Why do we procrastinate?
Let us begin with a simple common day scenario:
It was a beautiful day outside. Alex was trying to focus on finishing his work project, which he had delayed doing on the weekend, but the allure of the sun and the fresh air outside was too tempting. He decided to take his laptop outside to work on the patio, just for a short time.
(🤨 Distraction Trigger 1)
As he settled down to work, a neighbor’s Dog sauntered up to him and started wagging its tail. Alex couldn’t resist and started petting the dog, which promptly jumped onto his lap to return the love.
(🐶 Distraction Trigger 2)
Meanwhile, a group of squirrels appeared in a nearby tree, distracting the dog, which dashed off to chase them. Alex had to promptly stand up to make sure the dog did not get hurt while crossing the small street in front. (🐿🐿Distraction Trigger 3)
His neighbor came to thank him for taking care of the dog and they started chatting. A few nearby neighbors joined and the conversations shifted to someone inviting all to their barbecue.
(🤓 Distraction Trigger 4)
🥸 Needless to say, his work project did not get much attention that day!
“Procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem,” said Dr. Tim Pychyl, professor of psychology and member of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Ottawa.
It isn’t a unique character flaw or a mysterious curse on your ability to manage time, but a way of coping with challenging emotions and negative moods induced by certain tasks — boredom, anxiety, insecurity, frustration, resentment, self-doubt, and beyond.
“It’s not the delay that’s the problem. It’s the self-blame and the emotional disengagement that leads to internal struggles that undermine your health,” Pychyl says.
Now let us review 6 points that can cause us to procrastinate and how to avoid them:
- Distractions: In today’s world, there are so many distractions such as social media, TV, and video games that can divert our attention from the task at hand.
Do you have a strategy or rules defined to avoid distractions?
Identify your biggest distraction triggers: Take a moment to reflect on what distracts you the most — social media, email, or clicking that TV remote?
i) Create a distraction-free environment: Try to create a work environment that minimizes distractions — finding a quiet space, using noise-canceling headphones, and putting your phone on silent or in the next room.
ii) Use time management techniques: Techniques like the Pomodoro technique, which involves working in focused, 25-minute increments with short breaks in between.
iii) Use technology to your advantage: There are many apps and tools available that can help you avoid distractions, such as website blockers or apps that help you track your time and productivity.
iv) Practice mindfulness: Adrienne Taren, a researcher studying mindfulness at the University of Pittsburgh, found that eight weeks of mindfulness meditation reduces amygdala volume, a part of your limbic system that many may know as the “fight or flight’’ response. Procrastination makes its home here.
By being mindful, we can actually shrink the size of amygdala, thus making the “amygdala hijack” of procrastination less likely.
2. Prioritization: Start by making a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish in a day. Then, prioritize the tasks based on their importance and urgency. This will help you stay focused and ensure that you accomplish the most important tasks first.
If you focus on less important tasks first, you may run out of time to complete more important tasks. Prioritize your tasks and stick to your priority.
3. Perfectionism: Are trying to be perfect and hence keep on delaying things?
Trying to be perfect is like trying to catch a greased pig — it is a slippery slope to disappointment and frustration. No matter how hard you try, you’ll always come up short because the standard of perfection is an ever-moving target.
Plus, who wants to be perfect anyway? Perfect people are boring and annoying. Imperfection is what makes us interesting and relatable. So, embrace your flaws and quirks, and let your inner weirdo shine!
4. Schedule your day: Plan your day ahead of time and schedule specific blocks of time for work and breaks.
- Use a planner or calendar: Use a planner or calendar to schedule your tasks and activities. You can use a physical planner or an online tool like Google Calendar. Make sure to block off time for each task and leave some buffer time between tasks for unexpected events.
- Set realistic goals: When scheduling your day, make sure to set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t try to cram too many tasks into a single day, as this can lead to burnout and frustration. Instead, break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
- Review and adjust your schedule:
At the end of each day, take some time to review your schedule and evaluate how you did. Did you accomplish everything you set out to do? If not, what went wrong? Use this information to adjust your schedule for the next day and make improvements where needed.
5. Lack of motivation: When people lack motivation or interest in a task, they may put it off until later.
It is like your brain is a car that is stuck in neutral and no amount of pushing or prodding is going to make it move forward. You sit there staring at your to-do list, trying to conjure up some enthusiasm, but all you can manage is a weak, half-hearted sigh.
Lack of motivation seems like trying to motivate a sloth to run a marathon — it is just not going to happen.
Here are 5 steps to overcome a lack of motivation:
i) Identify the root cause: Try to identify the root cause of your lack of motivation. Is it because you are overwhelmed or burnt out? Are you feeling bored or disinterested in the task at hand? Understanding why you lack motivation can help you address the problem more effectively.
ii) Break tasks into smaller chunks: Sometimes, the task at hand can seem daunting and overwhelming, leading to a lack of motivation. Breaking the task into smaller, more manageable chunks can make it feel more achievable and less intimidating.
iii) Set achievable goals: Setting achievable goals can help boost your motivation. Make sure your goals are realistic and achievable and set deadlines to help you stay on track.
iv) Find inspiration: Finding inspiration can help you regain your motivation. Look for role models or success stories in your field and find out what inspires them. This can help you see the bigger picture and motivate you to keep going.
v) Reward yourself: Finally, rewarding yourself for achieving small milestones can help boost your motivation.
Celebrate your accomplishments, even if they are small, and use that positive reinforcement to keep you motivated and on track.
6. Fear of failure: Sometimes, people may procrastinate because they fear that they won’t be able to complete a task successfully. This fear of failure can cause them to delay starting the task.
Here are a few steps to reduce fear of failure:
Focus on the process rather than the outcome. When you focus too much on the outcome, it can create more pressure and anxiety.
Instead, focus on the process of completing the task and taking steps towards achieving your goal.
- Celebrate your progress along the way. Acknowledge the progress you make towards your goal, even if it’s small. This can help boost your confidence and motivation to continue.
- Reframe your perspective on failure. Failure is a natural part of the learning process and can provide valuable lessons for future success. Instead of fearing failure, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Thank you for reading. Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.