Let's talk about procrastination (or shall we do it later...?)

Procrastination is often about putting things off that feel 'unpleasant' or 'boring'. But what is really going on, and how can you overcome it?

Procrastination can make us feeling demoralised, burnt out and stressed.

That is often compounded by the fear that we are being judged by others (and ourselves!) as lazy, lacking self-control and possibly incompetent.

Most of us tend to associate procrastination with putting things off that feel 'unpleasant'.

But that simple term 'unpleasant' masks many different possibilities:

1. It might be that the task is unappealing because it is perceived as dull or drudgery.

2. Conversely, it might feel so hard, that instead of having the appeal of a challenge, it feels impossible to start, never mind completing it.

3. Fear of what could happen as a consequence can create resistance, for example fear of running out of time, damaging relationships or experiencing overwhelm.

4. Equally, it could be fear that we are not enough to take the task on in the first place - not clever enough, attractive enough, confident enough, credible enough, safe enough, certain enough. And then there's the related fear to contend with, of being judged and 'outed' as a fraud (hello, imposter syndrome!)

5. Many of us have just as much trepidation about being highly successful - what if we can't handle the next step?

6. Projection of a negative experience in a previous similar scenario can mean we misguidedly make it a truth in the current situation.

7. Procrastination can also be connected to a sense that if we can't do it all perfectly, then it's not worth doing it at all.

8. A habitual reliance on waiting for that magical impulse or 'deadline drama' to get going, even when that approach does not really serve you (although for others, it might!)

9. Neurodiversity can be linked to procrastination. For example, ADHD brains can be more likely to succumb to procrastination in dull and hard situations than neuro-typical people, and deadline drama is often a primary habitual motivator, instead of a fallback.

In both myself and my clients, I've noticed a lot of this is about emotional regulation (or lack of) and the impact of that on perspective.

When you allow yourself to be hijacked by your doubts and fears, your ability to keep a balanced perspective and regulate your emotions is compromised. This can elevate the immediate appeal of procrastination.

But if you need to accomplish the task anyway, then the 'short-term gain over long-term pain' of procrastination can be incredibly detrimental:

➡️ Damaging your self-trust;

➡️ Having you live with the emotional strain and anticipatory anxiety of delaying what needs to be done;

➡️ Having others live with your emotional strain and anticipatory anxiety, and how that shows up in your attitudes and behaviours;

➡️ Taking up head space and draining your energy for far longer than necessary;

➡️ Being inconsistent with what you say and what you do, resulting in a lack of alignment, certainty, psychological safety, trust and integrity in how you show up for your team and relationships; and

➡️ Losing time, confidence and credibility in the process.

Ouch! There's no doubt about it: procrastination hurts.

If that sounds familiar, try my five questions to move you forward next time you are procrastinating:

💡 What's the feeling or belief that's fuelling your current procrastination?

💡 What's not true about that feeling or belief?

💡 What's the real truth that you're not acknowledging right now?

💡 What's a fresh perspective on that, that will give you the motivation you need to take your first step into action?

💡 And finally: what IS that first step into action? When will you do it by? Who do you want to hold you accountable?

The quickest way to move past procrastination is to take the first step into relevant action ('relevant' is the appropriate word here!)

To really lock in your success, ask someone else to hold you accountable if you know it would support you.

This is not a sign of weakness. Accountability is an excellent structure for making yourself take action and the reason so many people have coaching to stay on track and pace!

👉 As always, if this resonates with you, feel free to DM me and let me know your thoughts. What will your next step into action be?