Procrastination summary

Think back to a time you procrastinated – were you dealing with an internal struggle of negative feelings and thoughts? The thoughts you had were likely assumptions rather than absolute truths. Maybe you thought everything you did had to be flawless or it would result in disaster.

This kind of defeatist thinking is usually self-imposed, incorrect, and unfounded – and it often leads to deeper procrastination habits. The sooner you realize that these thoughts are based in emotions like vulnerability and fear, the easier it’ll be to reduce the habit. Procrastinating won't save you from having to deal with these emotions, but it could makes things worse – you might get stuck in a constant negative cycle.

How you perceive yourself can be a funny thing. In many cases, it has nothing to do with how others perceive you – especially when it comes to the negative thoughts you may have about yourself. Maybe your efforts never seem good enough to you, while others think you’re thriving.

Procrastinators often feel as if the attempt meant nothing. However, trying can mean everything – it’s a success in its own right. What you do to achieve a particular goal is just as big a part of the success as the achievement of the goal itself. So don’t forget to celebrate your successes!

Procrastination doesn’t just stem from your own innate nature. Your upbringing and personal relationships are connected to why and how you procrastinate. 

Say you’re experiencing a conflict with a family member, and you’re putting off confronting the issue. Procrastination, in this case, can seem less painful and easier to deal with than any negative emotions that could arise as a result of facing that conflict. 

No discussion about procrastination would be complete without an element typically associated with the habit: time, or more specifically, time management.

Think about all the occasions you were late getting somewhere or were late doing something. Do you remember how it affected you and the other people involved?

There are lots of psychological factors that can impact a person’s procrastination behavior. Certain conditions, like ADHD, depression, and low self-esteem, often make it flare up. So do stress and a lack of quality sleep. When you sort out things on a medical level, it may lead to positive changes with your procrastination.

We mentioned earlier that dealing with procrastination can be easier than dealing with feelings and emotions. But you have to battle these feelings if you want to challenge procrastination. You can’t avoid them or hide from them – but you can do daily work to make positive changes.

We all know it’s not easy to break long-standing habits. Just ask a carnivore who’s trying to stop eating meat – or a night owl who is trying to become an early bird. But building a sustainable new habit can be done, almost painlessly, through baby steps. Going from procrastinator to someone who faces things head-on is no exception. You might not even see the tiny shifts you’re making, but tackling one small goal at a time will lead to big results.

The first trick is to take note of when the familiar feelings and thoughts you associate with procrastination start to creep in. How and when do you procrastinate? What do you procrastinate on? Pinpointing these details may help you understand why you’re procrastinating. 

Maybe you know a procrastinator and are trying to figure out why they do what they do. You may also be trying to learn how to better compromise with this person. Their procrastination is undoubtedly disappointing and frustrating – but it’s not as simple as telling the person to do better. 

Certain things, like nagging or doing what you asked the procrastinator to do, may actually result in more harm than good. On the flip side, being open to collaboration, providing clear communication, rewarding positive steps, and listening to the person express their feelings can all help – a lot! Make sure you also tell the procrastinator in your life how much you appreciate them and their efforts, and what you like about them.

Reducing procrastination isn't an easy journey, but it’s one worth taking for you and those around you. Embarking on this journey doesn’t mean you’ll fix your procrastination issues overnight – that’s not possible. But putting in small, consistent efforts will ultimately help you reach your goal.

Are you procrastinating on something right now? Stop listening to this Blink, and take one small step toward getting it done! Your future self will thank you.