Befriending Procrastination

Have you ever found yourself wishing to do something about your procrastination but putting it aside with the intention of doing it later?

Procrastination at its finest!

You’re not alone.

We’re all familiar with procrastination—the act of delaying or postponing tasks until later, or sometimes even indefinitely. It turns out that about 20% of the population are serial procrastinators.

But here’s the good news: understanding why we procrastinate and gaining insights into our thought processes can actually help us break the habit and stop getting in our way.

If you’re ready to break free from this cycle, read on because this one’s for you.

Understand Procrastination

Research suggests that exists a neurological connection between the emotional limbic system and the decision-making prefrontal cortex, which explains why we tend to prioritize immediate gratification over long-term goals.

Contrary to what one might believe, procrastination is definitely not disorganization or laziness but is also influenced by emotional factors like aversion, resentment, and fear.

Low self-esteem, anxiety, and perfectionism can contribute to this behaviour and, in fact, often go hand in hand.

Sometimes, we delay starting a task or project because we feel anxious about it, and the act of postponing it only makes us more anxious.

Whatever the root cause, one thing is clear: the more we get used to procrastinating, the harder the habit is to break.

To overcome procrastination, we should approach ourselves with understanding, break tasks into achievable milestones, manage thoughts and emotions without judgment, and consider practices like meditation. By implementing effective strategies and treating ourselves kindly, we can break free from procrastination, increase productivity, and improve our well-being.

Change takes time, so be patient towards yourself.

To summarize

  • The more we procrastinate, the harder it becomes to break the habit. So, it’s worthy making a conscious effort to befriend it early on.

  • Instead of fixating on the big end goal, try to find motivation by starting small. Take little steps towards your task and build momentum along the way.
  • Incorporating a regular mindfulness practice into our lives can work wonders in helping us avoid procrastination. Being more present and aware can keep us focused on the task at hand.

If you need help understanding the reasons behind your procrastination, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to jump on a free discovery call and find out if we’re a good fit and how we can work together and support you along this journey.

Thank you for reading until here.

Much love,
Maria