Running on low energy, kills our motivation, confuses our thoughts, contributes to a lack of focus, and invites procrastination Photo / 123rf
Running on low energy, kills our motivation, confuses our thoughts, contributes to a lack of focus, and invites procrastination Photo / 123rf
OPINION
Procrastination is the act of stalling and hesitating - of purposely delaying or postponing something. Rings a bell, right? There is not a person alive that has not given into the bad habit of procrastination, trotting down the path of avoidance at one time or another.
Procrastination is indeedan energy sucker. In Latin, it is defined as "to put off until tomorrow". Akrasia, the Greek word for it, defines it as "doing something against our better judgment".
Neither one sounds promising. Dr Piers Steel, the author of "The Procrastination Equation: "How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Things Done", goes even further and states that "procrastination causes self-harm". When we succumb to its temptations, we experience negative consequences.
So why do we empower it and allow it to steal away what could otherwise be felt as an accomplishment generating positive energy? Why do we exchange a positive result for negative consequences/feelings? Why do we do it anyway?
Understanding what type of procrastinator we are, helps us to avoid it and beat it.
For example, many people fall into the "perfectionist/fear of failure" mode as a procrastinator.
The fear of failing or producing less than perfection causes serious procrastination issues for the perfectionist because these types of people live in a black and white world. In their world, everything must be done to their high standards/perfectly or not at all. With the bar set so high, criticising themselves when falling short comes easily and swiftly.
Therefore, if things do not seem perfect to begin with, they avoid starting altogether. This type of mentality keeps one from taking the first step and without that first step, nothing gets done. Procrastination becomes a sort of comfort zone and protective mechanism for those fearing failure.
Placing unrealistic expectations on ourselves contributes to unnecessary stress and anxiety. Working hard does not kill us, nor will tackling challenges or dealing with boredom, but procrastination which is strongly associated with stress, can and does kill. It will not increase standards, but it does increase stress and anxiety levels.
Time management
Managing time effectively without over scheduling our day's allotment of energy plays an important role in avoiding unnecessary stress and anxiety. Setting goals and filling our calendar with dates helps us to see exactly what is in front of us. Although amazingly simple, these few steps have a profound effect on how we honour our time and how much productivity we enjoy.
Even daily habits and lifestyles come into play. The lack of healthy food choices, challenging exercise, and quality sleep, produces a sluggish, tired body and mind - one deficient in life-giving energy. (Run our battery too low and clarity becomes non-existent. Every decision becomes a muddled mess.)
Running on low energy, kills our motivation, confuses our thoughts, contributes to a lack of focus, and invites procrastination.
Most distractions are external and can be removed, like shutting off our cellphones or TVs Photo / 123rf
Goal setting
Without specific goals set in place, we lack purpose and direction. With no target to reach for, we become drifters in thought and action. Our productivity takes a severe hit, and we end up spending our energy needlessly "here and there," not accomplishing anything of real value but feeling the negative effects of wasted time.
Procrastination is a habit and habits can be broken. The first step is to focus. We must put our attention on something we have been procrastinating about and commit to completing this task in the next day or so. Once we have committed in mind, action must follow immediately. If willpower seems lacking, employing "The Five-Minute Rule/Miracle" usually gets us moving.
Since setting the intention and getting started is the hardest part for many people, using the cognitive behavioural therapy technique of "five minutes" helps tremendously.
This technique requires us to set a goal of doing whatever it is we are trying to avoid – but we only need to commit to doing it for five minutes.
This limited timeframe makes it feel less overwhelming in our minds, allowing us to break through the tough mental barrier of "I don't want to do this". After our five minutes of committed time is up, we are free to stop. However, most people find it easy to continue past the initial five minutes because they begin feeling the joyful, inner effects that satisfaction, commitment, and productivity provide.
Procrastination is a natural response to life's issues that every one of us has engaged with at one time or another. Occasional procrastination is no cause for alarm. However, excessive procrastination is an issue. It reduces or kills motivation and productivity, spikes anxiety, contributes to depression and wastes a lot of valuable time.
It is a vicious circle of task avoidance, increased anxiety, feelings of overwhelm, and more procrastination.
Avoiding procrastination
Enjoy the "colour" and variety of life and do not buy into black and white thinking. Expecting everything to be perfect all the time is unrealistic and becomes a barrier to beginning.
Get organised. Set priorities and goals and create a plan. It gives you a target to focus on and something to reach for. It keeps the mind and our energy aligned down a single path rather than scattered and weakened.
Fill your calendar with dates to have a clear timeline of events and to help you stay motivated.
Define and remove distractions. Most distractions are external and can be removed, like shutting off our cellphones or TVs.
Reward yourself. Everyone loves rewards and incentives, so make it special. It gives you something to look forward to and is a great motivator.
Break everything up into small steps. Overwhelm feels heavy. If we break things up into smaller portions (like the five-minute rule), it is easier to begin.
Once started, the positive effects of satisfaction and accomplishment felt give our motivation a real boost.
And, finally, be kind to yourself. The last thing you want to do is move into negative thinking and guilt-tripping. What is past is past. Leave it alone, practice self-love and compassion, and work with the moment. It is the greatest gift you can give yourself and that's why it's called the "present."
