More tolerance for yourself, noting even small successes and anticipating rewards for steps on the way to your goal – these are some of the tips that may be useful for people who have a habit of putting things off. September 6 is the Day of Fighting Procrastination.
Doing laundry instead of working on an important project? Scrolling the internet instead of cleaning? Putting off doctor visits or difficult conversations with a loved one for months? Turning in a project at the last possible deadline or late? According to a 2023 study, about 20 percent of adults consider themselves chronic procrastinators, and among college students, that number increases to 70 percent.
Procrastination, what is it?
Procrastination is a common phenomenon of postponing or delaying an activity in favor of another, less important task. Many people could sign up for Scarlett O’Hara’s famous motto from “Gone with the Wind”: “I’ll think about it tomorrow.”
Psychologist dr Neil Fiore in the book “The Habit of Self-Discipline” he proposes certain exercises that will help procrastinators “program their inner guardian”. Among other things, the researcher encourages us to take a cool look at what happens to us when we put off completing a task and what happens when we complete a task on time.
Procrastination can have many different causes. One typology (Steel 2007) distinguishes four types of procrastinators. Thrill seekers derive pleasure from completing tasks just before the deadline. Impulsive procrastinators, on the other hand, have problems with discipline and are easily distracted. There are also people whose stagnation is related to difficulties in making decisions. Another motivation for putting off actions is avoiding difficult emotions: there are people who put off actions because they are afraid of failure or the disapproval of others.
It is also worth finding out whether you are an active or passive procrastinator. Active procrastinators see procrastination as something positive, providing pleasant experiences. Such people prefer working under pressure and consciously make the decision to postpone tasks.
Language is everything
Neil Fiore draws attention to the language we use to tell ourselves about the tasks that await us.
Instead of telling yourself that something “I have to do” or “I should do” – it is better to pay attention to your power over the situation: I have a choice of what I want to do and I decide about it myself. Fiore writes that if we consider a task as an obligation, pressure appears and it is easy to start seeing ourselves as a victim who should resist because we have no influence on what we do. On the other hand, it is easier to get down to work if we recognize that we want to do it and have made this choice ourselves.
Another point is not to focus on finishing something. It is easier to set a goal to start working on something. This vision is easier to realize and more achievable.
Fiore points out that “people of action”, unlike procrastinators, pay more attention to the next small step they are able to take, instead of stressing over the thought that the project that needs to be done is big and important.
It is also worth curbing your perfectionism. Instead of imagining that the action must be done perfectly, you should realize that everyone is only human and that you should accept your imperfections.
Another thing is rest and rewarding yourself for successes on the way to your goal. Contrary to appearances, regularly setting aside time for pleasures – such as physical exercise or meeting friends – can increase self-esteem and help reduce anxiety related to work.
In the book, Dr. Neil Fiore also suggests preparing a “reverse schedule.”
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It should be used to plan non-work-related activities, including sleep, meals, rest, meetings with loved ones, sports, and routine activities. This will make it easier to see when you can start work and more realistically allocate your strength. It is worth entering any periods in which you worked more than half an hour in the schedule and adding up the effective working time after each week.
PAP/ as/
