Are you someone who constantly finds yourself putting off important tasks until the last minute? Do you often wonder why you struggle with procrastination, even though you are a high achiever in your career or business? Procrastination is a productivity thief that can affect even the most driven high achievers and entrepreneurs. But don’t worry, you’re not alone and there are ways to beat procrastination and get back on track. By figuring out the root cause of your procrastination and finding ways to stay motivated, you can finally conquer those tasks and achieve your goals.
Underlying Causes of Procrastination
Fear of Failure
One reason why you might find yourself procrastinating stems from the fear of failure. The fear of not meeting expectations or facing disappointment can be create a mental barrier that prevents us from taking action. The idea of facing disappointment can be paralysing which can lead to procrastination. The procrastination can offer temporary relief from the anxiety associated with taking action. However, this typically exacerbates the fear and perpetuates the cycle of avoidance – so when the tasks pile up, the fear of failure intensifies which can lead to further procrastination.
Perfectionism
When we have impossibly high standards for ourselves, we may feel overwhelmed by the pressure to achieve perfection. It can lead to excessive planning and preparation or constantly editing your work before officially completing it. Perfectionists often set unrealistic expectations for themselves, leading to constant dissatisfaction and an inability to take action. You may spend ages perfecting a piece of work and end up procrastinating and putting off other more important tasks.
Lack of motivation or clear goals
When faced with either a huge or difficult task, do you sometimes feel overwhelmed? When faced with a task that seems daunting, it’s natural for our motivation to do that task to plummet. Without breaking it down to manageable chunks and setting ourselves goals, the procrastination will creep in. Then, the more we put it off, the more daunting it will seem. the task As a result, in creeps procrastination. The more we then put it off, the more daunting it seems.
Breaking the Procrastination Cycle
Recognising the reason behind why you procrastinate can help you to tackle the procrastination. Addressing these will help to reduce your tendency to procrastinate. As well as that, here are some strategies to help you to break that procrastination cycle.
1) Goal setting and prioritisation:
Setting clear, achievable goals is crucial. Breaking down larger objectives into smaller tasks will help things to seem more manageable. It will help to give you an idea of how you are going to complete the task as well aa giving you a sense of accomplishment when you complete a step.
2) Commit to a tiny step:
Rather than trying to commit to a big task, set yourself a tiny step such as ‘write one sentence’ or ‘open emails’. These tiny steps make things seem less overwhelming and the chances are, once you get into the task, you will keep going. Using time to do this can be helpful – and using the Pomodoro technique is a good way to overcoming procrastination and helping you to get more done (check out more here)
3) Embrace imperfection:
Allow yourself to make mistakes. Remind yourself that your work won’t be perfect. Set yourself achievable and reasonable standards to achieve.
4) Reward accomplishments:
Try to identify a way to reward yourself such as after doing a certain amount of work. For example, rewarding yourself with a break to sit and watch television. This can help to increase your motivation to get started.
Procrastination is a significant obstacle, but it can be overcome with a thorough understanding of its origins and the implementation of effective strategies. If you’re having difficulty addressing the root causes of your procrastination, such as fear of failure and perfectionism, EMDR-informed coaching can be a valuable tool to help you work through these underlying challenges.
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I love reading all of your blogs Hannah! I don’t work Fridays and so when the newsletter from you arrives in my inbox I have the time to sit down and take in the information. I enjoy reading your pieces with a coffee in hand too. Thank you for sharing your experiences, they are helping my in my work and life in general.