If procrastination is something that you know a lot about, you’ll also know that it can be hard to get out of the procrastination cycle. Although you may know that you’re putting off something that really does need to be done, finding the motivation to follow through with your to-do list can be difficult. This can cause a huge amount of unnecessary stress, whether you know that you’re procrastinating or not. So, is there a reason behind procrastination? Why do we all love procrastinating so much, even though we know that it’s going to have a detrimental effect on our lives? Well, it seems as though we now have some answers.
We have too many dreams
Do you pride yourself on being creative? Do you have big dreams? Well, this may be the reason for your procrastination. If your mind is constantly whirring and coming up with new and improved ideas, you might not be giving yourself the chance to focus on one particular task. Without structured goals in place, you constantly think of what you could be doing rather than actually doing it. Of course, these brain waves can be hugely entertaining and interesting for the dreamers of the world, but they can be detrimental when you have deadlines that need to be met.
We have a fear of failure
If you’re the kind of person that unconsciously procrastinates on a regular basis, there may be a deeper reason for this. In fact, it may be that you pride yourself on being a perfectionist, and the fear of failing is holding you back. Sometimes, the stress of wanting to make sure that everything is perfect and you’ve completed a task to the best of your ability can put a huge amount of pressure on your shoulders, and procrastination can allow you time to put this perfect task on hold. One of the best ways to combat this is to visualize yourself turning in a completed task that you’re proud of and keep this image in your mind as you get to work.
We feel overwhelmed
Work and deadlines can be pretty daunting sometimes, and this can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed. When you’re faced with complicated tasks and deadlines that need to be perfect, it can be easier just to pretend as though it’s not there, while working on making sure you’re no longer stressed. You may take the afternoon off work to deal with your stress and involve yourself in self-care, but no matter how hard you try to ignore the impending deadline, it’s always going to be at the back of your mind. To combat this, break down your deadline and work out what needs to be done to ensure that it’s completed. By doing this, you can tackle your work in bite-size pieces.
We get distracted
Of course, one of the biggest reasons why we love procrastinating so much is because we just love to be distracted. Some people struggle to focus on one task without chatting to their colleague, playing with the stationery on their desk, or researching what the Kardashian sisters are up to. This won’t help you and your deadlines, so it’s important to try and steer clear of these distractions. Breaking down your working day into chunks can be one of the best ways to deal with this. Tell yourself that you’re going to work for an hour, and then give yourself five minutes to scroll through Instagram before getting back to it again.
Yes, it’s time to say goodbye to procrastination.
