Procrastination Can Be Driven by More Than “Laziness”
Often people who procrastinate are regarded as being lazy. This is far from the truth. Most often, it comes from feeling anxiety first. Either being a perfectionist or just feeling overwhelmed by the task given, fuels the procrastination. As one is usually told or thought of as being lazy because the task is not being completed on time, it is difficult for someone to figure out why they are doing this and then find a way to manage the situation.
Students in high school or college find this situation to be an ongoing obstacle to being successful in classes. Being assigned a paper to write, reading a complete book in a specific amount of time, or working on a long-term project can set off the warning bells of anxiety. “How will I get this done in time? What if I don’t do an acceptable job? It feels easier to put off the work and forget it has even been assigned. During that time period, there is a feeling of relief as one doesn’t have to tackle the assignment. Of course, the due date looming creates more anxiety in the long run, but before that there is a feeling of calm.
So, how do you stop the cycle? First is realizing you are not lazy, and that anxiety is often the root cause of your procrastination. There are a few tools to keep in your toolbox to break the cycle. The most important tool is to realize when you are getting stressed and to try to eliminate that feeling so you can get back on track. It might mean taking a shower, telling yourself that this is stress related, exercising, or even having a good protein snack.
Then try the following to see if any of these are a successful way of managing the procrastination:
- Taking breaks when completing tasks – work for a set amount and give yourself a small break in between tasks.
- For some, it works to tackle the most difficult assignment or task first, to try and feel like the worst is behind you. Others do the opposite, and begin with the easiest assignment to feel a sense of accomplishment.
- Another tool is to give yourself a reward for finishing an assignment, whatever that looks like for you –watching a U-tube video or texting with friends.
These tools may be beneficial without going any deeper into the cause of the anxiety, but figuring out methods to reduce and manage anxiety is the best way to remove procrastination from your life. If those methods do not work, it may be necessary to meet with a therapist to help create a working system to tackle the anxiety which is the underlying cause of the procrastination.