Research has confirmed this!
Have you experienced the desire to take actions, but you have difficulty bringing yourself to start the task?
So, How can we overcome procrastination?
First, explore your resistance to getting that task done.
What might be the reasons for putting off this task?
There are a number of possible reasons you could be procrastinating.
What procrastinating style are you?
The thrill-seeking procrastinator. Waiting until the last minute for the euphoric rush of completing something JUST in time. This person might work best under pressure – but science is saying that this actually produces stress, guilt and ineffectiveness.
The Avoider procrastinator. Are you avoiding success or failure out of fear? If you wonder if this is true for you….What emotions get triggered when you picture success, or when you picture failure. Is fear of being able to manage success an underlying issue? Is the thought of failure unbearable? In either case, both are highly concerned with what others think.
The Decisional procrastinator. They struggle to make decisions; which way is the RIGHT way….for them, not making a decision relieves them of the responsibility of making a choice that could have a potentially poor outcome.
The Perfectionist Procrastinator: They typically desire a flawless A+ performance or achievement. Perfectionists may rationalize in their mind, “its more acceptable not to tackle a task than to face the possibility of falling short, not looking perfect or even worse….failure”. Perfectionism can make life feel like an endless report card, which on the positive side, can be self-motivating and drive you to overcome adversity and reach success or…..on the negative side…. it can be a fast track to unhappiness, doubting your performance and always wondering if you’re good enough. For this type of procrastinator …gaining the affection and approval of others is dependent on a flawless performance.
OR…
Maybe you have been putting off a task because it is something you don’t enjoy doing.
Maybe there are other activities that you prefer to choose first, and the task you procrastinate about, is not a priority.
Maybe the task seems to difficult.
Maybe you are afraid of becoming vulnerable and opening yourself up for judgement.
Which reasons are more compelling? The reasons to do the task, or the reasons not to? If there are more reasons not to do the task, perhaps it needs to be removed from your list of things to do.
If there are more reasons to do the task, then the following self talk can help with overcoming procrastination:
I have been putting off this task, I am aware of the reasons I have been procrastinating, but I realize that this behavior is hurting me, and keeping me stuck. I love and accept myself enough to do what I need to do…. to succeed in my journey.
