There are different ways of thinking about procrastination – is it laziness? Is it linked to neurodiversity? Is it about the environment you’re in? Is it about boredom? Maybe it’s a bit of everything. Whatever the cause, procrastination will not help you make your millions (or anyone else’s). So, it presents a problem whether you’re an employer, employee or entrepreneur and in this article we give you the top tips and strategies for overcoming it.
What is Procrastination?
Today we know more about mental health than ever before, so we can concede that while sometimes you’re just putting off what you don’t want to do, sometimes there are deeper reasons you’re procrastinating. By understanding that, we can then look at what you can do about it, and therefore make the most of each day when it comes to achieving your personal and professional goals.
So many people procrastinate, to the point where it’s become a universal joke and a multitude of memes. If you actually have things to do though, then it’s not that funny. So, we know that procrastination is when you put off doing something, but is that all?
Psychology Today says that there’s a difference between procrastinating and chronic procrastinators – the latter deliberately look for distractions. They say:
“Procrastination tends to reflect a person’s struggles with self-control.” Continuing “Procrastination also involves a degree of self-deception: At some level, procrastinators are aware of their actions and the consequences, but changing their habits requires even greater effort than completing the task in front of them.”
They note that procrastinators are often perfectionists who perhaps worry that the job will never be done well enough. Then again, we all know someone who tells us that they perform better under pressure, and therefore make a habit of last-minute work in order to get a rush when they reach a deadline by the skin of their teeth. None of that is ideal for anyone working alongside them.
Is procrastination a mental disorder?
The American Counselling Association says that “a growing body of research suggests that procrastination is a problem of emotion regulation, not time management.” Broadly speaking however, procrastination is not in itself considered a mental disorder, but it can be a symptom of other mental disorders like anxiety, depression or ADHD. All of which is useful for employers, colleagues and loved ones to know.
What are the 4 types of procrastination?
Broadly speaking, there are four main types of avoidance archetype documented. They are:
- Performers: These are the ones who say they work well under pressure and then leave everything to the last minute.
- Self-deprecators: These guys tend to refer to themselves as lazy when they’re the exact opposite. Inevitably they have overworked themselves and burned themselves out but instead of admitting it, they self-punish.
- Overbookers: These people will keep telling you how busy they are, but if it’s a recurring theme it probably means they’re avoiding a challenge or something they don’t want to do and are blaming it on other stuff.
- Novelty seekers: This is the person who’s always interested in the shiniest, newest toy. They’re easily bored but tend to be good at decision making but they’re inconsistent.
Effects of procrastination on mental health
Procrastination isn’t just about being unproductive, it’s actually not very good for us either. The University of Kansas writes:
“We procrastinate when we know what to do, but put off doing it until later. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and guilt. It can also leave us feeling unproductive, lazy, and ineffectual. In other words, it can affect the way we feel about ourselves.”
Those feelings in themselves can have a compounding effect – making you procrastinate more and then feel worse about yourself. Not only that, but in a work context it will probably mean you make errors if you’re doing everything last minute, become highly stressed, annoy your colleagues or just not get anything done.
The causes of procrastination
There are lots of reasons that people procrastinate, and some of that will depend on the type of procrastinator they are. We live in a world of many, many distractions. Just the text messages flashing up on your phone can distract you from the task at hand, and let’s be honest, a message from your mate is probably more interesting that the spreadsheet you’re working on.
As the archetypes suggest, some research sees procrastination largely as a failure of self-regulation, while others think it’s linked to how our brain works. We do know that while some people are neurodivergent thinkers, others are neurotypical, and this is being reflected in the design of office and educational spaces in order to improve productivity and mental health.
That said, there are around seven regularly documented causes of procrastination in the average person:
What are the 7 procrastination triggers?
- You find the task at hand boring
- You find what you’re doing difficult
- You find what you’re doing frustrating
- There’s a lack of structure to the task/ ambiguity
- You’re not personally invested in the task
- There’s no incentive/reward for getting it done
- The job isn’t meaningful
How to stop procrastinating
So, here’s the big question – how do you stop procrastinating?
If there’s a more serious underlying condition that’s causing your procrastination then that needs addressing separately. However, if you fall into the bracket of being a regular procrastinator like most of us, then there are ways you can stop putting things off and start making things happen.
First of all, don’t think that there’s anything wrong with you – the best of us procrastinate, and we live in a world that throws more distractions at us than ever. In addition, most of us have more things on our to-do list than there are hours in the day, so we try to run around like a headless chicken doing a hundred things at once.
Let’s begin there, because whoever tells you they can multitask is lying, they’re just jumping from one thing to the next and not focusing properly. Author Johann Hari’s seminal book, Stolen Focus, about our collectively reducing ability to concentrate, says:
“If you go too fast, you overload your abilities and they degrade. But when you practise moving at a speed that is compatible with human nature — and you build that into your daily life — you begin to train your attention and focus. Slowness nurtures attention, and speed shatters it.”
That’s a great introduction to our productivity techniques because while it sounds counterintuitive, to get more done you need to slow down a moment – basically, you need to focus.
Procrastination and productivity techniques
Lots of people have different strategies for managing time and avoiding procrastination, as well as boosting productivity. However, since you’re already in the mindset of avoiding what you’re supposed to be doing, let’s break this down to something clear and manageable:
- Awareness: Princeton University says that awareness is the first step to overcoming procrastination. They say “You can’t come up with an effective solution if you don’t really understand the root of the problem.” So, be honest with yourself – why are you procrastinating? Do you need additional help with a task? Are you addicted to the rush of nearly missing a deadline? Or do you need an incentive?
- Create the right environment: Whether you work in an office or at home, work out what you need to concentrate and make it happen. If you need to put headphones on in an open-plan office to get into a task for half an hour, if you need to book a meeting room, turn off the notifications on your phone or put your slippers on – create the environment you need with intent.
- Prioritise and plan: Often procrastination is about being overwhelmed by a to-do list. So this comes down to creating a plan. Manage your time by listing your tasks. Doing the hardest task first usually means you are more likely to complete it and move on, so start there.
- Break tasks into manageable steps: If a task is complicated, break it down into steps that are easier to get your head around. Doing this can both reduce anxiety if that’s the reason for your procrastination, and make you more productive at the same time.
- Procrastination and goal setting: It sounds pretty basic, but laying out your plan for the day and setting a goal is a big part of overcoming procrastination, especially if you’re a competitive type. Ideally, pick one or two goals for the day or a set period of time. It will be less overwhelming than trying to achieve a hundred things at once.
- Be realistic: Be honest with yourself about how long something is likely to take, and then build in some wiggle room. The odds are that you won’t get everything on Monday’s to-do list done on Monday, so give yourself a buffer zone for getting things done if you can. That way, if something took longer than planned, you still have time to be on time without being slap-dash.
- Motivate yourself: Find reasons to get tasks done that will make you feel great. That might mean the promise of a cup of coffee once something is done or you might find it helpful to think more holistically and consider what you get from finishing the task. For example, a sense of satisfaction, learning a new skill or supporting a colleague.
- Don’t jump about: If you can, batch tasks into subject areas rather than flitting from one to another. That way you can get your head into the right space and focus properly.
Top tips for overcoming procrastination
So, to recap, our top tips for overcoming procrastination:
- Reflect on the reasons why you procrastinate
- Break tasks down
- Create the right environment
- Commit to a specific goal
- Be realistic
What are the three benefits of overcoming procrastination?
There are actually loads of benefits to overcoming procrastination, but let’s talk about three of the biggest:
- Productivity: You will actually get things done, which is a good thing in itself, providing a sense of achievement, and probably making you more popular with your boss and colleagues as well.
- Less stress: You might think you thrive on the thrill of a last-minute deadline, but that’s stressful, bad for your health (sometimes it’s unavoidable), and it usually leads to mistakes.
- Personal and professional success: You won’t just get a sense of achievement – you will actually achieve things if you stop procrastinating, and who knows where that might lead?
If you want to overcome procrastination and increase your chances of success, our private business coaching can help you find the motivation and sense of purpose you need, whether you want to achieve at work or start your own business.
