:
Suppose you have a busy day with multiple responsibilities. Using the time blocking method, you could structure your day as follows:
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Email correspondence and administrative tasks
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Deep work on a high-priority project
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Team meeting and collaboration
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Lunch break
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Client calls and follow-ups
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Research and development for a new initiative
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Review and planning for the next day
Eisenhower Matrix (Prioritisation):
Focus on high-priority tasks first. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to categorise tasks based on their urgency and importance. Suppose you are managing multiple tasks at work.
Using the Eisenhower Matrix, you might categorise them as follows:
Urgent and Important: Finalising a report due tomorrow
Important but Not Urgent: Developing a new business strategy
Urgent but Not Important: Responding to routine emails
Not Urgent and Not Important: Watching YouTube videos unrelated to work
This method helps reduce the stress of juggling multiple responsibilities and allows for more efficient and effective use of your time.
How Can we Help at ST&A Psychology
At ST&A Psychology St Leonards and Northern Beaches psychologist, we understand the challenges of procrastination and are here to help you…well.
Our skilled & experienced psychologists offer personalised strategies and support to help you overcome procrastination and achieve your goals.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can assist you in your journey towards improved productivity and well-being.
