PROCRASTINATION : HOW TO STOP DELAYING AND START DOING -

PROCRASTINATION : HOW TO STOP DELAYING AND START DOING

Theraverse . April 23, 2024

“Procrastination” is derived from the Latin verb which means Procrastinare- to put of until tomorrow. Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until last moment or past the deadline. Some researchers define Procrastination as “a form of self-regulation failure characterised by the irrational delay of tasks, despite potentially negative consequences”. We all do it sometimes, whether it’s putting off chores or work related tasks.

Procrastination is always confused with laziness, but they are very different. Procrastination is an active process- you choose to do something else instead of the task you know you should be doing. In contrast, laziness means inactivity and an unwillingness to act. Procrastination usually involves ignoring an unpleasant, but likely more important task, in favor of one which is more enjoyable or easier.

Procrastination is also confused with relaxation. Relaxing recharges you with energy. On the other hand, Procrastination drains it from you. Less energy leads to more stress subsequently leading to higher chances of you putting off responsibilities.

Types of Procrastinators:

There are different “types” of Procrastinators. Some researchers have put them into two groups.

Passive procrastinators- those who delay task because they struggle to make decisions and act on them.
Active procrastinator- are those who delay task purposefully because they feel like they work better under pressure.

But why do we procrastinate?

Firstly, procrastination happens when we are afraid or unsure about something. Sometimes we are scared that we won’t do a good job or worried about failing. So instead of facing our fears, we tend to avoid the task. But the longer we put off the scarier it seems, making it even harder to start. The fear of failure could cause individuals hesitate to even start the tasks. Wanting to meet unrealistic expectations set by themselves could also contribute to the additional anxiety that comes with procrastination. Another important reason why people procrastinate seems to be perfectionism. Believing that there is only one way to complete the tasks and if that is not feasible anymore, they put off doing the task entirely.

Barriers to Procrastination

Lack of motivation can be a barrier that makes it difficult to initiate a task without a clear sense of purpose or interest. Poor time management skills contribute to procrastination by underestimating task duration. Distractions both digitally and environmentally can divert attention from tasks. Additionally, lack of external accountability or unclear goals can be a barrier. Negative self-talk and low energy levels can also delay tasks. Another contributor could also be the social company procrastinators keep. If a group of friends decide to put off work together, the consequential misery seems more tolerable, hence sustaining and reinforcing the behavior.

How procrastination can harm your health:

Procrastination may relieve us from stress for that moment but it can have steep emotional, Physical and practical cost. Students who always procrastinate tend to get lower grades, Workers who procrastinate tend to produce lower quality work. Mental health implications include experience general psychological distress and low life satisfaction (related to work and income). Those who procrastinate are more likely to experience headaches, insomnia and digestive issues and are more susceptible to the flu and cold. Procrastination can also be a result of depression, social anxiety and other such mental disorders. Feeling of helplessness and hopelessness can make it difficult to start and finish a task.

Procrastination is pretty common in people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder(OCD). One reason is that OCD is linked with Maladaptive perfectionism which causes fear of making new mistakes, doubts about whether you are doing something correctly and worry about others expectations on you. Many adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) also struggle with procrastination, when you get distracted by outside stimuli and also internal thoughts, it becomes hard to finish a task, especially if the task is difficult or not interesting to you.

So how can we beat Procrastination?

First to overcome procrastination you should understand why you procrastinate or the reason for your procrastination, you can’t come up with an effective solution if you don’t understand the root cause of your problem. Awareness and self knowledge are the key to prevent procrastination.
Another trick is to break big tasks into smaller and more manageable parts. Instead of looking at a huge project and getting overwhelmed we can break them down into smaller parts and focus on one step at a time, By taking it step by step, we feel less stress and we are more likely to get started.
Setting deadlines can also help us overcome procrastination. When we have a specific time to finish something, it gives us a sense of urgency and motivation to do the task. In Addition, breaking down the tasks into small chunks and then assigning deadline to each part can make it easier to stay on track.
Another big cause of Procrastination is distractions. Whether it’s our phones, social media or Netflix, this also distracts us from completing our task at a given time. To combat this, we can try turning off our notifications or finding a quiet workplace to do our tasks.
There are also many rules that can be used to reduce Procrastination. For example: 2-minute rule. This is a concept from David Allen’s workflow management method called Getting Things Done(GTD). This rules states that if you face a task that can be completed in two minutes or less you should do it immediately rather than postponing it or adding it to your to-do list.

In conclusion, Procrastination is a common struggle that can block our productivity and success. Procrastination always tries to hold us back from reaching our full potential. But by understanding why we procrastinate and recognizing various barriers that contribute to it, we can address the issue effectively. Whether its fear of failure, perfectionism, lack of motivation or poor time management skills, there are many strategies we can use to overcome procrastination.

Breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable parts, setting deadlines and minimising distractions are powerful tactics that can help us in staying focused and productive. Additionally, cultivating self-awareness and practicing self compassion are essential to beat procrastination. We should remember that overcoming procrastination takes time and effort but with determination we can regain our productivity and achieve our goal.

By Samia Faisal Khan (Intern at Talk Therapy Clinic)

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