What is procrastination trying to tell you?
What Your Procrastination Is Telling You
"The key here is not to judge yourself when procrastination shows up, because it’s usually just trying to communicate something to you. So instead of feeling guilty or forcing your way through a task that feels impossibly exhausting and heavy, try asking yourself what your procrastination is trying to tell you.
It might help to ask yourself this question: “How would I feel if I simply removed this task from my to-do list or asked/hired someone else to do it?” If you would feel completely relieved and free, then give yourself permission to let it go! But if your sense of relief is mixed with disappointment or discomfort, then your procrastination is likely coming from an inner fear. Being truthful about your fears is the first step to neutralizing them, so take this time to be honest with yourself. And if you’re still struggling with procrastination, consider working one-on-one with a coach to get to the root of your resistance."
Procrastination is a messenger
"Understand why you’re procrastinating and then work towards that.
Here are some reasons the author procrastinated throughout their life:
- Because I didn’t want to be doing the thing at all: I once agreed on creating a new template for a report. I was already burned out, and I already didn’t believe at all in what I was doing. It would take me weeks, months, to put up one damn column in a spreadsheet. I’d deliver entire projects, manage a team, put down fires in the operation, listen to my colleagues lamenting on every aspect of the work, but I would not sit and touch the [blank] spreadsheet. ..
- Because I really really want to be doing the thing, so much that I am afraid of screwing it up: I’ve always loved teaching and speaking at events. Creating presentations was my gig. At the same time, it was torture. I’d wait until hours before the workshop, lecture or keynote, sometimes finish it on the plane. ...On this specific aspect, a study from Pamukkale University, Turkey, evidenced a correlation between procrastination and self-esteem.
- Because I have too many things on my plate at the same time, so I can’t even discern what really matters: This has happened at the same time as both ones from above, but it has also been going on recently. Even though I haven’t got nearly as much stuff to do as I used to, I still often feel like juggling several plates and dropping all of them at the same time. . ... How I can use this symptom to my benefit: In a recent keynote in the Netherlands, writer Elizabeth Gilbert said something very wise. She said we gotta know what is our best hour when we’re working the sharpest, the best. If we’re honest, we know we don’t get much more than a one really, really good hour a day. So we need to find where it is. And then use that hour for ourselves. For our dream project. ...
One thing the author encourages you to do is to notice what things you don’t procrastinate. For instance, when she feels inspired to write something, she doesn't procrastinate it. Ever. She finds a way to go write.
Why should we reflect on our procrastinating behaviors?
Reflecting on our procrastination and nurturing this compassion is powerful. A study found that students who were able to forgive themselves ended up procrastinating less in the future. Self-forgiveness is known to help move past challenging behaviours, such as addiction.
“Procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem,” said Dr. Tim Pychyl, professor of psychology and member of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Ottawa.
The message is: whenever you can, pay attention to your procrastination. What emotions arise from it Ask your procrastination: are you here because I’m afraid? Because I didn’t want to be doing this thing? Because I am overwhelmed? When you find the closest answer, think about what you can do about it. What would be the most helpful at the moment?"
Carol Miltersteiner
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