Procrastination is often a cover-up for fear. Perhaps you put off accomplishing a task because you are afraid you will fail to deliver, or even to succeed so well that you will set up greater expectations for your work in the future. Identifying that procrastination comes about because of fear, though, is the first step to finding strategies to relieve the stress that this common practice causes to yourself and others.
Perhaps you attempt to justify your procrastination by making statements like these: “This is too hard for me,” “I’m not good at this sort of stuff,” “My perfectionistic tendencies make everything take longer,” “I’m so busy with so many other things now,” or “I don’t want to look stupid.” Sometimes it is not so difficult to spot the fear that causes you to procrastinate. Perhaps ‘not having enough time’ means you fear you don’t have the ability or determination to complete the task. Perfectionism could mean for you that not getting something 100% correct might lead to people making disparaging comments about your work – or you.
What is the outcome of procrastination, then? I know from personal experience that it causes me stress and anxiety. Sometimes it affects the outcome of my project’s quality. A teacher colleague of mine is an avid procrastinator, so often so that when I require work or answers from her and they do not come in a timely fashion, it causes me to stress because it holds up the completion of my work, too. The flip side is that this otherwise excellent educator, pulls out a good enough result at the last minute and has come to believe that procrastination is her best ally for accomplishing projects. She does not seem to realize that her “strategy” creates stress for other individuals, and it has put her reputation as a communicator in an unfavorable light.
When you look at how procrastination can affect not only yourself but others in your work and home life, it seems even more worth the effort to uncover the fears that lead to procrastination, and then evaluate the belief systems that are leading to these fears.
Ponder these questions if you are a procrastinator:
What am I now procrastinating on?
What is my belief about the thing I want to do that is holding me back from accomplishment?
What fear is bolstering that belief?
Getting it done,
Coach Leona
Perhaps you attempt to justify your procrastination by making statements like these: “This is too hard for me,” “I’m not good at this sort of stuff,” “My perfectionistic tendencies make everything take longer,” “I’m so busy with so many other things now,” or “I don’t want to look stupid.” Sometimes it is not so difficult to spot the fear that causes you to procrastinate. Perhaps ‘not having enough time’ means you fear you don’t have the ability or determination to complete the task. Perfectionism could mean for you that not getting something 100% correct might lead to people making disparaging comments about your work – or you.
What is the outcome of procrastination, then? I know from personal experience that it causes me stress and anxiety. Sometimes it affects the outcome of my project’s quality. A teacher colleague of mine is an avid procrastinator, so often so that when I require work or answers from her and they do not come in a timely fashion, it causes me to stress because it holds up the completion of my work, too. The flip side is that this otherwise excellent educator, pulls out a good enough result at the last minute and has come to believe that procrastination is her best ally for accomplishing projects. She does not seem to realize that her “strategy” creates stress for other individuals, and it has put her reputation as a communicator in an unfavorable light.
When you look at how procrastination can affect not only yourself but others in your work and home life, it seems even more worth the effort to uncover the fears that lead to procrastination, and then evaluate the belief systems that are leading to these fears.
Ponder these questions if you are a procrastinator:
What am I now procrastinating on?
What is my belief about the thing I want to do that is holding me back from accomplishment?
What fear is bolstering that belief?
Getting it done,
Coach Leona
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