Put off Procrastination

All of us put things off now and then, but procrastinators postpone tough chores on a regular basis and may actively seek out distractions. Procrastination refers to delaying tasks. Its course is different and even if you have big plans and you work hard you can experience procrastination. It has the power to delay the progress and affect the working ability of anyone. It affects everyone. Often people mistake procrastination for “laziness”. They talk about it as if it were some nasty character flaw. When you ask the ordinary person if they are a procrastinator, they will frequently grin sheepishly and unwillingly tell you about all the things they have put off in their lives. Procrastinating on various duties at different stages in one s life is something that most individuals can relate to. Procrastination is a very common occurrence for many people; remember, you are not alone! We often use terms like “putting off”, “postponing”, “delaying”, “deferring”, “leaving to the last minute” – all of which are valid. What we mean by procrastination is- “making a decision for no valid reason to delay or not complete a task or goal you’ve committed too, and instead doing something of lesser importance, despite there being negative consequences to not following through on the original task or goal”. However, there is a distinction to be made between general procrastination, which we all engage in at times, and specific procrastination. While some procrastinators may be able to convince themselves that they perform better under pressure, research suggests that this is not always the case; instead, they may establish a pattern of doing last-minute work to get a rush of exhilaration at supposedly having surmounted the odds. Why we procrastinate? Procrastination is often a reflection of a person s lack of self-control. "I don t feel like it" . Unhelpful Rules & Assumptions We come from the point of view that the core reasons people procrastinate have something to do with the way they see themselves and the world. We all have rules and assumptions by which we live our lives. For example, I might have the rule that “it is important to be kind to others whenever possible” or the assumption that “if I commit a crime, then I will be punished”. These rules and assumptions seem pretty helpful in the sense that they are fairly accurate in capturing how things really are and they are also flexible. A rule or assumption tends to be unhelpful when they are inaccurate and inflexible in some way. At the heart of procrastination lies certain Unhelpful Rules/Assumptions, we call these the “shoulds”, “musts” and “can’ts”. ? Feeling Overwhelmed – A feeling that there is too much that needs to be done in order to accomplish a task, thus paralyzing us from even taking the first step towards achieving it. ? Task Unpleasant – We view the task as boring or tiring or that it will make us uncomfortable in some way. ? Fear of Failing –We fear being rejected or made to look like a fool. Their fears may paralyse them from being able to do the task, and procrastination may be used as a way of avoiding their fears of failure or disapproval. ? Lacking Motivation – We find no internal motivation or benefit for doing the task, and there is no penalty for not doing it, leading us to not do it at all. The cost in terms of time and energy seem to outweigh the benefits. ? Lacking Focus – Unable to stay on task because something has come up. The ‘something else’ can be anything that distracts the person from continuing to work on a main task. ? Need To Be In Charge: Some people have rules like “I must be in charge at all times”, “I must always call the shots in my life”, “Things should be done my way”, “I shouldn’t have to do things that I don’t want to do”. They may then use procrastination as a way of easing their anger and sense of weakness, and helping them feel like they do have the power, because they are doing (or not doing) the task on their own terms. ? Pleasure Seeking: Some people live their lives according to the principle that pleasure is paramount. They are impulsive, seek out pleasure and have difficulty tolerating boredom. They may then use procrastination as a way of alleviating boredom and frustration, and helping them seek out the pleasure they so desire. ? Fear Of Uncertainty Or Catastrophe: They may use procrastination as a way of alleviating their fear, by putting off any action that could lead to an unknown or catastrophic outcome. ? Low Self-Confidence: They doubt their abilities, and lack confidence that they are capable individuals who can tackle tasks or goals that come their way. They may then use procrastination as a way of not having to face that they can’t do something because of their flaws. ? Depleted Energy: Some people don’t think they are capable when life becomes tough. That is, under certain circumstances, they don’t believe they have the ability to complete tasks and fulfil goals. They may then use procrastination as a way of trying to rebuild energy and get rid of their exhaustion, with the idea that if I rest rather than do, things will somehow get better.