Procrastination is one of those problems that can slip under the radar and not be taken seriously or even recognized as an actual problem. This is because so many people believe the problem lies elsewhere and not with procrastination.
For example, if Jane has a deadline for a major project coming up at the end of the month, but finds that she is putting off starting it because of a number of convenient excuses such as “I have other things to do”, “I’m too tired”, “I’ll start fresh tomorrow”, “I’d like to think about it some more first”, “I have a meeting in a couple of hours so it’s not worth starting right now”, and the list goes on. Jane may be tempted to think that it’s all of those other things that are the problem when in fact the true problem is staring her in the face – procrastination.
Procrastination is sometimes dismissed as not a serious problem but more of a nuisance or fact of life. That can be a serious mistake. In fact, this is more likely the opinion of a procrastinator since it helps them further excuse themselves for putting tasks off.
The reality is that procrastination can literally have life-altering consequences. Seriously. For example, if you put off applying for your ideal job then someone else will take it. If you don’t perform satisfactorily in your current job by putting tasks off then you may lose it! Similarly this may affect your health and personal relationships as well.
So why do people procrastinate?
Some of the most common reasons for procrastination are:
- A sense that the task will be unpleasant
- Stress or Anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Being disorganized
- Perfectionism
- Fear of failure
There are many other reasons but these are amongst the most common. So let’s discuss each of these and what can be done to address them.
A Sense That The Task Will Be Unpleasant
This is often coupled with a lack of motivation. After all, how can you feel motivated for something that you believe is unpleasant?
Instead of simply dismissing a lack of motivation as a of procrastination, it’s worthwhile to first examine why there may be a lack of motivation. Is it because you are working on something that truly doesn’t interest you? If you find that you really don’t care about the outcome then this may be a problem in itself. If it is something that you can change then it may be worthwhile considering. For example, if you are working in a job that doesn’t interest you then consider a different job that actually interests you. Of course this may not be as easy as it sounds or even feasible for many people but it’s something to consider. On the other hand, the task may be absolutely necessary, unavoidable and something you prefer not to do – such as your tax returns. If the task is truly unpleasant but necessary, then a useful tool to overcome procrastination is the visualization of success.
Visualize just how great it will feel to have completed the task. Realize that you will then have the peace of mind to blissfully enjoy other activities without the nagging feeling that you’re putting off a task that you really should get done. You can also break the task down into smaller chunks to make it seem more easily achievable. More on this in the discussion of feeling overwhelmed below.
Feeling Stressed, Overwhelmed or Disorganized
These are really different matters but can feel the same to many people. If you feel stressed-out, so much so that you feel unable to sit down and begin a task even though the task size is reasonable and not overwhelming in scope, then it may be that you are overworked, fatigued or have other matters on your mind. Take a moment to identify within yourself what the cause of your stress is. If it is a general feeling of anxiety, then some mediation or relaxation exercises may be helpful. If you are physically tired or fatigued then take a rest or get some sleep. Avoid the feeling of “but there’s work to be done” because clearly in this fatigued state you’re not working effectively anyway. After you’ve rested your whole perspective and energy may change for the better and you may accomplish the task faster and sooner than if you had tried to force yourself through your fatigue. More on self hypnosis for relaxation and meditation and self hypnosis for stress and anxiety.
If you are feeling overwhelmed because there is more to do than you truly believe you have the capacity to achieve under the circumstances then there are several ways for you to attack this:
- Ask for help. Don’t try to be a martyr – the ending is never good. If you are being asked to perform more than is reasonable then you can explain (to your boss, coworkers, family?) exactly why you need help, or at least why your task list should be reduced. Avoid being confrontational, that will likely bring about confrontation and not help anyone. Just explain the situation calmly and rationally.
- Break the task down into smaller tasks that do not seem overwhelming to you. Tackle each smaller task in turn and feel good about accomplishing each one. You may find your motivation increases.
- Improve your time management skills. If you are feeling overwhelmed or disorganized then there are a lot of ways in which you can fit more into your day, without really trying. I once thought I had a pretty good idea of how not to waste time but decided to take a short course (one day) on time management skills. I was amazed at how many time wasters I was allowing into my day.For example, do you leave your email program running all the time? Do you find yourself being distracted every few minutes with the arrival of another irrelevant or unimportant email? Consider checking your email once or twice per day only. Respond to all emails at one time rather than dragging it out through the whole day and losing your focus. Another good example was the guy who goes to the kitchen to get a quick cup of tea. When he gets to the kitchen he sees that the trash is overflowing and feels disgusted. He takes it upon himself to remove the full trash bag to and replace it with a new one because, as he would say, “I was already there anyway”. He then discovers that there are no more plastic trash bags, so he goes searching for the administrative clerk…. He ends up signing for some petty cash to go to the convenience store to actually buy the plastic trash bags. What should have been a 2 minute cup of tea had become a 20 minute task that was never his to begin with. More on self hypnosis for professional skills development.
Perfectionism
Some people feel that they must accomplish the task to a very high standard. Such a high standard that the task cannot be rushed. All aspects of the task must first be carefully analyzed; however, there are so many aspects to properly analyze that it will probably take a long time and it may therefore be better to put the task off until more time is available.
If you find yourself in this sort of procrastination by perfectionism trap then it may also involve a fear of failure. i.e. A fear that you may not accomplish the task to your own high set of standards. Please realize that you will almost certainly have the opportunity to revise and improve the result of whatever it is that you’re working on. It is much better to have at least a working prototype or draft than to have nothing. Once you have your prototype or draft, you can begin perfecting it to your standards if you feel that it is necessary. You may pleasantly discover that your initial version didn’t take very long and has gotten you most of the way (if not all of the way) to completion. More on self hypnosis to overcome perfectionism.
Fear of Failure
This is similar to perfectionism; however, a fear of failure can also be because the person has a feeling of being a fraud. This is a common feeling and usually it is not justified. If you find yourself feeling this way, reassure yourself that you are qualified for the task and that you are ready for it. Attacking the task will actually move you closer toward success, not failure. By doing nothing, you will certainly fail. Please review the other strategies in this article for overcoming procrastination and get moving toward achievement! You can visit this page for self hypnosis recordings to overcome fear of failure.
If you suffer from procrastination then please realize that it’s not going to just go away on its own. The tasks in your life are still going to be there. You need to confront procrastination and overcome it. With this will come a sense of achievement, satisfaction and personal growth.
Hypnosis can be very useful to help you in overcoming procrastination since procrastination is all in the mind. There are many self hypnosis recordings for personal development and professional development that can help you tackle or avoid procrastination.
You can also visit the following page that contains several self hypnosis recordings specifically designed to overcome procrastination.
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