Episode 109:Eight Ways We All Procrastinate and How to Get Back on Track

Does it frustrate you to keep moving the same tasks to the next day, day after day, week after week? Find out why you put things off and what you can do about it so you can be more productive (and move on to the fun stuff!).

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The information contained and documents referenced in the podcast “Your Priority Centered Life” are for entertainment, educational and informational purposes only, and are not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, professional medical or health treatment, diagnosis, or advice. We strongly encourage listeners to consult with medical providers or qualified mental health providers with issues and questions regarding any physical and/or mental health symptoms or concerns that they may have. Furthermore, the opinions and views expressed by podcast guests, partners and/or affiliates are not necessarily those of the podcast host. Dr. Alise Murray’s opinions and views are expressed in her individual capacity and are not to be construed as those of any of her podcast guests, partners and/or affiliates.

Transcript

We all procrastinate from time to time. We plan something out, we have the best intentions, and then…and then…we push it off to another day. Sometimes it feels like it’s never going to get done, and that can feel like you’re never going to get ahead. Now there are some times when procrastination can actually be a good thing, believe it or not. I’ll discuss that in a future episode. Today we’re talking about the procrastination that sucks, that feels like a heavy weight. So let’s look at why. What are some of the common reasons you might put things off? 

1.     Impostor syndrome. Maybe you have anxiety about it. You don’t think you have the right stuff to do it and if you put yourself out there, others will see that you really don’t know what you’re doing and lose confidence in you. 

Related to this is the opposite fear, 

 2.     Fear of success. You’re afraid that if you complete the project, instead of looking incompetent, you’ll actually look like you are good at this and people will expect more of you. 

 What to do if you’re afraid you’ll look incompetent: Look at the data. What are similar projects you’ve done in the past? How did you do? Have you grown in experience and training since then? What is the evidence that you do in fact have the ability? Chances are you don’t have to be a true expert, you just need to be a little bit better than the people who are asking this of you. If you’re not sure of your ability, ask someone you trust.

If you truly don’t have the skills you need, come up with a plan to get the training you need. If there’s a genuine skills deficit, let people know what level you can do the project and see if this is acceptable. If this is a stretch, it’s a growth opportunity and you will feel unprepared and make mistakes as you go along. Every successful person has been in this situation over and over again. Don’t think small.

If on the other hand you have a fear of success, consider why. What do you need to feel more confident about growth? How can you set limits so you don’t get in over your head if people do seek you out more? Maybe you want to set a limit on how many projects you take on at one time. Do you need more support? What can you delegate to free up your time and energy? Do you need emotional support to help you bust through shaky self-confidence?

Overall, whether it’s impostor syndrome or fear of success, try not to overthink. Look at your track record. Get emotional support from people who you know have your back. Jot down some notes with ideas of what you could do if you start to get more in demand or if you want to eventually improve your skills, and then put them away. Take the current project one step at a time.

3.     Time blindness. It can be hard to estimate how long things take. You may not want to start because you’re afraid of this taking up all your time. 

 To deal with this, make sure you have a cushion. Ask others how long it takes them and then double it. You can also use an app to help you time tasks so you can see how much time to budget going forward. ATimeLogger is an example of an app that can help improve your accuracy in estimating time.

 4.     Resentment. Maybe you agreed to do something or someone expects you to do it, but you have some anger toward them, so you’re in no hurry to get it done. 

 Solution: Learn how to communicate assertively about your needs. Think about the anger you hold and how it’s just poisoning you. What have you learned from this relationship and what’s happened? And then move on. Resentment will eat up your energy like nobody’s business. Don’t create space in your life for negativity that could be used for what lifts you up.

 5.     Roller-coaster. Maybe you’re hooked on the high that comes when you put things off until it’s a crisis, and then you work for hours until it’s done. You feel amazing and then the cycle repeats. 

 Sometimes this is because your brain is struggling to get dopamine to the prefrontal cortex, which is what can happen with ADHD, for example. It’s like a car that won’t start. A crisis is like jumper cables. Wait until the last minute and then you’re suddenly able to whip through it. This is a stressful way to live. Now I’m not encouraging self-diagnosis here. There are many, many reasons you can have a roller coaster approach to projects. If you are concerned about possible ADHD, consider asking your healthcare provider for a referral to someone who can do an assessment. For most of us, though, this isn’t the cause and it’s a matter of pacing. The next time you make it through a project by getting it in at 11:59 when it’s due at midnight (speaking from my own college experience over and over again!), record a voice memo to yourself or write out some notes about the downside of that – the anxiety of putting it off, the possibility that you were going to miss the deadline – so you don’t just remember the high. The next time you have a project like this, read those notes. Recreate the scenario in your mind. Notice how long it took you to recover afterward and what you sacrificed. Do you really want to keep doing this to yourself?

 6.     Clueless. You aren’t starting because you don’t have the information you need. 

 If you think this might be the case for you, close your eyes and clearly visualize the process step by step. Really break it down. See yourself sitting down at your desk…Sometimes when you do this, you’ll realize what your unconscious already knows, that you never did get that person’s contact info, or you don’t know which software to use, or whatever. Make a note and fill the gap ASAP. Get that information.

7.     Boredom. You’re not getting started because it’s not firing you up. 

Solution: Consider your options. Can you delegate it? Is it still important? Maybe you can just drop it. Can you make it more fun by playing some music, for example? Don’t spend two hours coming up with a music playlist. Just spend five minutes, tops, creating a more fun environment. Or go someplace different to do the project. Go to a coffee shop or go outside.

8.     Fatigue. You have worked hard all day and feel like you deserve a break. This is a great thing if you plan for it and make sure it doesn’t cut into your sleep. The problem is when you don’t. An example is revenge bedtime procrastination. This isn’t putting off a project, this is when you put off going to bed because you’ve been working all day and you finally have the house to yourself. You decide to watch a little TV and before you know it, it’s a full-on Netflix binge. What leads to the binge is being overly strict with yourself, working long hours, taking care of others without pausing regularly to give yourself a break.

To prevent this, plan breaks during the day. Think about what you would really enjoy doing that won’t suck you in, like a walk around the block to see fall color, or playing with your dog or cat. Save longer r & r for after work, but think about what your limit will be. Tell others if you think that will help so they won’t pressure you to do more. Really think about the hangover that comes after late night screentime. What sucks about starting your day feeling like crap? How does it affect the rest of your day and the days to come? Sleep debt is real and it can take days to pay back. 

Did you see yourself in any of these eight types of procrastination? What action steps will you take to help you feel more accountable to yourself so you can move toward your goals? If there’s one take away I can give you, it’s being really clear about your why. Why do you want to finish this project? How will it make your life better? Then get it done. 🏆