Lately I’ve been reading all sorts of things about procrastinating because… I’m procrastinating. I really want to stop my pfaffing. Of course,wanting to do something about procrastination is a complete oxymoron. I’ve been getting around to it for about 27 years.
Why do we do it?
There are lots of reasons why we don’t do what we’re supposed to do when we’re supposed to do it. You might find one or more of your own reasons here (and a little word for helping you overcome the whys):
We are secret rebels
Not many of us like being told what to do, even if we’re telling ourselves. I’ve actually made rebelling against myself an interpretive art form. If you grow up raging against the machine, chances are rebellious behaviour is fairly ingrained in your psyche. So even if procrastination is ultimately only punishing yourself, part of you still feels pretty smug about ignoring the To Do list and sticking it to the man. Yo.
A very stern chat with our wayward inner child is needed here.
We’re not interested in what we have to do
Let’s face it, no one ever procrastinates about reading a favourite book or having a morning cuppa with a friend. If we love something, we tend to just do it. A lack of interest in the task at hand is a big reason why many of us fail to get on with the job. There will always be things we are loathe to do, no matter how much we love our life, but if you find this kind of procrastination is a repeat occurrence chances are you are spending way too much time doing things you don’t love.
A heart to heart with ourselves might solve this one.
We don’t actually know what we’re doing
If you feel out of your depth and know you’re procrastinating because you simply don’t know where to start, you need to go back to the beginning. In this internet age there is really no excuse to not know anything, so if a lack of knowledge is holding you back, take the time to learn as much as you can about the task at hand. This is dangerous territory for a procrastinator, of course, so make sure you set a goal and a limit on your research time.
Give yourself permission to do a little research to find a launch platform for getting the task done.
We underestimate our abilities
Lots of us procrastinate because we’re scared that if we start, we’ll fail. If you never begin anything, you can’t fail, right? And if you always do things at the last minute you can say you didn’t give it your best effort so if you fail it’s okay because you could have done it better if you had more time, right?
Either lower your expectations or learn to fail forward. Either way, just know you’ll be okay.
We overestimate our abilities
Conversely, lots of times its our humongous belief in our own capabilities that prevent us from doing things in a timely manner. “Oh, I’m a really fast worker,” we boast while we fiddle about doing who knows what while the work stacks up. “I work really well, under pressure,” we say as we confidently watch time tick away, never panicking, never budging until suddenly we realise that despite being a “fast worker, best under pressure” it’s actually not physically possible to do the workload we’ve amassed in the time we have left. Now that’s pressure. Cue panic and further procrastination (see below).
Try moving your deadlines forward by a few days and use your remarkable powers of denial to convince yourself the new deadline is true.
We are simply overwhelmed
There’s a lot to do in an average day and none of us ever listens when people talk about “scheduling down time” so procrastination becomes our down time. Without procrastination, many of us would fail to turn our Go button to Pause at all. The trouble with using procrastination in this way is once you start, it’s hard to stop.
Try scheduling some proper rest time into your day and see if it helps.
Nice tips, but what’s this ultimate tool you speak of?
Ah, the ultimate tool is a timer. Sorry, were you expecting something more interesting? You can be fancy and get an app like Pomodoro or you can just use your phone timer like I do, but either way, you need a timer.
Here’s how I use the timer to give myself the nudge I need:
1. Work for five minutes
Five minutes of anything is totally achievable and setting a timer is the perfect way to just begin. Set the timer, get stuck into the task and chances are you won’t even notice the timer going off.
2. Stop for five minutes
If you’ve used the timer method and you’re immersed in the task you used to procrastinate over, chances are you’ll forget to take a break. There’s countless research that tells us we need to take breaks for our physical wellbeing and ironically to get the most from our time. For the purposes of our procrastination-busting mission, we can just say that taking scheduled breaks will mean we are less likely to procrastinate next time.
3. Challenge yourself for five minutes
This is one for nerdburger like myself (please stop reading if you do not identify as a nerd as I’m about to completely embarrass myself). I like to set the timer and try to get an everyday task done faster than I’ve ever done it before. This is how I developed my 1 hour total house clean method and I’m not adverse to washing up to a timer, doing my invoicing to a timer, walking or running to a timer, etc. There is no end to what I can achieve with my little timer bleeping at me every 5 to 10 minutes.
The only thing I won’t do to a timer is wake up in the morning. Sadly, I’ve never managed to find anything that motivates me to do that…
Are you a fellow procrastinator? What finally gets you started?
Mother Down Under says
Ha ha…I like the last tip…just like I try to get my toddler to do something…quick as you can!
I generally bribe myself…I promise myself I can do something I like to do once the painful chore is out of the way…so vacuum the house first thing and then I get to sit down at the computer and read blogs!
Maxabella says
Sadly I am immune to bribes. I have a tendency to ignore myself in general… x
Helen K says
Inspired by the ‘How to procrastinate more’ article from the other day? Yes, I am a procrastinator – I think one other reason is ‘fearing success’ – ie. if I do something too efficiently, I might be lumped with it for life (thus my not so sneaky inability to stack the dishwasher – I am no longer entrusted with this job that everyone else should be capable of doing too!)
Two things that help me are having two jobs at once (so I can actually get something completed while satisfying my inner rebel) and trying to remember how good I will feel when the job is done (or making someone hold me accountable). The second doesn’t always work though! xx
Maxabella says
The second never works for me, but I definitely do your first trick. I often have about 10 things on the go at once and flit between them. This way I can ‘procrastinate productively’!! x
JodiGibson (@JFGibsonWriter) says
Oh the timer! Yes! Awesome for kicking your own butt into gear. I’m a timer nerd from way back. When I was a kid I used to count how long it would take me to do things and then try and better each time. Nerd!
Maxabella says
Nerds unite, I say! x
Kathy says
Love it – I think I could be a nerdburger too – love to get the housework done as quickly as possible so I’m off to read that 1 hour housework post! I know I procrastinate at work because I don’t love it (or don’t love it most of the time). I also procrastinate about the idea of trying to turn blogging/writing/meditation videos/yoga teaching combo into a business and putting myself out there with freelance writing because I under-estimate my abilities. I sat on a guest post for global site DoYouYoga for three months and finally sent it off in the week of Problogger – three days later they published it on the first day of the conference and then later approached me about being a regular contributor – I now do a fortnightly column (not paid but it’s a start). Must remember to at least try and ‘fail forward’ – love that.
Maxabella says
It really does come down to just putting yourself out there and giving stuff a go. Once we get over our fear of rejection there is no end to what we can do. CONGRATULATIONS!! x
Raychael aka Mystery Case says
I think marrying a procrastinator helped me with my own issues. These days I tend to have more of a roll your sleeves up and just get the job done approach.
Maxabella says
I’m working on it! x
Lisa says
I procrastinate because I like to think I work better under pressure-not sure if everyone else thinks the same. I am too laid-back for my own good and often feel that I have plenty of time to get things done. I am also married to a Type A personality so it might be my inner child rebelling against the establishment.
Maxabella says
We tick aaaall the boxes! x
KezUnprepared says
Great tips! I like setting myself little time challenges too.
I am for certain a procrastinator. I’m the champion!
Maxabella says
It’s good to be a champion SOMETHING, right!? x
David Tiong says
Great tips here thanks Maxabella. I’m definitely guilty of being a procrastinator. It seems like one of those bad habits that you just keep falling back into, it sneaks back up on you.
I find that the best solution is always “momentum”. I tell myself to just make a start on whatever task it is that I am putting off. Doesn’t matter if it seems too difficult, or too painful, or there is something else I’d rather do. Just go and make a start. This starts the ball rolling. The momentum then kicks in and before I know it, the task just got easier, less painful than I thought it would be, and I start to feel better about it, feel more productive and therefore happier. Soon the task is completed.
WE ARE SIMPLY OVERWHELMED- I never thought about it this way, but you are right. Procrastination could sometimes be the body’s way of saying – slow down, take a break. But then that’s not a good habit to develop either. Better to be aware that your body needs rest times and then schedule these in – as you mentioned. Good point and one that I had never considered.
CHALLENGE YOURSELF FOR FIVE MINUTES- great idea and I think I’ll try this one. I’ve always liked competition for driving results. So why not estimate how long I think a task will take, then set the timer for that amount of time, then see if I can beat it. Nothing like some competition to break the procrastination.
Good article,
David
Maxabella says
Great comment! Thanks for such great insights David. x
Monica says
hi, it’s been a long time!
my own procrastination comes from me living in my head so much. if i think a process through i lose motivation to actually do it. i’m talking more about making art/crafts.
i also think that prolonged periods of procrastination have an underlying cause, like depression, or simply some more pressing issues going on.
Maxabella says
Totally agree – I think it comes down to that idea I mentioned of ‘just doing what you love’, we don’t think about it. Too much procrastinating over a prolonged period of time (for, let’s face it, we all get slack every now and then no matter how much passion we have for things) = wrong life. x
stephanie@stephsjoy says
Wrote a list this morning, am crossing off things. Just got distracted by you now!
Maxabella says
LOL. There is no hope!
I’ve been very slack with my lists lately and I KNOW that’s half my problem. The nerdburgers of the world need a list to cross of all neatly… i will write my lists instead of cleaning my house… 🙂
Emma | My Book Corner says
That timer idea is a revelation. Love it!! 5 mins feels very achievable!!
I’m a list person. I often create a list the night before of what needs to be achieved the following day … although I do need to check myself & ensure that list is achievable. Sometimes it can morph into more of a wish list!!!
Maxabella says
It really works! I agree with the lists – I mentioned about that I have been slack with my lists and that makes motivation so much harder. But now I feel like if I started to write a list, I’d be procrastinating!?! x
Erin says
I have been procrastinating and alternatively hyperventilating over my ‘to do’ lists for the past fortnight. Final motivation was my list was weighing me down, I was majorly dropping important ‘balls’ so I began working my way through. Got all the ‘making appointments’ done, emails done, contacting/coordinating tradesmen, buying plumbing parts etc etc, and now I’m working my way through Christmas presents (shopping online mostly) but takes research, decisions etc.
So I’m now feeling a lot better, I was seriously unraveling. So yes I procrastinate to I can no longer do so, or I unravel.
Maxabella says
The minute the overwhelm hits, I know the only way to make it go away is to get my head down and make some real progress on my lists. Sometimes it’s the last thing I want to do, but I know it’s the only way out. Hope you get there, Erin. x
Kristy @ Loulou Zoo says
Great tips as always Bron! I’m generally not a procrastinator, but I find when I am often it’s a sign of two things…one being I’m completely overwhelmed or two, that I need a break, as I’m a bit burnt out. Which I guess are the same thing really?!
It has taken me a loooong time to realise that! x
Maxabella says
It took me a lifetime too, but now I know the trick is to take those breaks! I schedule them in now. And the timer is great because I can set it for an hour of work and then take a good break when the bell goes off. x
Holly says
I am guilty! If I don’t want to do something and it isn’t 100% necessary I just don’t do it :/
Maxabella says
I wonder if procrastination is ever not accompanied by guilt??
Nicole- Champagne and Chips says
Can you see me waving my arms in the air? 🙂
I am not even a secret rebel- I’m out and proud. Really good tips though. I think life was easier before social media- then i used to procrastinate with a book and at least feel more content.
Maxabella says
True! Now we procrastinate chatting with others and probably getting ideas for more stuff to add to our lists!! x