Why Do You Keep Procrastinating, and How Can You Stop?
By Mary Claire Schibelka, LPC
What do updating your resume, folding laundry, and paying bills all have in common?
The answer: All are tasks that many of us procrastinate.
Procrastination is often attributed to laziness or poor self-control. However, there are several other reasons why you may find yourself procrastinating that have nothing to do with willpower. Understanding the reasons you procrastinate helps you create strategies for getting things done in a reasonable amount of time.
Read on to learn more about why you procrastinate and how you can stop.
Reason 1: You Fear Failure
One of the most common reasons people procrastinate is the fear of failure. Maybe you’ve been wanting to learn Spanish for the past 3 years, but because you know it won’t be easy, you still haven’t signed up for a class.
Tips:
If the idea of failure feels scary to you, ask yourself why. What experiences have you had with failure in the past?
Look up inspirational quotes on failure to remind yourself that it’s a normal experience and often an important part of learning.
Put your past failures in perspective by identifying at least one new thing you learned from each experience.
Reason 2: You Fear Success
Believe it or not, many people fear success. When you succeed at something, you set a new bar for yourself. Expectations of you become greater. For example, if you apply for a new job and get it, you’re then expected to perform well at that job. This can feel like a great deal of pressure and lead to procrastination of tasks you’ll likely succeed at.
Tips:
Maintain a “cheering squad” of the people closest to you who can help you feel supported and capable of taking on new challenges.
Recall past successes and times you exceeded your own expectations.
Reason 3: Perfectionism
Perfectionism often accompanies the fear of failure. If you struggle with perfectionism, you may believe that being any less than perfect at something reduces your personal value. Expecting yourself to be perfect can lead to anxiety, a common culprit behind perfectionism.
Tips:
Remember the principle of diminishing returns. The longer you obsess over something that’s already good enough, the less effective the time you spend on it becomes. For example, studying for a test for 5 hours can help you get an A instead of a D. However, spending an extra 5 hours studying will impact your grade less. The difference between a D and an A is far more significant than the difference between an A and an A+.
Practice self-compassion by reminding yourself of your worth, even if you aren’t perfect.
Hold yourself to the same standards you hold your friends to. Chances are you’re way less hard on them than you are yourself.
Reason 4: You’re Overwhelmed
If you have a ton of tasks on your to-do list, getting started on just one of them can feel like a challenge. The same is true for getting started on a project that you know will take you a lengthy amount of time.
Tips:
Build in rewards. Do something enjoyable after completing each item on your list, or chunk your project/assignment into smaller pieces and reward yourself after completing each one.
Eliminate any unnecessary tasks.
Prioritize what’s most important and tackle that first.
Delegate responsibilities to others when you can.
Combine tasks. For example, if you have to do laundry and run errands, throw your clothes in the washing machine and run errands while they’re washing.
Plan ahead for when you’re going to work by putting necessary tasks in your calendar.
Reason 5: You Don’t Know What To Do
The final reason why you may be procrastinating is because you simply don’t know what to do! For example, if your car needs an oil change, and you have no idea how to do it, you’re probably going to put it off.
Tips:
Ask yourself if the goal is too big. In this case, maybe it would be easier to take the car to a mechanic than to learn how to change the oil yourself.
Seek guidance from others who have done the task before in order to learn how to do it.
Think of similar situations you’ve encountered. Remember how you handled them, and see if you can apply those skills to this situation, too.
Beating yourself up and calling yourself lazy because you’re procrastinating is rarely helpful. Instead, seek to understand why you’re struggling with procrastination. Knowing your reason will help you figure out what to do next in order to feel accomplished, productive, and more in control of the things you have to do.