#29 - Let’s Deal with Procrastination. Tomorrow.
We’ve all been there struggling with procrastination. Susan Orlean said, “I think of myself as something of a connoisseur of procrastination, creative and dogged in my approach to not getting things done.” For many people, this quote strikes very close to home. Sometimes it means that we put things off so long that we are unable to complete the task to a satisfactory level. Other times, it just means a lot of stress and an “all-nighter.” I think Victor Kiam said it well, “Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin.” Regardless of whether we complete the task appropriately, we sacrifice opportunity by expending more time, energy, and stress on a given task than is necessary.
Mason Cooley said, “Procrastination makes easy things hard, hard things harder.” Still, as many of 20% of people admit to being chronic procrastinators. Why do so many people procrastinate? Most procrastination can fit into one of these three categories:
Unrealistic expectations – Sometimes our expectations of how well we want to do something hold us back from actually starting. If our expectations are so unrealistic that deep down we know that it’s unattainable, procrastination can result.
Lack of interest – Sometimes the task at hand is just plain boring. Instead of just getting it hammered out we waste even more time and energy avoiding the task and complaining about it.
Fear – The other main reason for procrastination is fear. Fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, and fear of doing something hard are all common reasons for procrastination.
The problem is, regardless of how rational these reasons are, procrastination is not a solution. It’s only an aggravator—making the problem worse and exacerbating the problem.
Beating Procrastination
How then, do we solve the procrastination problem? Avoiding procrastination can be done in three steps: understanding your reason for procrastinating, have a coping mechanism, and taking action.
Understanding Your Reason
Understanding your reasons for procrastinating can be very helpful in prevention. The reasons for procrastinating discussed above should give you some idea of why. Knowing the why is important because it allows us to see that procrastination is not the answer. If the problem is unrealistic expectations, I should reframe my expectations. If I have a lack of interest, I should find a way to outsource the task, make it interesting, or get it done in the least amount of time possible. If fear is the roadblock, I need to find a way to deal with fear (review Advancing Daily segments on Fear).
Coping Mechanisms
Having processes that can help you get out of a procrastination route is very important. One effective strategy is goal setting. As we discussed in our goal setting segments, goals allow us to focus an appropriate amount of time and energy on the things based on their importance and break down big/complex/scary tasks into manageable pieces. Another strategy that I’ve found very helpful in beating procrastination is to use the five minute rule. To use this rule, force yourself to start whatever you’re procrastinating over and work on it for at least 5 minutes. Often those five minutes of self-control are all it takes to get enough momentum going to succeed (or at least make progress if it’s a larger project). Another useful strategy I’ve found helpful when I’m struggling with procrastination is to not allow myself to do anything except the task I’m procrastinating with until it is done (or I’ve put in X number of hours). Hopefully, sitting there doing absolutely nothing (including eating, drinking, and using your phone) will get so boring that you will choose to complete the task. Many athletes struggle with training in the off-season. These are great tips for making sure you get to the season in peak condition.
Take Action
The final step to beating procrastination is taking action. It doesn’t matter if an excellent understanding of why you’re procrastinating and the best strategies—if you don’t take action, you will never beat procrastination. If you need to move to a different place, if you need to change your environment, if you need to set up a rewards system for yourself that’s fine. But don’t get so wrapped up in “solving the problem” that you forget to actually take action and “beat the problem.”
Don’t let procrastination hold you back from opportunities by hanging you up on things that aren’t worth it. Let’s deal with procrastination. Today.