Procrastination, often, isn’t about being lazy. We procrastinate because it challenges our identity; it disrupts the image we have projected about ourselves. Procrastinators are almost like perfectionists. They care about the outcome of a task so much that they don’t even start at all.
They get so scared of people’s judgment and forget about their goals and future. However, regardless of the reasons, procrastination is a sure way to spiral down your level of productivity.
Simply put, procrastination is the act of putting off important tasks until late hours, even when the consequences are grave. We all deliberately avoid our goals and waste hours on many trivial things.
To beat procrastination, you must have an immense understanding of what causes it. You must also understand the different types of procrastination.
Different types of procrastination along with a few tips to get rid of them. Let’s get right to it!
Fun Procrastination
This form of procrastination seems to be the most common, especially with the advent of technology, precisely social media. You have a heap of work to do, but somehow you are on YouTube, then on Facebook, and you end procrastinating those important tasks.
This is because the feeling of unpleasantness outweighs the pleasant feelings. Because we are naturally attracted to enjoyment, we tend to avoid the short-term unpleasant feelings regardless of the outcome.
To get rid of this type of procrastination, you need to create an environment of inevitability. It means you create an environment where it is less likely for you not to do the task than it is for you to do it.
For example, if you want to lose weight, you should invest about £600 in a fitness kit and personal fitness coach for the next 16 weeks. You are less likely to allow that kind of money to go to waste.
Create an environment of inevitability for whatever task you need to get done; because in the long run, it is more painful not to do something than to do it.
Perfectionist Procrastination
The truth is there is always a form of fear behind every ‘perfectionist’ procrastination. It could be fear of what others will say, fear of vulnerability, fear of making mistakes, etc. People in this category fantasize too much about the result of whatever they want to do.
The obvious question should be, ‘where does this form of procrastination come from?’
Mark Manson said, “The more something threatens your identity, the more you avoid doing it.” In simpler terms, the more something challenges the image of yourself, the more you procrastinate doing it.
This philosophy swings both ways; losing a million pounds may threaten your identity just like making it. You procrastinate writing that book, thesis, or starting that business because you’re scared of producing average work just like you’re of success. Done is better than perfect.
‘Excess Time’ Procrastination
Check through your to-do list; there is a task you’ve been putting off for a while now. If we tick that particular box, it’s going to make you feel better. This form of procrastination stems from the delusion of “excess time.”
Parkinson’s law states that “work will expand to fill up the available time for its completion.” That means, if you have four weeks for a task, it will feel like you need all four weeks to complete the task.
Because the deadline is a long way off, many won’t start the task until the eleventh hour. This does not only reduce the quality of your work, but it will also affect your creativity.
To beat this form of procrastination, break up your task into bits, and tackle it gradually. Another way is to announce your deadline publicly. Tell your friends about it.
When everyone knows about your deadline, it will motivate you to stick to it and boost the quality of your results.
There is still time. Make the most of it if you take the bull by its horn. Procrastination is one of the recipes for failure. Define your goals clearly, and get started with all without delay and procrastination.
Do it now and sign up to the FREE Master Your Mind Challenge TODAY! Starts, Monday 10th May-14th, 6pm BST. This challenge is for women who are ready to level up their mindset for success. Join the FB group today!
Thank you for stopping by
Tarnya Coley- Personal development coach/ Speaker/ Author