Procrastination is a pattern of behavior that we all engage in. From not working on an assignment until the last minute to avoiding household chores, we often choose activities that we want to do over activities that we ought to do. For some, procrastination is mild and comes with few consequences. Yet for others, procrastination is a serious issue that can be linked to or aggravated by already existing mental and emotional conditions. For example, procrastination that emerges as a symptom of anxiety or depression can make treatment even more difficult. While avoiding the dishes is one thing, putting off making a call to a therapist, or picking up a prescription, or trying a new self-help activity creates another roadblock in getting better. Fortunately our procrastination can be lessened once we understand the anxiety behind it. Here is why you should pay attention to your procrastination.
Anxiety and procrastination
Procrastination is often framed as a symptom of perfectionism, in which people put off tasks because of their fear of doing an inadequate job. Yet this understanding of procrastination has been seen as an inaccurate myth. It is more likely culprit is the anxiety surrounding tasks that we believe will cause us discomfort. This means that our procrastination might not come from the fear of doing a bad job, but is instead an adaptive behavior that is momentarily beneficial to us as it gives us temporary relief from a bad feeling.
Typically, our procrastination pattern begins with an activity that we perceive as discomforting. This discomfort can range from mildly inconvenient, like responding to an email, to something stressful and frightening, like scheduling an appointment with a new doctor. The anticipation that surrounds this future activity then leads to anxiety in the present moment. In order to relieve ourselves of this anxiety, we substitute this activity with another more comforting one. This temporary relief then reinforces our habits, thus making it more likely that we will procrastinate in the future. When this pattern continues over time, the procrastination itself might become a source of anxiety, creating a vicious cycle that traps us in a state of inaction.
Read more: How to Manage Your Stress
How to stop procrastination
The first step in breaking this pattern of procrastination is to understand the cycle of anxiety related to it. This can be done using a procrastination log, in which we Identify:
- The activity that we are anxious about.
- Why we are anxious about that activity.
- What diversions we use to avoid that activity.
For example, you might struggle with motivation concerning exercise. In this, the anxiety producing activity may be going to the gym. The why behind this anxiety might be related to wanting to avoid physical discomfort, wanting to avoid interacting with other gym members, or a general fear concerning entering an unfamiliar situation. The diversions may include coming up with excuses as to why you can’t go that week, promising yourself that you will begin next week, or meeting with a friend instead.
Once you identify these diversions, you can begin to form alternative behaviors. First, question if your excuses are valid reasons to avoid the task, or if they are a byproduct of anxiety. Next, look at the possible benefits of engaging in the task now vs. avoiding it. Consider short-term and long-term benefits and consequences, as getting the activity over with now may lead to less anxiety in the future. Finally, form alternative plans of action in the place of each diversion, and test out these alternative behaviors to see if they work in decreasing your anxiety long-term.
Read more: How to Make a Good Decision
The importance of forgiveness
According to research, another strategy in reducing future procrastination is to forgive yourself for current procrastination. If you blame yourself or have negative thoughts related to your procrastination, then the anxiety that arises from procrastination will continue the next time you face an undesirable task. Yet practicing self-forgiveness can increase your motivation and make it more likely that you will work on a challenging task in the future. To avoid blaming yourself, always remember that procrastination is an adaptive and logical reaction in response to an undesirable activity. It makes perfect sense to want to avoid some tasks, and this avoidance is not always a problem. Whenever it does become an issue, always remember that it can be solved. It can be done by recognizing how your procrastination relates to your anxious thoughts, and testing out new behaviors to reduce that anxiety in the future.
What are some things that you do to reduce procrastination?
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5 comments
For me, I have found that if I start my day by doing the task that I am least looking forward to, or the one that will cause the most discomfort due to the difficulty of it, that it sets the tone for the day and motivates me to continue being productive.
Great blog, Trevon! I can definitely relate to struggling with procrastination. I sometimes find it helpful to talk through with someone what feelings are coming up for me around the task at hand. I really appreciate your framing of procrastination as an adaptive and logical reaction in response to an undesirable activity. I also appreciate the part about forgiveness, so we are not adding anger at ourselves on top of the anxiety we are already experiencing.
I appreciate this post on procrastination, Trevon. I so often hear people say that they don’t know why they put off important tasks and that they have feelings of shame around it. Your post does a great job of looking deeper and making sense of it. I think the piece about forgiveness is so important too. Often, if I am putting something off, acknowledging that I am not in the mood or too tired is a good start to finding my way forward and accomplishing it.
Awesome blog, Trevon! I really appreciate the ‘how to stop procrastination’ part. Understanding why we do the things we do is imperative, if change is desired. For me, I notice I procrastinate when I have anxiety about the task. I think this blog can help me reduce my pattern of procrastination. Thanks!
This is a great post about procrastination, Trevon. Often times people joke about procrastination, but it can be a serious issue for some people. I like how your post guides us to look at what deeper issues may be related to putting off important tasks and that you emphasize self-compassion and forgiveness. For me, staying organized with a to-do list and keeping systems at work helps me to stay on top of everything.