The thief of time: Procrastination
Procrastination might appear as laziness, but it's actually a more complex process
Have you ever started a task or wanted to begin studying, only to realize that you were doing everything else but that activity? Have you noticed that you spend time cleaning the house, scrolling social media, texting your friends, etc., when you should be doing something else? You might find yourself saying, “I don't feel like it right now, I'll do it tomorrow,” and leave the work you started halfway through? Then it means that you are procrastinating, as most people do. Procrastination occurs when a person prefers activities that they can easily do and enjoy, rather than an activity that they will have difficulty with. Whether it is housework, homework, or work-related tasks, most people procrastinate from time to time on activities that they find challenging to do. While it's normal to occasionally procrastinate due to life's overwhelming nature, it can become a problem if it becomes a pattern and prevents individuals from achieving their goals regularly. The process of procrastination begins quite some time before the act of delaying a task. It starts with what might seem like a feeling or thought rooted in discomfort, stress, anxiety, or self-doubt related to the task. In this mini sketch, we will explore what procrastination is and how to prevent it from affecting our daily life.
Why does it happen?
Procrastination might appear as laziness, but it's actually a more complex process. With laziness, a person is hesitant to start an activity. With procrastination, even if the person is excited about the activity, they struggle to begin and stay committed to it, so they turn to something they enjoy more. There can be many reasons for procrastination. Some of these reasons are;
To get away from feeling anxiety and distress for a short time.
Short-term enjoyment, having fun.
The activity to be done is challenging.
Avoiding making mistakes and perfectionism.
Not setting realistic goals.
Lack of planning.
Why are we procrastinating?
Essentially, we procrastinate because, in the short term, it appears to be working for us, as we feel better momentarily. It makes us feel better about not having to do the task and deal with the related negative feelings such as anxiety, distress, overwhelm, and frustration. When we encounter one of the challenges above, procrastination may lead to a sense of relief, even before we decide not to move forward with the task at hand. This initial relief is what causes most people to procrastinate. However, this short-term relief might be replaced by guilt, shame, or additional stress that could surface later when the person has to confront the task eventually. Procrastination offers a short-term boost of feeling good, at the expense of long-term goals or values that would be achieved by completing the task.
What can we do if procrastination is starting to affect work, school, finances, or your health?
As mentioned earlier, procrastination might have various causes. Accordingly, the actions you take might differ according to their roots. However, the good news is that procrastination has been extensively studied in recent literature, so many action plans are available to help you manage it. Here are some steps to take when dealing with procrastination:
Forgiveness: If you have already procrastinated, one thing that can reduce the likelihood of procrastination in the future is forgiveness. Acknowledging that a mistake has been made and being gentle with oneself to then reapproach the subject and achieve a different outcome, rather than procrastinating more next time to avoid the deeper feelings of guilt and shame. But forgiveness alone will not be enough; next, we move towards action.
Get organized: The other is to identify the tasks that are to be completed and prioritize them based on their importance. It may be helpful to have due dates listed, if applicable. When setting due dates for yourself, ensure they are realistic to set yourself up for success. For example, a task is cleaning your room, while breaking it down consists of a) picking up the dirty laundry and putting it in the hamper, b) taking the dirty dishes to the sink, c) making the bed, d) sweeping the floor/vacuuming, etc. The same can be done with writing a paper, consolidating a report, and planning a project for work.
Prioritize tasks: Trying to do too many things at once can cause us to feel overwhelmed and lead to procrastination. For this reason, it will be easier for you to complete your goals when you list your tasks in order of date and importance and take action. Additionally, dividing the work into manageable parts and proceeding by completing each part will help you reach your goal without procrastination.
Planning the time: It is essential to plan the steps to be taken and schedule when they will be completed. Moreover, creating a to-do list and setting a deadline for completion can be helpful.
Make your task approachable and rewarding: Once the overall list is completed and prioritized, start with the first item and, if needed, break it down into smaller tasks. This may help the task feel more approachable. In doing so, the brain is supplied with little hits of feel-good moments as each subtask is completed, rather than waiting until the end to access whatever helps us feel good, or worse, obtaining the feel-good moment through procrastination.
Accepting that mistakes are inevitable: Another reason for procrastination is the fear of failure. You may not be taking any steps to avoid making mistakes. When you take steps despite the possibility of making mistakes, you can both see whether you will make mistakes and develop coping skills on how to deal with them, even if you do. Although you may be experiencing long-term problems because you procrastinate, you may continue to procrastinate because you cannot find a new and effective solution. With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), you can learn to manage procrastination and, at the same time, effectively cope with the anxiety you are trying to control by procrastinating.
Connect to the value or meaning: It’s common for an individual to be overwhelmed by the list or at the starting point of a task. To reduce that stress, acknowledge that the structure being put in place is meant to reduce the overall negative impact of procrastination in the long run. Taking into consideration that facing your fear may be uncomfortable, it can be helpful to ask, “ How uncomfortable am I willing to be to do what is important to me? What value is hidden behind the discomfort or stress I encounter when completing the task? Am I willing to try something new, considering that what I have been doing has not been working for me?”
In short, building a mindful relationship with procrastination will allow you to become more aware of when it is likely to occur. This helps you put the brakes on before abandoning a task altogether. Asking questions such as “What feeling is eliciting the temptation to procrastinate?”, “What feelings or sensations do you experience in your body?”, “What thoughts are occurring and possibly impacting your emotions?”, “How can you make the task more approachable?” will enable you to understand how procrastination functions for you. By getting this awareness, we are also able to change our relationship to uncomfortable thoughts and emotions, allowing us to respond more consciously and intentionally, rather than react. This may take time and practice, like any other relationship, but it's worth trying to cultivate something new and potentially different.
Takeaways:
Procrastination occurs when a person prefers activities that they can easily do and enjoy, rather than an activity that they will have difficulty with.
With procrastination, even if the person is excited about the activity, they struggle to begin and stay committed to it, so they turn to something they enjoy more.
There can be many reasons for procrastination, such as temporarily avoiding feelings of anxiety and distress, seeking short-term enjoyment or fun, finding the activity challenging, avoiding mistakes and the pressure of perfectionism, not setting realistic goals, and lacking proper planning.
If procrastination begins to impact your work, school, finances, or health, start by forgiving yourself to better manage it. Organize your tasks, set priorities, plan your schedule, make tasks manageable and rewarding, understand that mistakes are natural, and find reasons or purpose behind other steps you can take to address procrastination.
References:
van Eerde, W., & Klingsieck, K. B. (2018). Overcoming procrastination? A meta-analysis of intervention studies. Educational Research Review, 25, 73-85.
Hendriksen, E. (2021 Ağustos 3). How to Finally Stop Procrastinating. Erişim adresi: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-be-yourself/202108/how-finally-stop-procrastinating
Steel, P. (2007). The Nature of Procrastination: A meta-analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133 (1), 65-94.
Star, K. (2022, Aralık 29). How to Prevent Anxiety From Causing Procrastination. Erişim adresi: https://www.verywellmind.com/procrastination-and-panic-disorder-2584095
Rozental, A., Boettcher, J., Andersson, G., Schmidt, B., & Carlbring, P. (2015). Negative effects of internet interventions: A qualitative content analysis of patients' experiences with treatments delivered online. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 44, 223-236.