What Is Procrastination?
Procrastination is said to be the mother of failure! Is this true?
What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is the deferment of actions or tasks to a later time.
While it is normal for people to procrastinate to some degree, In others it can be a problem when it impedes normal functioning and maybe a sign of an underlying psychological disorder. Most people refer to procrastination as a sign of weakness i.e the inability to make a decision or to put off taking action which would otherwise make one come to a conclusion.
It makes us tense and afraid and can lead to the feeling of being pressured into something we would otherwise not do?
It makes us uncertain about the goals we have set and many other negative feelings. Most sufferers lack the ability to focus or successfully complete a task they have undertaken. They usually have grandiose plans that are unrealistic to them so they put them off and say I will do that tomorrow?
We all procrastinate to a certain extent but is more through a sense of fear than a weakness. It is said that procrastinators are also thought to have a lower level of consciousness more based on “Dreams and wishes” of perfection or achievement in contrast to the realistic application of their obligations and true potential.
Procrastination is indeed a complex condition and can in the extreme be related to mental health.
According to Dr Linda Sapadin( its about time) There are six types of procrastination styles, Which are:
- The Perfectionist.
- The Crisis Maker.
- The Dreamer.
- The Defier.
- The Worrier.
- The Over Doer
Each type is self explanatory though each has a unique way of overcoming each type.
Procrastination is persuasive and concerns us all.
At least 95% of us procrastinate and at least 15-20% of us do it consistantly. It is a phenomenon but it is real. Can we overcome it? The simple answer is Yes!!
If we understand why we do it and when we do it we can then take action to take steps to better manage our time and outcomes. Usually we procrastinate when we put things off that we should be focusing on in favour of doing something easier and more comfortable. Procrastinators work just as many hours in a day as most other people, Sometimes more but they invest their time doing the wrong things. This is simply because most don’t understand the difference of urgent to important tasks that are not that important! A Common cause of procrastination is the feeling of being overwhelmed by the task in hand, They may not know where or even how to begin, They may doubt the skills they have and think they do not have the skills to do this particular task?
Whatever the reason or reasons it must be dealt with and controlled before opportunities are missed or their careers go of the rails?
Most of us know when we procrastinate we just have to be honest with our selves and admit it. If you are putting something off because you don’t want to do it and you cannot delegate the task to someone else, you nned to find a way to motivate yourself to get going.
The following approaches can be helpful:
- Reward yourself when you complete the task. Give yourself a pat on the back, eat a cake, have a drink etc……..
- Why not tell someone what you are doing? peer pressure is an effective motivator!!
- Try to identify why the task is unpleasant to you! What are the consequences of not completing the task?
- Shame yourself into doing the task and motivate yourself.
To have a good chance of beating procrastination you need to spot immediately that you are doing it and take the appropriate steps to block it.
Organize your time managementand personal effectiveness habits. Make a plan and make time for success.
Establish priorities and manage your time in such a way that you make the most of doors/Opportunities that open up for you.
In the end if you can’t beat procrastination you will never be successful on or offline.Tags:conclusion,defier,dr linda,dreamer,dreams,extent,failure,grandiose plans,level of consciousness,mental health,negative feelings,perfectionist,phenomenon,procrastination,psychological disorder,realistic application,sense of fear,simple answer,worrier