Procrastination is something that affects most people at some time or other. In this helpful article, a leading U.K. therapist explains how we can best handle procrastination and move forward with our life in a timely manner.
Have you had enough of your procrastination?
It's thought that 95% of all people procrastinate at some time, delaying tasks because they feel too difficult or trying. But using avoidance strategies like checking Facebook or ringing a friend increases the sense of stress and anxiety, and provides no real answer to the problem you're facing.
The quickest way to find mental and emotional relief is to figure out why you are procrastinating, and to take steps to resolve it.
Why Are You Procrastinating?
The best way to stop procrastinating is to understand why you are doing it. Everyone has different reasons, and it has nothing to do with being lazy, or unfocused. It might have something to do with your perception of the level of discomfort or difficulty associated with the task you are procrastinating over.
Anxiety and fear are most often related to our reaction to an imagined future -- to events which have not taken place. Perhaps this situation is bringing up some part of you which you can now look at and resolve. Are you afraid of failing? Are you afraid of success? Are you coming up against your lack of confidence in yourself?
These are normal, and common. Recognize what is really happening for you and be willing to let it go. Think of all the times in the past you thought something was difficult, or even impossible, and you accomplished it anyway. Many people find self hypnosis recordings particularly helpful in moving forward.
Active Procrastination
Usually we feel bad about procrastination, but according to research it may not always be a bad thing.
There are two types of procrastination: active and inactive.
Active procrastination is when you put off a task to study, gather resources and information, so when the deadline looms you are ready to use the pressure to produce good results.
Inactive procrastination is when you simply avoid a task by doing and thinking about something else, till finally the deadline forces you to sit down and do the work, even if you are completely unprepared.
According to research from Columbia University in New York, USA, active procrastinators experience no confidence problems or anxiety. They achieve better end results than inactive procrastinators, even when procrastinate for exactly the same amount of time.
So if you know you tend towards procrastination, perhaps it is an avoidance strategy just waiting to be transformed into a strategy for success.
Break down tasks It is so easy to procrastinate when a task feels complicated, or even titanic in size. Create a time-line on a piece of paper with one dot representing where you are now, and another dot representing where you would like to be. Next create a dot midway between the first two dots -- this one represents the middle, when you are halfway to your goal.
What, exactly, is that half way point? A word count? An amount of money saved?
Once you have decided what it is, create another dot between the first dot and the middle point. This is the first leg of the journey. Next, create a dot between the halfway dot and the end dot. What is the specific milestone lying between the middle and the end of your goal?
Congratulations! You have created a working time-line, which you can break down further and further into monthly, weekly or daily goals as needed.
Get Rid of Distractions
Getting rid of distractions is an important step in stopping procrastination. Following the advent of social media like Twitter and Facebook, I am not sure how anyone anywhere gets anything done at all anymore. If you can't resist the pull of your favorite social media, try turning the Internet off, or if you need the Internet for work, get one of those software programs that allows you to block certain websites of choice. Check for Internet browsers that have this function also.
Only answer phone calls that are important or essential, and schedule a specific time of day to check and reply to e-mails. E-mail is a huge time-drain, so to reduce the risk of procrastination, elect a specific appointment with yourself for looking at the e-mails and turn off the instant notifications. Make it fun!
Experiencing things as fun is not something that just comes at you. 'Fun' doesn't fall from the sky. It is a quality that we bring to our experiences and our interactions with the world around us.
If you have a deadline, a project, or a goal that you are putting off, maybe it is feeling all too serious and too heavy? Shake things up. Sit down and wear a Hawaiian t-shirt and a beach hat. Or a football, rugby, or ice hockey shirt. Or a Star Wars outfit. Can you work outside in the daylight? Treat yourself to your favorite snack food, like fresh strawberries, or crackers with hummus. (Just be sure not to overdo it.)
What about music? Music can support study and aid concentration -- but it has to be music you enjoy. Some people work really well to Mozart, while others get into the zone with Metallica. The trick is to not leave all of your rewards until you have finally completed your task or achieved your goal. Give yourself more minor rewards as you complete each leg of the task, and keep something for when you have eventually completed it. What can you do to make the process itself more enjoyable?
You do not really need to be stuck. Use these strategies and you'll find yourself moving forward in exactly the right direction.
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