“I’ll just do it later … and later …. and later”: Understanding and tackling procrastination.
“It would be useful to start off by defining procrastination ……..… however if it is not too urgent, the dictionary will still be accessible later, and I am sure someone else already has a better definition. I would prefer to go to the beach or clean up my bedroom. This can wait!”
That internal conversation is likely familiar to many of us - we procrastinate. That is we intentionally avoid a task that needs to be done by delaying or engaging in a less important or pleasurable activity. Procrastination has been confused with laziness, however laziness involves NO effort whilst procrastination involves misplacing/re-directing or postponing our efforts. Most of us procrastinate to avoid discomfort and in turn we experience relief, or pleasure from other activities. We come up with excuses to justify putting things off. Often our excuses stem from assumptions we have made about our own capabilities or other people’s expectations of us.
When we fill our mind with these excuses, we can create an unrealistic expectation that later or tomorrow will be the ideal time to complete that task. When tomorrow comes and this expectation is unmet, we are stuck in a cycle of procrastination and avoidance. Breaking down this cycle involves noticing our thinking and accepting some discomfort.
Here are some practical strategies to ‘hack’ procrastination and boost productivity:
Create a to do list. Make the tasks part of your routine and prioritise these.
Breakdown the task. Take it in small steps, one at a time, to gain a sense of achievement in intervals.
Set time limits. Choose a specific amount of time to work on something and stick to this. This changes the goal from completing the entire task to focusing on effort within the time period.
Just 5 minutes. This can increase your tolerance for discomfort and allow you to experience achievement.
Use momentum. Schedule tasks you enjoy or are confident at first, then switch to an uncomfortable task.
Notice your space. What time of day are you most productive - Do you need a pleasurable calm morning to have a productive afternoon? What environments do you work best in? Do you need socialisation or isolation?
Don’t think - just do. When you remember a task, start it in that moment or before time to make excuses.
Visualise. Place visual prompts in common spaces to help you, i.e. your bathroom or phone lock screen. Mentally picture yourself setting up the task, completing it successfully and rewarding your efforts.
Plan rewards. Give yourself something to look forward to after facing discomfort, you’ve earned it!