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Procrastination can be the bane of your existence if you are a creative office worker with some personal projects. You know you should be working, reading, planning, and researching, but you keep finding excuses not to.
Sounds Familiar?
And the worst part is that you keep beating yourself about it. It is a vicious cycle of self-hatred and anxiety.
Have you had enough of this? Are you willing to work toward changing that?
Good. Then, let us examine why we procrastinate and how to overcome this behavior.
What Is Procrastination?
Here are some procrastination examples:
- Gaming the night away, knowing you have only three days left to complete that important work report.
- Go shopping for supplies you already have instead of studying for your exams.
Procrastination is the proactive avoidance of making important decisions and taking action.
Why is procrastination bad? Because procrastinators spiral down into negativity and suffer mentally. This behavior is associated with stress, health problems, and a lower quality of life.
Why Do We Procrastinate?
This is a very curious phenomenon, and understanding the reasons behind this behavior is critical to solving your problem.
You might think that the root cause of your procrastination is a lack of willpower, and you are somewhat correct, but the reasons are far more complicated.
We have the motivation that comes from the rewards we will receive in return for our hard work. The higher your motivation, the more likely you’ll focus on your work and achieve your goals. However, there are counterbalancing factors, such as fear of failure and anxiety, that sabotage our ability to self-control.
Mental and physical exhaustion can also hinder our ability to summon the focus we need to meet deadlines.
Time is another factor that plays a role here. For instance, our long-term goals might seem too abstract at this point, so we cannot see the rewards to motivate us.
The bottom line is that our motivation and ability to focus suffer when the sabotaging factors outweigh our willpower. Thus, we end up procrastinating.
Causes of Procrastination
Here are the most common reasons for procrastinating. Go through the list and note what applies to you. Remember to be honest about it. Yes, it might be a bit painful and hurt your ego a little bit, but you won’t be able to escape your detrimental behavior unless you face your demons.
External Distractions
This is your physical inability to focus on one task due to constant external distractions. For example, your office might be noisy, or your friends and family are constantly texting you.
Impulsive Behavior
So, it’s 10 pm on a Sunday, and you are about to go through your plan for next week when your friend Steve texts you to come over for Call of Duty and peanut butter sock shots. You drop all your planning and go to Steve’s place without considering how this will affect your productivity.
Mood Priority
It’s time to return to your side project, but you feel slightly down because your Facebook crush won’t text you back. So, instead of working, you end up watching some anime. This happens because we tend to act based on our current emotional state.
Lack of Mental and Physical Energy
It is hard to focus on meaningful work when your energy is depleted. For example, going to the gym to lift heavy weights after a taxing Monday at the office might leave you too overwhelmed to spare some time for your projects.
Lack of Motivation
It is hard to work on something when you cannot see the value and benefits that can come your way.
Depression
Some people end up procrastinating because they are deeply depressed. Their constant suffering depletes their energy and negates their motivation.
Lack of Self-Efficacy
If you don’t believe you will do an excellent job on a specific task, you might procrastinate.
Fear of Failure
If you are terrified of failing, you might end up not starting.
Fear of Evaluation
Others judge the things we do. The knowledge that negative feedback will be painful can be another reason for us to avoid working toward our goals in the first place.
Perfectionism
If you are one of those people who just want things to be perfect, then you might end up reworking your projects repeatedly, but you are just shooting yourself in the foot. The goal for higher and higher quality work might be detrimental to your productivity.
Overwhelming Workload
Procrastination and stress are linked. Sometimes, there is so much to do that you have no idea how to start. You avoid beginning because of the immense chaos and stress you face.
Abstract Goals and Rewards Far in the Future
Sometimes, we desire to achieve something but cannot begin work because our goals are too abstract. At the same time, we cannot see the rewards of our efforts; our motivation will be compromised.
How to Stop Procrastinating
The key to overcoming procrastination lies in figuring out the causes of procrastination in the first place.
Once you identify what is holding you back, you can take active steps to eliminate those factors from your life so you can focus on your work and achieve your goals.
You need to realize that not doing your best to achieve your personal and professional goals will only leave you in a place of self-hatred. Giving your best shot – no matter if you fail or succeed – is the only way you will be fulfilled.
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