Procrastination is the one thing that can bring even the most skilled business owners to their knees, often striking without warning. Fortunately, the psychology of not completing tasks isn’t complicated. If we understand the main reasons people procrastinate, we can learn to overcome them and push through to the finish line.
Why Do People Procrastinate?
Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks or decisions until the last minute, even when we know there will be negative consequences. So why do people procrastinate?
At its core, procrastination isn’t about poor time management—it’s about emotion. People rarely procrastinate on the tasks they’re excited about. Instead, we tend to avoid tasks that make us feel anxious, overwhelmed, or bored. Understanding the emotional component behind procrastination is the first step toward breaking free from the cycle.
How Does Procrastination Affect Mental Health?
Chronic procrastination can take a serious toll on your mental health, as there is a strong link between procrastination and anxiety. When we continuously put things off, we experience increased stress and dread as deadlines grow closer.
This creates a vicious cycle: the more stressed out we are, the more we want to avoid thinking about the task we’re dreading, which leads to even more procrastination. Habitual procrastination has also been linked to higher levels of depression, lower self-esteem, and increased feelings of guilt and shame.
The constant mental toll of unfinished tasks weighs on us, affecting our sleep quality and overall life satisfaction. The good news is that once you recognize these patterns, you can take steps to address them and improve both your productivity and your mental health.
5 Causes of Procrastination
Why do people procrastinate? There are many potential reasons for procrastination that vary from person to person. Here are 5 of the most common causes, along with solutions to overcome the mental block.
1. We don’t have all the necessary resources.
It’s always easiest to start a project when you can dive right in. If research is involved or you’re waiting on others for some of the information you need, motivating yourself to get started can be challenging. It’s tempting to wait until the time is right, but if you put off the entire project until you have your missing piece, you’ll end up in a time crunch to finish it.
The solution: Work on what you can, when you can. A daunting project is easier to handle if you break it into smaller pieces. You can focus on organizing your materials in one sitting, gathering the necessary information, and then putting it all together. Just don’t wait until the last minute to secure the missing data.
2. We’re short on time.
When you have a million things to do but only 24 hours a day, some projects will inevitably fall by the wayside. One of the biggest causes of procrastination is that we never get around to doing whatever we need to do.
The solution: Reorganize your priorities and find something to put off or delegate. If your project is essential, please make time for it. You can transfer parts of it to someone else, or you’ll have to delegate other tasks to free up room in your schedule. Regardless, you can’t do it all—focus on what’s important and delegate the rest.
3. We keep getting interrupted.
One reason why we procrastinate, which is mainly outside our control, is being interrupted. Interruptions kill our focus and drastically slash our productivity. If you’re constantly being interrupted by phone calls, emails, or walk-ins, chances are you won’t make much progress on any of your essential tasks.
The solution: Block off time on your calendar so you remain undisturbed. Please inform your employees that you’re not to be contacted except in the event of an absolute emergency during this time. Turn off your phone, close out your email, and focus on the task.
4. We don’t want to do it.
Sometimes, one of the simplest causes of procrastination is that we really don’t want to do the project. Lack of motivation is a giant productivity killer, and you can spend hours staring at a blank page before you finally force yourself to get started.
The solution: Make the task more appealing. While some things will always be tedious, compromising with yourself can make it more exciting. You could agree to work on your project for 15 to 30 minutes, then do something more fun. You could take the work to a pleasant location, such as your favorite coffee shop.
5. We fear failure (or success).
Fear is one of the most potent reasons for procrastination. We might let impostor syndrome take over and worry that our work won’t be good enough. On the other hand, some people also fear success on a subconscious level. Either way, starting the task is a commitment that some people try to avoid at all costs.
The solution: Reframe your perspective. Instead of viewing failure as a disaster, see it as a learning opportunity. Remind yourself that done is better than perfect. No matter what the result, you’ll feel better once the task is no longer hanging over your head.
How to Overcome Procrastination
Procrastination happens to everyone. Despite what we may believe, it’s not a sign of laziness; it’s just what we do with tasks we deem too stressful and want to avoid tackling. If you find that you’ve been habitually putting things off, try the following tips to learn how to deal with procrastination.
1. Write a to-do list.
A great way to help you handle the overwhelming feeling about a project is to break it into smaller, more manageable steps. Make a to-do list of the smaller tasks you must accomplish to achieve the bigger one. This way, you can prioritize your time. It’s also easier to build some momentum.
The biggest roadblock is always taking the first step. One cause of procrastination is overwhelm: we tend to defer starting because the task seems too large. Start with the first logical task. Once you tip over the first domino, it is much easier to gain traction.
2. Calendarize the steps.
Get your calendar out and mark down a deadline for each step. This simple act helps you visualize your goals. It turns “I will do this when I have time” into “I need to finish this by (insert deadline).”
When you block out time for a task, you can focus on getting it done instead of getting distracted by other trivial things.
3. Enlist an accountability partner.
One of the best ways to overcome procrastination is to find someone to hold you accountable. They can be your colleague, a family member, or your coach.
It’s one thing to plan tasks out and handle them on your own. It’s another thing to prove your commitment and responsibility to a partner.
4. Optimize your environment.
Your surrounding environment can either minimize or maximize your productivity.
With numerous distractions in today’s digital world, it’s essential to create an environment free of such temptations actively. This is useful, especially if you’re easily interrupted or waste a lot of time at work.
5. Don’t overthink.
Overthinking is one of the most insidious causes of procrastination. When you spend too much time questioning yourself or waiting for the perfect moment to get started, doubts creep in, delaying your start.
One of the most effective ways to overcome procrastination is to let go of negative thoughts. Worrying doesn’t solve any problems. Be mindful. Strive for better work rather than perfect work. And more importantly, focus on getting the job done.
6. Use the two-minute rule.
If a task takes less than two minutes to complete, do it immediately. This easy rule of thumb keeps small tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming.
For larger projects, use a modified version of this: commit to working on the task for just two minutes. Often, the hardest part is getting started. Once you’ve begun, you’ll probably find it easier to continue. This technique removes the barrier of commitment and makes starting feel less daunting.
7. Be kind to yourself.
Learning not to beat yourself up over a past mistake is an essential life skill. Things happen, and it’s okay if you don’t meet every deadline. Research has shown that self-forgiveness can help mitigate future causes of procrastination.
In addition, you can always learn a thing or two from past procrastination. This development of self-awareness will give you the strength to fight distraction, fear, and doubt, and ultimately help you overcome procrastination.
Understanding the causes of procrastination is just one of the challenges we face as business owners. To learn how to overcome procrastination and other business roadblocks, sign up for my newsletter to get access to all my newest blog posts on leadership and more. If you need a business coach to help you achieve your goals, click here to schedule a meeting.
Coach Dave
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