Procrastination means ” to intentionally put off something that needs to be done.” Everyone occasionally delays doing something they intended to do. Procrastination significantly contributes to under-functioning in the personal and professional aspects of life. The causes of avoidance vary, but they are all treatable. However, this behavior becomes a problem if it becomes to be a pattern. Habitual procrastination creates more serious consequences than does the occasional avoidance of non-preferred tasks. Procrastination can become pervasive, starting with one situation, then advancing to an automatic behavioral reaction to un-enjoyable or challenging tasks.
Causes of Procrastination
• Fear of failure- low self- esteem, anxiety, perfectionism
• Disorganization- poor decision- making skills, inadequate supplies for the task, poor time- management skills
• Family modeling- grew up in a family where parents were incompetent, chaotic, lazy
• Attention-seeking- Playing the victim, the need to be rescued
• Fear of judgment from others
• Confusion about goals and outcomes
• ADHD- Or other attentional issues
• Emotional and physical problems- Depression, chronic pain, and illnesses that affects energy, sensory processing,
Patterns of procrastinating can be broken when individuals identify they are struggling with any of the above problems. The most common reason people give for putting off doing the tasks on their “to-do lists” is being “too busy.,” The complaint of not having enough time to get things done is more accurately a symptom of one or all of the above issues. It is easier on the ego to blame the failure to accomplish goals on other people taking up our time or situations that occur which are out of our control. Although credible obstacles do happen, most procrastinator’s eventually admit their failure to accomplish tasks is based on avoidance, not crises or voluminous interruptions.
There are serious negative impacts of procrastinating. Psychological ramifications such as shame, stress and anxiety are commonly experienced by procrastinators. Financial consequences such as paying bills late, getting behind in taxes, mis-managing bank accounts and other money- related situations can cause irreparable damage to financial security. Medical problems are potentially exacerbated when procrastinators put off doctor appointments or self- care behaviors such as exercising or attention to nutrition or dieting. The consequences of the psychological results of procrastination can also lead to physical health issues.
If attempts to arrest the pattern of procrastination fail, professional assistance should be considered. Counseling, coaching, or other forms of education on the problem help procrastinators break these ingrained habits of avoidance. The positive news about breaking the pattern of procrastination is that it is achievable. Intention to meet both big and small goals in an efficient and timely manner happens when obstacles to success are understood, addressed, and overcome. Some approaches to change are;
• Improving organizational skills,
• Choosing appropriate visual supports
• Making smaller lists
• Delegating tasks to others
• Dealing with perfectionism fear of failing
• Replacing the chaos of procrastination with preferred activities and goals
•Lower daily expectations
• Improve prioritizing and decision-making
Leave a Reply