Procrastination: the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention. I am the queen of procrastination. (Now you know why such a long posting drought) We all procrastinate to some extent, but why?
According to D. Burns, MD (1999), "many people procrastinate and become immobilized when they feel anxious or depressed." The following are some of the ways we use our skewed views of reality to assist us in feeling "good" about procrastinating:
1) Putting the cart before the horse - Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Is it action that produces motivation or motivation that creates action? In this view, most procrastinators convince themselves that they will take action when they get the motivation or when they are "in the mood." By looking at the world this way, we would all be waiting for an eternity before we would find the right mood to do certain things. In reality, we are more like engines. We cannot get going unless we prime the pump first. And in order to do this, we must get started on the task whether we feel like it or not. Ever noticed how you really dreaded doing something until you actually started working on it? Then, once you got started, you found so much more motivation and inspiration to keep working on the task? That's the feeling you have to remind yourself of when you notice you're beginning to procrastinate. It's the whole object in motion stays in motion theory. In order to gain motivation to do something, we have to take a first step. That first step is one action which, in turn, brings motivation to take a second step which then leads to more action, more steps....until you realize you've completed enough steps and have reached the end of your task.
2) The Mastery Model - Procrastinators in this category are masters at viewing the world through rose-colored glasses. Looking at the world from this view, procrastinators have a very "unrealistic view of how a productive person really functions" (Burns, MD, 1999). Often people in this category hold the view that tasks should be easy and they give up when it becomes tough. In order to be more successfully productive, procrastinators need to begin viewing the world through a "coping model." It is a more realistic view of the world. Through this model, we realize life is going to be frustrating, trying, and at times tough. We can see the road to success and realize that, like all roads, there will be speedbumps, stop signs, and twists and turns. If I gave up driving down the road to my destination after a speedbump or turn, I'd never make it out of my neighborhood!
3) The fear of failure - Maybe I'm not being lazy when I procrastinate. Maybe I'm putting the task off because I'm afraid disappointing someone if I don't complete it. In this category, procrastinators tend to base their self-worth on the things they have done or accomplished. For example, "my friends value and respect me because I have a certain job." In all reality, I'm pretty sure my real friends would value me and respect me whether or not I had any job at all. When you put it that way, you can really see the way fear can skew your view of reality.
4) Perfectionism - I'm known for this particular skewed view! I frequently procrastinate over a task because I want to make sure it's done perfectly or up to unrealistically high standards. It's so much easier to put off the task and tell myself that I probably wouldn't have done it "right" anyway. Most of us have been raised in a society that has rewards for "the best." A gold star, an athletic trophy, a promotion....things you don't normally get when you come in 2nd place. To combat this view, we need to go back to the idea of the road to success we are traveling down. If there were no twists and turns on your road, it would be a pretty boring drive. Like a car hugging that curve 'round the bend, embrace life's challenges. They make your journey more exciting.
5) Lack of rewards - Being acknowledged and rewarded for our accomplishments is a highly motivating factor for most people. As procrastinators, we find it difficult to reward ourselves or view our completed tasks in a positive light. Interconnected with perfectionists, procrastinators in this category feel that nothing they do is good enough. Constantly putting yourself down can be exhausting. While I don't encourage major bragging, I do think that giving yourself a pat on the back once in awhile is beneficial. In order to stop the revolving door of this skewed view, procrastinators need to be open to positive thinking, especially about their accomplishments.
6) "Should statements" - All procrastinators are experts at "should statements." I should go exercise. I should write those "thank you" letters now. I should clean the house. Procrastinators, like myself, frequently use this technique to put off that one little task for just one more day, which turns into another, and another...you know how it goes. Once it's gone on long enough, you get to the point where you can easily convince yourself not to even do the task in the end. (DP fangirls - I swear I'm mailing out your winter hats this week!) In all reality, there are really just three "valid uses of the word should in the English language" (Burns, MD, 1999). According to D. Burns, MD (1999), These three uses are:
- Moral - "You should not intentionally take advantage of someone, because this violates your moral code."
- Legal - "You should not drive at 90 mph because it's dangerous and you'll probably get a ticket."
- Laws of the universe - "For example, if you drop your pen, it should fall because of the force of gravity."
7) Passive aggressiveness - This one is pretty self-explanatory. Procrastinators are often unable to express negative feelings openly and honestly. In order to express ourselves, we may resort to indirect ways to get our point across. So, the next time you notice yourself frustrating someone when you're taking your sweet time to finish a task, "ask yourself if you feel upset or annoyed with them." This might just be the trigger for your procrastination.
8) Unassertiveness - Here we have people-pleasers. Procrastinators in this category frequently agree to do something because they believe they should be nice, are afraid of disapproval, or can't stand the thought of annoying someone by saying "no." Finding a way to be more assertive will require procrastinators in this category to be more direct with other on how they feel.
9) Coercion sensitivity - This one is for all you little rebels out there! When they view someone as bossy or overly demanding, procrastinators will dig in their heels and refuse to do what is asked as a way of rebelling. To prevent a major power struggle, procrastinators will need to find a more successful way to communicate and exhibit their independence.
10) The lack of desire - Here's our number one culprit when it comes to procrastination. Frequently, when I procrastinate, it's because I just don't want to do something. Who really wants to dust the house or scrub the toilets? Or unpack the boxes still in the garage from your move last year? The key to this one is figuring out the "why." Once you notice you're procrastinating, ask yourself why. If you can determine your motivating factors, you may have an easier time re-adjusting your view and being more productive.
So, I suppose I have stopped procrastinating about posting a new blog entry. It's a little rough, but I'm working on accepting imperfection and dealing with speedbumps and turns on my road to success. Hopefully this will encourage you to stop putting of something "for one more day." Good luck on taking your first step toward motivation and more action!
Peace, love & happiness in 2015
~Vix
