From the editor: This article is about procrastination. There are many conditions that may make it seem like a person is procrastinating, when in reality that person simply does not have the energy or the capacity to focus on the job that needs doing at that particular time. Conditions that can cause this are for instance hormonal brain-fog, ME, Long Covid, neurological illness, or energy draining illnesses such as cancer. It is important to make the distinction, as the remedies described in this article may not help for people with underlying conditions.
I stared blankly at the laptop screen ready to start my assignment. Just as I typed the question that inner voice ‘Procrastin’ crept in, practically urging me to pick up my phone. ‘Just one minute’ he whispered…. His voice was as sly as ever. My phone buzzed with a notification from Instagram…. Look! I quickly flipped my phone upside down to avoid the voice in my head.
But then suddenly, my friend Jake was calling, and I could almost hear Procrastin laughing and dancing with delight at my distraction. Eventually, I gave in and answered the call which led to endless scrolling. Hours later I shook my head in disbelief. Another day slipped by, and I was still exactly where I started.
Some causes of procrastination
Perfectionism
Procrastin thrives on Perfectionism. He loves whispering in your ear. This needs to be edited…. This doesn’t sound right……He convinces you that nothing is ever good enough. Setting high standards for yourself is admirable. Procrastin ensures that it keeps you stuck, waiting for the perfect moment that never arrives.
Overwhelm
Ever looked at a task and thought, this is going to take weeks to complete…… 2000 words for an essay – how am I supposed to write this…. Where do I even start? Procrastination can also stem from depression, which drains energy and motivation.
It’s not just Procrastin alone that causes problems, he has a whole crew of allies ready to slow you down.
- The obstacle is a mental block where you’re not able to comprehend the amount of work that you need to complete. It makes you look at your to-do list as though it’s an unconquerable mountain. It leaves you stuck and unable to get started.
- The freeze loves to paralyse you with fear of failure or anxiety, making the task seem insurmountable.
- The doubt master whispers all the worst-case scenarios into your ear. What if you fail? What if everyone laughs at you?
- Next, Indeciso kicks in leaving you unable to decide where to start or which task to focus on first. Self-doubt creeps in whispering ‘you’re not good enough’. Why bother? You’re not going to achieve anything anyway.
- At last, The Sloth tempts you to watch one more episode of your favourite show instead of doing the work you promised to finish. The sloth comforts you by stating that there’s always time tomorrow to complete this task so relax and enjoy. You tell yourself it’s only one hour. But one hour leads to many more and before you know it, your motivation is gone.
Together these villains create a storm of procrastination and work together to trap you in a loop of distractions. Studies show that 75% of students admit to being habitual procrastinators, a reminder that this is a common and widespread issue.
Effects of procrastination
- Academics/Work – not getting started can add to rushed work which in turn can lead to lower quality work and poor results.
- Mental Health – stress of incomplete tasks can lead to guilt and anxiety which can turn into burnout.
- Growth – procrastination diverts attention; therefore, you miss out on opportunities and skill development which in turn affects overall growth.
Methods to combat procrastination
- Breaking tasks into small steps – divide large complex tasks into smaller ones and manage your time effectively by allocating specific time slots for each task. For example, if you’re writing a 2000-word essay. Start by reading and drafting the outline of the essay then allocate 15 minutes of writing paragraphs each day until you feel motivated to write the remaining essay.
- Goals – setting short, Realistic goals makes it easier to stay on task and makes the larger goals feel more achievable. Aim to write 200 words a day or complete one task at a time.
- Using timers (e.g. Pomodoro technique) – work in short, timed intervals of 25 minutes like the Pomodoro technique makes large tasks less overwhelming
- Minimise distractions – work in a distraction free environment. Switch off your phones and outsmart ‘The Sloth’, who will tempt you to watch your favourite movie. Use apps like forest or utilise the ‘do not disturb’ feature to stay focused and productive.
The link between fear and procrastination
Fear of getting started also ties in with procrastination. At times it’s the doubt in our minds that makes us prolong tasks or the volume of information that we need to take in or the time required to complete the task that makes us brush it aside.
Psychologists call this ‘fear avoidance’ a habit of putting things off to avoid anxiety before starting. We avoid acting, we temporarily relieve the anxiety that comes with completing the task. Addressing the fear and then combatting it is the way forward. We should confront our fears and then start to move past them.
Procrastination may feel like an unbeatable foe, but it’s not. Every step that you take weakens Procrastin and his crew. By taking control you can break free from their grasp. Start now by taking small steps. You will be amazed at how quickly momentum builds. So, the next time Procrastin whispers in your ear, remind yourself of the blank screen and the hours that you have wasted. Your journey to success starts today. How about you take the next step now?
