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Procrastinating involves making a decision, without a valid reason, to delay or not complete a task or goal you’ve committed to, opting instead for something of lesser importance, despite the negative consequences of not following through on the original task or goal.
Table of Contents
ToggleOur unhelpful rules and assumptions about ourselves and the world trigger procrastination by causing discomfort when faced with tasks or goals.
If we cannot tolerate this discomfort, we are likely to resort to procrastinating as a way of avoiding it.
Furthermore, if we can justify our procrastination with convincing excuses, we are even more likely to engage in it.
Consequently, we substitute procrastination activities, such as indulging in pleasurable or distracting tasks, for the tasks and goals we should be focusing on.
The consequences of procrastinating, whether positive or negative, reinforce this behavior and make it more likely to recur in similar situations.
This cycle persists because procrastination provides a payoff while simultaneously intensifying the aversiveness of the task through delay.
To stop procrastinating, you first need to understand your procrastination behavior.
Make a list of types of Tasks/Goals you tend to procrastinate about:
Examples of Tasks/Goals
Make a list of typical sorts of things you do instead of the task or goal at hand. These are your procrastination activities These can be activities such as:
Becoming aware of the typical distractions from tasks or goals is crucial. These activities are not inherently negative and shouldn’t necessarily be stopped. We all require pleasurable experiences, breaks from challenging tasks, social interactions, and moments of daydreaming.
The problem arises when engaging in these activities detracts from completing important tasks or goals.
Therefore, the next time you find yourself engaging in such activities, ask yourself, “Am I doing this as a form of procrastination?” If the answer is “No – there isn’t a more pressing task I should be focusing on right now,” then continue. However, if the answer is “Yes – I’m using this to avoid something very important,” it may be necessary to reconsider your approach.
Analyze the self-talk that you use to excuse your procrastination
Examples of common procrastination excuses include:
People procrastinate because they hold unhelpful rules and assumptions about themselves or how the world works. These unhelpful rules and assumptions, often associated with procrastination, include:
What are the Consequences Of Procrastinating for you?
The positive consequences of procrastination serve as incentives that perpetuate procrastination. Conversely, the negative consequences, such as increased discomfort (e.g., guilt and shame) also contribute to the continuation of procrastination.
These negative consequences intensify the aversiveness of the task or goal, making procrastination appear as an appealing option in future situations.
Read more about the Consequences Of Procrastinating.
Procrastination excuses often stem from identifying a truth about the situation and then drawing an unhelpful conclusion that justifies delaying the task or goal. For example:
Truth: I am really tired.
Unhelpful Conclusion: I am better off doing it after I have rested.
Truth: I don’t want to do it now.
Unhelpful Conclusion: I may feel more like doing it tomorrow.
To address these unhelpful conclusions that perpetuate procrastination, we can take two approaches.
Example of Challenging Your Conclusions
Procrastination Excuse:
“I am really tired.”
The Truth:
It is true that I am tired right now and things will be more of an effort.
Old Unhelpful Conclusion:
“I am better off doing it after I have rested.”
Disputation Questions:
Answers to Disputation Questions:
End Result:
The Truth:
I am really tired.
New Helpful Conclusion:
But I can still make a small start right now and then rest.
Testing Your Conclusions:
Another method to challenge your unhelpful conclusions is through experimentation. This involves conducting tests to determine if your assumptions about your ability to complete tasks under specific circumstances hold true in reality.
For instance, if your excuses revolve around feeling too fatigued to start a task, you can rate your level of fatigue on a scale of 0 to 10, then spend a short period, such as 5 or 10 minutes, working on the task.
Afterward, reassess your fatigue level and evaluate what you were able to accomplish in that time.
You may find that you can make progress and actually feel more energized. Continuing this experiment for additional short intervals allows you to gauge your capabilities more accurately and challenge your assumptions effectively.
The more you criticize yourself for procrastinating, the more demotivated you feel, and the more likely you will continue to procrastinate. Therefore, transforming self-criticism into more motivational self-talk can also aid in overcoming procrastination. The most effective approach to encourage and motivate yourself is to speak to yourself as you would to a friend in the same situation, as we tend to offer encouragement rather than criticism to others.
At the core of procrastination lies the experience or anticipation of discomfort associated with a task or goal. This discomfort may manifest as anger, frustration, anxiety, or other negative emotions.
Individuals who strongly dislike or cannot tolerate discomfort are more prone to procrastination as they seek to avoid these feelings. This pattern of behavior, driven by discomfort, often dictates their actions.
The inability to endure discomfort is known as discomfort intolerance. To combat procrastination effectively, it is beneficial to work on increasing one’s tolerance for discomfort.
Here are some suggestions derived from mindfulness meditation principles that can help you enhance your ability to tolerate discomfort.
Often, practicing mindfulness in this way paradoxically reduces feelings of discomfort, enabling individuals to feel more capable of tolerating it.
First, gently bring your awareness to your present experience. This could involve noticing your breath, sensations in your body, the environment around you, sounds, sights, tastes, emotions, or thoughts arising in your mind. If you experience distress during this practice, acknowledge and bring awareness to the discomfort.
Once you’re aware of your experience, take on the role of an observer or watcher.
Observers don’t attempt to alter what’s happening but also don’t become entangled in or influenced by it. They maintain a distance from the action, simply observing.
Strive to be a non-judgmental observer, refraining from labeling your experience as good or bad; it simply is what it is. To foster non-judgmental observation, consider labeling your experience, such as “here is a thought,” “here is a body sensation,” or “here is a feeling.”
If you experience distress during practice, continue to watch and observe your discomfort in a non-judgmental manner. You might use labels like “here is the feeling of anger,” “here is the feeling of boredom,” or “here is the feeling of despair.”
Try to view them as mere feelings, neither more nor less. Remind yourself that “you are not your feelings and that you are more than just your feelings.”
By allowing your experience to simply exist as it is, without resistance, it’s likely that it will eventually dissipate on its own accord. Because you’ve permitted it to enter your space without fighting against it, it will be able to depart in its own time.
To facilitate this process, you can use your breath as a tool for letting go. Direct your breath towards the source of discomfort within you. Inhale into the discomfort, creating space for it and allowing it to exist. As you exhale, envision the discomfort leaving with your breath. If the discomfort does dissipate, it doesn’t guarantee that it won’t return.
When it resurfaces, acknowledge that it’s okay, and once again, observe it without judgment, allowing it to depart when it’s ready.
Drafting a clear plan of action can assist us in addressing procrastination whenever it arises. Here are six steps to help you regain control when you feel procrastination taking hold:
To stop procrastinating, it’s essential to acquire strategies for dismissing procrastination excuses, adopt practical techniques to cease procrastination activities, and implement tips for challenging unhelpful rules and assumptions while building tolerance for discomfort.
Anticipate that breaking the procrastination cycle will require ongoing effort, repetition, and resilience. Understand that progress will not always be linear, and setbacks are a natural part of the process. Some days you’ll feel motivated and productive, while other days you may find yourself slipping back into old habits.
Remember the adage “two steps forward, one step back” – setbacks are normal. By acknowledging this reality from the outset, you’ll be better prepared to navigate challenges without becoming discouraged or giving up.
Reference: Self-Help Resources – Information Sheets & Workbooks. (n.d.). https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself
Dr. Nishtha, a medical doctor holding both an MBBS and an MD in Biochemistry, possesses a profound passion for nutrition and wellness. Her personal journey, marked by significant struggles with physical and mental health, has endowed her with a unique empathy and insight into the challenges countless individuals face. Driven by her own experiences, she leverages her background to offer practical, evidence-backed guidance, empowering others on their paths to achieving holistic well-being. Dr. Nishtha truly believes in the interconnectedness of the mind and body. She emphasizes the significance of understanding this connection as a crucial stride toward attaining balance and happiness in life.
2 Comments
Mindfulness meditation principles mentioned here, to help enhance our ability to tolerate discomfort, is exactly what is being taught in age old Vipassana meditation technique. It is so encouraging to see how these ancient techniques are still so relevant today.
They truly are:)